Learning how to snowboard can be an exciting challenge since you might be looking for a new hobby that will provide you with a thrilling experience, which can be very joyful, especially if you’re on holiday with friends or family.
There are many ways to put on a snowboard, with some being superior to others and having certain advantages that result in stability. Still, it is totally up to you whether you choose to follow instructions from a professional or give it a try yourself using the knowledge you’ve picked up from endlessly browsing Youtube for snowboarding videos.
However, you might need to keep practicing until you get it right so you can enjoy your time snowboarding with your friends down mountain slopes while ensuring that you prioritize your safety and not get into any avoidable accidents that could result in injury.
If you follow the correct steps laid out in this article, you will find that you minimize your energy expenditure and follow the correct protocols that will maximize how much enjoyment you get out of snowboarding.
Let’s explore how to put on a snowboard the right way.
How to Put on a Snowboard – What You’ll Need
Before you can begin snowboarding at your holiday resort, you will want to find a snowboard that is not damaged and lay it flat on the terrain, allowing you to step on it without risking it running off.
You’ll also need your snow boots, which should fit your feet perfectly to avoid any problems that come with loosely strapped buckles, ensuring that you are stable and can slide down the mountain slope with ease.
It is also important that you remove any snow that might be caught in the boots, which prevents your feet from being strapped up properly, causing you to lose your balance and fall.
How to Put on a Snowboard – How to Strap in Like a Professional
The first step to putting on a snowboard is to fit your feet snugly in the binding of the boots, allowing you to fix your heels in place while you bind the boots for maximum stability, which might require some wiggling at first until you manage to secure yourself firmly.
You should then look at the ankle strap and ensure you tighten the boots’ components until you feel secure and stable; however, don’t strap it on too tightly, or else you’ll feel very uncomfortable, which can take away from the experience.
The toe strap is the final part of the process, which follows the same steps of buckling in and tightening the ratchet.
Although the process is fairly simple, you should keep in mind that when you’re strapping into the boots, you’re not obstructing anyone behind you, as this could cause a collision, which is something to avoid at all costs.
Find a location on the side where you can comfortably strap in and avoid blocking others’ vision, which can cause unnecessary injuries if someone comes rolling down the slope while gaining momentum.
All good things come with practice, which means that you may want to strap in and out of the snow boots several times until you get the hang of it and can complete the strapping process effortlessly without wasting time.
How to Put on a Snowboard – Important Tips to Remember
Before you can begin snowboarding with your friends or family, you will want to dress the part and choose clothes that will not make it difficult for you to snowboard effectively.
You may need a snowboarding leash, snow pants, snow coat, and helmet to protect you against a fall.
Snow gloves are also important since they protect your fingers, and investing in goggles can protect your vision, especially if it’s snowing and visibility is low!
Many people have reported that their feet become chafed around the ankles when strapping into their snowboarding boots, which is why you might need to get thick socks that prevent this from happening.
A stomp pad may be necessary for extra grip if you’re a beginner and want to be as careful as possible, but it is not a requirement.
Familiarizing yourself with various snowboarding styles can help you choose your method of snowboarding, which ensures that your equipment doesn’t come loose and you do not lose your sense of stability.
There are various kinds of snowboards available for different styles at different speeds, making it important for you to do some research before choosing the one you want for the speeds you are willing to travel at.
The four main types of snowboards include the all-mountain, freeride, freestyle, and alpine, which are designed differently for particular snowboarding styles.
Wide snowboards are the go-to choice for beginners since they give extra stability and allow you to accommodate your feet on the surface.
When choosing to set the bindings in a particular way, you will need to know which foot is your lead, allowing you to strap up properly without the risk of falling off your board.
There are various binding types, such as strap bindings, speed entry bindings, and more, allowing you to choose the ones that offer the best feel when snowboarding.
Finally, you should always fasten your bindings properly and ensure that your feet fit snugly into the snow boots, and move around to determine how comfortable they are when standing on the board.
Final Verdict
Learning how to put on a snowboard can be a little time-consuming as it takes practice and persistence to get it right, but you will eventually get the hang of it after keeping these tips in mind and practicing safely on easier slopes before progressing to harder terrain.
If you’re snowboarding for the first time, you will likely have a snowboarding instructor nearby who can tell you how to angle yourself properly and check that you’re strapped in the correct way.
Find your perfect stance, and don’t be afraid to try snowboarding on difficult terrains after mastering the basics.
