The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Learn How to Snowboard
You can picture it now – a clear blue sky, the icy air, the sunlight sparkling off the snow. You’re way up high on a mountain, nothing but peace and solitude and ragged beauty as far as the eye can see. You look down the hill below you, and one thought comes to your mind, as clear as crystal: it’s time to do a cool flip.
Well, my friend, it sounds like you’re ready to strap yourself into the exciting world of snowboarding!
In case you’ve never given snowboarding much thought, let me assure you: there’s a reason it’s so popular. The excitement, the fresh air, the community – the list goes on.
So, if your interest is piqued, read on! We’ll be discussing everything you need to know to take your first step into the world of snowboarding!
Here’s some of what we’ll cover:
What are the styles of snowboarding?
What gear do you need?
How do you choose a board?
What should you wear?
What are some tips for your first day on a board?
Snowboarding - Is It For Me?
Yes.
Why Take Up Snowboarding?
As with all sports, people come to snowboarding for all sorts of reasons.
For some people, it’s a way to get outdoors. After all, in the middle of winter it can be hard to find ways to enjoy the fresh air without just focusing on the cold. Depending on where you live, though, the winter can take up a huge portion of the year. So finding a motivation to get outside, soak up some Vitamin D, and be out in the natural world can be very important!
Following on that train of thought, snowboarding can also be a great way to get some exercise. It’ll get your heart rate up, use your muscles, and can contribute to your overall health. Getting the health benefits of exercise while also having a blast? Win-win!
All the health benefits of snowboarding aside, it’s an exciting sport. If you love speed, love a challenge, love to feel the wind in your hair and fresh air in your lungs, this is the sport for you. Snowboarding can range from relaxing and cathartic to an all-out thrill ride, depending on your style.
And, of course, there’s one other major reason that people take up snowboarding: the adventure!
Snowboarding is a sport that can take you to beautiful places you wouldn’t otherwise have seen.
While some people enjoy snowboarding because it allows them to be alone, unlike other winter sports that involve teams and constant interaction (I’m looking at you, hockey!), snowboarding can be a double-edged board. On one hand, you can have silence, space, and some time to yourself. On the other hand, it can be a great way to make friends! Snowboarding has an active and friendly community that’s very inclusive.
So whether you’re looking for an adventure, doing it for your health, looking to make friends, or just want to try something new – snowboarding could be the fit for you! So read on, and you’ll be ready to hit the slopes with a qualified instructor!
What Do I Wear?
It used to be said that the clothes make the man. These days, very few men are made out of clothes, so the saying has fallen into disuse.
However, when it comes to snowboarding, what you wear really does matter.
Snowboarding is a sport that happens in extreme environments. You need to contend with windchill, water, ice, friction, impacts, the bright sun, and the cold – all while maintaining flexibility and comfort!
Sounds like a lot! But don’t worry, with a few pointers, you’ll be all set.
Clothing
Proper snowboarding attire is like Shrek. It has layers. By layering up, you’ll be able to stay warm without overheating or soaking yourself with perspiration – after all, that can make you a lot colder in the long run.
The best strategy for a wintry adventure is to have three layers: your base layer, a middle layer, and an outer layer. Each of these will have its own specific function in keeping you comfortable.
Base Layer
Your base layer has two important functions. One is to wick perspiration off your skin so that you don’t feel soaked and end up losing body heat.
The other function is comfort. Warmth, flexibility, and a breathable material are all elements that contribute to a great base layer.
You want to look for thermal underwear that isn’t made out of cotton. Ideally, something synthetic or wool. Thermal underwear comes in different thicknesses depending on what kind of temperatures you’ll be facing outside as well as whether or not you’re a person who’s quick to heat up. If you’re a person who’s always cold or if you expect to be hitting some very chilly temperatures, aim for mid-weight thermal underwear. Otherwise, look for lightweight.
And of course, don’t forget your socks! Good wool socks are a standard for snowboarders, beginners and experts alike. You want socks that are thick, warm, and fill up your boots. That’ll give you more control overall when you’re on the slopes! Plus you should try to look for boots that are taller than the snowboarding boots you’ll be using.
