How to choose a snowboard? Snowboard size. Snowboard - features, photos

Many people think that buying a snowboard - a fairly easy task. This is not quite true. there are more than a hundred firms in the market. And each is trying to attract the consumer's attention to their products. Such a wide range of turn the head of anyone, especially beginners. In this article, we'll show you how to choose a snowboard to a class on this apparatus brought only pleasure.

Skating Styles

Basic styles of all three:

1. Freeride

It is called the soul of snowboarding. In this style, the usual horse entwined with the performance of tricks and jumping through the natural terrain obstacles. Though this term and abuse, freeride skiing is the best choice of style, both beginners and experienced snowboarders. During the ride freerider uses all the available terrain.

2. Freestyle

As it is called technically skating, as the basis of style is performing tricks. It jibbing, grabs, spins, jumps and more. Basically freestylers can be found next to the halfpipe or in the parks. This style is most prevalent among young snowboarders, who came from the BMX, rollers, skateboards and other sporting disciplines.

3. Carving

It combines deep turns and high speeds. That is carvers do not go right, and pass from one turn to another. Now this style - the fastest growing segment in the world of snowboarding. The prevailing part of the carvers came from skiing. For driving in this style you need a hard and narrow snowboard, whose photo is attached to the article. Carver easily identified by their manner to lay down in the snow during the turn.

As for the other styles, it is worth mentioning race and half-pipe.

Race - a high-speed ride on the hard-packed (hard) the snow, as well as the slalom and giant slalom. Equipment should differ durability, reliability and stability.

Half-pipe - in snow skating trench from performing jumps and various stunts. From the control equipment required lightness, strength and light weight.

Producers

Firms in this segment offer a full range of equipment: boards, boots and bindings for snowboards. And equipment companies may well be used with equipment other. The model number of the many companies present equipment for women and children, for people with non-standard foot size, and others.

In the Russian market the most popular following brands: Atlantis, A-Snowboards, Burton, Dukes, Fanatic, Gnu, Head, Hot, Kemper, Lib Technologies, Morrow, Nidecker, Option, Oxygen, Rad Air, Rossignol, Santa Cruz, Volkl, volant, Wild Duck. As a rule, any serious rating snowboard includes models of these firms. We now turn to a discussion of the most important things.

The criteria for selection of the board

Choosing a snowboard, the price of which will be listed below, note the shape of the board. Each riding style is different.

At the board for freestyle form called twin-tip. Both of its end of the same length and the same rounded. In freeride - snowboard directed form (directional). One of her nose is longer than the other. In addition, there are all-mountain - universal board to ride on any terrain. They are suitable for the two above mentioned styles. Regarding performance, the rigidity is small, and different front and rear length portion. Frikarva to make long, narrow boards.

The second important criterion for the selection board - snowboarding size, or rather, his Rostovka. What it is? Rostovka defined as the length of the board, which is directly dependent on your weight and height. The more they are, the longer you need a snowboard. Learn Rostovka you can from the table attached to each model. But it is much easier to ask the seller. The same rule is important when choosing a child boards. So, while in the department "Children's snowboards" and picking up the outfit for your offspring, seek professional help. Long boards are easy to drive in the freeride style. they are better managed at high speeds, but require a lot more effort skating. In hard snowboard slalom and frikarva their rostovok table.

When selecting board great importance is the coating of the sliding material. From it depends directly on the speed of the acceleration and the maximum speed limit. The catalogs of manufacturers have dozens of names of materials for the manufacture of the sliding surface. Do not let be fooled. In fact, there are only two types of sliding cover: Extruded and Sintered. Just one brand gives them the original name.

Extruded - extruded slip coating obtained by applying a molten material. It is softer, less resistant to various injuries, but has a good slip and is ideal for the novice snowboarder. This surface is not in need of constant care, it is quite cheap and it is easy to restore.

Sintered - sintered sliding coating made by hot pressing. During this procedure, there is a lot of long, perfectly absorbs wax for further processing. Get tough and scratch-resistant surface. A high density material precludes water penetration. But to your snowboard slid well, it is necessary to regularly take care of him.

In both of the above graphite material is added to reduce the surface electric charge, which significantly improves the slip. boards speed depends on processing its coating - it is rubbed paraffins and ointments, in accordance with the weather conditions.

