How wide of a snowboard do I need? Where is the width of a snowboard measured? What does width mean in terms of my boot size?
Let’s start by talking about measurements, because this is where a lot of the confusion arises. The most common width measurement that is provided by manufacturers is "waist". The waist is measured at the narrowest point near the middle of the board (usually). But like with all things in snowboarding, different brands measure different things. Some measure the midpoint between the tip and tail and call that "waist". Others simply provide a measurement they call, "width", but do not really specify what width they are referring to.
Board sizing has always been a little tricky, but in the past, there have been a small group of readily available stats that have been very useful for comparison and selection by knowledgeable riders. One of those has been Running Length (AKA Contact Length).
As we have written many times, overall board length is a commonly considered, but almost useless measurement. Why? Because the shape and dimensions of a board's raised tip and tail can vary greatly and have next to no impact on the way the board will ride.
With all the talk about rocker (reverse camber) and its many variations, Bataleon Snowboards has been out reinventing cambered boards. The have refined a technology that many feel is superior to rocker. Check out these videos to learn more and then check out the new 2011 Bataleon lineup here.
Slackline is all the rage, and for a great reason. There is no better way to improve your balance. Snowboarders, wakeboarders, surfers and skaters in particular are using this incredible training tool. Watch out, though! What starts as a training method can become pretty addictive as a sport of its own. The new Gibbon Slacklines all include an easy cinch mechanism that anyone can set up in a few minutes without any need for knots, carabiners, etc. see them here Check it out:
A current snowboard helmet can be a great way to protect your melon, but there is a lot that you should know about sizing and maintaining a styley new lid.
First off, it is important to understand how the current generation of snowboard helmets works. They are not designed to deflect hard impact and then rebound (a common misconception), but rather to absorb hard impact by allowing the crushing (and permanent destruction) of the stiff protective foam that makes up the helmet's primary structure. The idea is that the foam is damaged but the head is not. I mention this first, because understanding that this damage to the helmet is the very thing that will protect your head is integral to all of the points that will follow.
With young female riders being the fastest growing segment of the snowboard market and with almost half of our snowboard sales last year going to women, you can bet we are interested in what is going on in terms of gear and technology for this demographic. By far, the question we get asked most frequently on this topic is, "is there really any difference between a men's and a women's snowboard?" The Short answer is Yes, Yes, Yes. There was a time when this was not the case....
