Snowboarding Advice!!
Author
Discussion

bazh

Original Poster:

308 posts

221 months

Tuesday 13th January 2009
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Help needed please PH,

Im going snowboarding with the gf tomorrow at Chill Factor'e in Manchester.

But under the hired jacket and pants, what do i wear????

ChrisRS

1,787 posts

246 months

Tuesday 13th January 2009
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JBL930

1,837 posts

245 months

Tuesday 13th January 2009
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Underware and a thin pull over shirt. You'll need some good thick socks too

ShadownINja

79,994 posts

311 months

Tuesday 13th January 2009
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Why do you need to hire jacket and pantstrousers? Just wear your own. Then you can go commando if you so wish.

sneijder

5,231 posts

263 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
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And a hat.



Bazh, let me know how it goes, I want to go for a lesson soon. I understand there is a lot of falling on your backside.

Does it take long to pick up ?

bazh

Original Poster:

308 posts

221 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
quotequote all
ShadownINja said:
Why do you need to hire jacket and pantstrousers? Just wear your own. Then you can go commando if you so wish.
Because i dont Have any Of the Snow pants or jacket as its the first time ive been Snowboarding

FastLaneGirl

1,188 posts

220 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
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sneijder said:
Bazh, let me know how it goes, I want to go for a lesson soon. I understand there is a lot of falling on your backside.

Does it take long to pick up ?
I went for a lesson before going on my first snowboarding holiday last year. The SnoZone places do a half day where you learn all the basics which is really valuable. You will fall over, but I didn't find it hard to pick up and it's very very addictive! The hardest part is overcoming your natural caution and going with it, like most sports, once you relax and get the hang of a couple of bits it's fairly straightforward. TBH you learn more actually on holiday and on the slopes, as you have more opportunity to try things out, better snow and more space.

Road2Ruin

6,451 posts

245 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
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Try skiing instead, much more socially acceptable.

bazh

Original Poster:

308 posts

221 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
quotequote all
FastLaneGirl said:
sneijder said:
Bazh, let me know how it goes, I want to go for a lesson soon. I understand there is a lot of falling on your backside.

Does it take long to pick up ?
I went for a lesson before going on my first snowboarding holiday last year. The SnoZone places do a half day where you learn all the basics which is really valuable. You will fall over, but I didn't find it hard to pick up and it's very very addictive! The hardest part is overcoming your natural caution and going with it, like most sports, once you relax and get the hang of a couple of bits it's fairly straightforward. TBH you learn more actually on holiday and on the slopes, as you have more opportunity to try things out, better snow and more space.
Thats the exact sort of thing im doing. Just a taster lesson to get started with before i think of booking a holiday.

FastLaneGirl

1,188 posts

220 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
quotequote all
bazh said:
FastLaneGirl said:
sneijder said:
Bazh, let me know how it goes, I want to go for a lesson soon. I understand there is a lot of falling on your backside.

Does it take long to pick up ?
I went for a lesson before going on my first snowboarding holiday last year. The SnoZone places do a half day where you learn all the basics which is really valuable. You will fall over, but I didn't find it hard to pick up and it's very very addictive! The hardest part is overcoming your natural caution and going with it, like most sports, once you relax and get the hang of a couple of bits it's fairly straightforward. TBH you learn more actually on holiday and on the slopes, as you have more opportunity to try things out, better snow and more space.
Thats the exact sort of thing im doing. Just a taster lesson to get started with before i think of booking a holiday.
thumbup I didn't want to shell out for a holiday & find on day 1 I hated it! The lesson made me want to go, as I loved it.

As for what to wear - gloves! You probably won't need anything under the snowboard pants, they are quite warm, and just a reasonable long sleeve top and maybe a fleece under the jacket (you can take that off if you get hot, it's quite physical). Avoid pure cotton next to your skin though, it doesn't wick sweat & will make you colder smile

Digga

48,059 posts

312 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
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Road2Ruin said:
Try skiing instead, much more socially acceptable.
+1

The wife and I went and did a beginners ski course at Tamworth Snow dome last year. We'd both skiid before, but about 20 years back, and although the first lesson was a bit tedious. (Overall I'd really rate it. thumbup)

There were beginners snow boarding lessons going on at the same and it was obvious how much easier it is to ski half decently from scratch than to snowboard. That or all the boarders came in on a Sunshine bus.

