Snowboard - UK Gear Guide

Snowboard - UK Gear Guide

Get the best snowboard gear for your winter holiday. Board, boot and binding packages by leading brands including Burton, K2, Van, Asylum and more.

Find and Compare Snowboarding Products - View All Snowboard Links

New season snowboard deals offer equipment along with local and Continental sports holiday packages. Novice boarders as well as intermediate and even Xtreme racers can search the web for great online gear selections at the right price and for leading international brands.

Your snowboard selection represents the key equipment decision to consider carefully. Boards are essentially grouped into three categories: free rider boards for novice to intermediate, free style for more technical use related to performing Ollies or 360-degree heel grab as well as jumps and traverses within the half pipe. Rounding out the board choices at the extreme end are the racing boards, shaped narrow in order to accentuate speed during down hill and giant slalom races, used primarily by racers.

Snowboard sizing essentially matches the design and physical attributes of a board to the rider. As the rider, you need to know your current true weight, height, shoe size, experience level, and general mental approach to sport in order for an equipment expert to guide you towards the right equipment.

Let's look briefly at the physics of snowboard design versus the rider. Your weight is focused thru the stomp plate into the board's center. Too small a board and too much rider weight "flattens" the board, creating dead spots as the board's flex is removed. Your result? You lose stability, control and turn carving ability. Expect that your board will be approximately chin high or 140cm, constructed of composite materials, bearing steel edges and be curved at both the "toe side" and "heel side".

Snowboard boots share part of the overall decision regarding how you'll "fit" your board. You're either a "regular" ( rightie) or a "goofy" ( leftie) based on your foot orientation. Most right handers discover that they're also "regular" boarders. Your snowboard boots fit with sufficient internal boot volume to accommodate liner socks plus one insulating wool or polypro sock. In terms of board placement, your soft boots should be just long enough to extend beyond the "toe edge" in order to give you toe side leverage and turning control.

Snowboard binding choices include strap bindings or step-in bindings. Strap snowboard bindings feature one strap located over your toe area and the other padded strap wrapped around your ankle. You'll also get strap bindings with a high back composite piece that extends up your calf in order to provide heel side leverage and power. Step-in snowboard bindings lock directly onto the sole of your boots, with the high back piece either built into the binding or integrated into your boot design. Racing boots are hard shell and typically "match" the corresponding step-in snowboard binding.

The best international brands for your equipment needs include:-

Vans snowboard equipment can be researched at Vans, Inc. at Santa Fe Springs, CA 90677 or Tel: 800.826.7800

Burton snowboard gear can be researched at Burton, Inc.

K2 snowboarding gear can be researched at K2 Corporation

Salomon snowboard gear can be researched at Salomon, Annecy-Le-Vieux, St. Maurice, SA