I found it off craigslist.
The board is 150cm... a little older, but in good condition. They have strap bindings, and all I need are boots... any recommendations?
Total cost for board + bindings = $50 cash... the girl upgraded to a better board and just wanted to get rid of her beginner equipment. I'm happy because it'll be cheaper than renting (rental = $30!!!).
Here's an e-mail re: boarding my friend just sent me....
Subject: Huuuuge intro to snowboarding and tips
Stance: Are you regular or goofy footed? This describes your footing. If you lead with your left foot you ride regular. Right, Goofy. Does it matter? Nope. Whatever is most comfortable. One easy way to find out is to stand straight and have someone push you from behind, or walk up a set of stairs. Which ever foot comes first most likely is the one you want to lead with on your board. Setting up your binding angles is pretty much a personal preference. Typically you will have your front foot at 10-25 degrees and your back foot at around 0-5 degrees. These are the common freeride settings. If you are looking for more of a freestyle option that will allow better swivle movement of your body use a 0-15 degree setting on the front foot and 0-10 degree setting on the back. You want to make sure that your boots dont hang over too much for this can prevent clean turns. A little is fine the boots are designed to take a beating but make sure its not effecting your riding. If it hangs over too much adjust your bindings position on the board and possiblly adjust the bindings back support if has one.
Pressure: Snowboarding is largely about applying the correct pressure on the right areas of the board. When going down a hill you want to apply pressure to the front of the board by shifting your weight to the front. When I first started learning I was putting pressure to the back foot which helped out in me wiping out a couple hundred of times. You do not have control if pressure is not in the front. Think of it as a badminton. When it is in the air it goes down to where the weight is. Same thing with snowboarding going down a hill.
Stopping: Learning to fall and stop in the beginning is one of the best things you can do as a beginner. Because when you are going down a hill, don't have control, and are about to hit that little kid, you want to be able to avoid it. This holds true for avoiding trees too which can be more deadly.
Balance: To help increase balance keep your hands low, with one on each side of the board doing this provides the greatest range of balancing movements.
Direction: Always look torward the direction you want to go. This helps because your body will naturally want to shift weight to gain balance.
Gear: I would definately suggest spending the extra dunaro and buying Gortex/Waterproof-breathable clothing. This way you prevent having to buy equipment twice after you realize how horrible it feels to be wet, have trapped sweat between you and the apparellel, and or freezing. Spend the extra cash on reliable equipment. It makes a world of difference.
Snacks: Carrying Powerbars, or any type of energy bar is a great idea. They are generally small/thin and fit easily in a pocket and can fill you up better than a sandwidch. I will occasionally tear through one during a lift. One thing to watch out for is if you store them in an outside pocket the cold weather can make them has hard as an icicle. This can also be avoided by getting the softer bars which take even longer to freeze up typically.
Snow: Having problems with snow collecting on the top of your board? Try Pledge! Several people tell me it works great! (If you have stickers on your board you might not want to do this for it will soak through them). But hey, if you want to get rid of stickers there you go.
Lifts: Lifts range from small rope tows all the way up to huge cable cars. The most common is the chair lift. These are the ones that most people enjoy because they are typically quick, and you can keep your gear on (most resorts make you remove your rear boot from its' binding so you can get on the lift properly, and of course you kind of need to peddle your board anyhow). Make sure you have a leash attached to your binding and boot so if you lose a binding your board does not end up flying down the hill and taking out anyone. There are two types of chairlifts available, those that are always connected to the cable in one spot, and those that detach so they can go slower for loading and then attach back to a spot on the cable once you are in one. If it is your first time on a lift tell the operators so they can take precautions for you. Good etiquette when getting off a lift is to ask where your fellow riders will be getting off, as in.. right or left. That way you can plan to not knock down each other once getting off the lift. If you are getting off a lift and start to lose balance dont grab onto the other riders to try and keep up or you will create a domino effect with the end result of more than just you on the ground crashed. Immediately get away from the unloading area so that other riders that are getting off do not run into you.
Dress: Dress warm and make sure you have water proof gear because it sucks to be wet and cold. Hypothermia and frostbite are not fun either. Also make sure you have a good pair of goggles (or shades if you are good) to protect you from the power UVB rays on the slopes. The snow intensifies it by reflecting it everywhere.
