Your experience is not the only thing you need when it comes to sports. The other essential thing is your equipment. You can be incredibly talented with the reaction of a Jedi, but you will not ride too long on a chalkboard, anyway. The crucial thing is to choose the best gear of all the range of brands.
Here are the basic things you must obtain: a board, binding, gloves, a helmet, boots, and goggles. And I will share my personal views and advise you on the best stuff since I have been in this sport for life.
Why Snowboarding Equipment Is So Important?
Why you should choose the equipment so carefully? Here are top reasons:
- Bad gear limits your performance significantly. It can even break your life since the low-quality snowboard may not withstand the pressure and crack, making you go head over heels. It is a matter of your safety.
- Branding is good, but not always. Sometimes you can find better quality at a reasonable price.
- There is a bunch of styles in snowboarding and you should buy the gear which fits you the best.
Best Boards Ranking
While choosing your perfect board, you should consider your constitution first. Take into account your height, shoe size, and weight. For example, if the board is too flexible for your weight, it will bend and disrupt your movements. And your boots will scoop snow in case the snowboard has the narrow width.
The second factor is your riding style. The equipment is adjusted either for making tricks, or speed and fast maneuvers. Some brands focus on certain parameters. Let us then find out the best products meeting our needs.
Top 3 Brands Reviews:
- K2 Snowboarding. The manufacturer has been in the industry for almost half a century. It produced top-end equipment including a vast range of boards of all mountain, freestyle, powder, jib models and splitboards. Also, the company produces bindings, helmets, and accessories for men, women, and youth. The prices for boards range from $300 to $1,000.
- Lib Technologies. The manufacturer creates new trends and goes forward in terms of innovations. The Magne-traction technology is a new design of a bumped sidecut. It is made to improve the overall control of your board. The serrations increase the surface traction when you slide and turn. The innovation has been well received and now it is popular among both professionals and newbies.
- Never Summer Industries. It focuses primarily on producing durable high-quality boards. If you want to forget about durability issues, this brand is for you.
Personal Choice:
Well, I would like to recommend you all-mountain snowboards. It is a reasonable choice for any kind of sportsmen. If your aim is the combination of speed, good handling on the majority of terrains, and comfort, the all-purpose board will be your match. And among the best brands in this niche, I would choose Never Summer Industries. I love boards of this company since they ease the performance and make your race a delightful relaxing journey.
Safe Boots
A pair of snowboard boots has to be tight but without pressure points. Yes, they have to be tight because of stretching over time. When you move, your feet should not wiggle in your shoes. The heel has to be stable in the heel cup. Believe me, this is a serious issue. Bloody blisters on your feet and leg cramps will be waiting for you unless you consider that. I struggle to find the foot-gear preventing my ankles from slipping out. Another crucial thing is the lacing system.
Top 3 Brands Overview:
Among the manufacturers I would like to distinguish:
- Adidas. It produces lines for best ever experience and 100% riding control. The common features include customizable tightness of upper and lower section of the footwear and extreme durability under harsh weather conditions.
- DC. This brand is known for high-quality footgear. Their products stand out from others due to outstanding design, comfort, and security. There is also a great range of prices fitting everyone’s purse.
- Burton. It is famous for high-tech snowboards and footwear. Being one of the best in the industry, the company produces incredibly versatile shoes customizable for any feet.
Personal Advice:
I would say that these brands focus primarily on professionals who already know what they need and why. The beginners would better take into account comfort and affordability. And I know some manufacturers such as Salomon, Ride or K2 which produce quite good boots at affordable prices. Do not focus on a label too much. Consider your constitution and goals first.
Reliable Binding
Binding can make your day either a holiday or a nightmare. The right one should be compatible with your boots, board, and riding style. Also, pay attention to flex rating. Extreme stiffness will cause pain and blisters on your feet. On the other hand, too loose and soft straps will not let you ride properly.
Top 3 Brands Overlook:
- Burton. The key features are durability and impact absorption. This manufacturer produces literary indestructible bindings. It is indeed a lifetime investment.
- Salomon. The company focuses on flexibility and comfort. There is much space for adjustments.
- K2. Products under this label are as good as Burton ones. They are made for the best handling.
Personal Suggestion:
I would like to recommend Burton due to unique mounting solutions. The fixation is much closer to the board and it improves handling even more. It is compatible with other brands as well. Thus, you can combine the items by various manufacturers.
Tips for Choosing the Snowboard for Beginners
Well, if you a newcomer to winter sports, you probably want to master snowboarding fast and without injuries. I can say for sure that you have to choose the best ever equipment for your composition and riding style. The right-chosen snowboard will help you become better rapidly due to comfort and improved performance. It is better to increase your potential as a snowboarder to the maximum, isn’t it?
Pick Colour and Size of Your Board
When it comes to the color of your snowboard, everything is clear. But in case of size, choose the item depending on your weight and height. You should find your middle ground. As a rule, the riders pick up boards 7 inches shorter than they are. Such length ensures the best feeling of control. So, if your height is 5’9” then you need to pick up around 5’2”.
And another thing is weight. For the beginners, I recommend a light variant. With this one, you will maneuver much better and will easily stand up after a fall. Lighter variants are your best choice at the time you only learn how to ride. And one more moment: the thinner you are, the lighter and shorter board you need and vice versa.
Choose Freestyle or Freeride
These two snowboard types seem to be quite similar, but it is not actually true. The key difference is their purpose. Freestyle boards are made for jumping, spinning in the air, flipping, in other words-performing tricks. But riders usually use them within winter resorts.
Freeride, to the contrary, means sliding on a completely wild terrain. At the beginning of your snowboarding path, there is no need to cut a feather. And in this case, I would recommend the same thing I mentioned above ‒ all-mountain board.
Buy Soft and Comfortable Boots
As I mentioned before, tight boots are good for stabilizing your feet. On the other hand, for the beginners, this variant may not be the best one. In case you have no clear intentions about professional snowboarding career, buy as comfortable footwear as possible.
Buy soft shoes if you want to get maximum relaxation while riding on the slopes. Pay attention to the lacing system. The laces have to be convenient and durable. It would be good if you obtain foot-gear with traditional lacing. The quick-pull variants may be too complex for beginners.
Conclusion
Brands are good. They actually become so popular due to exceptional quality. On the other hand, there is no need to obtain a full stack of items of a single brand. Experiment and combine them. Some have better binding and some provide top-end snowboards. Gear compatibility is the most important thing while choosing the equipment. The binding, boards, and boots work as a system and all components have to fit well.