Interested in snowboarding but haven’t got a clue where to start or what gear you need? Have no fear, here are the essential items you need to begin your snowboarding adventure.
Snowboard
There are three basic types of snowboards, with each one varying in width and the shape of their tip and tail. Each type is geared for a different type of snowboarding. For most beginners, a freestyle board will be what you want to choose. A freestyle board offers an ease of use, handling and is generally easier to turn, all essential requirements for beginners.
Boots and Bindings
When trying on boots for snowboarding, make sure you select a pair that fits your feet as well as possible. Choose boots that are too loose and you won’t get the control you need, choose boots that are too tight and you won’t be comfortable. Don’t skip this consideration. Also, your boots should keep your feet warm, so the cheapest option might not be the best option. Check the boots for a good amount of lining and cushioning. Next, you’ll want to check the flexibility and control the boots will give you. Your boots need to flex properly to allow you to control the board speed and direction. If the boots are too stiff, you may not get the amount of control you need. According to the boot you choose, there will be a type of binding that goes with it. Be sure to try on and test the boots and bindings in the store before you make a purchase. Making your purchase at a store that has a generous return policy is also a good idea. That way you can return or exchange the boots if you find they aren’t working for you.
Apparel
Obviously, it’s going to be freezing out there in the snow. You’ll want to choose apparel that keeps your body warm and dry but also allows you enough freedom of movement to enjoy yourself. In general, you’ll want several layers including some long underwear or undershirt, then a cotton shirt above that, then a fleece pullover, then a thicker jacket over that for warmth and finally a waterproof jacket over that. Layering allows you to adjust for your own comfort and warmth as needed. You’ll also want to choose some headwear, such as a helmet or beanie to prevent heat loss through your head.
Accessories
One of the most important accessories you’ll want to have is a pair of snowboarding goggles. A good pair of goggles will protect your eyes from snow glare, the sun, snow and if you should veer off course, your eyes will be protected from that stray branch that hits you in the face. Other accessories that are also important include gloves, socks, sunblock, ear warmers, scarf and any safety accessories you may need, like wrist and knee guards.
Armed with this knowledge, you should be able to start your snowboarding adventure off with the right gear, safer and more efficiently.
About the Author:
Lydia Quinn writes for PhatSportShades, a leading performance eyewear provider, offering snowboarding goggles. Visit us at: http://www.phatsportshades.com/
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It’s time to choose that perfect snowboard. Check out our great selection of Snowboards from Sun & Ski Sports Today!
Filed under: ARTICLES-Snowboarding
Snowboarding is a delightful wintertime activity that appeals to the adventurous. There is no experience as joyful as flying through the snow on a board, and landing a few meters away from the starting point. However, you should keep certain precautions and practices in mind in order to make your snowboarding experience safe and enjoyable.
Getting The Biggest ?Jump? The primary goal of any snowboarder is to travel the farthest on the snowboard. Getting that awe-inspiring jump is easy if you keep in mind the following.
?The speed at which you start matters. Greater speed helps build greater momentum for the jump. ?To get a big jump, spring hard from the edge of the height as you jump off. ?In order to get maximum leverage for your jump off the edge, keep your knees bent until the moment of takeoff. Then spring off the snowboard. ?After the takeoff, bend your knees to touch your chest, and then straighten your legs to get added momentum during snowboarding.
Tips for Safe Snowboarding Snowboarding needs certain precautions that ensure that you have a safe and enjoyable experience. Improper equipment and wrong techniques often lead to injuries. Here are some ways to minimize the risks associated with snowboarding.
?Practice your moves on level ground before you actually try them on a snowboarding slope. ?Once you have started the jump, do not try to slow down by turning. The better method would be to jump from a less steep slope. ?While landing, take care that you ride a little and then slow down. ?Practice simple jumps first, and then graduate to complex turns and twirls. ?Equipment is very important for a snowboarding enthusiast. Use wrist guards, helmets and gloves to protect yourself from injuries in case of a fall. Helmets can make the difference between life and death on the slopes. Insist that your kids are also wearing full safety gear before letting them on to the slopes.
