Surfing on Snow

Surfing on Snow

Does this sound familiar? It's Saturday, you have nothing to do so you are sitting on your couch, board to tears, channel surfing. You think to yourself, "I hate Montana. There is never anything to do." Well, I have the solution to your problem, Snowboarding. Derived from both surfing and skate boarding, it has been my winter passion for the past two years and I will show you how you yourself can get started.

Your first decision will be "should I rent or should I buy my own snowboarding equipment?" It is always best for a beginner to rent first for two reasons. The first reason is that there are many different styles and brands of boards out there and renting will give you the opportunity to try the different types to see what you like the best. The second is cost. Snowboarding is definitely

not a cheap sport. Besides the gas it will take you to get to the slopes and of course the lift ticket, the gear itself is expensive. What would you do if you bought everything only to realize that you didn't like the particular gear you bought or even the sport in its entirety? Once you decide that you do in fact like snowboarding and know what type of equipment best suits you, you must evaluate how often you will be going. From this you can decide whether or not to buy your own equipment. For now let's say that you have decided to rent, but rent what. There are three main pieces of equipment you will need in order to snowboard.

First you will need a board. There are many things that must be considered when choosing a snowboard, but most importantly, the length and width. The recommended length of a snowboard should measure between the top of your chest and your chin. The length of the board correlates to the amount of effective edge, or the length of metal edge on the snowboard, which touches the snow. A longer effective edge makes for a more stable, controlled ride, which of course means it will go faster and farther than a shorter board. However a shorter effective edge results in a looser, easier turning board. This makes a shorter board more apt for tricks.

The next thing that must be considered is waist width. The waist is the narrowest point of the board. Waist width of a board should be relative to the size of your feet. Boards with a narrow waist width are quicker going from edge to edge. However, if your feet are size 11 and above, you will most likely have to get a wider board.

Another essential piece of equipment you will need are bindings. Bindings are crucial because they connect your boots thus your body to the snowboard. You must decide whether you want Strap or Step-In bindings. Strap bindings consist of a baseplate that you place your boot upon, the straps (which are easily adjusted and keep your boot secure), and the highback. The highback rises up behind and gives support to your ankle and lower calf. A higher highback will provide greater precision and edge control while a lower one is more important for tricks because it allows more flexibility and turning power.

Step-In bindings are more appropriate for the beginning snowboader because they are easier to get in and out of. All you have to do is step down and click in to them. However, Step-Ins don't have straps holding you securely to the board and so you lose some of your control and flexibility. If you want to do tricks these types of bindings are not the best choice. When you choose step-in bindings you also narrow the selection of snowboard boots and bindings you can choose because they both have to be "step-ins."

There is also a new and improved binding which is the Flow binding. Instead of straps, it has a large tongue, which covers the top of the boot. Getting into and out of the Flow bindings is a matter of flipping the highback backwards and entering or exiting your boot. This combines all of the advantages of the strap-ins with the ease of the step-ins. One disadvantage is the flow bindings are more difficult to adjust then the strap-ins.

Ensure that your board also has a leash and a stomp pad. A leash attaches the binding to your boot or leg. That way in case of any accidents, your board won't slide down the mountain without you, injuring or impaling other skiers or snowboarders. A stomp pad is a non-slip surface that is placed strategically just inside your back foot. This is used when your backfoot is not strapped or clicked in to your bindings. You place your foot onto the stomp pad so that you can maintain control over your board. For example when you ride the chairlift, you must have one foot out of your bindings. When you get to the top you will use your stomp pad to safely maneuver your way off of the chairlift.

Now that we have our bindings the third thing you will need to get are snowboard boots.