Planning: Planning when to go out. This site has a great weather section for checking out how the conditions will be at your resort. Also if you are new, it is even more beneficial to go on non-peak times so you have more time and terrain for yourself. Weekends and school holidays are usually the busiest. The worst is typically around winter vacation because a lot of people of that time off from school and work and the conditions are typically decent depending on where you are. Helmets and Wrist Guards: Boarders run into a lot less injuries than skiers because your legs are together at all times. There are some precautions you want to take while boarding. Wrist Guards-Wrists injuries are at the top for snowboarders and every boarder with experience can tell you how bad it hurts to mess up a wrist. A great solution is to get a set of wrist guards. There are wrist guards you can simple slip into your existing pair of gloves and those that sell with gloves as a built in device. Buy purchasing a set you lower the risk of damaging your wrists tremendously and being it is the most common injury, that is a pretty good deal. Blades.com sells wrist guards and also more expensive gloves with them built in. Helmets- Alright I will be the first to admit, helmets look goofy. But you know what? They save lives. Helmets more and more are looking stream lined and decent. I am sure bike riders felt the same way as a lot of us about them at one time. I have to say, every day I am looking for news for this site I find yet another article about yet a boarder who has died. I am seriously re-evaluating my look on helmets. They protect you and are worth the investment. The people you see on the mountain, you won't typically see them again any how. As you can see below in the submitted tips a lot of people suggest to wear a helmet. I suspect this is from their experience. Let's not go through the same bad experience. They are also available @ The-House.
Gear Maintenance-
Waxing: You should wax your board at least every second or third day you hit the hills. Your board will run faster, and waxing will protect the base from the abrasion caused by snow, ice, and the occasion rock. Tired of having to take your board to the shop to get it waxed and then wait till they are done, which could be as long as a week? What about the price to have it done? Tired of that too? Waxing your board is not that tough. It is actually easier than you think.
Sharpening: Been going over rocks and boulders? Starting to lose grip of those turns? Tired of paying $$$ to have your sides sharpened? Do it yourself.
Repair: Have gauges in your board? What about lines from rocks scraped into your base? Some online stores with great prices are Blades.com and The-House.com
Best Tip: The best tip would be to spend the measly $20 or so and take lessons. By doing this you avoid picking up any bad habits that can hamper you getting better quicker.
-Submitted Tips
You should always bend your knees drive through your turns and connect them smoothly.
The key for a begginer snowboarder is to learn how to push out your back foot a little bit for speed control. When doing a grab don't touch the board grab it and hold it.
Hey guys, when doing spins....... 1. come to the side of the jump 2. when ur at the top bend your knees 3. spring off 4. while your in the spin just let the jup take you around 5. to spin faster put your arms to your sides 6. to spin slower put your arms out
For "dare" beginners learning on the "non-flat" slope: Don't panic if you're getting faster while taking a turn. To turn you must accelerate first, it's natural. I had problems with it myself, cause when I was getting faster I was so afraid of speed that I only wanted to fall down (!!). And that's not the way you learn anything of course.
When you decide to go to the pipe, know 3 things: 1. Know when the pipe is clear, you'll know this if you sit and watch everyone going for a while. 2. When you want to drop, drop if you don't drop in with some aggression you'll probably get cut off by someone who doesn't think you know what you're doing. 3. Don't be embarrassed to go in if you suck, you have just as much right to be in there as anyone else. You have to start somewhere.
1. Speed is not something to be afraid of.
2. When hitting a jump plan out the take-off, and the landing before you hit it.
3. When hitting a jump, get as much air as possible, it gives you more time to react.
4. When boarding through trees, take it at your own pace, don't try to keep up or your already in trouble.
5. Don't be afraid to mess up, your not the first, and your not the last.
6. The only way to learn is by doing it. You'll never learn black diamonds by going down the bunny hill.
7. If possible take someone better than you, you'll learn faster that way.
8. Pain goes away.
9. What ever you do Have Fun, if your not having fun trying jumps, do something else for a while.
10. Watch for skiers, it hurts like hell to run into one of them.
1. WEAR A HELMET!!!!!! my helmet has already saved my life more times than i can count...your not going to look stupid...and it's better to be out boarding than in the hospital in a coma, right?
