Get started with our All-Mountain and Freestyle Snowboard for both men and women
1) Going too fast!
Even the pros have to down sometimes! If you're first starting out, make sure you take it slow. As the saying goes: practice makes perfect. If you're overextert yourself too early on, you'll fail to learn necessary skills As you make strides, you'll come to love snowboarding more and more
2) Landing on your hands when falling
It's only natural: you're going to fall a few times while you learn. And even when you're an expert! It's important to learn how to fall so you don't hurt yourself in the process of doing so. It's never safe to land with your hands; make sure you wear adequate snowboarding gear that'll help you cushion your landing, and trust the snow to provide a little give during your impact. When you accept the fall and go along with it, you'll be less likely to panic and hurt yourself in the process.
3) Wearing the wrong gear
Speaking of your clothing, make sure you're wearing stuff appropriate for the snow! We organize our snowboard clothing into categories--base layer, mid layer, and top layer--for maximum comfort and safety. If you're not used to the cold, this will be essential to make your snowboarding experience a good one. Don't forget your pants!
4) Getting snowblinded!
Even if it's cold, the sun can still burn your skin, and the reflection of the sun on the snow can make you very uncomfortable or make it hard to see until you avert your gaze. If you're prone to sunburns, pack some sunblock with you and be sure to keep your eyes safe in a pair of goggles.
5) Forgetting to look both ways
Just like a car intersection, when you reach the intersection of a piste, make sure you look both ways before continuing. If two merge, make sure you look upstream along the other piste to see if any other snowboarders might the intersection at the same time as you. Then slow down!
6) Avoiding the edge of your board
Your natural instinct might be to kick the board in a certain direction and GO! But being able to learn how to turn on the edge of your board is essential to a smooth ride, especially at accelerated speeds. Put equal weight on your edge when turning, and start slowly at first.
7) Overstraightening the knees
Your knees are your natural shock absorber. When you straighten them, you'll be prone to losing your balance and your body will be unable to respond to natural bumps and sudden changes in slope. Don't lock your knees, especially if you're riding on the edge!
.
