Snowboard Equipment

The only real downside to snowboarding is that, outside of the board itself, there are only a few pieces of snowboard equipment you get to buy--maybe that is an advantage. Even in its relatively short life span, snowboard equipment has come a long way in terms of comfort and performance.

The major decision in snowboard equipment for any boarder is what type of bindings to use. Skiers really only have one choice (except for telemarking) but boarders have three main choices and a few more that are evolving right now and their choice in bindings will decide the type of boot used and also where the bindings are drilled into the board.

The first and still most popular binding type is the strap binding. This was the first type of binding in snowboard equipment though it has been refined substantially. The parts are a baseplate where the boot steps in, the hardback which supports the back of the boot and the straps which the boarder uses to lock the boots to the board. This binding supports the popular soft boot but can be a burden to strap and unstrap all of the time.

The next type of binding actually has two variants. The first, the step-in binding, was designed to solve all the hassles of strapping; with these boots, the boarder simply steps in and clicks the boot into a locked position. However, the boots that fit this binding are stiffer and due to this, this is not a good choice for boarders who want to perform tricks and tight turns. The second possibility, the flow-in binding, is an emerging choice for many boarders as it tries to take the best of both bindings. This piece of snowboard equipment gives boarders the control of the straps and the ease of the step-in bindings and, best of all, works with soft boots.

Just like in skiing, the hardest match for a boarder with any snowboard equipment is the all-important boot. Most boarders want the soft boot for the comfort that goes with it and that makes plenty of sense. There are just two other key features to make sure you understand. First, the boot should be tight--with all the rocking to the front and back you will do on the slopes, nothing will lead to foot pain like a heel that lifts freely. Once the fit is set, make sure that the liner is solid and up to recent specs. Liners need to last a long time and they perform an important stability function inside of the boot, so look at them closely.