Snowboarding is one of the most exciting winter sports. It gives pleasure, it gives adrenaline and most of all - you always have the means to improve in different directions. Acrobatics, speed, slopes, up to 10 different styles - all up to you! 

But if you’re just starting you have all that magic to unravel before you - and the only way to do it the right way is with good equipment. And we’re here to help you pick it up!

Snowboarding basics

Looking from afar, snowboarding looks exciting, right? Trust us - it is just as great when you try it in person. Getting on the board and the slope for the first time cannot be compared to any other sport, except maybe some water sports. And still - it’s very different in ways you can only experience.

From a historical point of view, snowboarding is inspired by a few other, older sports: skateboarding, sledding, skiing, and surfing. Back in the 1960s, it first appeared in the United States. It took a few years for people to recognize its greatness, but until  1998 it grew so big, that it became an official Olympic sport. It even became available for competition in the Winter Paralympics Games in Sochi in 2014.

To snowboard, you need very few things: winter, a mountain (or an artificial slope), warm clothes, and snowboarding equipment. And here are a few things you need to know so you can choose the best for your stage of snowboarding passion. 

The anatomy of a snowboard

Nowadays designing sports equipment is a science different from any other. Depending on the sport, you search for different characteristics and ways to enhance performance. Snowboarding is no different and the board is the main part of the equipment that can make or break your experience. And it doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or a pro - the wrong board can make snowboarding hard on you regardless of your proficiency level. 

The board for snowboarding consists of a few parts: tail, tip, and edges. All of them have parts you should consider. 

The board itself also has:

• Width: professionals measure the waist width as well as the tip and tail width. The waist width is the width of the board in the middle - where the equipment is more narrow than on the tip and tail. Width is typically measured in millimeters. You should consider the width if you’re searching for a board for competing, for example, because narrower boards gain more speed faster than those with more width. When choosing the width of the board though, don’t forget to check how big your snowboarding boots are - you don’t want any edges hanging from your board!
• Sidecut: simply put, this is the curve of your board. There are different depths of it and on that depends how your board will perform when you turn and do acrobatics (if you’ve advanced to them). A larger sidecut means you’re going to make sharper turns which is useful in acrobatics and freestyle, for example. Just as well, a smaller sidecut results in smoother and bigger turns. The sidecuts are measured in meters since the actual number you measure is the radius of the circle you can make if you make a full 180 with your board. It varies between 6 and 10.
• Binding mounts: these are the places where you have the mechanism for locking your snowboarding shoes to the board. You should always check them - especially if you rent equipment, and it’s not your own board as it is the most delicate part of the snowboard and can jeopardize your safety if fails.
• Edge: easily the most important part of the board, because it depends a lot on how your board is going to act while you snowboard. It can be serrated and non-serrated. The rule is the serrated edges make you cut into the snow better and give you better grip and control of the movement - something very important if you’re a snowboard beginner.
• Effective edge: this is the whole length of the board that makes contact with the snow while you practice your favorite winter sport. Shorter than the board itself, but just as important as all the other parts. A longer effective edge means more stability. A shorter one though can help you turn easily. 

When it comes to the materials, most snowboards are made from hardwood, pressed between fiberglass layers. You can find some though, that incorporate plastic, carbon, and even aluminum.

How to choose the correct length of the snowboard

Once you get familiar with the characteristics and parts of the snowboard, you have covered your first base on what kind of board to look for. The next one is to figure out how to choose the correct length. For this mission, you need to consider a few things. The two most important are your weight and what style of snowboarding would you like to practice. 

When snowboarding was just starting, the length of the board you should ride depended on your height. You just had to stand next to a board and get whichever board got to your chin. Nowadays though, we know that weight is far more important because a key skill in snowboarding is to find your center of balance and distribute your body and weight correctly above the board. 

What is more, the style you’re going to ride is even more important. For example: if you want to advance in freeride snowboarding, you might want to choose a longer board. It will give you more speed and more stability - both important in this particular way of snowboarding. If you are leaning more into the freestyle snowboarding though, choose a shorter board that will give you the freedom to spin and make swift and fast motions and acrobatics. 

Last, but not least, consider where you’re going to ride. If you’re ready for the mountain slopes, a longer board is better. If your place is an artificial slope or park - grab a shorter one. 

Most good salesmen will consider your experience too and recommend a model that will suit your level. The unwritten principles state, that beginners will be better off with shorter boards in the range for their weight. Experienced riders can choose from a big variety though and it depends entirely on what they want to try on the slope. 

This is the time to point out an important fact: there are a few different rules that apply to women’s and childrens’ boards regarding width and length. Women’s boards are usually constructed with a narrower waist width to suit their body type. Taller women can use boards from the male section too though. Children’s of course, come in smaller sizes, so they can fit the child’s age. A piece of advice from us on the matter: don’t buy a board that is bigger than the child’s age and body structure suggests. It’s going to make learning harder and the child may not even grow up to it.  
 

What type of snowboard should you get according to your style

Choosing your style means you have gone through the basics and you’re ready to dive into the vast world of snowboarding head first. Here you come upon a fairly common question: what kind of a board do I want to get in for my style. No worries - we’re here to help!

• For mountain enthusiasts, manufacturers have made the most common snowboards called All-mountain snowboards. They are designed with the idea that they can work well on all-mountain conditions: no matter the terrain or quality of the snow. If you still haven’t chosen (or found) your style, you might want to start with one of these.
• Freestyle snowboards come in a large variety with their specifics. Understandably, they are for freestyle maniacs on the board, who are not afraid of challenges. Typically they’re the shorter ones in the shop, but trust us - they combine durability and all the good characteristics of the all-mountain snowboards so you can enjoy rails, different terrain, and whatever else you want to freestyle with your board.
• Have you heard of powder snowboards? This is the board you want to choose if you can enjoy the fresh snow. These boards have a narrow end (tail) and a wider tip (nose). The general idea - better speed, floating feeling, and navigation when riding.
• One of the most interesting types of snowboards is the splitboard. As you might have guessed, this type of snowboard splits in half so you can use it for climbing up hills and slopes. Before you want to ride, you just reattach it - easy and effective for all of you who don’t mind a little walk in the snow to get to the perfect riding spot. All this - without carrying the board on your back or shoulder.

 

Snowboarding shapes and why they matter

You come into a specialized sports equipment store and behold - there are so many different shapes of the boards! You thought you have to consider length, width, and edge but oh no… even the shapes vary?! 

It is understandable if you get lost and can’t make the decision which one is right for you right away. Especially since some shapes don’t work on every terrain and style . This is what experienced salesmen are there for. But here’s also a quick guide into snowboard shapes. 

• The true twin shape is one of the most popular shapes in the world when it comes to boards for snowboarding. The tip and tail are equal in width and the silhouette is symmetrical. This shape is mostly recommended for beginners who have to find their balance and leading leg and for mountain riders.
• The directional shape, on the other hand, has a wider, rounder nose (tip) and a sort of canted tail. Usually, the choice of them falls in the hands of free-riders and snowboarders who ride on fresh snow.
• The directional twin shape, on the other hand, combines the best of both worlds: twin and directional board forms. This type of board is morsymmetricalal and has a somewhat softer tip. That way it is perfect for all-mountain and freestyle riders.
• Last, but not least, we have the volume shifted shape. It might remind you of a board for water sports with its wider form. You have to develop special technique to ride them, though. More of your weight is going to have to be distributed to the back (the tail). This gives you the oportunity to make more turns and maneuvers and come in a lot of sizes.

 

What type of board is suitable for you and your style? Let us know if we helped with this guide and what you got for your next winter adventures!