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Thread: Picking up snowboarding this year, looking for insight

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    Default Picking up snowboarding this year, looking for insight

    I decided it is finally time to try snowboarding while my body still has time to recover from the inevitable falls. I’ve been reading r/snowboardingnoobs r/snowboarding, and the snowboardingforum.com. I am still working through the frustrations of wants vs. needs and thought I would reach out for input on anything i’m doing wrong/missing. People on here likely know the terrain I will be facing than those in the states/international.

    gear - level mitts with wrist guards, padded pants, and good goggles have been bought, working on a helmet to match up with goggles. I am working in boots (ride lasso), I did the foot measure and got a good pair before the covid rush wipes out supplies. I have good snowboard pants from snowshoeing/fat biking, and will use an older winter jacket that layers well and buy something nicer end of season because I suspect this will get torn up. Socks and base layers are all quality merino wool.

    I’m about 150-155lbs without snow gear but understand that doesn’t really say much when it comes to boards as each brand is different. I don’t have a board yet, I was going to rent for the first lesson but my god is this a tricky subject to research. One thing I really don’t want to do is buy a crap “starter” board that I will have to store or try to sell next year, buy a board that is way to advanced for me, or throw hundreds away on clapped out rentals. My buddy has offered to let me borrow from his collection, but his boards are pretty aggressive (2015 Solomon man board was his suggestion, he’s a bit optimistic)

    for lessons, I was going to take a 90 minute intro at Canada Olympic Park to try things out, take a week or so off, then take a half day out at sunshine village to see what stuck.

    That’s a lot of text, how am I looking, what am I missing? Any tips or thoughts?
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    I'd spend more time at COP learning and less time at sunshine. Doubtful you'll be competent enough after a 90 minute intro for it to be worthwhile going up there. I'd book some adult lessons for a 4 week block and spend a bunch of time practicing at COP between lessons.

    Board wise just pick up a previous year board from Sport Chek or any other gear shop. The board itself as long as you're properly sized/fitted doesn't really matter all that much when you're starting out. I'm biased towards true twin boards but that's because I'm a former park rat.

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    Sunshine sucks for single plankers anyway. I’d go to Nakiska for the mountain experience for your second rodeo.
    Originally posted by Thales of Miletus

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    Quote Originally Posted by finboy View Post
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    will use an older winter jacket that layers well and buy something nicer end of season because I suspect this will get torn up.
    You planning on boarding on jagged rocks or something? My jacket is the same condition as when I bought it years ago. I find you're better *not* layering up a lot cause you don't want to be sweating too much. You want a jacket that's windproof. I find when riding in -10C to 0C temps, a snowboarding jacket and light thermal top/base layer are more than enough to keep me warm. From -15C to -10C and a second top or a thicker one will suffice. Any colder, and I think good gloves are going to be more important cause your fingers are gonna feel it (or not feel it!). If it's any warmer than 0C out, you're going to be sweating fast and probably skip the jacket completely. By then, the snow will suck anyways.

    Quote Originally Posted by finboy View Post
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    I’m about 150-155lbs without snow gear but understand that doesn’t really say much when it comes to boards as each brand is different. I don’t have a board yet, I was going to rent for the first lesson but my god is this a tricky subject to research. One thing I really don’t want to do is buy a crap “starter” board that I will have to store or try to sell next year, buy a board that is way to advanced for me, or throw hundreds away on clapped out rentals. My buddy has offered to let me borrow from his collection, but his boards are pretty aggressive (2015 Solomon man board was his suggestion, he’s a bit optimistic)
    I think you're overthinking this. I'd just go buy a second hand or previous year's all-mountain twin board that's right for your height and ride the hell out of it. By the time you rent a board a few times, you could have just bought one. Just not having to line up and wait for a rental is worth having your own board alone. I doubt you'll notice the difference between a starter board and an advanced board for a while, if even at all unless you get really good. Actually now that I think of it, used boards are cheap. It's the bindings that will cost more.


    Quote Originally Posted by finboy View Post
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    for lessons, I was going to take a 90 minute intro at Canada Olympic Park to try things out, take a week or so off, then take a half day out at sunshine village to see what stuck.

    That’s a lot of text, how am I looking, what am I missing? Any tips or thoughts?
    I'm not sure about others, but I didn't feel really comfortable until at least my 5th or 6th time riding. First few times you're going to be falling a lot, figuring out your balance, and just trying not to catch an edge. You're better to do that at COP than driving out to Sunshine on your second time out. You'll only really want to be hitting the mountains if the powder is really good anyways.

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    Couple of points.
    1. Have you considered skiing? Not to discourage you from snowboarding but skiing is in general much more versatile, especially down the road as you get more advanced/complex terrain/backcountry. I snowboard/split board, but would ski if it wasn’t for some knee issues.