Middle Layer
The middle layer is all about warmth. These items of clothing don’t need to be super thick or bulky – you’re just looking for something that’ll add a little extra layer of warm air to insulate you, protecting you from all the cold outside and keeping you dry.
A flexible and light pair of pants to wear over your thermal underwear is a great idea. Remember, your middle layer doesn’t need to be too bulky. For your torso, look for light fleece sweaters as a great option for your middle layer!
Outer Layer
Okay, this is where we bring in the big guns. The outer layer is the brave bit of clothing that stands between you and the elements. Your outer layer looks at the ice, the blizzards, the snow spraying everywhere, even the sleet – and says not on my watch.
So what should you look for in an outer layer? First and foremost, warmth. You want good insulation, not just because it’ll keep you warm and dry, but also because it’ll offer padding in case you ever fall or face friction while going down the hill.
For your lower half, look for waterproof snowboarding pants. Ideally, you want something kind of breathable. And if it has pockets, all the better – but be careful what you put in your pockets on a snowboarding run – you don’t want to be driving home wondering where your wallet went.
For your top half, it’s much the same. You’re looking for a snowboarding jacket that’s both waterproof, and, if possible, breathable. Again, you want some insulation to help keep your warm!
Gloves or Mittens:
While shopping for the right jacket or snowboarding pants, it can be easy to forget one of the most important items of clothing of all: your gloves. Keeping your extremities warm is extremely important, especially your digits. So what should you look for in a pair of gloves?
Well, there is such a thing as snowboarding gloves. These gloves have a couple of advantages, like the fact that their cuffs are very long – sometimes going halfway up your forearm. This is great for keeping snow from finding its way up your sleeve.
However, you don’t need snowboarding gloves in order to tear up a mountain. All you need are good, waterproof, insulated gloves or mittens. As always, you want them to be warm and you want them to be waterproof. Mittens offer a bit more warmth, while gloves offer a bit more dexterity, so you should choose between them based on what matters the most to you. If you plan on doing some mountaintop knitting, for instance, definitely go with the gloves.
Helmet:
Snowboarding is thrilling for a lot of reasons – including its fast speeds, the velocity, and the quick decision making. These factors make it fun, but they also make it a bit risky. Whatever sport you’re taking up, it’s always a good idea to learn what the risks are and do your best to minimize them.
In the world of snowboarding, this means keeping your head protected. For that reason, we strongly recommend finding a snowboarding helmet. These helmets offer both protection and warmth. They’re lightweight, they look cool, and they’ll keep you dry. That way you can get on with your adventure and save yourself a little worry!
If you can’t afford a helmet, or don’t want to commit to buying one, don’t worry – most ski resorts rent them out. However, if one way or another you just can’t get your hands on one, make sure you at least wear a good warm hat. You lose a lot more heat out of your head than most people realize, so keeping it covered up while you’re out in the elements is crucial.
Balaclava:
If you’re not familiar with the word balaclava, you’d be justified in thinking it was the name of a medieval German musical instrument, or an Ottoman Empire dessert.
For those in the know, a balaclava is an ingenious piece of outerwear that combines the best of both worlds – half hat, half mask, all warmth. These are also sometimes called ski masks.
Whatever you call them, finding a balaclava or at least a neck garter will help keep your nose warm (got to protect those extremities!) and can even make breathing a lot easier in colder temperatures. Besides, it can keep snow from sliding down your neck, which is definitely a plus. Trust us, snow is sneaky. If there’s a way for it to infiltrate your outer layer, the snow will find a way.
Goggles:
There is no “i” in team, but snowboarding is not a team sport, so eyes are very necessary.
That means you need to protect them. If you’re going to be snowboarding, you’ll need some good goggles! The right pair for you will be able to protect you from several things.
The first thing they should protect you from is the sun. On a bright day, with the sunlight reflecting off all the snow, you can run the risk of sun blindness. It’s more sun than our eyes are really designed to take in. So, your goggles should cut down on glare and offer complete UV protection. A reflective pair of goggles will do wonders for protecting your eyes from the sun. But make sure it’s got UV protection!