2. speed is your best friend, but don't abuse it and get kicked off the mountain by the ski patrol...i've learned my lesson.
3. girls...this is for you...don't learn how to board for the guys...you'll never get them unless you can bust off sh!t which you won't be able to unless you really like boarding.
4. take your time through the trees...they're not fun at all to hit...and yes i've hit one before and it cut my head open so please, wear a helmet!
Don't rush!! Try tricks only when you feel like you can do it. Don't try to progress to fast cause you'll progress slower. Don't be impressed by peoples who are snowboarding since 7-8 years cause you may beat them in 2-3 years.
When doing spin tricks make sure you lead with your head and upper body, your lower body will follow, and spot the landing as soon as you can
Okay guys.. When your a beginner don't try the big hills until you know how to control speed and stop. If you don't then expect falls and pain. And please don't make fun of people when they fall because what goes around comes around. KEEP IT REAL!
1. wear a helmut,u don't look like an ass, some runs can get icey, concusions don't tickle
2. don't make fun of other boarders, if u don't still suck,u used 2
3. 4 those unfortunate enough never 2 have gone through knee deep powder,..don't slow down!, for any reason, shift your weight & surf it, you might have less control but powder can be rare,so take advantage of it
4. always b lookin at least 5 seconds ahead of ya
5. go back and do it while you're young n' mom & dad r still payin 4 it
If you have just started snowboarding you will have went down the hill a few times and started to go sideways like your doing a shifty. I did to a few years ago. It's because your not putting enough weight on your back leg. Jumps. When your going up a big table top or something you will need lots of speed!! You'll look bad if you don't even make it up the jump the whole way, than if you get lots of air and wipeout. Make sure you can land the jump before u go for the flip.
1. Get a lesson to start.
2. Bend your knees, don't just stick your ass out!
3. Remember, speed is your friend.
4. Always push your limits.
5. You WILL get hurt. (Painkillers and beer will help)
6. Go to Canada at least once.
7. Don't SIT in the park. It only encourages others!
8. Help beginners, coz you were one once.
9. Do it because you love it, not to try and be cool.
10. Have fun, coz life's too short!
Can't wait to try it out this weekend.
Peace,
Dezign
The board is 150cm... a little older, but in good condition. They have strap bindings, and all I need are boots... any recommendations?
Total cost for board + bindings = $50 cash... the girl upgraded to a better board and just wanted to get rid of her beginner equipment. I'm happy because it'll be cheaper than renting (rental = $30!!!).
Here's an e-mail re: boarding my friend just sent me....
Subject: Huuuuge intro to snowboarding and tips
Stance: Are you regular or goofy footed? This describes your footing. If you lead with your left foot you ride regular. Right, Goofy. Does it matter? Nope. Whatever is most comfortable. One easy way to find out is to stand straight and have someone push you from behind, or walk up a set of stairs. Which ever foot comes first most likely is the one you want to lead with on your board. Setting up your binding angles is pretty much a personal preference. Typically you will have your front foot at 10-25 degrees and your back foot at around 0-5 degrees. These are the common freeride settings. If you are looking for more of a freestyle option that will allow better swivle movement of your body use a 0-15 degree setting on the front foot and 0-10 degree setting on the back. You want to make sure that your boots dont hang over too much for this can prevent clean turns. A little is fine the boots are designed to take a beating but make sure its not effecting your riding. If it hangs over too much adjust your bindings position on the board and possiblly adjust the bindings back support if has one.
Pressure: Snowboarding is largely about applying the correct pressure on the right areas of the board. When going down a hill you want to apply pressure to the front of the board by shifting your weight to the front. When I first started learning I was putting pressure to the back foot which helped out in me wiping out a couple hundred of times. You do not have control if pressure is not in the front. Think of it as a badminton. When it is in the air it goes down to where the weight is. Same thing with snowboarding going down a hill.
Stopping: Learning to fall and stop in the beginning is one of the best things you can do as a beginner. Because when you are going down a hill, don't have control, and are about to hit that little kid, you want to be able to avoid it. This holds true for avoiding trees too which can be more deadly.
Balance: To help increase balance keep your hands low, with one on each side of the board doing this provides the greatest range of balancing movements.
Direction: Always look torward the direction you want to go. This helps because your body will naturally want to shift weight to gain balance.
