There is more than one way to conquer the snow on a mountain… and skiing is just one of them. Get rid of the ski poles, ditch the skis and go for a snowboard instead, and you’re all set up for a completely different experience.
Needless to say, snowboards come in many different shapes and sizes, meaning that it is essential to know what your choices are before splashing out on one of your own.
A Selection of the Best Selling Snowboards
What is the standard shape of the average snowboard?
The snowboard itself is by necessity a lot wider than even the widest ski, as it has to be able to accommodate the length of your foot. As such you will find many different snowboards of varying widths.
You need to bear this in mind when you are looking to buy your own snowboard. Don’t be tempted to buy any old board just because it is in the sale at your local ski shop. If you have large feet and you try to snowboard on a skinnier board, you will spend more time dragging your feet through the snow than anything else.
Other than that, you will also notice that both ends of the snowboard are slightly wider than the middle section. They are also rounded, and the front end is curved upwards slightly to prevent it from burying itself in the snow.
What length should you look for?
As with skis, snowboards are available to buy in all kinds of different lengths. One other aspect of ski length applies to snowboards as well – and that is the fact that the shorter they are, the easier they will be to control. That’s why you will always see beginning snowboarders on the shortest boards you can buy.
As you become more experienced at snowboarding, and especially if you discover a love of the sport, you can invest in longer boards that will allow you more freedom.
Different designs and types of snowboard are also intended for different conditions. For example, two common types are the racing snowboard and the freestyle snowboard. The former would be more suited to downhill snowboarding, whereas if you are into trying some tricks on the half-pipe, you’ll want the freestyle board to show off your moves.
What about design?
The designs of snowboards are almost like the designs of certain lines of clothing. The artwork can be incredible and everyone wants to have a board which reflects something about themselves.
Some snowboards have images of snow, ice and snowboarders on them. Other have more abstract designs, and still more have designs which are completely unrelated to snowboarding in any sense.
The rule of thumb here is how much you can afford to splash out on your snowboard. Newer designs will always cost more, but you can save a lot of money if you go for older designs. After all, if you are only just learning to snowboard you aren’t going to be too worried about what people think of your snowboard design. You’ll be focusing too much on staying on your feet!
What are snowboards made from?
While snowboards may appear to be made from a single substance, this isn’t the case. The centre of the board is usually wood, while the outer layer is often fibreglass. This is attached to the wood using resin.
The exact construction will depend on the make of board you buy, but the price bracket the board falls into will also have an effect on the price tag.
The underside of the board is extremely important too, as this is the area that comes into contact with the snow and ice. As such, it must be as hard wearing as possible.
Polyethylene is present in the construction of all snowboard bases, but the finished base may be either sintered or extruded. The sintered base is porous, whereas the extruded base is harder wearing. If you want to go faster down those slopes, go for the sintered finish – but expect to repair it more often as a result. Every positive is balanced by a negative when it comes to snowboards!
Does it matter how much you weigh?
Yes it does, so make sure you have a rough idea before you go shopping for your new board.
Snowboards aren’t a rigid structure – they have a slight bend to them, in much the same way as skis do. And as with every other feature of a snowboard, some will bend more than others. This is an important factor to bear in mind when you are trying to find the right board to suit your weight.
If you are on the heavier side of things, make sure you have a sturdier board that won’t bend so much when you step on it. The reverse is true if you are lighter. In other words, your body should actually work in conjunction with your board, so that you get the best possible performance from it.
So if you thought that a snowboard was just a snowboard, think again. You need to put just as much thought into buying a snowboard as you do if you are buying a pair of skis. And as you become more experienced, your ideal board may change, so be aware that your future choices may be very different from the ones you make today.