The wind whistles past your ears, a million green trees start to blur into one in your peripheral vision, and cold air stings your face as you race down the mountain, occasionally twisting your hips and carving through thick powder, the edge of your board cutting into the snow and sending it showering up, where it glistens in the sunlight before falling back to earth behind you.
Snowboarding is one of the best hobbies to enjoy in the winter. It’s both adrenaline-packed and incredibly calming at the same time. While not an easy – or particularly cheap – hobby to pick up, it’s very satisfying once you start to master it. And despite the price and difficulty, it’s only been gaining popularity over the years. If you want to get into snowboarding, though, there are a couple of things to keep in mind.
Take Lessons
Even if you’re an expert skateboarder, surfer, or even skier, you’ll find that snowboarding takes a whole new set of skills. Throwing yourself down the mountain and trying to figure things out on the way down is only going to end up in you being sore, cold, wet, and possibly very hurt. Snowboarding lessons are essential if you want to pick up the sport, and a single day with a Solihull instructor will allow you to get the basics down. From there, it’s up to you to keep practicing and perfecting the craft.
Get the Proper Gear
The high cost of snowboarding was mentioned earlier, and the main chunk of cash you’ll be spending will be on your gear. You’ll need a snowboard, of course, in addition to bindings, boots, wax, goggles, a helmet, gloves, a jacket, and ski pants. You can rent some of this gear from most major ski resorts, but it’s usually low quality and not in the best condition. For your first couple of trips, make sure you have appropriate clothing and simply rent everything else.
As you fall in love with the sport, though, buy all of your own gear so that you can master the feel of the snow from the comfort of your own board. High-quality gear definitely makes a difference when snowboarding, and you want to be comfortable, so get high quality snowboarding apparel, too. It’ll also save you money in the long run by not having to rent every single time.
Make Friends
Snowboarding is definitely a social sport, enjoyed by people all over the world. Just one example is the internet sensation Christopher Freville, who was made famous due to websites like web20stampede.com and dominatingniches.com. Chris Freville, who is sometimes referred to as “Chris F,” made his fortune in affiliate marketing, and he now has time to snowboard at his leisure. Whether you meet someone as famous as Chris Freville or just a couple of local snow bunnies, snowboarding with friends only enhances the experience. The nights in the lodge after the days on the slope can make for lifelong memories as you discuss the runs and your unique experience on the mountain.