    2. For someone that wants to get into the sport and get up to speed fast, I would recommend a Nakiska season pass. It might be too late in the year for the discount, but these can sell for $300 early bird, and allow you to get a lot of days in to get some of your technique down, before moving on to more advanced terrain. Something to consider for next year maybe. COP is great but can get very icy.

    3. In terms of boards, it comes down to trying a bunch of your buddies’ boards and renting some, until you find what you like. You’re also going to have difficulties finding exactly what you want with the supply issues this year. Get a cheap used board to start and figure out what you really want for next year.

    Good luck

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    Already stated but I'll second it.
    Don't do sunshine. Waste of money for a noob and it's all ice and hard packed which sucks for boarders.
    More time at cop then nakiska when you think you're ready.
    Skiing: Easy at first hard to master.
    Snowboarding: Hard at first, easy to master.
    In my opinion.

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    COP for sure, but I’d skip nakiska and go for norquay for the level up.. less busy, less flats (if you stay on the main chair) nakiska is absolutely infuriating on a snowboard when you’re new

    Lotoski has a couple decks for sale too if you’re tall.

    Boards have come a long way with the different shapes… I have a bataleon evil twin which I think would translate well to a rookie as it’s damn hard to catch an edge on due to the shape of the tip and tail… and that’s the number one noob crash scenario that’s gonna put anyone over the age of 21 out for a few weeks (catching a toe edge and scorpioning)

    As a lifelong boarder… I would second skiing vs boarding, way more versatile, way easier to traverse hills, can access backcountry without a $$$ and compromised split board. Plus it’s almost cool, unlike 30 years ago

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    I recently got back into snowboarding after 15 years of not being on a board, now I'm going 3 times a week during the season, so it was a learning curve both on the mountain and with the gear.

    Some things I learned and can appreciate now being older:
    -Gear (sounds like you have this dialed in for the most part), being comfortable and enjoying your gear makes the experience much better. Warm hands/quality gloves very important. I spent a lot of money on an insulated jacket, but it was way too warm, bought a shell jacket instead and use it 90% of the time.
    You bought impact shorts? Great purchase, I don't fall often, but still wear impact shorts as they keep your a$$ warm on a cold chair lift and sitting in the snow (as snowboarders often do), it's also nice to have that extra protection for your tail bone. Being able to switch goggle lenses depending on condition is important, sometimes it can be very dark and foggy or bright. Plan your gear for the conditions. I personally like gore tex outerwear and the ability to zip your pants into your jacket (Volcom and some other brands do this).

    -Snowboards are very different now. Back in the day they were long with full camber. I regret going with that style of board returning to the sport. Hybrid profiles (rocker/camber) and volume shifted boards (shorter and wider) are more enjoyable, less catchy, less effort to ride and quicker to turn. I also find the newer technologies with serrated edges (magne traction) to be much better on an icy day. Your foot size and width of the board are important things to consider along with your weight.

    -I regret buying into a system ie. Burton EST. Keep your gear versatile, you may want to buy a variety of boards, bindings and boots down the road. Keep them all interchangeable in my opinion. Go with a solid versatile binding like the Burton Cartel.

    -Keep an eye on conditions, there's a few good apps for this, a day with ice or thick fog can be pretty miserable. Fresh snow is alot easier to learn on and more forgiving, a powder day can be a totally different learning experience.

    -Fitness level is a thing, you're pretty light so that works to your advantage. Stretches, squats, keeping extra weight off helps. You will fall starting out and it's going to hurt like hell catching an edge. You'll work new muscles and feel it the next day. Do stretches before and after.

    -I like YouTube channel Snowboard pro camp, he has lots of tips from gear to beginner techniques and good snowboards to start out on.

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    I remember my first time snowboarding at 14yrs old. Couldn't lift my arms above my shoulders for a few days after.
    Falling so many times. Worth it in the end. Had so much fun with friends after school on the hill.

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    Thanks for all the tips guys, definitely watching hours of YouTube lesson videos and a likely over analyzing and thinking things as is my nature. I have been checking out offerings on the COP website and am going to call in today to clear up confusion, it’s close enough that I could easily get over in the evenings once or twice a week, but they have a couple different descriptions of lessons so have to figure out what I need.

    I definitely hear you on the stretching and using muscles that are likely lazy from my sedentary office job, I’ve busted out the balance half-ball and my buddy is a physiotherapist that used to work with the x-games skiers so I have been getting tips on lots of exercises to try and find any semblance of flexibility (hint: I have none) and better muscle control. Up side is that while breaking in the boots, I have a better idea of how limited my range will be with these things on, and I have a few weeks to try and not feel completely alien the first time I step onto a hill.