By following these simple rules, you can reduce most risks associated with snowboarding and have a fun time tackling challenging slopes. If you are a beginner to the sport, then practicing simple jumps on easier slopes may a good idea. Invest in good quality safety gear; by scrimping on the safety equipment you may save money but lose more in the process. Have a great snowboarding experience this winter!
It’s time to choose that perfect snowboard. Check out our great selection of Snowboards from Sun & Ski Sports Today!
Filed under: ARTICLES-Snowboarding
When purchasing snowboarding pants, if you are new to snowboarding, you might at first be tempted to purchase tighter pants. Ideally; however, pants that are looser fitting can provider more advantages.
Snowboarding pants have taken a drastic change from snowsuits of many years ago. Some of the major changes include how they are constructed. Many snowboarding pants today are made from a system of three layers. Be aware that some pants may have only two layers but these pants are for use either in only extremely mild climates or to be worn over underpants.
The 3 Layer System
With a three-layer system the first layer makes up the base layer. This is the layer that comes in direct contact with the skin. Be aware that you will most likely heat up fairly quickly while snowboarding as well as have a tendency to cool down during the lift rides. Therefore, the base layer is extremely important. The base layer helps to ensure that you won?t get cold either while you?re making your way down the hill or up on the lift. Most people tend to get too cold because their perspiration gets trapped in the based layer against the skin and then begins to freeze. A good quality base layer will wick this moisture away, thus preventing this problem.
Layer 2
The second layer is known as the insulation layer. The purpose of this layer is to help retain body heat. It does this by trapping a layer of air around your body and that decreases the heat exchange between the climate outside and your body. The most popular types of snowboarding pants are constructed of pile, bunting and fleece. By and large, fleece is the most common type of material used in snowboarding pants because it is a dense type of fabric. The difference between fleece and pile is that pile is only a single sided fleece. Bunting is also fleece but it has been raked on both sides.
Layer 3
The last layer of a three-layer system is the outer shell. This is the only portion of the pants that will have actual contact with the exterior climate so it?s important for this layer to be wind proof as well as waterproof against snow and rain. It should also allow moisture to escape while protecting you from chaffing as well as cuts and scrapes. Gore-Tex is one of the most popular types of fabrics for this layer.
When you begin shopping around for snowboarding pants be sure to keep all of this information in mind. Other features you may want to consider are reflective strips, particularly if you like to ride at night. You might also wish to look for other features such as zippered pockets and interior pockets that can hold snacks and gadgets.
By keeping your style, needs and the location in which you will be riding in mind you can be sure to find the right snowboarding pants to suit your unique needs.
It’s time to choose that perfect snowboard. Check out our great selection of Snowboards from Sun & Ski Sports Today!
Filed under: ARTICLES-Snowboarding
Skiing and snowboarding may seem very similar in the types of safety gear needed, but that’s an incorrect assumption. Safety gear for snowboarding is quite different due to the lack of balance poles used and the different kinds of injuries that tend to be common. Here is an overview of safety gear for both skiing and snowboarding:
Snowboarding Safety Gear
Your first priority should be to get a snowboarding helmet. Head injuries are just one of the types of injuries that snowboarders are prone to have. Since it is so easy to fall down, especially for newbie snowboarders, the likelihood of a head injury is surprisingly high. Since there are no ski poles to help you to balance, snowboarders tend to fall alot more than skiiers, and often times, they will hit their head when falling. The seriousness of a head injury depends on the type of snow, snow depth and your speed while falling, but to massively reduce the risk of a serious head injury, just wear a helmet!
