packed powder

how to choose a board

.i dream in red. — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 22:24:11 +0000

Buying a board can be a confusing process. Lets go through a few things before we get to the selection of a board. First you have to know what kind of board do you want. Are you a freestyler or a freerider? Maybe you want both.

Freeride vs Freestyle

After you figure out what kind of rider you are or want to be, then the next step is to figure out what the measurements of your new board will be.

Frostyrider has a great size/width calculator and even gives you suggestions on boards.

There are many other aspects to boards to choose upon. Some are softer and some are stiffer. As a beginner you should go with one softer as it will help you in turns. Stiffer boards are better for higher speeds.

If you have big feet, you should look into wide boards. Recommended if you have feet sized 10-11 and basically required for people with sizes 12+. I have size 10 boots and i barely fit my regular sized board.

Also if you are on a budget, try to find a board during the offseason, and also from craigslist if you don’t mind a used board for cheap.

Some great sites
www.dogfunk.com
www.sierrasnowboard.com

NYC locals: check www.paragonsports.com for a local check on inventory. (also for deals)

standing up

.i dream in red. — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 22:32:23 +0000

When you find yourself on the ground (which will be often), and are having trouble standing up, check these videos out.

How to stand (Heel side) | Expert Village
How to stand (Toe side) | Expert Village

carving (in snow, not a pumpkin)

.i dream in red. — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 21:14:06 +0000

Since i’ve gone over most of what a beginner would need to know, here comes the intermediate stuff. (Don’t attempt to carve until you are comfortable with both your heel side and toe side turns.)

What is carving you ask? Watch this video from expert village if you’d like an idea of what it looks like, then click this link (compliments of eHow) to get more detailed instructions.

Personal tip: Make sure there is a point between turns where your board is flat. Don’t attempt to switch instantly from heel side to toe side or vice versa.

omg i’m going too fast! (how to stop)

.i dream in red. — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 21:30:51 +0000

Ahh, so you found yourself able to get off a lift, strap into your board, and now you’re heading down a slope. Suddenly you realize you don’t know how to stop. Well here are some instructions for you so you don’t have to fall in order to slow down.

Stop on a Snowboard with your heel side | eHow
Stop on a Snowboard with your toe side | eHow

Personal tip: Focus on your heel side stop first. It is usually considered the easiest one to master. Once you have the heel side stop locked down, focus on your toe side.

turns!

.i dream in red. — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 21:23:05 +0000

Turning on a snowboard is alot easier than some may think. Check out the following links for both heel side and toe side turning.

Heel Side Turns | eHow
Toe Side Turns | eHow

the silent menace: the chair lift

.i dream in red. — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 21:03:21 +0000

Ahh, most beginner snowboarders will at some point utter these words “i cant get off the lift!” Well here is a quick video to help with getting on and off a chair lift without looking like the fool.

Getting Into Lift Chair in Snowboarding | eHow

Personal tip: Get a stomp pad! One with a lot of grip to it preferably. It will help a lot with beginners.

how to fall while snowboarding

.i dream in red. — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 13:03:45 +0000

Everyone falls. Simple as that. The trick is not getting injured. So do us all a favor and watch the below video on the dangers of improper fall technique.

How to Fall on a Snowboard | Expert Village Videos

Personal tip: Use wrist guards! Wrist injuries are the most common injury to snowboarders.