Gear: I would definately suggest spending the extra dunaro and buying Gortex/Waterproof-breathable clothing. This way you prevent having to buy equipment twice after you realize how horrible it feels to be wet, have trapped sweat between you and the apparellel, and or freezing. Spend the extra cash on reliable equipment. It makes a world of difference.
Snacks: Carrying Powerbars, or any type of energy bar is a great idea. They are generally small/thin and fit easily in a pocket and can fill you up better than a sandwidch. I will occasionally tear through one during a lift. One thing to watch out for is if you store them in an outside pocket the cold weather can make them has hard as an icicle. This can also be avoided by getting the softer bars which take even longer to freeze up typically.
Snow: Having problems with snow collecting on the top of your board? Try Pledge! Several people tell me it works great! (If you have stickers on your board you might not want to do this for it will soak through them). But hey, if you want to get rid of stickers there you go.
Lifts: Lifts range from small rope tows all the way up to huge cable cars. The most common is the chair lift. These are the ones that most people enjoy because they are typically quick, and you can keep your gear on (most resorts make you remove your rear boot from its' binding so you can get on the lift properly, and of course you kind of need to peddle your board anyhow). Make sure you have a leash attached to your binding and boot so if you lose a binding your board does not end up flying down the hill and taking out anyone. There are two types of chairlifts available, those that are always connected to the cable in one spot, and those that detach so they can go slower for loading and then attach back to a spot on the cable once you are in one. If it is your first time on a lift tell the operators so they can take precautions for you. Good etiquette when getting off a lift is to ask where your fellow riders will be getting off, as in.. right or left. That way you can plan to not knock down each other once getting off the lift. If you are getting off a lift and start to lose balance dont grab onto the other riders to try and keep up or you will create a domino effect with the end result of more than just you on the ground crashed. Immediately get away from the unloading area so that other riders that are getting off do not run into you.
Dress: Dress warm and make sure you have water proof gear because it sucks to be wet and cold. Hypothermia and frostbite are not fun either. Also make sure you have a good pair of goggles (or shades if you are good) to protect you from the power UVB rays on the slopes. The snow intensifies it by reflecting it everywhere.
Planning: Planning when to go out. This site has a great weather section for checking out how the conditions will be at your resort. Also if you are new, it is even more beneficial to go on non-peak times so you have more time and terrain for yourself. Weekends and school holidays are usually the busiest. The worst is typically around winter vacation because a lot of people of that time off from school and work and the conditions are typically decent depending on where you are. Helmets and Wrist Guards: Boarders run into a lot less injuries than skiers because your legs are together at all times. There are some precautions you want to take while boarding. Wrist Guards-Wrists injuries are at the top for snowboarders and every boarder with experience can tell you how bad it hurts to mess up a wrist. A great solution is to get a set of wrist guards. There are wrist guards you can simple slip into your existing pair of gloves and those that sell with gloves as a built in device. Buy purchasing a set you lower the risk of damaging your wrists tremendously and being it is the most common injury, that is a pretty good deal. Blades.com sells wrist guards and also more expensive gloves with them built in. Helmets- Alright I will be the first to admit, helmets look goofy. But you know what? They save lives. Helmets more and more are looking stream lined and decent. I am sure bike riders felt the same way as a lot of us about them at one time. I have to say, every day I am looking for news for this site I find yet another article about yet a boarder who has died. I am seriously re-evaluating my look on helmets. They protect you and are worth the investment. The people you see on the mountain, you won't typically see them again any how. As you can see below in the submitted tips a lot of people suggest to wear a helmet. I suspect this is from their experience. Let's not go through the same bad experience. They are also available @ The-House.
Gear Maintenance-
Waxing: You should wax your board at least every second or third day you hit the hills. Your board will run faster, and waxing will protect the base from the abrasion caused by snow, ice, and the occasion rock. Tired of having to take your board to the shop to get it waxed and then wait till they are done, which could be as long as a week? What about the price to have it done? Tired of that too? Waxing your board is not that tough. It is actually easier than you think.
Sharpening: Been going over rocks and boulders? Starting to lose grip of those turns? Tired of paying $$$ to have your sides sharpened? Do it yourself.
