As a beginner in snowboarding you are better off renting equipment than buying it. This way you can save the initial investment while becoming familiar with the sport and the equipment.
To get a feel of what type of equipment is best for you, rent and try out various brands and types of boards. By trying out as many boards as you can you’ll be more knowledgeable when it comes to buying your own board and boots.
Snowboards come in different shapes depending on the type of snowboarding they will be used for. For example, freestylers use a board with both a nose and a tail tilted up so it can be ridden both ways. Alpine boards are built for speed — they are shaped more like a ski.
Base
The base of the board, just as its shape, is a big factor in the overall performance. Most boards have a polyethylene base which is either “extruded” or “sintered”. Since extruded bases are easy to manufacture and repair they are used on budget boards. The downside is that they are the slowest and don’t hold wax well.
Sintered bases are more expensive, faster, more durable, and take wax better than extruded bases. Sintered bases are found on higher quality boards. The fastest and most expensive of all are graphite bases – they hold wax the best and are used for racing boards.
Camber
Camber is the arch in the middle of the board which affects the board’s turning ability. Boards with a flat camber turn easily and are suitable for freestyle while boards with a higher camber are more stable at high speeds as they apply more pressure to the nose and tail.
Sidecut radius
The sidecut radius is the cutout area in the middle of the board. The sidecut radius is affected by the length of the board and the width of its waist (the narrowest part). Sidecut radius contributes to the turning ability of the board – a board with a small radius can make tight turns, while a board with a larger sidecut radius will make broader turns.
Waist
Waist is the area between the bindings – the narrowest part of the board. It needs to be wide enough to accommodate your boot. The waist size contributes to the board’s speed – the narrower the waist the faster the board.
Boots
Good boots are essential for controlling the snowboard and providing comfort and warmth to your feet. Boots are available with either a hard plastic or soft leather shell.
Soft boots are more flexible thus being a better choice for beginners.
Hard boots offer better high-speed control and are generally used for alpine snowboarding.
Freeride boots usually have an inner boot that can be laced as tightly as needed while the outer boot is stiff enough to provide extra support.
Freestyle boots are more flexible and lower cut with the inners usually molded.
To provide support for the ankle and lower leg alpine boots are higher than other snowboarding boots.
Bindings
Bindings are made for a particular style of boots. There are 3 basic types of bindings: flow-in, step-in, and lever.
The most popular with freestylers and freeriders are the flow-in because they offer the most flexibility and comfort.
Step-in bindings are easy to get in and out of but require boots to match the particular set of bindings.
Lever bindings are very solid and give the most control over the board. They are suitable for alpine snowboarding.
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