2013 Snow Thread

[B.utters]

My tips...

- Get lessons - I bet people from your school will say lessons are 'gay' but they are def. worth it...if you are starting from scratch you will learn the proper way to ride!

- Wear a helmet - not only is it safe but it will keep your head warm! No need to buy one you should be able to hire!

If it's your first time to the snow it makes sense to hire your gear (it might be included in your package)...but I would strongly recommend you buy the following...

- Buy a good pair of goggles - it absolutely sucks when your goggles fog up and you can't see where you are going!

- Buy a good pair of gloves - again it sucks if your gloves get wet and your hands are freezing for the whole day...also remember you will be constantly undoing/doing up your bindings going up the lifts, so make sure your gloves allow you to operate your hands to do this!

- Buy a pair of ski/snowboard socks

If you buy good quality googles, gloves and socks they should last you quite a while!

This is all excellent advice. Just a few things to add:

Lessons are rad - Instructors are there to make your time on the snow fun first and foremost. Secondary they will teach you how to board properly so you don't look like a complete muppet. Something to remember though, once you learn how to turn properly, use the shape of your turn to control your speed instead of just sliding from one edge to another.

Goggles - as mentioned this a good place not to skimp and buy cheap shit, expensive goggles are worth the investment. Once you have them NEVER EVER TOUCH THE INSIDE LENS WHEN IT'S WET! Wiping it will fuck the anti fog and make your expensive goggles shit goggles. Most of the time fogging is caused by your body being too warm and the heat escaping your jacket through the neck getting caught in your goggles. The temperature difference between the cold air outside and the warm air trapped inside the goggle causes condensation (otherwise known as fog). This leads to the next tip which stops your body from getting too hot;

Layer up - Wear a thermal layer, then a hoody and then your jacket. If you decide you are going to get into the sport you can go and buy a proper mid layer some time in the future because wet cotton is heavy and gets gold fast which sucks. Take off the hoody and stash it in a locker if things get too warm.

Gloves - Avoid anything with a surf brand on it. Look for brands like swanny, and hestra. They will probably cost you $150 to $200 but they will last a lot longer and keep your hands dry and warm. Also consider getting mits, they keep your hands a bajillion times warmer than gloves. Inner gloves are also something to consider if you are spending a lot of time sitting around in the snow which you will as a beginner. Putting on wet gloves after lunch sucks.

Socks - Definitely get some ski/snowboard socks and what ever you do, DON'T TAKE FUCKING FOOTBALL SOCKS! Buy the thinnest socks you can. Thick socks mean you will get a boot which is probably a size or two too large and trying to learn in something like that is going to suck balls and make life harder for you.


Lastly, if you are going to buy some gear and don't want to get fisted look into these sites, they will save you a lot of money.

www.backcountry.com
www.dogfunk.com

 

[rider124]

If you've never done it before, be prepared to be sore! lol. Not just from stacking, but because you're moving in ways that you wouldn't normally move.

Even though skating and snowboarding have a completely different feel, I've found that people that can skate, pick it up quicker than those who don't. Might be worth having a roll around on a board if you want some practice.

I can skate a little, a few of my mates have longboards, so i have been mucking around on their longboards for the last few weeks, just to get that sort of feeling.

My tips...

- Get lessons - I bet people from your school will say lessons are 'gay' but they are def. worth it...if you are starting from scratch you will learn the proper way to ride!

- Wear a helmet - not only is it safe but it will keep your head warm! No need to buy one you should be able to hire!

If it's your first time to the snow it makes sense to hire your gear (it might be included in your package)...but I would strongly recommend you buy the following...

- Buy a good pair of goggles - it absolutely sucks when your goggles fog up and you can't see where you are going!

- Buy a good pair of gloves - again it sucks if your gloves get wet and your hands are freezing for the whole day...also remember you will be constantly undoing/doing up your bindings going up the lifts, so make sure your gloves allow you to operate your hands to do this!

- Buy a pair of ski/snowboard socks

If you buy good quality googles, gloves and socks they should last you quite a while!