    Keep them coming, I’ll post more updates of how bruised I am after the first lesson
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    Lots of good advice in this thread. Definitely don't be scared of new tech- I also was a die-hard camber only rider until I got introduced to Never Summer last season and it changed my life, and I can say with certainty that some of these new camber/rocker combos will make learning so much easier and more enjoyable. You could easily get a good starter board on Marketplace or Kijiji just do your research that they're the right size and width and make sure it's tuned properly by a shop or person who knows what they're doing. 2 things that should be top of mind are comfort and hydration. Sounds like you have your boots figured out, please keep in mind that until you're strapped in the feeling you get from your boots will not be an accurate representation of much. I hope they work out for you- I just always recommend that if you're gonna spend money on anything, boots first from a shop with reputable boot fitters. As far as what's too hot/cold and layers and what not that's very individual so you'll have to trial and error that one. And pack some water however you can. Stay hydrated, stay focused. Eventually learn to ski because skiing is awesome too! Then when Monday morning rolls around be like, "Ahhh, am I skiing or snowboarding today?" and it'll be on the first world problems list in no time! Good luck man!

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    Read the first post and some of the replies, but not everything.

    You are overthinking it for sure.

    I grabbed a board last Feb after not having been on one for 20 years.

    My suggestion is to get ANY board to learn the basics. You won’t know what you like until you actually know what you are doing. When you know what you are doing, then, as suggested, try your buddy’s boards or do demo days (if they come back).

    Strengthen your tibialis and your calves. Do lots of squats.

    Look into Burton Step-on. So much better than a traditional binding. Expensive, but worth it. You will need new boots though.

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    Personally, don’t kill your self on spending too much on equipment until you are a few seasons in.

    The number of people I know with hilariously high end equipment that went twice one year and quit is truly comical.

    Go to a reputable shop like Abom and ask lots of questions and don’t get hung up on brand names or this years models. Heck borrowing equipment from your buddy sounds like a not terrible option just be prepared to fork out if you ruin anything.

    Skiing is an expensive sport all around, take it easy your first year.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by ercchry View Post
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    COP for sure, but I’d skip nakiska and go for norquay for the level up.. less busy, less flats (if you stay on the main chair) nakiska is absolutely infuriating on a snowboard when you’re new

    Lotoski has a couple decks for sale too if you’re tall.

    Boards have come a long way with the different shapes… I have a bataleon evil twin which I think would translate well to a rookie as it’s damn hard to catch an edge on due to the shape of the tip and tail… and that’s the number one noob crash scenario that’s gonna put anyone over the age of 21 out for a few weeks (catching a toe edge and scorpioning)

    As a lifelong boarder… I would second skiing vs boarding, way more versatile, way easier to traverse hills, can access backcountry without a $$$ and compromised split board. Plus it’s almost cool, unlike 30 years ago
    Norquay is also good if you are just starting, don’t really need to access any of the flat ski out sections until you are more advanced. It’s just further and requires a park pass.
    Originally posted by Thales of Miletus

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    guessing who I might be, psychologizing me with your non existent degree.

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    Quote Originally Posted by sxtasy View Post
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    -I regret buying into a system ie. Burton EST. Keep your gear versatile, you may want to buy a variety of boards, bindings and boots down the road. Keep them all interchangeable in my opinion. Go with a solid versatile binding like the Burton Cartel.
    Oh yes, since you brought up bindings: get ones that are toe caps! Much more comfortable and feel more secure over toe straps.

    Also, you assholes have me curious about hybrid boards now haha

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    Quote Originally Posted by killramos View Post
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    Personally, don’t kill your self on spending too much on equipment until you are a few seasons in.

    The number of people I know with hilariously high end equipment that went twice one year and quit is truly comical.
    It really is! You don't wanna become a kook. Or worst yet a goon. (Not an endearing term at all, outside of hockey haha)



    Quote Originally Posted by D'z Nutz View Post
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    Oh yes, since you brought up bindings: get ones that are toe caps! Much more comfortable and feel more secure over toe straps.

    Also, you assholes have me curious about hybrid boards now haha
    Take the red pill my friend...

    https://www.neversummer.com/snowboar...rd-technology/
    Last edited by heavyfuel; 11-13-2021 at 09:39 AM.

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    Mmm… this reminds me… snowboarding uses these weird little foot muscles… every damn season the first few times out my feet just burn from them being activated for the first time in a year, only summer thing that comes close to using them in the same way seems to be paddle boarding

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    If you want some decent bindings I’ll give you a pair of union atlas for a 12 pack, just need to hose them off haha

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    Edit: Also if you’re learning at COP don’t feel shame in wearing knee and butt pads that place is hard as fuck lol otherwise you’re gunna hate learning to snowboard
    Last edited by JfuckinC; 11-13-2021 at 10:50 AM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by JfuckinC View Post
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    Edit: Also if you’re learning at COP don’t feel shame in wearing knee and butt pads that place is hard as fuck lol otherwise you’re gunna hate learning to snowboard
    I've been boarding for years and I still wear knee pads every time, regardless of where I go.

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    What size are the bindings? Any recommendations on knee pads/ generic Amazon’s or worth the spend for d3o type stuff?
    Last edited by finboy; 11-13-2021 at 01:13 PM.
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    Knee pads?

    Just put some snow pants, jacket, mits on and fuckin sender bud

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