Home Sports How to Gear Up for Snowboarding Season: Step up Your Hitting-the-Slopes Game

How to Gear Up for Snowboarding Season: Step up Your Hitting-the-Slopes Game

Your winter adventure cannot start if you’re not fully prepared for the low temperatures, the wind, and the snow. Playing in the snow is all fun and games until you start freezing because you aren’t properly dressed. To avoid such rookie mistakes, make sure you have the essential snowboarding gear on you so that you’re protected from top to bottom.

Start by Acquiring a Pair of Snowboarding Boots

snowboard boots close up
source: snowlink.com

If you have a clear vision about what you want and what you need from a pair, choosing the right one won’t be a difficult task for you, although you have a lot of options. These adequate boots need to provide you with comfort but at the same time offer you support and warmth as well. Snowboarding is fun but the temperatures tend to go really low, and you need gear that will protect you from the cold.

The newest models of snowboard boots for sale have everything a snowboarder needs for a safe and fun ride. They are made from materials that are waterproof, have a 3D moulded shell tongue but are also flexible and cozy. There’s nothing worse than boots that limit your movements and make it difficult for you to operate the snowboard. So, you need to avoid that kind of boots at all costs.

A good choice are designs with EVA outsoles. EVA is a type of foam that absorbs impact and at the same time it offers comfort to the snowboarder. The lacing system plays a role too. You can choose between boots with a traditional lacing system, boa, and speed lacing system. They also come in various designs and colours, and you can even get ones that match the rest of your outfit, because why not. If you’re serious about the sport, you might as well snowboard in style.

Now, though each design has pros and cons, besides considering those, there’s one more aspect you need to get the right size – try them before you decide and buy or measure up the exact foot size at home. You can easily order snowboard boots for sale online without going through much trouble, but you still wouldn’t want to make a mistake and end up with a pair that’s either too tight-fitting or too loose. That can largely affect your performance.

Base Layers Are Very Important

The base layers are essential. Wearing only pants and jackets can’t protect you from the wind and low temperatures, but the base layers can. Base layers meant for this specific sport have great insulating and moisture-wicking properties. They are thin and feel like a second skin but will keep you warm regardless of how long you stay out in the snow. The best materials for base layers are either cotton-polyester blend or Merino-polyester blend.

Same as with the comfortable snowboard boots for sale, the point of the base layer is to keep the moisture away from your body, keep you warm and be cozy and pleasant to wear. It should fit you tightly but not to the point of being uncomfortable to wear and dysfunctional. The size of the base layers should be the same as the size of the clothes you regularly wear.

Snowboarding Pants and Jacket

man snowboarding wearing a warm jacket and pants
source: outsidepursuits.com

You can choose between getting insulated pants and shell pants. The difference between the two is the insulation. Both pairs are waterproof and breathable but the second pair is not insulating. If you’re someone who tends to get hot while physically active, the shell pants will be ideal for you.

After all, you do have base layers to keep you warm, so the insulating pants are not really necessary unless the temperatures are abnormally low outside. If that’s the case, you’d want to stay warm when playing hard in the snow. If you learn from the shopping experience for boots for snowboarding, you realize design is important too. With this in mind, you should get pants that are rather loose and comfortable thanks to features like fully taped seams.

Same as the pants, snowboarding jackets are either insulated or shell. Shell jackets are considered to be more breathable and ones that offer a higher level of mobility but if you want that extra warmth, the insulated jacket will be perfect for you. You can also choose a model with a hood and wrist closures. These special features will improve your snowboarding experience.

Snowboarding Helmet and Goggles

man wearing a snowboard helmet and goggles
source: snowbrains.com

The helmet is a very important piece of equipment since it can prevent you from getting seriously injured while on the terrain. As such, it’s not only meant for beginners but for all those who step foot on the snowboard.

Even the most skilled snowboarders fall off the board sometimes, so it is better if you don’t take your chances. The helmet is made from a couple of layers. The first one is the shell which is impact-resistant while inside there’s a foam layer that’s impact absorbent and soft and cozy at the same time. Much like the suitable snowboarding boots that keep your feet nice and dry, this piece keeps your head warm, so it’s a win-win.

Are goggles necessary for snowboarding? The goggles don’t just protect your eyes from the harsh wind and snow but from the UV rays as well. Long term exposure to strong UV rays can cause irreparable damage to your eyes. Damage that’s preventable. The specialized goggles are made from multiple lenses (polycarbonate) and are shatterproof. They’re designed to protect your eyes and allow you to snowboard unbothered.

Finally, the Gloves Will Keep Your Hands Warm

man wearing snowboard gear including gloves
source: therugbycatalog.com

Do you need gloves for snowboarding? There’s no other answer but yes because your hands need protection too, same as your feet with proper snowboard boots, body with insulated jacket, pants, and layers, and head and eyes with helmet and goggles.

The cold can make your hands go numb and that’s not something you want while you’re having fun in the snow. Snowboarding gloves have an innovative design as they’re made of waterproof materials, and consist of an internal layer that keeps the hands warm.

You need to be aware of the fact that you can’t do absolutely everything with the gloves on because they do restrict your movements to some point. But you can get used to that quickly. Remember that the cold also restricts movements, so choose wisely. You can pick between gloves made of pure leather or ones made out of synthetic materials. Both options are good although leather is known to be a material that’s ideal for gloves considering it lasts longer.