Lessons/helmet/wrist guards are compulsory, so i have no choice in that.
goggles, i was Considering just buying a new lens for the fox DH goggles that i Already have, but i dont think they would be too good. what are some recommendations for snow goggles?
I have been suggested to have two pairs of gloves, so that if one does get wet, you still have your crappy pair as backup till the others are dry.
Socks are something i haven't looked into yet.

Beanie under helmet? would that work? something to keep my ears warm

 

[B.utters]

I can skate a little, a few of my mates have longboards, so i have been mucking around on their longboards for the last few weeks, just to get that sort of feeling.




Lessons/helmet/wrist guards are compulsory, so i have no choice in that.
goggles, i was Considering just buying a new lens for the fox DH goggles that i Already have, but i dont think they would be too good. what are some recommendations for snow goggles?
I have been suggested to have two pairs of gloves, so that if one does get wet, you still have your crappy pair as backup till the others are dry.
Socks are something i haven't looked into yet.

Beanie under helmet? would that work? something to keep my ears warm

Noooooooooooooooope! Buy a proper pair of snow goggles, they have an inner lens and an outer lens, all MX/bike goggles I've had only have had one lens. Anything from Smith, Oakley, Dragon, Anon, Electric will do, just don't go for some random pair that cost you $50.

Check out the websites I posted for gloves. You can probably almost get 2 decent pairs for the price you would pay for one pair here.

 

[cleeshoy]

goggles, i was Considering just buying a new lens for the fox DH goggles that i Already have, but i dont think they would be too good. what are some recommendations for snow goggles?

Personal choice. I have several pairs of Oakley A Frames - each wit different lenses in case conditions change.
I always carry a spare set of goggles in my small camelbak which I always ride with.

I have been suggested to have two pairs of gloves, so that if one does get wet, you still have your crappy pair as backup till the others are dry.

Nothing ruins your day more then cold hands. Drop some cash on decent gloves/mitts. My wife feels the cold horribly so we ended up getting her some mountaineering mitts made by the brand Outdoor Research. They cost > $200 but it also meant she stays out on the slopes for longer, meaning she stays happy (and I stay happy too )

I use the Burton mitts - which have an inner glove and an outdoor shell mitt. Comfy, warm and I still retain some dexterity even though they are mitts.
I have an older model similar to this... http://www.backcountry.com/burton-ak-gore-tex-3l-hover-mitt-mens

Socks are something i haven't looked into yet.

Just get socks that don't bunch up in your boots. The Burton range of snowboard socks I use don't bunch.

Beanie under helmet? would that work? something to keep my ears warm

The helmet I use is warm enough so I do not need a beanie. Personal choice though. I know my wife uses a very thin beanie under hers to cover the tiny forehead gap between the top of the goggles and the bottom of her helmet

 

[Koper25]

Layer up - Wear a thermal layer, then a hoody and then your jacket. If you decide you are going to get into the sport you can go and buy a proper mid layer some time in the future because wet cotton is heavy and gets gold fast which sucks. Take off the hoody and stash it in a locker if things get too warm.

Good advice, but it generally doesn't get that cold at Buller. Most days you'll be fine with a jacket and a t-shirt under that.

Beanie under helmet? would that work? something to keep my ears warm

I reckon this is uncomfortable, snow helmets are designed to cover your ears anyway so you probably won't need to wear a beanie.

 

[Roaming Riders]

Good advice, but it generally doesn't get that cold at Buller. Most days you'll be fine with a jacket and a t-shirt under that.



I reckon this is uncomfortable, snow helmets are designed to cover your ears anyway so you probably won't need to wear a beanie.

scott goggles and helmet. no gaps for cold air and one of the best goggles you can buy. ive got the vantage helmet with iox goggles. never been cold and can always see.

 

[wespelarno]

Another vote for hestra gloves. I wear hestra seth morrison pro's and they are phenominal. My hands are never cold, they have lots of padding and so far they have survived roughly 100 days on the mountain, which is a hell of a lot better than my previous sets.

 

[donthucktoflat]

Bern watts and electric eg2. Toasty as with a good neckie

 

[richie_gt]

I can skate a little, a few of my mates have longboards, so i have been mucking around on their longboards for the last few weeks, just to get that sort of feeling.