Repair: Have gauges in your board? What about lines from rocks scraped into your base? Some online stores with great prices are Blades.com and The-House.com
Best Tip: The best tip would be to spend the measly $20 or so and take lessons. By doing this you avoid picking up any bad habits that can hamper you getting better quicker.
-Submitted Tips
You should always bend your knees drive through your turns and connect them smoothly.
The key for a begginer snowboarder is to learn how to push out your back foot a little bit for speed control. When doing a grab don't touch the board grab it and hold it.
Hey guys, when doing spins....... 1. come to the side of the jump 2. when ur at the top bend your knees 3. spring off 4. while your in the spin just let the jup take you around 5. to spin faster put your arms to your sides 6. to spin slower put your arms out
For "dare" beginners learning on the "non-flat" slope: Don't panic if you're getting faster while taking a turn. To turn you must accelerate first, it's natural. I had problems with it myself, cause when I was getting faster I was so afraid of speed that I only wanted to fall down (!!). And that's not the way you learn anything of course.
When you decide to go to the pipe, know 3 things: 1. Know when the pipe is clear, you'll know this if you sit and watch everyone going for a while. 2. When you want to drop, drop if you don't drop in with some aggression you'll probably get cut off by someone who doesn't think you know what you're doing. 3. Don't be embarrassed to go in if you suck, you have just as much right to be in there as anyone else. You have to start somewhere.
1. Speed is not something to be afraid of.
2. When hitting a jump plan out the take-off, and the landing before you hit it.
3. When hitting a jump, get as much air as possible, it gives you more time to react.
4. When boarding through trees, take it at your own pace, don't try to keep up or your already in trouble.
5. Don't be afraid to mess up, your not the first, and your not the last.
6. The only way to learn is by doing it. You'll never learn black diamonds by going down the bunny hill.
7. If possible take someone better than you, you'll learn faster that way.
8. Pain goes away.
9. What ever you do Have Fun, if your not having fun trying jumps, do something else for a while.
10. Watch for skiers, it hurts like hell to run into one of them.
1. WEAR A HELMET!!!!!! my helmet has already saved my life more times than i can count...your not going to look stupid...and it's better to be out boarding than in the hospital in a coma, right?
2. speed is your best friend, but don't abuse it and get kicked off the mountain by the ski patrol...i've learned my lesson.
3. girls...this is for you...don't learn how to board for the guys...you'll never get them unless you can bust off sh!t which you won't be able to unless you really like boarding.
4. take your time through the trees...they're not fun at all to hit...and yes i've hit one before and it cut my head open so please, wear a helmet!
Don't rush!! Try tricks only when you feel like you can do it. Don't try to progress to fast cause you'll progress slower. Don't be impressed by peoples who are snowboarding since 7-8 years cause you may beat them in 2-3 years.
When doing spin tricks make sure you lead with your head and upper body, your lower body will follow, and spot the landing as soon as you can
Okay guys.. When your a beginner don't try the big hills until you know how to control speed and stop. If you don't then expect falls and pain. And please don't make fun of people when they fall because what goes around comes around. KEEP IT REAL!
1. wear a helmut,u don't look like an ass, some runs can get icey, concusions don't tickle
2. don't make fun of other boarders, if u don't still suck,u used 2
3. 4 those unfortunate enough never 2 have gone through knee deep powder,..don't slow down!, for any reason, shift your weight & surf it, you might have less control but powder can be rare,so take advantage of it
4. always b lookin at least 5 seconds ahead of ya
5. go back and do it while you're young n' mom & dad r still payin 4 it
If you have just started snowboarding you will have went down the hill a few times and started to go sideways like your doing a shifty. I did to a few years ago. It's because your not putting enough weight on your back leg. Jumps. When your going up a big table top or something you will need lots of speed!! You'll look bad if you don't even make it up the jump the whole way, than if you get lots of air and wipeout. Make sure you can land the jump before u go for the flip.
1. Get a lesson to start.
2. Bend your knees, don't just stick your ass out!
3. Remember, speed is your friend.
4. Always push your limits.
5. You WILL get hurt. (Painkillers and beer will help)
6. Go to Canada at least once.
7. Don't SIT in the park. It only encourages others!
8. Help beginners, coz you were one once.
9. Do it because you love it, not to try and be cool.
10. Have fun, coz life's too short!
Can't wait to try it out this weekend.
Peace,
Dezign
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