Tips On How To Choose Snowboarding Gear

Getting the right equipment for skiing and snowboarding can be daunting especially if it is your first time to indulge in this amazing winter sport. The basic snowboarding gear that you will need includes the right apparel to enable you perform those snowboarding styles and tricks comfortably and for a long time, a snowboard, goggles, bindings and so on. Outlined below is a useful snowboarding gear list and things you need to look out for when buying to help you choose the best gear to meet your snowboarding needs.

1. Snowboarding Apparel

When it comes to choosing the clothing to wear for a snowboarding and skiing activity, simply think “layers”. This is for the simple reason that dressing in layers will allow you to effectively adapt to any temperature changes and enable you to shed a layer when necessary. When choosing your snowboarding apparel, consider warmth, weight, moisture management and the number of layers. A three-layer clothing system could work successfully for snowboarding and skiing activity and it includes the inner layer which is the base, the middle layer and the outer layer. Getting the right size is also very important because getting a size that is too large or too small will prevent you from truly experiencing the benefits of the latest fabric technology.

- Inner Layer Clothing

This is clothing specifically designed to conserve the body heat and keep you dry and warm. Choose clothing with synthetic materials such as polypropylene or wool combinations. This first clothing layer has to cover the body from head to toe and therefore includes items such as a long-sleeved top, socks and leggings or long johns that are full-length. Specifically consider getting a thermal body shirt, thermal underwear and snowboarding socks. Remember to choose thinner snowboard socks and not thick ones because the thin synthetic socks already have insulation in place and will not encourage the feet to sweat and lose warmth quickly. Also choose socks that come at least halfway up the calf for the purpose of effectively retaining warmth in the legs area.

- Second Layer Clothing

The second layer clothing will effectively serve as the insulation layer. It should therefore be should be made of materials that will trap warm air during your ride and channel out the moisture toward the outer layer clothing. When choosing clothing for this layer, consider wool and fleece materials. Fleece especially, is lightweight and can effectively draw the moisture toward the outer clothing layer and therefore ensure that the body stays dry. During warmer days, this second layer clothing can also serve as the outer layer. When buying, consider getting a fleece jacket or sweater thermal pants (snowboarding pants) and snowboard boots. The ideal pair of snowboarding pants should effectively maintain warmth and keep you dry. They should also have protective padding on the knees and rear to prevent any snow from seeping in. They also shouldn’t be too tight at the crotch area because they are supposed to be roomy but comfortable in the first place.

In the case of snowboard boots, consider quality made boots and also ones that will work best with your snowboard bindings. Ensure that the boots hold your ankles and feet well, in short, they should be the right size.

- Outer Layer clothing

The two inner clothing layers will retain the heat while the outer layer will allow the moisture to vapor out and effectively keep the snow and water out. When choosing your outer layer clothing, ensure that it is breathable, windproof and waterproof. A good snowboarding jacket that is breathable, water and windproof could act as the ideal outer layer clothing.

2. Snowboard Helmet, Hat Or Beanie

You will need head gear to cover your head and ears. Exposing your head to low temperatures can result to the loss of up to 90% of the body’s heat no matter how warmly dressed you are in the rest of the body. When choosing the hat or beanie ensure that it is comfortable and always choose a hat with little ear flaps to cover the ears.

3. Snowboarding Goggles

Your eyes will also require protection and snowboarding goggles will serve you best for that. Your eyes need to be protected from UV rays, wind, snow, ice and even tree branches. When buying snowboarding goggles, ensure that you choose the ones designed for functionality and complete with UV and full eye-wind protection. They also have to fit and fasten well onto your head in order to prevent them from flying off when riding.

4. A Snowboard

A snowboard is a must-have in the gear list and your choice will depend on your style of riding. There are three major types of snowboards in the market currently and they are:

- Freestyle Snowboards

- Freeride(All Mountain) Snowboards

- Alpine Carving Snowboards

Remember that when choosing your snowboard, consider the construction technique and materials used, the shape, the flex pattern and the size. Each board will also correspond to a particular riding style. Find out your riding style and get your snowboard.

5. Snowboard Bindings

This snowboard gear is very important because it attaches your boots to your snowboard. When choosing the bindings consider the size because they are available in small, medium and large sizes. The size will of course depend on the snowboard boot that you choose. Ensure that your size is right in order to allow you to feel comfortable while riding and also enable you to easily adjust the straps in case you are using strap binding.

6. Snowboarding Gloves

Your hands should be well protected from snow, ice and impacts. Snowboarding gloves will offer you that much required protection. When choosing the gloves, select the ones that are waterproof, durable, and contain fleece or any other similar synthetic-based insulated glove liners. Also, check for the built-in support for the palms and the undersides for the fingers to prevent these particular areas from wearing through.

With the above gear list and tips on how to choose snowboarding gear, you should have the best gear for your snowboarding and skiing activities for the coming winter and more winters to come.

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