Secondary characteristics boards

1. The width of

It is recommended to choose the most narrow board. The main thing that the shoes did not get out of her the edge more than 1-1, 5 cm. The wider the board, the harder it is to manage it. On the other hand, it would be better to stay in the snow. In general, choose what is more important to you: control or stability. If the size of your shoes more than the 45th, look for a snowboard with a note "Wide".

2. Weight

The board should not be too heavy, otherwise it will be uncomfortable to jump. And with transportation difficulties arise (for example, when climbing the slope). How to choose a snowboard in this case? There is a simple rule: raise his nose with one hand. If you are unable to do this, the board is right for you.

3. Contact the length of

This refers to the portion of the board, which is in contact with the snow. In larger surface length of the snowboard best kept in the snow, with a smaller - they are easier to manage. As is the case with the width, make a choice depending on their own priorities.

4. The stiffness of

Soft board smoothes bumps on landing, but badly behaved at high speed. Tough, by contrast, hardly softens the wrong fit, but more controllable at high speeds.

Generally hard snowboard, which reviews can be seen on many online forums, indicates that it is suitable for beginners Least of all, it is used in frikarve and sport riding. Most solid planks make for slalom and giant slalom (they are long and with a large turning radius).

How to choose a snowboard on the labeling?

Manufacturers put notations on boards not for beauty. It has its own snowboard configuration, designated by the relevant marking for each style.

Board with the letters FS is designed for freestyle. It is flexible, easy, and the other shorter boards somewhere 10 centimeters. Suitable for skiing on gentle slopes of up to 500 meters. Due to the symmetry of the (bent ends) makes it easy to change the counter while driving. The softness and flexibility of the snowboard made him agile, it easily fits into the springs and turns. Its only drawback - poor handling at high speeds. Freestyle selected soft bindings and boots, minimally restricting free ride. Snowboards labeled FR made for piste. They are quite long and have a symmetrical or symmetrical-directed form. Such snowboards suitable for the conquest of all the slopes - whether virgin soft, hard firn or ice. They are also perfectly hold the speed and combine well with both soft and hard-boots and bindings.

Rigid and narrow boards for carving are strictly directed to form trimmed heel. This allows good control of snowboarding at high speeds. For driving in this style needed only hard boots and bindings. Produced marked Race Carve. We can say that the boards with the designation - is the best snowboards, as it creates the most durable materials, taking into account the latest technologies. Of course, they are more expensive than others, but for the quality, as we know, have to pay.

bindings and boots

The answer to the question "How to choose a snowboard?" Is not limited only by the choice of the board. It is also necessary to choose the right boots and bindings.

Working Principles Snowboard Bindings are radically different from skiing. Traced their precise specialization depending on the discipline and riding style. Anchorages snowboard is made from plastic, titanium, aluminum, steel and composite materials. The main task - to achieve maximum strength with minimum weight. Mounts are:

• Hard. are used in the giant slalom, downhill, as well as in the styles "race" and "carving". Fixedly secure the shoe on the board. It consists of two platforms, fastened with steel arches to fix.

Pros: high wear resistance, rigid fixation, highly customizable, easy operation. Cons: narrow specialization (professional athletes) and the limited scope of use (slalom, carving, etc...).

• Soft. Used for free rolling (free ride, freestyle and t. D.) And other disciplines. Divided according to the principle of fixing the snowboard (with fastening straps and anal).

On the one hand, securing data fix shoes, and on the other - allowing them to deviate in different directions to improve agility (jumping, tricks, etc.). The design of the soft mount includes a platform (the place of the shoe), highback (leg support from the ankle), the turntable (screwed to the board) and the straps (fix the boot into the binding). Some models have additional overlays (eg, firm the Burton bindings, snowboards which are in high demand), ensuring a snug fit the shoe and reduces unwanted vibration while driving.

Highback is a lever, force transmission from athlete's foot to the outer edge of the board. Highback tilt angle can be adjusted, which greatly facilitates the entry into the turn. On quality fixtures have a special lock that secures the highback platform.

Typical soft mounting has two strap (upper fixing leg lift and lower - sock). On older models, it was still the third strap - to support the lower leg.

Advantages: reliability in operation, a strong fixation of the shoe, the weight settings (for a variety of styles, disciplines and legs form). Cons: large size, a lot of screw connections (you must make sure that they do not become loose), a lot of plastic parts (break from the cold or bounce) Wearing long.

