How to Choose a Snowboard
Just as you get into the sport of snowboarding, you will realize that there are actually many different types of snowboards available out there. The choices depend on several factors. Knowing what those factors are will eventually help you determine what type of snowboard would be best for you.
The main factors that would help determine the right snowboard for you would involve your own physical make-up. Your height, weight and foot size would help determine the right snowboard that you can use. But there is more. One of the other things that you should know about when choosing the right snowboard would be your own riding ability. There are different types of snowboards now available that cater to the different riding abilities of people. Beginners would certainly have to use different boards than those who belong to the intermediate or expert level.
Another factor that would help you in choosing the right snowboard would be the type of riding style that you enjoy doing. Snowboarders prefer different riding styles when using their boards. There are generally three types of snowboarding riding styles that snowboarders usually enjoy. One of them is the freeride style. Also known as all mountain snowboarding, this riding style is much like downhill skiing where a snowboarder rides down a mountain slope. This is the best option for beginners as all it requires is riding the snowboard down the mountain and exploring different parts of the mountain trail.
The snowboard used for freeriding is usually the middle ground between freestyle riding and alpine carving. The snowboard can be used for going up on air while doing tricks and can be utilized to just cruise around. These type of boards are usually soft and maneuverable enough even for beginners to handle as well as sturdy enough to handle tough turns.
Another type of riding style is the freestyle or technical riding. This type of snowboarding usually involves the execution of the different types of trick riding in snowboard. This type of riding style involves different aerial tricks, spins, flips and grabs. Freestyle riding is usually being done on parks or near the half pipe. Freestyle boards usually shorter, more flexible and lighter in order to make them more maneuverable. The board is specifically designed for doing snowboarding tricks. This makes them also suitable for beginners to use since they can be handled more easily. Freestyle boards have limited grip and stability and may not do well when cruising fast or when carving turns.
The third riding style is called the freecarve which combines speed as well as deep turns and makes use of everything that the mountain has to offer. This type of riding style mostly appeals to those who love speed as well as the challenge of taking the run on a complicated mountain course. This is usually the riding style for the most experienced snowboarders. Freecarve boards are stiff and narrow boards that are designed for quick direction changes at fast speeds. These boards are usually narrower than freeriding and freestyle boards. These boards provide great edge holding power as well as good stability at fast speeds. These boards are not suitable for doing tricks.
