Snowboarding: Getting Started

I never really had any interest in Snowboarding until I was watching Entourage, on July 17th, 2005! At the end of the episode, which was called "the Sundance Kids", the crew is at the top of a mountain in Utah, when Vince gets a call from James Cameron to offer him the Aquaman role. That scene was literally responsible for inspiring me to go out and buy a snowboard. And it's the best thing I ever did, because I fell in love that winter and haven't looked back. I plan on being married to this sport for a long, long time. Even if I get sent to "married with children" prison (or I should say when i get sent!) I plan on getting a few conjugal visits in every year at a minimum.

But since I literally didn't have 1 friend who was even experienced in the sport, I had to do a little research before I got into it. If you want to get into the sport, here's my advice.

1. LEARN THE BASICS ABOUT THE SPORT

Before you do anything, take some time to get acquainted with some of the major facets of snowboarding:

A history

Snowboarding was pioneered during the late '60s and early '70s by guys who wanted to surf in the winter. In fact, in those days it was called "Snurfing." Those first snowboards were small, wooden, and difficult to control. Then Tom Sims, Jake Burton, and Chuck Barfoot devoted their time to creating better snowboards and promoting the sport. As the popularity of snowboarding increased (especially in the 1980s), media coverage and large-scale competition brought the sport to the public's attention. Today snowboarding is a one of the fastest growing sport in America.

Snowboarding is actually a lot like skiing except the bindings are aligned sideways on one wide board rather than forwards on two skinny sticks. Also, snowboard bindings do not release, so once you're strapped in, you're in there for good. This set up leads to fewer knee injuries and less time searching for that lost ski. Plus, unlike most skiers, snowboarders do not use poles, and snowboard boots are often "soft" instead of the "hard" boots worn by skiers.

Since you are positioned on the board sideways, one foot must be in front (the "lead") while the other foot is in the back. If your left foot leads, then you are "regular" footed. If your right foot is in front, then you are "goofy" footed. Here's are a couple ways to figure out which is your dominant (thus "lead") foot:

The foot that stays on the ground while kicking a ball should be the leading foot.
Try sliding across a room. Whichever way you slide across should also be the way you stand on a snowboard.
If these don't work, have someone gently push you from behind, whatever foot you put out to brace yourself should be your leading foot.
If all of these tests are too difficult for you, then just put your left foot in front. Hey, you're a beginner, so it's not like we're spoiling years of instruction. And most people use their left foot as the lead foot anyway.
***Interestingly enough, I am goofy, even though all of these test point me toward Regular. The reason is that I played basketball my whole life, so I am used to jumping off of my left foot, which makes me want to push with my left and lead with my right. The bottom line, is put whatever foot you feel more comfortable in front, and you'lll be fine. At somepoint you'll wan tto be able to go either way so eventually it shouldn't even matter!!

Regardless of whether your stance is regular or goofy, there are three main styles of snowboarding:

Freeriding: This is riding almost any terrain, but spending most of the time on the snow rather than in the air. If you're a first-timer, this is your style.
Freestyle: Lots of tricks, spins, and time spent in the snowboard park. Usually, the boards associated with freestyling have twin tips (that is, identical nose and tail shapes) for riding forward and backward. Freestylers also spend a lot of time in the air. This is an advanced "trick" style, for which you'll need a trick board.
Alpine/freecarving/racing: Alpine riding is all about going very fast; Because of this, alpine boards are much narrower and longer than other types and use a hard boot and binding system (like skis).

If you're unsure of which style to choose, just start with freeriding and get used to the feeling of snowboarding. You'll see plenty of different types of boarders out on the slopes doing all kinds of styles; see which one looks the best and tackle that style next.

2. GET THE EQUIPMENT

The three Bs: the board, the boots, and the bindings. These are the three most important pieces of equipment.

Board

Snowboards are almost always made of a wooden core wrapped in fiberglass and encased in a plastic or fiberglass cap with metal edges. The top of the board is known as the deck while the bottom is the base.

The two most important considerations are its length and waist width. Measured in centimeters, the length of the board depends on the rider's weight, height, and riding style, while the width usually depends on the size of the rider's foot. Here's how to pick the right board:

As a rule of thumb, a board standing on end should reach between the rider's shoulder and bridge of nose.
Most adults need a board between 150 cm and 165 cm tall.
Waist width (or the width at the board's middle) is primarily a function of foot size. The bigger your feet, the wider board you'll need. Generally, the toe and heel of the boot should be flush with the edges of the snowboard. People with size 11 feet (or bigger) usually require a wide board. This is very important. If the waist width is too narrow for your feet, you'll get toe drag, which makes it impossible to learn because you'll be falling instead of turning.
Consider your weight. Smaller, lighter folk should get a shorter, flexible board (to give them some weight for control), while bigger, heavier people should get a longer, rigid board (to help them sail along the smooth powder).
Beginners should consider more flexible boards, since they offer more control (albeit less speed).
Definitely rent your first couple times out. That way you can experiment with different styles and feels.
Finally, ask as many questions as possible. People love to help out newbies; for the most part. Take advantage.