Lessons/helmet/wrist guards are compulsory, so i have no choice in that.
goggles, i was Considering just buying a new lens for the fox DH goggles that i Already have, but i dont think they would be too good. what are some recommendations for snow goggles?
I have been suggested to have two pairs of gloves, so that if one does get wet, you still have your crappy pair as backup till the others are dry.
Socks are something i haven't looked into yet.

Beanie under helmet? would that work? something to keep my ears warm

For a beginner wrist guards are a good idea...trust me you will stack it putting your hands out to try save yourself!

As mentioned above don't waste your time and money buying lenses for your DH goggles! Put them towards a good pair of snow goggles - My last two pairs of goggles have been Electric and Anon, both pairs have been great and haven't fogged up!

Gloves - not a bad suggestion having two pairs, but one decent pair will do!

Beanie under helmet ...not needed, you will boil! I've just worn my helmet in Banff when it was -37 degrees and my head was still warm, so in Australia you'll have no dramas!

As also mentioned earlier in Australia you should be ok to wear a t-shirt under your jacket, if you have a thin long sleeve jumper (i.e. no fleece) it's also good to wear that as well if it's cold, you can always ditch it if you're too hot! Sometimes it's a fine line between being too hot and too cold whilst you're boarding - I'm usually happy to dress a little bit lighter as once your boarding you tend to heat up rather quickly!

 

[jimmy_22]

so I've decided to effectively skip this Aus season (bar a couple of day trips) in an effort to save to do a season in the U.S. has anyone been over there for a season? where would you recommend? at the moment Im thinking Northstar in Tahoe or Breckenridge in colorado

 

[B.utters]

so I've decided to effectively skip this Aus season (bar a couple of day trips) in an effort to save to do a season in the U.S. has anyone been over there for a season? where would you recommend? at the moment Im thinking Northstar in Tahoe or Breckenridge in colorado

Really depends on what you want. Breckenridge is flat but has what is arguably the best terrain parks in the world, Northstar has some pretty decent terrain and some good parks. You could also consider a few places in Utah for pow or Jacksons Hole for super challenging terrain. From what I've heard Mammoth has a pretty decent mix of everything.

Are you planning on working over there or just saving up $$ and skiing/boarding the whole time? Visas to the US are pretty hard to get so start planning and get your application going asap.

 

[Mattydv]

Really depends on what you want.

This. Buy the Tahoe Superpass and have a choice.

 

[jimmy_22]

Really depends on what you want. Breckenridge is flat but has what is arguably the best terrain parks in the world, Northstar has some pretty decent terrain and some good parks. You could also consider a few places in Utah for pow or Jacksons Hole for super challenging terrain. From what I've heard Mammoth has a pretty decent mix of everything.

Are you planning on working over there or just saving up $$ and skiing/boarding the whole time? Visas to the US are pretty hard to get so start planning and get your application going asap.

yeah ill look into utah etc. preferably if i can save the money i dont really want to work over there. as for the visa, i have a duel Aus/U.S citizenship

 

[cleeshoy]

Really depends on what you want. Breckenridge is flat but has what is arguably the best terrain parks in the world, Northstar has some pretty decent terrain and some good parks. You could also consider a few places in Utah for pow or Jacksons Hole for super challenging terrain. From what I've heard Mammoth has a pretty decent mix of everything.

Spent a season as a ski b-u-m based in Breckenridge back in 2008 - absolutely loved it. Not sure what you mean by Breck being "flat" - you just gotta know where to look for the steep stuff

Their terrain park is absolutely nuts - its amazing to watch the pros to their thing.

Whilst based in Breck, our pass also gave us access to Vail, Beaver Creek, Keystone, A-Basin and Heavenly (CA). Basically it was a case of wake up in the morning and see which resort had the most snow and drive there (we had a car which helped also). I think it was a called the "Epic pass" or something like that - but is great value for money that's for sure.

The town of Breck is great - logistically it has just about everything you need to spend a season there - supermarkets, post office, a gym, plenty of bars and places for food, good transport services (bus routes, etc). It's close to Silverthorne which has cheap wholesale outlets, a cinema, etc.

