So you’ve decided that you’re ready to hit the slopes this winter and you’re all prepared to give it a go, but you’re not quite sure what equipment you need or where you should get it from? For people who are just starting out on the slopes it can be really hard to know what equipment and clothing you need to purchase and where you should go to get it – and even how much you should expect to pay for it! In this instance it’s not a bad idea to go to a specialist shop for winter sports, where you can get the advice that you need for this.
If you’ve decided to go it alone then there are a few things that you need to keep in mind when choosing the right equipment for you and here are some key ideas that you should consider:
The Snowboard
Perhaps the single most important piece of snowboarding equipment, snowboards will have a direct impact on the way you snowboard, your performance and how easy or hard it is to control your actions on the slopes. You need to make sure that your board is the right size for your height and made of the right material. You also need to ensure that your snowboard has received the right level of board maintenance before you attempt to hit the slopes, this includes ensuring that it’s not chipped or cracked and that it has been treated in the appropriate way.
The Bindings
Bindings make the important connection between your snowboard boots and your snowboard, and it’s crucial that these are supportive yet flexible at the same time. A good pair of bindings will allow you to feel stable and supported within your boots while still being able to move around and have a good level of control over your snowboard. You need to consider the terrain that you are snowboarding on as well as your own boarding style to ensure that your bindings have the right amount of flex to meet your needs.
The Boots
Your snowboard boots will play an important role in connecting your feet to your board and they will not only impact your comfort, but also your performance and control over your snowboard. The first thing that you need to do is ensure that any boots you purchase fit your feet in the same way that a shoe would. You need to take into consideration that your feet can grow and shrink through different periods of the day and therefore checking when your feet are largest – usually in the afternoon – will often give you the best indication as to an appropriate boot size.
The Clothing
As with any type of sports you need to be comfortable when you are snowboarding and as such it’s crucial that you wear the right clothing to keep you both warm and comfortable throughout the process. A good pair of warm and waterproof pants and a thick ski jacket are a great way to start; in addition you may find that a warm head gear is one of the most important ways of keeping your ears and head warm and the heat from escaping out of your body.
In addition you may need to look into investing in a pair of gloves to keep your hands dry and warm. More importantly perhaps, investing in a pair of goggles, to ensure that your vision is clear your eyes safe when you are heading down those slopes!
