{"id":144,"date":"2018-07-14T06:41:31","date_gmt":"2018-07-14T06:41:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mountaineeringguru.com\/?p=144"},"modified":"2018-07-14T18:56:11","modified_gmt":"2018-07-14T18:56:11","slug":"first-time-snowboarding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mountaineeringguru.com\/first-time-snowboarding\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Snowboarding"},"content":{"rendered":"
Snowboarding can be an exciting experience that can get your adrenaline rushing and your pulse racing.<\/p>\n
Obviously, if you\u2019re reading this, you are either planning to go snowboarding or considering the possibility at least.<\/p>\n
With that being said, doing anything for the first time can be an intimidating process, particularly when making a mistake can ruin the whole thing.<\/p>\n
So, we\u2019ve got you covered: this article will delve into everything you need to know about snowboarding, from what it is and where it started to the best places to go and the equipment you need to pack with you.<\/p>\n
Similar to skiing, snowboarding is a winter sport that requires speed, precision, and skill.<\/p>\n
The website\u00a0skicanada.org<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>defines snowboarding as \u201ca winter sport that involves descending a slope that is covered with snow while standing on a board attached to a rider\u2019s feet, using a special boot set onto a mounted binding.\u201d<\/p>\n However, unlike skiing, a single board is used, there are no poles involved, and the person faces sideways instead of looking forwards.<\/p>\n With that being said, there are three main types of snowboarding: freestyle, freeriding, and alpine (also known as free carving).<\/p>\n According to\u00a0Torah Bright<\/a><\/strong>, gold medal-winning snowboarder, each style of snowboarding can be broken down into multiple subtypes. Let\u2019s take a look at that:<\/p>\n Similar to what skateboarders do, freestyle snowboarding involves the use of both natural and man-made elements to perform tricks: For example, performing spins, corks, in a halfpipe would be considered freestyling.<\/p>\n Other types of freestyle include slopestyle, where a snowboarder goes down a slope and does tricks over obstacles; urban and jibbing, where a snowboarder rides surfaces other than snow, such as metal rails, boxes, and benches; big air, where a snowboarder takes a huge jump and does a few tricks while in the air; and rail jam, where a snowboarder rides a rail set-up or other urban-like features.<\/p>\n Whereas freestyle focuses on doing tricks, regardless of the setting where these tricks are performed, freeriding relies on the usage of natural terrain and natural challenges.<\/p>\n Rather than performing tricks, the goal of freeriding is to be able to maneuver in that natural terrain.<\/p>\n Two of the most popular types of freeriding is backcountry and big mountain on the one hand and backcountry freeride competitions on the other.<\/p>\n In backcountry and big mountain, snowboarders ride through wild terrain, down large mountains, and on deep snow, all of which require a strategic approach.<\/p>\n Alternatively, backcountry freeride competitions invite snowboarders to race down mountains, but this form is relatively rare given how dangerous it can be.<\/p>\n Also dubbed as free carving, alpine snowboarding entails snowboarders using the already existing infrastructure in place for skiing.<\/p>\n It first started as a racing competition but evolved into a competition that combines racing with tricks, such as carving at high speeds.<\/p>\n Alpine snowboarding consists of two main subtypes: slalom racing and snowboard cross.<\/p>\n Slalom racing is similar to ski racing in the sense that involves an individual racing down a course while crossing by poles jutting out from the snow.<\/p>\n As for snowboard cross, which is also called boardercross, it is an event that pits several snowboarders against one another directly and has them descend simultaneously rather than timing their individual descents, as in slalom racing.<\/p>\n The commonly held belief is that snowboarding started in the United States of America; as a matter of fact, the engineer Sherman Poppen is thought to have invented the first precursor to today\u2019s modern snowboard back in 1965.<\/p>\n Word is that Poppen was designing a toy for his daughters when he came upon the idea of bolting two skis together and attaching a rope to the front for the purposes of steering this contraption, which was nicknamed the \u201cSnurfer\u201d by Poppen\u2019s wife.