• "Clicker" and "Step in". These are equipped with a special lock fastening, snap-in grooves of the shoes and the opening with a lever. The latter may be in or on the support, or at boot. At the "Clicker" castle is under the boot (in the middle of fixing), and in "Step in" mechanism located on the sides of the shoe. You can purchase a prefab kit (fixing one company, the other shoes), as long as the equipment is compatible.

Pros: Easy fastening and maintenance, small size and weight. Cons: not very tight hold shoe unreliability pristogivaniya mechanism, a small number of settings.

As for the shoes, then they should choose depending on riding style. Equally important are the quality and comfort. Well, the girls still pay attention to the design and color. One of the rules of the beautiful half when selecting the board reads: "Women's snowboards have to match the color with shoes."

Soft models are designed for freeride and freestyle. And for the latter, it is desirable to choose a softer boots. As for convenience, then stop on the option, clearly fixing your leg. In this case, the fingers do not abut the toe and the heel does not separate from the insole. But note that snowboard boots - it's not slippers, they will never be truly comfortable.

Soft models are divided into single and double (with an inner shoe). The last is much easier to dry. Now the market prevails double boots, which have to take out liners. In embodiments, it is made of more expensive material called "thermoplastic". When heated, this termovnutrennik "remembers" the shape of the feet and wearing shoes becomes much more convenient. Simply put them on and walk around the house for an hour. Then remove and do not wear them for a while.

Hard boots are used in slalom and carving. They have a more complex structure - the inner shoe is soft and can be easily removed, and the outer is made of plastic. The inner part can be either from a conventional roofing, and thermoplastic. The more on the shoe clips (fasteners), the better it will keep your foot. Also, these models have a switch between walking and skating. The expensive option is adjustable heel lift and rigidity.

Mask

Many do not consider it to be a necessary element of a snowboarder equipment. But all professionals and the majority of fans say that the mask is required. It warns against injury, improved visibility, protect the eyes from wind and bright light, and so on. D. Now on the market there is no shortage of this product. The most sophisticated snowboarder can choose a desired option. There are even models that can be worn under their vision glasses. What sort of signs of high-quality mask should possess? Let's list them:

• The presence of a long and strong strap.
• No interference breathing athlete.
• anti-fog lenses. To this end, manufacturers apply a special coating on them or make the filter double lens.
• No pressure or discomfort on the inside. The mask should fit snugly to the head.
• Good ventilation that can remove moist air. For this purpose, the mask must be either the fans will run on batteries or conventional vents. Pay attention to the size of the holes. Too large a diameter would promote penetration of a considerable number of cold air causing eye irritation. It is therefore important that the holes are covered with a special breathable material, or were designed to allow to adjust the ventilation.

Price

So, how much is a new snowboard? The price ranges from 100 to $ 600 (and above). It all depends on your financial capabilities. You can even order a nameplate board, which will do for you. For beginners, the budget should be fine snowboards.

Price normal shoes ranges from $ 100 to $ 250. There is an important point. Many people use in order to save their existing ski boots. This can not be done, because these shoes provide freedom ankles bend only in the direction of "back and forth". In snowboarding, the more necessary and the direction of "right-left".

So how much will cost a good snowboard kit? Let's count. Normal board - it is about $ 250-300. Attachment - $ 100, the same shoes and a mask. That is, the full set will be released in $ 550-600. By the way, good children's snowboards are twice less. Of course, you can save and buy cheaper, but it is doubtful whether such equipment will have the convenience and quality.

Buying in store

Now that you know how to choose a snowboard. And, for example, we have already decided on a specific model. It remains only to verify liked the product free of defects. At an acute angle, inspect the top and bottom. Between the notches and the sliding surface should be free of cracks, gaps, pits, hillocks and sharp transitions. On a qualitative themselves snowboard edges are flush with the sliding surface and are of constant width on each side of the board. There have been situations where mounting sleeves bought snowboards was torn thread. Of course, this is quite rare, but it is not superfluous to check their own screw sleeve. In principle, any store you tell us how to put the fixing and customer-oriented will install them for free. Well, if you travel a lot and carry any board with you, do not forget to get a cover for snowboarding. Have fun shopping!