Next, you need wrist protection. Wrist injuries are the #1 injury to befall snowboarders. This is because snowboarders tend to try to catch themselves when they fall, with their wrist! So, they end up falling on their wrist or twisting it in some weird way. Up to 40% of all snowboarding injuries are related to the wrist. There are two types of wrist protection available, underglove wrist guards that you wear underneath your gloves and snowboarding gloves that have integrated wrist guards built in. No excuses, just get the wrist protection, it will save you time, money and pain down the line.
While a helmet and wrist protection are the two main types of safety gear you should have as a snowboarder, there are some other types of safety gear you should also consider. Padded snowboarding shorts are available that protect your tailbone, your butt, your hips, your thighs and your knees from the impact of falling. Snowboarding goggles are also available and protect your eyes from snow and sun glare, offer UV protection and protect your eyes from tree branches as well. There are also knee pads, elbow pads and shin guards available should you feel you need some extra protection.
Skiing Safety Gear
Like snowboarding, helmets are available for skiiers as well. Helmets provide you with some impact protection if you fall, run into another skiier or even a tree. There’s also wrist pads, knee pads, hip and butt pads and other padding available. Goggles are also important for skiiers, since visibility is extremely important. Wraparound goggles that shield your eyes from snow blindness and driving snow will help your eyes stay protected. For cross country skiiers, they may want to take along a GPS and first aid kit.
Whether you’re skiing or snowboarding, there’s no excuse not to wear proper safety gear, it could save your life.
Lydia Quinn writes for Phat Sports Shades, a leading provider of high performance eyewear and eye protection for sports, motorcycle riding and outdoor activities. Visit us at: http://www.phatsportshades.com
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It’s time to choose that perfect snowboard. Check out our great selection of Snowboards from Sun & Ski Sports Today!
Filed under: ARTICLES-Skiing, ARTICLES-Snowboarding
If you can?t hit the hills yourself and enjoy the thrill and challenge of snowboarding the next best thing just might be playing a snowboarding video game. There are a wide variety of games currently available that are designed to suit the tastes of even the most discriminating snowboarders.
Very Popular
One of the most popular snowboarding video games currently on the market is the TransWorld Snowboarding game. One of the main reasons this game is so popular is the impressive visual portrayals. A trick system that is quite easy to get into along with a variety of different goals that can be accomplished on the game make it very challenging. The game also features 10 professional riders along with 16 environments and a multiplayer split screen support. There are numerous options players can choose from as well as extras that are just waiting to be unlocked, which can extend the game?s value.
Choose your own environment
After you select an environment you will be immediately presented with a list of objectives. These can range from executing a certain trick to winning a race. As you progress through the game the level of difficulty naturally increases as well.
With the split screen multiplayer mode you gain the ability to compete against up to three other players in numerous different types of events. Participants can also choose to take turns performing tricks on different portions of the course. At the end of the competition the player with the most points wins.
The straightforward trick system of the game ensures that completion of the objectives isn?t too frustrating. By pressing the analog stick in different directions you can trigger different events. You can also press the left analog stick in a variety of directions to spin or perform flips along with the tricks. It is also possible to combine tricks by using the shoulder buttons. These buttons trigger a revert.
Very Detailed
When it comes to visuals the TransWorld Snowboarding video game is easily one of the most detailed games on the market. The snow appears very realistic while the various environments are clearly outfitted with forest creatures, trees and buildings. There are also city courses that feature vehicles as well. Probably one of the most impressive achievements of this game; however, is the fact that it allows you to see far off into the distance.
As for sound, this snowboarding video game features licensed music from a variety of bands including Blackalicious, Quarashi, Noise Therapy and others. You can also put your own music tracks to the Xbox drive and use those in the game as well. Solid sound effects are another advantage including wind sounds at high wind speeds, dogs growling and more.
If you?re looking for a highly competitive snowboarding video game with excellent visuals this is definitely a game worth considering.
It’s time to choose that perfect snowboard. Check out our great selection of Snowboards from Sun & Ski Sports Today!