<\/p>\n Subsequently, the Brunswick Corporation, a company that manufactures sports equipment, saw Poppen\u2019s little invention and decided to get in on the action.<\/p>\n The company licensed the \u201cSnurfer\u201d and sold it to the entire nation, a successful endeavor that saw the Brunswick company sell more than a million \u201cSnurfers\u201d by the end of the seventies.<\/p>\n After that, the \u201cSnurfer\u201d kept evolving and changing over the years till we ended up getting modern snowboards as we know them.<\/p>\n Throughout this process of evolution, numerous inventors and athletes contributed with their ideas and refinements: Dimitrije Milovich gave us the \u201cWinterstick,\u201d Jake Burton carpenter gave us Burton Snowboards, Tom Sims gave us Sims Snowboards, and Chuck Barfoot gave us Barfoot Snowboards.<\/p>\n Once snowboards became ubiquitous enough among winter sports enthusiasts, snowboard manufacturers started organizing competitions, the first of which was held in 1982 in Vermont.<\/p>\n Nevertheless, snowboarding didn\u2019t garner real popularity with the wider mainstream audience till 1985, when there was a snowboarding scene in the James Bond film \u201cA View to a Kill.\u201d<\/p>\n However, it wasn\u2019t until 1994 that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) finally recognized snowboarding, and the sport made its Olympic debut in the 1998 Winter Games, which were held in Japan that year.<\/p>\n Ever since then, snowboarding has been a constant presence in the Olympic Winter Games, with events like the halfpipe and snowboard cross being extremely popular.<\/p>\n Not only are snowboarding events the centerpieces of the Olympic Winter Games, but the sport\u2019s athletes have also gained a sort of celebrity status and fame that is not too different from what actors and singers enjoy.<\/p>\n For example, Shaun White, a snowboarder who\u2019s won multiple medals and is considered as one of the best out there, has become a household name and has had multiple cameos in blockbuster films.<\/p>\n Hopefully, by now, you are excited to go snowboarding and are wondering how to best get started. First of all, we need to take a look at what you\u2019ll need:<\/p>\n When starting out, it\u2019s best to rent most of your gear instead of buying it. This is for several reasons.<\/p>\n To start with, you don\u2019t want to commit yourself until you are sure that you enjoy snowboarding and would like to take it up.<\/p>\n Also, seeing as you will be starting out, you are better off having a shop owner help you pick out the gear that is most suitable for someone at your level.<\/p>\n Nonetheless, there are a few pointers that any beginner should know. When choosing a board, beginners are advised to go for a basic flat profile board, one that has a slight rocker on either you\u2019re your board will most likely be 5 feet long and 10 inches wide.<\/p>\n When choosing the snowboarding boots, it is important to pick something that fits you perfectly, something that neither squishes your toes nor prevents your heel from keeping contact with the bottom of the boot when it is lifted.<\/p>\n However, there are some things that you\u2019ll have to buy; chief among them is your clothing. It is worth remembering that you will probably fall a lot during your first few times, meaning that you\u2019ll be covered in snow.<\/p>\n Therefore, you need clothes that\u2019ll keep you warm while keeping you from getting wet. So, you should buy yourself some thick gloves, a warm jacket, and comfortable pants. But, stay away from jeans.<\/p>\n In addition to staying warm, you need to think about your safety, which is why it is advisable to either rent or buy a helmet, goggles, and wrist guards.<\/p>\n Should you wish to provide yourself with extra protection, you can buy special pads to protect your tailbone when you fall.<\/p>\n Naturally, you\u2019re asking yourself what\u2019s the damage on all of that equipment, especially for beginners?<\/p>\n Unfortunately, it\u2019s not cheap, and that is all the more true for those who have to start from scratch and can\u2019t borrow any of the above equipment from their friends.<\/p>\nTypes of snowboarding:<\/span><\/h2>\n
Freestyle snowboarding<\/h3>\n
Freeriding<\/h3>\n
Alpine snowboarding<\/span><\/h3>\n
What is the history of snowboarding?<\/span><\/h2>\n
So, what do you need to know if you are about to go snowboarding for the first time?<\/span><\/h2>\n
What do you need?<\/span><\/h3>\n
How much will all of this cost you?<\/span><\/h2>\n