Boots

Most snowboarders' boots are known as "soft boots," due to their construction with soft materials such as waterproof leather and nylon. When picking out a pair, here's what to consider:

The most important considerations are fit and comfort.
Try the boots on with only one pair of socks (preferably the socks you intend to snowboard in).
The fit should be snug, and your heel should not rise up too much when you bend your knee forward. You should not feel any pressure points or pinching.
Make sure that your ankle feels secure.
Again, if you're a novice, just rent the boots. Sample around until you find a pair you like, and then buy those.
Once more, ask a salesperson for help. They are usually very knowledgable and if they don't have the answer, their boss or somebody on the floor usually will.

Bindings

Bindings (that is, the straps) are what connect your feet to the board, so they're pretty important. When choosing a binding, keep in mind that your choice of boots will affect your choice of bindings and vice versa; they must complement each other:

Most freestyle and freeride snowboarders use high-back bindings with two straps to secure the boot.
Some freestylers prefer low back systems, while some freeride snowboarders prefer three straps instead of two; it's really just personal preference.
Recently, step-in bindings have moved to the forefront. Like ski bindings, these do not rely on straps to secure the rider to the board. While these eliminate the time and hassle of "strapping in," they do require special boots and can sometimes become troublesome when snow gets jammed in them.
When your selecting a binding in the store, bring your boots with you so that you can make sure they fit properly.
Once again, "rent first, then buy".

When the time comes to attach the bindings to the board, consider both your stance width and stance angles:

Stance width: The distance between the two bindings (that is, how far apart your legs are). Your stance width should measure about the same as the distance from the bottom of your heel to the middle of your knee.
Stance angles: The way your feet point on the board. Your feet might be directly perpendicular to the board (standing purely sideways), or they might point slightly forward. Recent emphasis on "switch" riding has pushed many to adopt a forward front angle with a backward back angle.

Narrower stances allow the board to flex more easily, while wider stances give more rotational maneuverability (make spinning easier). Freestyle riders generally have wider stances (the bindings are farther apart) with their stance angles at around 0° (meaning their feet point directly across the board). Alpine riders have narrow stances with their feet pointed towards the front of the board. As always, ask the salespeople to help you with these numbers.

Bottom line. Play around with different set ups. Use what feels comfortable for you. As you progress, this will change.

Renting

A note on equipment: Snowboarding can be really expensive, which is why I suggest you rent your equipment first few times out. Here's the lowdown on rentals:

Rent equipment from a local shop instead of at the mountain to avoid time delays and incorrect gear (those mountain stores often run short in equipment on crowded days, and they may try to get you to rent ill-fitting equipment).
If you do rent from the mountain, (no local shops) make sure you get to the rental area early, at least 30 min prior to first lift. That way you are assured a great selevction and spared the rediculous rush of renters. It's worse than the DMV.
Most shops rent a complete set up (board, boots, and bindings) for about $30 a day, and some will even apply all rental charges to the eventual purchase of a new board.

New boards range from $350-600; boots: $150-250; bindings: $130-200; complete set-ups: $600-1000+ (look for package deals). Although pricey, the snowboard market is seasonal, so shops often have deep discounts during the summertime. But if you are going to have special requirements like wanting a particular board or an odd shape, inventory tends to be lower so check around at different shops.

3. DRESS FOR THE WEATHER

You need to get the proper gear in order to enjoy yourself. It's really important that you stay warm and dry or you are going to be miserable on the mountain all day because you'll be falling all day. At least the first day. There's nothign like cold to enhance pain.

I recommend a three-layer system, which allows for the most flexibility in changing weather conditions:

The first layer, or base layer, works to keep you warm while wicking away all the sweat that you're going to generate(and you can really sweat out there!). As always, cotton kills and you don't want to wear it. At all. Ever. Anywhere. Cotton absorbs liquid (sweat, water) and will retain it so it doesn't dry. And what's worse, it gets cold when it's wet.
Next comes the insulation layer, consisting of wool or fleece sweaters for the torso and glove liners for your hands. Basically, this layer provides most of the warmth and can be easily shed if pulling all of those tricks makes you too hot.
Last, you need an outerlayer to protect you from the elements. The key adjective for this layer, consisting of a jacket and snowboard pants, is waterproof. Nothing is more miserable than being wet while trying to navigate down a steep glacier. Also, material for this layer should be made of rugged, tough, breathable fabric and should be baggy enough to allow for movement to execute all those high flying maneuvers or to just prevent becoming lodged in between two trees. Although costly, "Gore-Tex" is currently the best outerlayer material on the market. Material like denim should be avoided at all costs.

