:eek3:

u gotta wear boots that'll fit the bindings.......... u'll break ur ankle if u dont


first time boarding?

 

yes :happysad:


my friend said that the boots / bindings / board come as a package when you rent. :dunno:

 

:thumbup: make sure u get everything

 

yup

sunglasses/goggles if its sunny out

dress in layers

waterproof pants and jacket (preferably ones made for snow)

gloves

extra socks and clothes

 

:happysad:


forgot about gloves and socks. h: i need to buy a new jacket. :happysad:

 

try the more experienced slopes...makes for more fun

 

make sure u got health insurance :rofl:

 

im staying my ass on the bunny slopes. :happysad:

 

Will, when are you going? If you know what the conditions are going to be like, you'll be ahead of the game. If you can afford to do so now though, it's always nice to have most of the stuff you'll ever need in the future.

Goggles are a good thing. I know some people who've sunburnt their eyes. You can get away with sunglasses at the least but if it's going to be snowing when you go, they'll kind of suck. I don't care if I don't look cool, I always wear goggles for the protection.

Face mask is nice to have but only really necessary if it's really cold or snowing or both. When you get going, the snow hurts when it hits your face!

Protection equipment is nice to have. I've been telling myself that I should at least get a helmet for years now but I always put it off. As a beginner, kneepads might be a wise investment and I know a few experienced boarders who wear them anyway. I notice that even though it can hurt to land on your knees and butt, it's not too bad since the snow and cold somewhat numb the pain. It's only afterward that you'll feel all sore. Ask anyone who started out how they felt after their first day.

A beanie is nice if it's really cold or if you have short hair on sunny days. My brother once sunburnt his scalp. :eek3:

As far as outerwear goes, make sure it's waterproof. Your pants will probably be good enough if you've tested them out in the past and are happy with them. I personally think that good pants are ever so slightly more important that a good jacket because you'll be sitting on lifts and in the snow at times. The last thing you want is a cold, irritated wet butt thanks to inferior pants. If it's not snowing, you can get by with any decent waterproof jacket. On sunny days, you'll often see people hotshotting it wearing just t-shirts or sweaters. Get decent gloves! Few things suck more than getting snow in your gloves stinging your wrists or having cold numb fingers on the colder snowy days.

As far as undergarments go, definitely layer as flipped cracker and nizmugen said. Also, try and stay away from cotton if you can since it tends to absorb water and holds it making you feel colder as you sweat. Synthetic materials or even wool are better. Something that surprisingly made a huge difference in comfort for me are snowboard specific socks. Good ol' cotton socks suck in comparison.

Just to say, good gear makes a huuuuuge difference. If you're comfortable, you'll perform better and you'll just have a much more enjoyable time.

As for what to wear afterward, timberlands are fine. Heck, I've even worn athletic shoes afterward and it's one of the nicest feelings to switch to lightweight comfortable tennis shoes after wearing boots all day. Just make sure you bring a change of socks. It also wouldn't be a bad idea to bring a change of jackets or a different top or sweater since your jacket might be soaking wet and cold depending on conditions.

Other than those things, sunscreen is good as is water and/or other fluids. You might exert yourself a lot if it's your first day. :happysad: So remember to stay hydrated. Also, an energy bar helps keep hunger at bay for a while until you get back to the lodge to spend $10 on a burger.

Have fun man! Hope this helped.

[edit]As far as what brands are cheap and good, there are a bunch of them. Burton is like the GM of the snowboard world so they'll at least be decent to very good. There are a huge number of other brands though and for some reason I can't seem to think of a lot of names right now. h: But for cheap stuff, you might be able to get last season stuff from Columbia. They're not as hip but I have an older pair of pants from them and they seem to do the trick.

And I'd take pics of my old, now crappy equipment but my computer's trippin too much to upload pictures from my camera right now.

 

thanks alvin.