Picked up some snowboarding gear
Discussion
With a trip to Nevis planned for January (my first outdoor snowboarding trip), I've been keeping my eye open for some cheap gear instead of renting whilst I'm there.
Yesterday I picked up from Gumtree:
K2 Dart 155 Snowboard (a couple of chips but generally good condition)
K2 Clicker Bindings
K2 Clicker Boots (slightly worse for wear)
The seller also threw in a pair of Terrain 550 walkie talkies.
For £100.
Is this set up any good for a beginner?
Can I get the boots repaired? Apparently the Clicker system is fairly old and discontinued so new boots will be hard to come by.
Yesterday I picked up from Gumtree:
K2 Dart 155 Snowboard (a couple of chips but generally good condition)
K2 Clicker Bindings
K2 Clicker Boots (slightly worse for wear)
The seller also threw in a pair of Terrain 550 walkie talkies.
For £100.
Is this set up any good for a beginner?
Can I get the boots repaired? Apparently the Clicker system is fairly old and discontinued so new boots will be hard to come by.
It might be fine for a beginner.
Generally speaking for an average build chap the board length should be from the floor to between your nose and chin.
If you're on the heavy side then you need a touch longer, if you're thin you need a bit shorter.
But, different stiffness, cambers and sidecuts all effect how the board performs, so it's just a guideline rather than strict rule.
When you're learning or on a dry slope then you'll be getting on and off the board a lot. Clickers aren't a bad option – but you'll be hard pressed to find a pair of replacement boots – and I've never seen a place that repairs them.
Just give them a good coat of nikwax boox polish and hope they stay waterproof.
But some new superfeet insoles for them for comfort.
If you like the sport then go and buy a new pair of boots that fit your feet, then buy some decent bindings. Either straps or Flows depending on which you like better.
I prefer flows – they are more comfortable, and a lot easier to use if you're the wrong side of 30 and not as flexible as you were back in your youth.
Hold the board upright with your hand at the top, use the other hand to press in the middle and flex the board – as long as there's some resistance and spring in the board then it'll certainly be ok to learn on.
If it feels dead and lifeless then what you have is a new novelty shelf.
Go and buy a decent board – but buy decent boots first – they are the most important part of your kit.
As for boarding in general.
Wear a helmet – always.
For your first few lessons.
Wear kneepads, wear impact shorts or arsepads.
Wear decent tough gloves. Proper snowboard gloves are one step away from medieval leather gauntlets.
Bend your knees
Keep your back hand by your back pocket, don't let it flap around.
Bend your knees more.
Set your stance at +10/-10 in a nice even duck footed stance. (if you need to adjust for comfort try and keep them even with a few degrees)
Remember, boarding is a sideways sport, so you want to be standing sideways.
Make you stance width wide enough to bend your knees comfortably over your feet.
Don't bend you back knee inside the stance, bend it outside – you're going sideways remember.
Are you sure you're bending your knees not your back, keep the back mostly straight, bend your knees.
For crash practice, try this.
Stand at the top of a flight of stairs facing away the stairs.
Fall backwards.
That's what it's like when you catch a heel edge on a board – that's why you wear a helmet.
Have fun.
It's bloody great fun.
Oh, If you plan to use a drag lift on the snowboard, make sure you know exactly where your wedding tackle is before you put the bar between your legs.
You're standing sideways remember.
That bar is going to press against your inner thigh – if there's anything between that bar and your thigh it's going to get squashed.
Generally speaking for an average build chap the board length should be from the floor to between your nose and chin.
If you're on the heavy side then you need a touch longer, if you're thin you need a bit shorter.
But, different stiffness, cambers and sidecuts all effect how the board performs, so it's just a guideline rather than strict rule.
When you're learning or on a dry slope then you'll be getting on and off the board a lot. Clickers aren't a bad option – but you'll be hard pressed to find a pair of replacement boots – and I've never seen a place that repairs them.
Just give them a good coat of nikwax boox polish and hope they stay waterproof.
But some new superfeet insoles for them for comfort.
If you like the sport then go and buy a new pair of boots that fit your feet, then buy some decent bindings. Either straps or Flows depending on which you like better.
I prefer flows – they are more comfortable, and a lot easier to use if you're the wrong side of 30 and not as flexible as you were back in your youth.
Hold the board upright with your hand at the top, use the other hand to press in the middle and flex the board – as long as there's some resistance and spring in the board then it'll certainly be ok to learn on.
If it feels dead and lifeless then what you have is a new novelty shelf.
Go and buy a decent board – but buy decent boots first – they are the most important part of your kit.
As for boarding in general.
Wear a helmet – always.
For your first few lessons.
Wear kneepads, wear impact shorts or arsepads.
Wear decent tough gloves. Proper snowboard gloves are one step away from medieval leather gauntlets.
Bend your knees
Keep your back hand by your back pocket, don't let it flap around.
Bend your knees more.
Set your stance at +10/-10 in a nice even duck footed stance. (if you need to adjust for comfort try and keep them even with a few degrees)
Remember, boarding is a sideways sport, so you want to be standing sideways.
Make you stance width wide enough to bend your knees comfortably over your feet.
Don't bend you back knee inside the stance, bend it outside – you're going sideways remember.
Are you sure you're bending your knees not your back, keep the back mostly straight, bend your knees.
For crash practice, try this.
Stand at the top of a flight of stairs facing away the stairs.
Fall backwards.
That's what it's like when you catch a heel edge on a board – that's why you wear a helmet.
Have fun.
It's bloody great fun.
Oh, If you plan to use a drag lift on the snowboard, make sure you know exactly where your wedding tackle is before you put the bar between your legs.
You're standing sideways remember.
That bar is going to press against your inner thigh – if there's anything between that bar and your thigh it's going to get squashed.
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