Filed under: ARTICLES-Snowboarding
We are now at the age where we are empty nesters. Our youngest child left for college this year. I am the youngest in my family, so each of my sisters are at the same stage in life. This will be our first holiday season without parents. Our father passed away several years ago, and our mom died this summer. We have talked about starting a new tradition for the holiday season. We each like to spend time with each other?s families keeping in touch with nieces and nephews and letting the cousins have time together. This year we talked about waiting until New Years weekend to do a family gathering. My husband suggested going skiing together. My children love snowboarding trips and so do several of their cousins. My sisters usually plan ski trips during the winter months, but not over the holiday season.
I asked my sisters if they would be willing to plan their ski trips along with our childrens snowboarding trips with us and to go close to the holidays. We all agreed that this may be fun. We take both down hill and cross country ski trips, whilst our children go off snowboarding. We knew about a resort that offers both that some friends of ours had bought several years ago. We called them and asked if they could accommodate our large group. All together there would be twenty of us. The couple explained that we were like an answer to a prayer.
They had renovated the main lodge and did not think it would be ready for guests until the middle of January. All of their advertisements stated that they would reopen at that time. The project was completed in advance, but people had made alternative arrangements for the holiday weekend. They agreed to let us have the entire lodge for our family. This included sixteen bedrooms, the dining room, game room and bar area. They were planning on being empty so they reduced the price, if we agreed to purchase our meals in addition to the lodging. Usually on our ski trips and snowboarding trips we make our own meals because of the expense; but the price they were quoting us was very inexpensive.
My sisters and their husbands agreed that this was a great price and we booked the lodge. We arrived on a Friday evening and we were all planning to stay until Sunday late afternoon. The lodge was beautifully decorated for the holidays and the renovation was gorgeous. We skied, ate drank and visited. We have decided that our future ski trips will be family events and two of my neices want to begin snowboarding with my two. I may even begin snowboarding myself!!
About the Author:
John Mailer wrote these articles on Snowboarding to increase his knowledge of the sport on which his children and their friends were so keen.Begin Snowboarding Dog Training
It’s time to choose that perfect snowboard. Check out our great selection of Snowboards from Sun & Ski Sports Today!
Filed under: ARTICLES-Ski Vacations, ARTICLES-Snowboarding
If you are considering snowboard snowboarding you will need to determine which stance you intend to use. This refers to how you actually stand on the snowboard. This is important because it will also determine how you mount the bindings on the board.Regular or Goofy ? One option for your stance in snowboard snowboarding is to ride with your left foot forward. This is known as a regular stance. Another option as known as goofy and this stance has the right foot forward. Many people have an almost built-in preference that is much like being either right handed or left handed.If you have experience in the past surfing, waterskiing or skateboarding you may already know what your preference is. Be aware; however, that this preference can switch from one sport to the next. Some professional snowboarders prefer to ride one way on their snowboards and actually skateboard with a different stance.Some people may not know whether they prefer a particular stance until they have tried both ways. If you don’t want to give it a try on the side of a mountain there are a few other ways you can determine which stance is best for you while snowboard snowboarding.Trial & Error One way would be to slide down the hall or across the kitchen floor in your socks. When you come to a stop look to see which foot goes in first. Another way to determine which foot should be your front foot is to try biking downhill and stand up on the pedals. Look to see which put you automatically put in front.After you have determined which stance you want to use you should give some thought to how wide you should set your stance. Ideally, the width of your stance should be slightly wider than shoulder-width.It should be balanced, stable and comfortable. For most people this will fall somewhere between 18″ and 24″. Getting your Angle When snowboard snowboarding you will also need to find the right angle of your foot in relation to the board. Once again there is some room for personal preference here but riding style can also impact the right angle for you. If you are riding freestyle or free ride, the front binding should fall between 10 and 30 degrees. The rear binding should be angled somewhere between -15 and +10 degrees. The exact angle should be whatever is comfortable for you.Try to avoid the temptation to compare your stance to someone else’s No two stances are alike. Your stance should be unique and what is comfortable for you. Over time, as you gain experience snowboard snowboarding your stance will also likely evolve and change. Your style of riding may also impact your choice of stance from time to time.
