It goes without saying, that snowboarding has grown into a sport of mainstream proportions. And with this growth, the consumer (that's you) is presently faced with a rather daunting number of companies and products looking to attract your hard earned dollars, or pounds, or yen, or whatever.
Anyway the point is, a lot of us need a little guidance when it comes to choosing equipment that's going to work for us and that's what this article aims to do.
Who are You?
A bit of self-reflection is the most important first step. If you're reading this article you're probably someone new to the sport and may not have a clear picture of what kind of rider you're going to become. Take a moment to ask yourself some questions:
What got you interested in the sport? Was it pictures of freestylers 30 ft in the air, alpine guys laying down carves on groomed corduroy or was it those photos of big powder sprays in Alaska that got your attention?
When you participate in sports, are you casual about it or are you the "all-or-nothing", obsessed type?
Where do you live or where will you be doing most of your riding? If the area you most frequent only gets 50cm of natural snow a year, those intoxicating images of Alaska might not be much help in choosing practical gear. If the Whistler area is going to be your yearly goal, well, everything from jibbing, to carving, to powder, to big air is here for the taking.
How many days a year will you be riding? If you're only going to get out one or two weekends a year, don't blow the bank on top-end equipment that will be obsolete in three years before you've even put a dozen days on it. But on the other hand, if you're keen to make snowboarding your new passion in life, and I warn you, it is addicting, you may have to pay a little more for quality gear that will last.
Knowing the answer to these questions will help to steer you in the direction of the type of equipment that will best suit the shred within.