Once we'd had a couple of lessons and were deemed competant enough to negotiate the slopes alone, it was the 'boarders that were the biggest hazard by far, because snowboards seem like random direction generators - you might as well throw a bloody dice and say 1=left, 2=right, 3=back, 4=forward, 5=twizzle round and round,, and 6= on my arse. You will throw a lot of sixes, which is the other issue, because it is dangerous lying on ski slopes.

snorkel sucker

2,717 posts

232 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
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Digga said:
Road2Ruin said:
Try skiing instead, much more socially acceptable.
+1

The wife and I went and did a beginners ski course at Tamworth Snow dome last year. We'd both skiid before, but about 20 years back, and although the first lesson was a bit tedious. (Overall I'd really rate it. thumbup)

There were beginners snow boarding lessons going on at the same and it was obvious how much easier it is to ski half decently from scratch than to snowboard. That or all the boarders came in on a Sunshine bus.

Once we'd had a couple of lessons and were deemed competant enough to negotiate the slopes alone, it was the 'boarders that were the biggest hazard by far, because snowboards seem like random direction generators - you might as well throw a bloody dice and say 1=left, 2=right, 3=back, 4=forward, 5=twizzle round and round,, and 6= on my arse. You will throw a lot of sixes, which is the other issue, because it is dangerous lying on ski slopes.
but it is widely accepted that once you have the basics of snowboarding you can navigate a lot more slopes than a skiier of the same "level". this is, however, only because snowboarders, or at least beginner snowboarders, insist on edging down slopes, scraping away all the snow for us skiiers....

i tried boarding but i never got into it and i still believe i am a much better skiier than i could ever be a boarder...

in answer to the OP though - you will be more than fine with a pair of shorts and a t-shirt under your outer wear. its about -1 in chillfactore so cold, but not massively so. take a beanie and some gloves though.

be prepared to fall over lots and whatever you do, DONT be tempted to put your hands out to catch your fall - you will hurt yourself!!

either way, stick at it - the learning curve is steep but once it clicks its very addictive. there isnt much better than standing on top of a mountain in the middle of what would otherwise be a gloomy winters day back home....

which is exactly what i will be doing this weekend smile

Mr E

23,034 posts

288 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
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At the snowdome I wear combats and a fleece. I suspect I'd melt in full outerwear...

parakitaMol.

11,876 posts

280 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
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Mr E said:
At the snowdome I wear combats and a fleece. I suspect I'd melt in full outerwear...
I wear snowboard pants and a t-shirt with a light jacket or fleece... it gets really hot... especially when having lessons... stand up / fall down / stand up / fall down etc etc etc...

Bradders23

81 posts

217 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
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snorkel sucker said:
be prepared to fall over lots and whatever you do, DONT be tempted to put your hands out to catch your fall - you will hurt yourself!!
Don't snowboard head first into santa's grotto either. That hurts too.

(which dozy fker decided a grotto on a snowslope was a good idea?)

IanMorewood

4,309 posts

277 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
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I would suggest a pair of tracksuit bottoms and t shirt would be ideal, also have something to change into when your finished.

gingerpaul

2,929 posts

272 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
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It might be worth getting some wrist guards so that you don't break them in a fall, at least while you're still learning the basics.

For clothes TK Maxx have quite a large range of previous seasons kit for reasonable money. You'll kit yourself out for £100 down there I would have thought.

fieldl

1,320 posts

260 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
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Booked into Chill Factor on Sat morning to test my new ski's before heading to Chamonix next week smile
Only been back in the UK for 2 weeks but need more snow-fix.

bazh

Original Poster:

308 posts

221 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
quotequote all
Thanks alot guys, think i just going to wear some trackies or shorts underthe ski pants, and a tshirt.

So any over advice other than be prepared to fall??

Mr E

23,034 posts

288 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
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bazh said:
So any over advice other than be prepared to fall??
Bend zee knees. Feel zee board.

Enjoy it, and remember you'll have loads more room on a real piste.