About the Author
Toby Russell owns & operates the info website www.snowboardinglatest.com giving news, views and information updates for all snowboarders.
It’s time to choose that perfect snowboard. Check out our great selection of Snowboards from Sun & Ski Sports Today!
Filed under: ARTICLES-Snowboarding
If you are considering learning to snowboard it is important to learn how to dress appropriately for snowboarding. This means learning which snowboarding clothes you should wear.If you are new to snowboarding you may not know there is a right way and a wrong way to dress for snowboarding. By taking the time to learn about appropriate snowboarding clothes you can have a more pleasurable and comfortable day. Get the Base Layer right When it comes to snowboarding clothes you want to begin with a strong base layer. This means long underwear bottoms as well as a long sleeve top and socks. You should choose items that are moisture-wicking. These items should be made from a synthetic polyester or else a polypropylene material like Polartec, Coolmax or Capilene. Whenever possible always avoid wearing cotton because it will absorb water and retain it, keeping you colder during the day. Look for socks that you can pull on over the underwear bottoms; don’t allow them to bunch up around your ankles.Finally, don’t forget to tuck in the long sleeve shirt to complete the moisture wicking base layer. Step two - the Second Layer The next step is to create an insulating second layer of snowboarding clothes. This should be comprised of at least one layer of either wool or synthetic fleece, such as an insulating sweater. Depending on the weather in the area in which you will be snowboarding you may also wish to add a vest or additional layers. The good thing about this layer is that if the weather does heat up you can remove those additional layers. Once again, always avoid cotton.Finally the Outer layer Next, work on creating an outer layer that is both win and waterproof. For this layer you should consider snowboarding clothes such as pants and jacket. You may need additional waterproofing and extra venting depending on the climate. For pants, look for an inner cuff that can be fit over the top of your boots. This will keep the snow and cold out. Accessorise Correctly ……….. Now, on to accessories. You should always wear a helmet or hat when you are snowboarding to keep heat from escaping from your head. It is also important to wear goggles to keep your eyes protected from both sun and wind. If the weather is very cold you may also need a neck gaiter, which is a tube of fleece that can be worn around the face and neck to keep the cold off those extremities. Of course, you will also need mittens or gloves that can be either tucked over or under your jacket cuff.By taking the time to learn about appropriate snowboarding clothes you can be sure the next time you hit the hills you will be prepared for whatever weather may come your way, relax and have a good time.
About the Author
Toby Russell and his info website www.snowboardinglatest.com aims to help both novice and more experienced snowboarders get the very most from their sport.
It’s time to choose that perfect snowboard. Check out our great selection of Snowboards from Sun & Ski Sports Today!
Filed under: ARTICLES-Snowboarding
Good Preparation pays dividends If you are interested in skiing snowboarding it is important to learn some safety tips before you hit the slopes or the hills. Like any other physical activity, this type of snow sport makes you susceptible to injury. The good news is that with the right precautions and correct gear you can significantly reduce that chance of injury and be sure you have a pleasurable day on the slopes . Prevention Techniques Many skiing snowboarding injuries commonly occur in the upper extremities of the body as well as the ankle. By and large, sprains are the most common type of injury followed closely by fractures and contusions. Due to the fact that snowboarders tend to fall forwards or backwards upper body injuries are also common. Instead of throwing your arms outward as many snowboarders are prone to do, try to keep them tucked in and then roll with the fall. Throwing your arms outward to try to stop your fall will ultimately result in fractures to the wrists, elbow and shoulders. Tucking and rolling with distribute the impact of the overall fall over a larger portion of the body.When lower body injuries occur it is primarily due to the snowboarder’s feet being strapped into the board. This localizes knee movement. If you do a lot of aerial movements the chance of spine, chest, and abdominal and head injuries greatly increase. Be aware that ankle injuries are also quite common. It is also possible to attain head and spinal injuries if you lose control of the board at a high speed.Get to the Doctors Fast ! If you do become injured while skiing snowboarding it may be difficult at first to determine the extent of the injury. First, be aware that anytime there is swelling this is a good indication there is a serious injury and it needs to be addressed promptly. Always make sure you visit a physician immediately to obtain a correct diagnosis of the injury. Anytime you sustain a sprain it is advisable to rest your body and stay off the hills for at least 24 hours and possibly up to 48 hours.Protect yourself ! You can also protect yourself while skiing snowboarding by insuring that your body is in good condition. Following a fitness routine on a regular basis can help to ensure your body has the flexibility it needs for snowboarding. Wearing the right equipment is also a good way to protect yourself. At a minimum, you should always make sure you are wearing a helmet to protect you from head injury, quality boots to provide your feet and ankles with good support and stability, wrist and elbow guards, knee and tailbone pads as well as a padded jacket and pants and of course, goggles to protect your eyes from wind and snow.
