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Home : Protective Gear Learning Center : Snowboard Protective Gear Learning Center : What Snowboard Protective Gear Do I Need?
What Snowboard Protective Gear Do I Need? |
This checklist will help you select the right snowboard protective gear. Before you strap in...get protected!
#1: A Proper Snowboard HelmetAlthough head injuries are not the most common of snowboarding injuries, the consequences of suffering a serious head injury make using a quality snowboarding helmet your first priority. New boarders can expect to fall over and over again while learning how to snowboard. While the learning curve is steep (thankfully), with both feet securely attached to the board, it takes practice and a LOT of falls to figure out how to keep your balance, while gaining speed, carving (gliding on your board's front and back edges), changing direction and avoiding obstacles. When your board does catch an edge, you're likely to quickly flop forwards or backwards. And the last thing to hit the ground? Your head. By the time it hits the ground, your head is traveling pretty fast. Depending upon snow type and speed, you can suffer pretty serious head injuries. Not to mention trees hazards, runaway boards, other riders, rails, etc... Please, don't mess with this one. Get yourself a quality snowboard helmet. Make sure you get a snowboard helmet that fits well, feels good, and looks good. That way, you'll have no reason not to wear your snowboarding helmet and you'll reduce the chance of a serious head injury. or Start shopping for a Snowboard Helmet #2: Protective Snowboard Gloves or Wrist GuardsWrist injuries are the most frequent snowboarding injury. Again, picture yourself beginning to gain a little speed on the slope. All of a sudden you hit a rough, icy patch and your edge catches, bringing your board to a halt. As your body continues to fall, quickly, your natural instinct is to stick out your arms, reach for the ground and break your fall. Unfortunately, what you may end up doing is breaking your wrist in order to break the fall. Studies have suggested that over 38% of all snowboarding injuries are wrist related. Although more common with more inexperienced snowboarders, wrist injuries cut across all experience levels. The good news is that you can easily prevent most wrist-related snowboarding injuries by wearing good quality snowboarding gloves with integrated wrist guards OR snowboard wrist guards that you wear underneath your own gloves. Good quality snowboard wrist protection is a smart decision, and one that will help keep you boarding all season long! or Start shopping for Snowboard Protective Gloves or Snowboard Wrist Guards #3: Snowboard Padded Shorts or PantsOnce you've got your head and wrists protected properly, check out protection for your lower half. The next piece of snowboard protective gear we recommend are snowboard padded shorts or snowboard padded pants. Beginner or not, you're going to spend a lot of time falling and hitting your bum, tailbone, knees and hips on the ground, especially during your first few days on the slopes or if you are getting into more aggressive tricks and speeds. Snowboard padded shorts and pants fit discretely under your snow pants and help protect your butt, tailbone, hips, sits bones, thighs and knees. or Start shopping for Snowboard Padded Shorts & Pants #4: Snowboard Upper Body ArmorAgain, if you plan to ride hard at the park near rails, structures, or other really hard things (trees, boulders and icy outcroppings), consider snowboard upper body armor to protect your shoulders, back, arms, chest, and ribs. or Start shopping for Snowboard Upper Body Armor #5: Snowboard Knee and Elbow PadsIf your snowboarding includes time at the park (where rails and structures are not very forgiving!), or off the course where you might encounter unexpected rocks, boulders, ice and trees, you may want to invest in a pair of snowboard knee pads, snowboard elbow pads and/or snowboard shin guards to keep those important limbs and joints safe. or Start shopping for Snowboard Knee & Elbow Pads #6: Snowboard GogglesGood quality snow goggles provide protection from the sun (UV A/B), driving snow, frigid winds and the miscellaneous tree branch, keeping your vision clear as you careen down the face of a mountain. Most of the goggles we carry integrate seamlessly with helmets of the same brand, making eye protection an easy and comfortable choice! or Start shopping for Snow Goggles Our goal is to help you avoid snowboarding injuries. We hope these recommendations help you select the right snowboard protective gear. Have fun, and protect yourself! Start Shopping for |
