How to Buy a Snowboard Package

Whether you put together your snowboard package yourself or purchase a package designed by a retailer, you should approach the purchase the same way. You need to make sure all of the equipment suits your needs, fits you correctly and works together. Don't assume a package put together by a shop will work well for you. Check each component of the package (snowboard, bindings and boots) to make sure.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Step 1

Decide what type of snowboard you need. If you intend to spend most of your time in the park or on the halfpipe, you'll want to look for a freestyle board. If you don't plan to do any freestyle riding and prefer to ride the slopes and natural terrain, a freeride board would be a better fit. Beginners should choose a freestyle or all-mountain board that will be more flexible and easier to learn on.

Step 2

Look for snowboards and reviews. Once you know the style of board you want, begin to shop for snowboards and get some reviews from friends, magazines and websites. Consider factors such as how much flex the board has, how deep the sidecut is (this affects how easily you're able to turn and how stable the board is at speeds), the quality of components in the board and how well it meets your riding needs.

Step 3

Determine whether you want to buy a package deal or buy components separately. Unless you're just starting out, it's best to pick out a snowboard, bindings and boots separately to ensure you get quality equipment that meets your performance needs. If it's your first snowboard, the quality of equipment is not quite as important and you might opt to save some money with a package. If you choose to go for a retailer-made package, shop around for one that includes the board(s) you've researched.

Step 4

Shop for bindings. If you decided to put together your own package, the next piece of equipment you'll need is bindings. Bindings aren't quite as discipline-specific as snowboards and they are more generally categorized. For freeride, you'll want a stiffer binding that provides a quick, stable response. For freestyle, you want more flexibility. Other things to consider are the quality of construction, type of entry mechanism (flow-in vs. strap) and the adjustability of the binding.

Step 5

Go to the shop. It's always best to size your equipment in person. Find a shop that offers the equipment you're looking for.

Step 6

Size out the board. In addition to getting the right style board, you'll need the right size. Loosely speaking, the board should stand between your collarbone and nose. Board size also is a function of weight, so refer to manufacturer guidelines to pick a board in the correct size range for your height and weight. Beginners should opt for boards on the shorter end of their size range to get as much control as possible.

Step 7

Try on boots. The most important aspect of snowboarding boots is that they fit. If your feet are moving around, you won't be able to transfer your movement onto the board efficiently and will have very limited control. Tighten down both boots, be sure your heels don't lift when you lean forward and verify the boots are comfortable and offer the level of flex or stiffness you need. Ideally, the boots also will be easy to tighten and take off.

Step 8

Try on the bindings. Make sure the bindings fit the boots by trying them on in the store. Put each boot into the appropriate binding and tighten it down. Make sure the fit is snug and comfortable. There shouldn't be any painful pressure points.

Step 9

Be sure the board is wide enough to accommodate the boots you've picked out. Once you've verified all three pieces of equipment work together, you have picked out your snowboard package.

Tips & Warnings

Snowboard packages range greatly in price. While prepackaged deals can offer a cheaper alternative, you might find generic, low-quality equipment in these packages. Be sure the binding mounting hardware is compatible with the snowboard.

Snowboard packages range greatly in price. While prepackaged deals can offer a cheaper alternative, you might find generic, low-quality equipment in these packages.

Be sure the binding mounting hardware is compatible with the snowboard.

Getting the right equipment and sized correctly is vital toward providing a fun, safe experience on the mountain.

Resources

Snowboards

Article Written By Joe Fletcher

Joe Fletcher has been a writer since 2002, starting his career in politics and legislation. He has written travel and outdoor recreation articles for a variety of print and online publications, including "Rocky Mountain Magazine" and "Bomb Snow." He received a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Rutgers College.

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