When suiting up, dress for colder than predicted. On your hands, you will need some waterproof gloves or mitts, which should also be rugged, breathable, and tough. On your dome piece, you will want some sort of hat or headband to retain that 90% of heat that can be lost through your head. Additionally, try to wear goggles rather than sunglasses. And don't forget that SPF 15 sunblock to keep you from frying like a lobster. Some beginners also like to wear wrist guards under their gloves to keep from breaking those feeble bones.

Keep in mind that clothing also follows a seasonal market, so be prepared to shop, beg, and bargain when outfitting yourself for the winter.

4. GET TO THE MOUNTAIN

Once you've got all the stuff, now you have to figure out where to go:

Most American resorts now allow snowboarding, although a few elitist resorts still don't. So don't plan your trip to one of these.
Call ahead and ask about the conditions. It's really hard to learn to snowboard on sheets of ice. But if you're in New York or New Jersey like I am, that's pretty much what you'll be learning on so suck it up.
The night before you leave, you should eat lots of food, drink lots of water, and get a good night's sleep.
Make sure that your board is well tuned and you packed everything you need, including extra cash for those unanticipated expenditures (ski lodges are really expensive).
Get there early, especially if you plan on renting equipment at the mountain.

To find a resort... GoSki.com.

You can search by country and state in order to find the most convenient resorts.
You get links for travel services in order to help you plan your trip.
The "gear" section has reviews on almost all of the major snowboard companies' products.
You can read reviews and comments by skiers about various snow resorts should help to point people searching for specific criteria in the right direction.

5. TAKE A LESSON..SERIOUSLY

You NEED at least 1 snowboarding lesson. In the first year, I took 2. And then I took one in the beginning of the second year, and it really helped me solidify my stance, understand the mechanics of my stance, improve my abilty to turn, and most importanly, the instructor explained to me better than anyone else how to properly set up my board for my riding style and my body type. Here are the benefits of lessons:

The first day is always the roughest, so a lesson will help lessen the inevitable aches, pains, and black and blues.
A lesson will help you build a solid base of strong techniques initially.
- It's much easier to fix problems with your technique early on than it is to later, once you've started riding.
A lesson will allow you to share your frustration and successes with other starters.
- This might sound silly to some, but there are many who thnk that when they don't get it in the first 30 minutes, that it's jsut them. It's not. Snowboarding is very difficult topick up the first few days you go, becuse it is completely aagianst the nature of how humans get around! Taking a lesson shows you that it's not just you falling every 3 feet!
One of the largest benefits to taking a lesson is that you usually get to bypass all of the lift lines and get directly on the ski lift.
- While this is true, most people aren't going up on the mountain during their lesson, but staying on the bunny slope. But if you do, this can be a major benifit, depending on where you are. If you are at Mountaincreek, it could save you 45 minutes!

Just take one lesson and see how you feel. If your friends clown you, then lie and say you got the lesson for free, so you might as well use it. That's if you care what they think. If you are like me and couldn't care less what your friends think, it's not a problem.

Here's what to expect in a snowboarding lesson:

Every mountain has a snowboard school at the resort where you can sign up for a group lesson. Lessons usually consist of group sizes of 5-10 people, many times even smaller.
Lessons will teach the basics of stopping, turning, falling, skating (that is: getting around when only one foot is strapped into the board), and sliding on the board in different directions.
Lessons start with the very basics of snowboarding such as balancing oneself on both edges (the toe and the heel) and then gradually progress to making turns in each direction (again both toeside and heelside).
Most group lessons range from 1 ½ hours to half a day. Shorter group lessons cost $18 - $30 per person, while longer lessons at the pricier resorts (such as Vail) cost $95 - $105 per person for a half day (the half-day lessons usually include the $55 lift ticket).
Lessons are often grouped by ability level.
Private lessons are available, but these are usually targeted towards those who already know how to snowboard and just need help refining their skills, and with prices hovering around $400-500 for a full day private lesson during the high season, most people are economically placed out of this opportunity.

And now you're all set to hit the slopes.

PS: don't forget to warm up and stretch. Your body will thank you the next morning.

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