Has anyone got any good suggestions for which gear to buy snowboard wise. since i really have no idea. all i know is i dont really want a beginner board because i know ill want something better down the track anyway.
At a minimum I would be looking at the following
- 1 x jacket
- 1 x pants
- socks (2 pairs)
- gloves (1 pair)
- boots (1 pair)
- 1 x snowboard
- 1 x goggles
- 1 x helmet
- backpack
- bag to keep it all in
Note, you can always hire some of the gear also.
Jacket/Pants - look for anything with a rating of 10k and over. Reputable brands include Burton, Quicksilver, Billabong, Arc'teryx. Prices can range from $250 to $1000+. Also think about a thermal first layer and and a polar fleece mid layer for warmth (my jackets are more outerwear shells)
Socks - I am a big fan of snowboard specific socks. No more bunching in the boots! I have several pairs of the brand Burton
Gloves - you tend to have the choice of full fingers gloves or mitts. Mitts are warmer but you can lose dexterity (a challenge if you have issues strapping yourself into the bindings). Brands include Outdoor research, Burton, DaKine.
Snowboards - No harm in buying a beginner board mate - they tend to be alot more forgiving and flexi then the higher end stuff. As a beginner you are going need something soft and playful. Brands include Burton, Salomon, K2, Lib-Tech
Boots - If anything,
focus on getting the best boots you can afford. This piece of gear is central to how good or bad your snow experience can be! No point on having high end gear if your boots don't fit right. Its pretty much the one piece of snowboarding gear I am happy to purchase at full retail cost. If you can afford it, look at getting custom foot beds also. Anything to keep the feet happy
Reputable brands include Salomon, Burton, K2.
In my experience Burton boots don't fit my foot type, however Salomon fit me like a glove
I've ridden around 70 days in my most current pair of boots (Salomon Malamute) and they still perform like they were brand new
Goggles - I personally prefer goggle over sunnies. Hate that cold wind getting in between my face and the sunnies. I have 3 pairs of Oakley A-Frames with different lenses for varying conditions. Other brands include smith, dragon (the list goes on)
Helmet - kinda obvious really. I've work one since 1999 and would never ride without one. I am confident enough in my own ability to avoid crashing but I can't control the "out of control beginner" ploughing into me from behind. Brands include Giro, Smith, Protec, Red
Backpack - I like to ride with a small backpack to hold my spare goggles, bars, etc (don't like stuff in my pockets) as well as have the ability to strap my board to the backpack so I can hike if need be. Brands include Camelbak, DaKine, Burton, etc
Snowboard Bag - how else would you carry all your stuff? Brands include DaKine, Burton,etc
Buying snowboard gear ain't cheap but alot of stuff I mentioned above will last several seasons if you treat it right. I have 2 jackets (both Arc'teryx) and they are both around 4-5 years old (with 100 days of riding wearing them) and they still look new
