Have you always dreamed of hitting the slopes? Do you long to cut your way through freshly fallen snow? If so, you should seriously consider heading out on a snowboarding adventure this coming winter.
Before you go ahead and give this pastime a go, be sure to heed all of the information laid out in this foolproof snowboarding beginner’s guide.
Get the gear
First and foremost, you need to get yourself geared up. You can’t just go ahead and tackle the slopes in your everyday clothes. In order to stay warm and safe during the time you spend snowboarding, you need to kit yourself out with a number of necessary items.
This means buying yourself a helmet, goggles, and, of course, a snowboard. You’re not likely to forget any of this essential gear… but the following pieces of equipment might just slip your mind. Here are a few of the easy-to-forget items that you simply must purchase before you head on your first snowboarding adventure:
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Snowboard bindings
Bindings play a key role in the snowboarding experience. These often overlooked yet crucial pieces of equipment are the things that will connect you to your snowboard. Without them, you won’t be able to transfer your muscle movements to your board, which in turn will stop you from being able to control yourself while you’re coming down the slopes. There are plenty of safe, secure, and shock absorbent bindings out there on the market for you to choose from. As a beginner, you should seriously consider the 5th Element Stealth 3. To find out more about these all-mountain bindings, be sure to read this blog article from Snowboard Nerd.
Altitude sickness medication
You’ll never truly know how good you are with heights until you reach the top of your first ski peak. If you want don’t want your maiden snowboarding experience to be ruined by dizziness, you need to pack altitude sickness medication.
Thermal undergarments
It should go without saying, but it needs to be said anyway — you will get colder and colder as you make your way up your first snow-covered mountain. To ensure that you keep your whole body warm during your first snowboarding experience, don’t forget to pack thermal undergarments.
For a comprehensive rundown of all the snowboarding gear you need to invest in, be sure to conduct plenty of research beforehand.
Learning to board
Now that you’ve kitted yourself out with all the necessary gear, it’s time you started mastering the art of snowboarding. If you don’t want to end up injuring yourself before you’ve even had the chance to cut your way through freshly fallen snow, it’s important that you don’t rush the learning process. Take your time and be sure to put the following advice into practice:
- Never let your fellow boarders talk you into attempting extravagant tricks that are above your current level of snowboarding ability
- Take a lesson with a professionally trained snowboarding instructor
- Learn the snowboarder’s responsibility code and make sure you abide by it at all times
- Listen to the on-site ski safety wardens
- Tackle the small, simple slopes before you try your hand at the bigger and more complex ones