The second thing they should protect you from is wind and, more importantly, snow. You want goggles that are comfortable and fit tightly to your face. Remember how we mentioned snow will find its way everywhere? It’s true. A pair of goggles that leaves no gaps for snow to get in is a good idea.
Boots:
Boots are one of the most important factors when it comes to your snowboarding experience. Here are some tips for finding the right boots for you!
First of all, you need to pay attention to flexibility. Snowboarding boots come in a wide range of flexibility, from soft to stiff. Soft are more forgiving, stiff are more responsive. Stiffer boots are usually a favourite of aggressive and experienced snowboarders. If you’re new to snowboarding, you may want to start out with a softer boot.
The second thing you want to pay attention to is how they fit. Snowboarding boots should feel pretty snug all the way around. Not so tight that they’re painful or uncomfortable, but tight enough that your feet aren’t moving around in them. You don’t want a loose fit or a lot of extra space.
What Gear Do You Need?
If it’s your first time out on the slopes, you should ideally have an expert snowboarding instructor to help you learn the ropes of this exciting new sport. They can give you tips on gear and help you find the right match for your needs.
That said, learning the basics of snowboarding gear can be done with persistence, training, and memorization. Are you ready? Here’s a list of the gear you’ll need:
A snowboard.
Yep, that’s kind of it. Other than the clothing options we listed above, the only thing you really need to get started is a board. When you become a more advanced snowboarder, and find yourself higher up the proverbial mountain, you may want to invest in other accessories, such as a snowboarding beacon, which can help rescuers find you if you’re lost in an avalanche.
However, to start practicing, all you need is the winter clothing we described, a snowy hill, and a snowboard.
Where Should You Buy a Snowboard?
You shouldn’t! Not at first, anyway. Snowboards are investments, and if you’re brand new to snowboarding you won’t have enough information about what kind of board works for you. Instead, you should see about renting a snowboard while you learn the basics.
In time, you’ll be able to tell what kind of board is right for you, and then you’ll be ready to buy one of your own!
How Do You Choose a Snowboard?
As any good snowboarding instructors will tell you, the board you choose matters. While on your first day you shouldn’t expect to be doing any crazy flips, it’s still important to keep your goals in mind when trying out snowboards.
Later in this guide, we’ll get into the different styles of snowboarding and which one is right for you. When you’ve decided what kind of snowboarding you’d like to be doing, that will play a big role in the kind of board you buy.
For now, though, let’s just look at the very basic properties of a snowboard.
The length of your board will correspond loosely to two factors: your own height, and how you want to use the board.
In terms of your own height, a general rule of thumb is to stand the board up. If it reaches to about your chin, it’s in the right ballpark for you.
However, as a beginner, you may want a board that’s a little bit shorter than that. You’ll find it easier to maneuver and lighter.
However, if you’re an above average weight for your height, you may want to use a snowboard that’s a bit longer. This will help evenly spread your weight over a greater area.
If you’re planning on being a freestyle snowboarder (more on that in the next section), opt for a shorter and lighter board.
However, if you dream of tearing up the mountainside, cutting through deep snow, or going off-trail, you’re going to want a longer board.
Volume Shifted Boards are also an option. In a nutshell, they’re snowboards that are short but wide. Because of their width, they end up having the same amount of surface area as a longer board, which means that you can use them in similar ways that you’d use a longer board. Best of both worlds!
In terms of the width of your snowboard, that decision will need to take into account your boots!
Ideally, you want your toes to just barely hang over the edge of the snowboard – this will give you extra leverage on turns and more control overall. But be careful that there isn’t so much overhang that your toes will end up getting tripped on the way down!
When renting your first snowboard, never hesitate to ask someone at the rental store for some pointers – they’ll know what you should be looking for – and looking out for!
The final bit of advice for choosing a board is to read the section below – we’ll be outlining the different types of snowboarding you can do, and which boards work best for each!
Snowboarding Styles - Choose Your Adventure!
Okay, at this point you’re all ready. You’ve got your mitts, you’ve got your boots, you’ve got a great instructor picked out, and the mountain is calling.
