New to snowboarding or ready to upgrade your gear to match your skills, you'll always need these ten items.
1. Snowboard
With no board, there's no ride. So choose well based on what style you prefer. Beginners are best off with an 'All Mountain' or 'Freeride' board. If later you want to try jumps and tricks, get to a terrain park with a twin-tip 'Freestyle' model like those from Never Summer snowboards. Speed freaks need to choose an 'Alpine' or 'Race' board; long, slim and stable, these babies are for racing and carving.
2. Bindings
Buy bindings that are built to last: they're your connection to the board and take a beating each time you carve things up. Boots and bindings need to match up, so decide on your type, check for quality, and check out how high the back is. Don't think these are dull to buy: bindings by Union come with mad colours, even leopard print.
3. Boots
If one piece of equipment demands fit over form, this is it. Riding all day is tough on your feet; pick a poor fit and you'll feel it! Look at the stiffness: too supple and they're useless for speed, too rigid they're not good for freestyle. All-mountain boots are a good compromise. Vans and DC snowboots look just like trainers, so even though they are rigid for the slopes, they look neat off the board.
4. Base Layers
Base layers trap heat close to the body. They sit tight, regulate, and get moisture off your skin. Nikita first layers sit close but not too close - especially in the pants where you need room to move. Increasingly technical, some have 'zones' that keep parts of your body warmer than others. Pants from Sessions even have D3o pads, giving you added protection, superhero style.
5. Mid Layers
Next layer up, between your thermals and your jacket, is the mid-layer. These tops provide insulation without bulking you out too much. Expect mid-weight fleeces, hoodies and fresh designs. Look for clever pockets, cool designs and styles you'd want to wear off-slope. Thick mid-layers by Analog double as jackets in fair weather, and while materials vary, those with water-repellent exteriors do best when worn on top.
6. Pants
Some snowboard pants have the over-the-top style (salopettes) while others stay low-cut. With 686 snowboard pants you're getting all the pockets and performance features that separate these pants from regular sportswear.
On the inside, look for a washable liner and fully-taped seams - these help keep the wet out; outside you'll need waterproof, breathable materials. Cargo pockets are essential, as are sneaky little inside pockets for your valuables. Check for quality and ask yourself, 'Can I ride in these?'
7. Jacket
To keep out the sideways snow and cutting wind, you need a snowboard jacket that's windproof, waterproof, powder proof, and looks good. Look for top fabrics, tight cuffs and powder skirts. Big bulky jackets just won't do: they get too hot.
Firms such as 686 have jackets with soft-shell outers; others stick with waterproof shells. Check for hoods that fit over helmets, vents that let heat out, and pockets that rock music players and lift passes.
8. Goggles
Vision is everything. Be it in the park or on the piste, you need to focus in front of you one minute, and at your feet the next. Oakley goggles employ vents to keep them from steaming up, have full-adjustable straps and fleece foam to wick away sweat. Check for snow goggles that have UVA/UVB/UVC protection, and a snug fit with the side of your head and helmet.
9. Gloves
Gloves need to be warm and waterproof. Too warm though and you'll get sweaty. So, as with your jacket, look for a compromise.
Reinforced sections around the thumb and fingertips help gloves survive, waterproof outers keep moisture at bay and Velcro straps keep them tight around the wrist. Not all gloves opt for long wrists: Grenade gloves keeps most of its models with a short cuff, pipe-style.
10. Personal choice of head gear Helmet or D3o beanie
Helmet or beanie, what's it to be? With new D30 protection, beanies are now more than just head warmers. In the end it's down to you. Beanies feel good, they pack small and they're cheap. Helmets feel safe, and they keep your dome really warm. Check helmets for fit before style and remember they need to have ventilation. Look at how Red helmets do it: they integrate clip in ear pads and you can still get a beanie underneath.