About the Author
Toby Russell owns & operates the information site www.snowboardinglatest.com, which aims to offer useful & practical advice for all snowboarders.
It’s time to choose that perfect snowboard. Check out our great selection of Snowboards from Sun & Ski Sports Today!
Filed under: ARTICLES-Snowboarding
Don’t forget Quality When you begin to snowboard not only will you need a good quality snowboard but you will also need good quality clothing, especially a good snowboarding jacket. There are many different types of snowboarding jackets on the market so it can be difficult to determine which one is right. Read on for details regarding the most popular snowboarding jackets to determine which one might best suit your needs. Very Popular One of the most popular snowboarding jackets at the current time is the convergent jacket. Special features that make this jacket so popular include an interior iPod pocket, snap-away powder skirt and a goggle pocket. The outside of this jacket features HellyTech fabric as well as an adjustable hood and pit vents. This jacket also has a relaxed fit to make comfort ideal while riding the hills.The Sessions Istodis jacket is also very popular. It features Active 10K twill fabric along with plenty of features including an articulated fit, pit zips and a Surround Sound pocket. This snowboarding jacket is available in a variety of colors; however, the most popular at the current time are brown and heathered gray. Real Warmth ? Looking for something really warm? Consider the DC Shenlong Snowboarding Jacket. It features a powder skirt, stowable face mask and faux-fur trim. The entire jacket is insulated with down and also includes pit zips that help you to cool down quickly if you should become overheated.The Bonfire Diffuse jacket is no-nonsense at its best. It features an interior removable liner that is also reversible. The TWINTEC constructed shell holds both wind and snow away from you. The hood can also be removed. Like other quality snowboard jacket it features pit vents that can be opened.Good All-Rounder For all around weather conditions consider the Oakley Axel jacket featuring a removable Theermoloft liner. Flow-thru venting also helps to control temperatures while a hidden pocket outfitted with magnet snaps gives you a place to store your phone, iPod and anything else you might want to take with you.The 686 Troop snowboarding jacket features a signature Smarty system including a removable camo jacket along with 10K waterproofing and 100% seam taping. This jacket also includes a removable hood and powder skirt as well as plenty of pockets to store all of your gear and gadgets. A bit Different ? Looking for something a little different? Consider the Volcom A.S.Y.M jacket with the offset front zipper. This specialty zipper angles out of the way so that there are no chances it will rub your chin or allow cold air to seep in while you are hitting the hills. Other key features include a pit zip ventilation and full seam taping.Finally, don’t forget to consider the Burton hooded snowboarding jacket. With state of the art features including an articulated cut, contour hood and stretch waist gaiter you can hit the hills with style and comfort.
About the Author
Toby Russell & his website www.snowboardinglatest.com aims to offer useful hints, tips, news and advice for both experienced and novice snowboarders.
It’s time to choose that perfect snowboard. Check out our great selection of Snowboards from Sun & Ski Sports Today!
Filed under: ARTICLES-Snowboarding
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