Now there’s only one big question left. What do you want to do?
There are a lot of great ways to have fun on a snowboard. Different styles will lend themselves to different experiences. Now, while you learn the basics of snowboarding, you’ll get a better feeling for what you enjoy – so you do not need to make any ultimate decisions about what style you want to do. Just have fun!
However, no guide to snowboarding would be complete without an overview of the different styles of snowboarding!
Powder Snowboarding
Powder power! Do you love cutting through deep snow? Feeling the spray of fresh powder in your face, and going where nobody’s gone before you?
Powder boarding could be the fit for you!
Powder style snowboarders often pay close attention to the weather so they know the right moment to get out and enjoy the snow. For this kind of snowboarding, you’ll want the right kind of board: the binding will be a bit farther back on the board, and the nose will be a bit wider and the tail will taper more sharply. This all makes sure you get the most control for the elements, and the receded binding means your back foot will have more power to steer.
Freeriding
Unfortunately, there isn’t a universally agreed upon definition of free riding – some people use the term to mean riding off-piste, through the wilderness. Basically, a style of riding that we’re going to refer to as “Park Riding” for clarity’s sake (see below).
For our purposes, let’s say that free riding is the style you probably first think of when you picture snowboarding: down the groomers (trails that have been evened out by machines), aiming for speed and thrill.
Park Riding
Do you consider yourself an explorer? Do you like to get off the beaten track, make your own way, and search for the unexpected?
Then park riding could be the perfect fit for you! Park riders don’t go down conventional ski runs – instead, they start at the top of a mountain and look for any way down, whether it’s between trees, over cliffs, anywhere that’s doable!
As you might expect, this is a good fit for more experienced snowboarders; you don’t necessarily want to aim to do free riding right off the bat. But if it’s something that appeals to you, you’re going to want the right board for the job.
Look for something stiff, directional, and a bit shorter.
Free Style
Confusing, we know – but free riding and free-style riding are two different things!
The best way to describe free style riding is that it’s like a cross between snowboarding and skateboarding. Free stylers love a good trick. Flips, spins, jumps, it’s all about getting some air!
You’ll want a board that’s a bit shorter, since it’ll make spins easier. You also want a board with some stiffness to it so that it can stand up to your landings!
All-Mountain
Can’t make up your mind? That’s totally fair – every style of snowboarding is fun! If you’re hoping to get into different styles of snowboarding without having to buy a bunch of different boards, you may want to look for an all-mountain board. These versatile boards can handle powder or a free run or anything in between. All-Mountain boards are also a great fit for when you’re starting out, because you can try out different styles on them!
Tips for Beginners - Basic Movements
How do you move around on flat terrain?
This is a common question for beginners. Sure, it’s easy to envision yourself sailing down a slope, but what do you do on day one, when it’s flat?
Simply unstrap your back leg and use it to push you forward. Put your weight into your front leg and let it steer you. This will look a little like you’re skateboarding – in fact, this movement is called Skating!
How do you walk uphill?
Snowboards are really designed better for going down than up – but there’s still a way!
Unstrap one foot. This foot will lead your step. With your strapped foot facing forward and your snowboard facing sideways, take a step with your free foot, then when you follow with your strapped foot dig the toe-edge of your snowboard into the snow. This will give you a little purchase, so you can take your next step!
Any tips for turning?
Learning to turn is something you’re going to want to do with an instructor. It looks easy, but actually requires a lot of practice with simpler movements that’ll all culminate in good turning technique.
One helpful tip, though, is to lean gently in the direction you want to travel, as well as point where you’re going. I know it may seem silly to be pointing in the direction you’re going, but it’ll help you keep your body aligned!
Okay, So Now What?
With any luck, this will have shed some light on the basics of what you need to hit the powder!
Of course, when it comes right down to it, you can’t learn snowboarding tricks or good balance by reading a blog. The only way you can really discover the thrill of the sport, as well as learn the fundamentals, is by getting out there and trying it for yourself!
Take it slow, be patient with yourself, and trust your instructor.