Let us know if you need more info.

 

[jimmy_22]

Spent a season as a ski b-u-m based in Breckenridge back in 2008 - absolutely loved it. Not sure what you mean by Breck being "flat" - you just gotta know where to look for the steep stuff

Their terrain park is absolutely nuts - its amazing to watch the pros to their thing.

Whilst based in Breck, our pass also gave us access to Vail, Beaver Creek, Keystone, A-Basin and Heavenly (CA). Basically it was a case of wake up in the morning and see which resort had the most snow and drive there (we had a car which helped also). I think it was a called the "Epic pass" or something like that - but is great value for money that's for sure.

The town of Breck is great - logistically it has just about everything you need to spend a season there - supermarkets, post office, a gym, plenty of bars and places for food, good transport services (bus routes, etc). It's close to Silverthorne which has cheap wholesale outlets, a cinema, etc.

Let us know if you need more info.

did you work while you were over there or just save heaps?

 

[cleeshoy]

did you work while you were over there or just save heaps?

Didn't work at all. We lived off our savings during that period (which we obviously planned for!). Its a great lifestyle choice. We saved heaps of cash by eating lunch at home after riding. Food "on the mountain" is hideously pricey.

We would get there for first lifts and ride until around 1-2pm. Given we were there for the season we didn't need to ride until "last lifts" - In fact I think I only rode to last lifts (around 4:30pm) once - and that was because I had a mate who was there for a short period and wanted to ski as much as possible.

Didn't ride everyday. We would usually have Saturday off, just so we wouldn't have to fight the weekend crowds. Of course if it dumped 8 inches on Friday night we would ride for a few hours on Saturday
When you are there for the season you can just pick and choose when you want to ride - I reckon my wife took every 3rd day off. On those "off days", we would go hiking, go to the gym, etc.

One thing we enjoyed doing was getting up super early and hiking up the mountain before the lifts started. Get to the top, strap in and get first tracks. Its nice to see the looks on peoples faces who are on the chairlifts thinking they are going to get first tracks

In the end I think I rode just over 100 days that season. Certainly one to remember!

We had to get some extended tourist visa as we were there for >3 months. I think it was valid for 12 months but you could get one for 5 years if you wanted to. Of course, given you have a US passport that doesn't really apply to you (lucky thing!)

 

[B.utters]

Spent a season as a ski b-u-m based in Breckenridge back in 2008 - absolutely loved it. Not sure what you mean by Breck being "flat" - you just gotta know where to look for the steep stuff

I mean Breck doesn't have the steep terrain that other resorts do (yes it does have some steep terrain, but not much). Definitely not to say that it makes Breck any less of an awesome place, just that if you want some gnarlier terrain then it probably wouldn't be my first pick of places to go.


Breckenridge:

Jackson's

 

[Pastavore]

Courtney, you are like that evil banker guy on those TV ads. You have lived my dream....

 

[cleeshoy]

I mean Breck doesn't have the steep terrain that other resorts do (yes it does have some steep terrain, but not much). Definitely not to say that it makes Breck any less of an awesome place, just that if you want some gnarlier terrain then it probably wouldn't be my first pick of places to go.

Totally agree on that point. Breck and Jackson are completely different resorts. I kind of perceive (as I haven't been there) Jackson is a great place for the "hardcore" skier/snowboarder. When we spent the season at Breck, we were keen to obviously ride but also do other stuff (like hike, go shopping, etc). Its proximity to Denver was also a big plus in case we got "cabin fever" and needed to get some "city life" into us

If we wanted steeper stuff we could head to Vail or the back bowls of Breck, etc. But for an "all around" experience, Breck/Vail/Keystone, etc is very hard to beat.

 

[cleeshoy]

Courtney, you are like that evil banker guy on those TV ads. You have lived my dream....

*laughs* It's all about having a goal and savings towards it - Being DINKs probably helps in some way as well

Haven't been to the snow in over a year now - kinda miss it! Need to fit in a snow trip in between all of this cycling