Winter sports need a certain amount of specialized gear often making these activities expensive. Considering that you are physically connecting your body to it and traveling at high speeds in an exposed environment the price tag seems justified. Technology has improved the performance and quality of the gear making it last longer and perform better (plus it the designers make it look totally rad). So if you’re planning on making snowboarding a part of your life it would be wise to set aside a decent chunk of cash to get the right gear that will bring out the most of your mountain experience.
A snowboarding setup consists of 3 elements: board, boots, and bindings. Although a few may disagree, that is how most experts would rank their importance in your ride. Gloves, mask, jacket, pants, etc. are all important but its what you have on from the ankle down is that is going to truly affect how you shred. The first thing is inspect all of your gear to ensure it is safe to ride, then start at the top and decide where to upgrade.
You will spend the most money on the board and for good reason. It connects you to the mountain and the edges are what give you control over stopping and turning. So decide what kind of rider you are or want to be. Whether it be a park rider twisting through the air and grinding rails, a backcountry through the trees explorer, or a downhill speed demon there are boards designed specifically for each.
Comfort is paramount with your boots. You can look at all the other factors but how they feel and your feet, and more importantly how they will feel after riding a couple hours will dictate how long you are actually riding each day. Check out some different lace up systems and see what you like but don’t sacrifice comfort.
Bindings are either step in or strap in and any experienced rider will tell you that strap in bindings give you more control. The time you save stepping in is really not much and not worth the loss of control. Experts like the adjustable features that can come with more expensive ones, but for most riders a reputable brand thats easy to strap in to is all they need.
So choose your battles at the cash register this season. You probably don’t need an entire new setup so take a look at what you have and upgrade where necessary. This sport isn’t cheap but when you do drop the coin on some new gear you get what you paid for, a ripping good time.
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