It is rare to go into a snowboard shop these days without hearing some truly imaginative sales information regarding snowboard sidewalls.  This design feature may be the single most debated (and frequently changed) aspect of the snowboard, and yet there is no consensus about what really works best. 

So what is a sidewall, what are the different types and why do they matter?  The sidewall is...

Finally!  The season is almost here, and your brand new board is sitting by idly, not-so-patiently waiting for the resorts to get a little more of that sacred white stuff, and open up at least a few early season runs.   But...Is your board ready?  Sure, it looks nice, and it has all of the latest and greatest technology, but what's the real story?  Do factories send out their boards ready to ride or do they still need a little luv'n before they are really prepped for the hill?

The answer will depend on...