If you’ve never been snowboarding before, you may be at a loss when it comes to what items you should wear. It’s a winter sport, so you will need to be warm all over your body.
This includes protecting every part of your body, so that you won’t get too cold or get frostbite. Here’s a look at exactly what you should wear when you are going snowboarding.
What to Wear When Snowboarding
Helmet
The easiest place to start is the head and work your way down. This way, you’ll be sure that you cover everything. Your head should be protected by a helmet, so that you are less likely to be injured if you fall or if something doesn’t go as planned.
This is especially important if you have never snowboarded before, as you may find yourself falling quite frequently. Make sure that your helmet fits well and that it is warm enough to protect you. If you find your helmet isn’t warm enough, you can wear a knit hat under it.
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Goggles
You will also need a set of goggles, not only to protect your eyes, but also so you won’t get blinded. The white color of the snow can make the sun’s rays even brighter, which can harm your eyes with the UV radiation.
Goggles come in a number of different types of finishes, so you can take your pick.
Related Article: Best Ski Goggles for Flat Light
Clothing
You’ll also need to protect the core of your body from getting too cold, but you’ll first have to know how cold it’s going to be.
The most common way to bundle up for snowy weather is to get a warm layer underneath, something like a thermal top and bottom.
On top of the bottom, you’ll then need waterproof pants that can keep you warm, but will still be able to breathe. Remember that snow is a type of precipitation, so the waterproof aspect is very important.
On top, you’ll likely want a jacket or sweatshirt and then an outer jacket as well. It is handy if the outer jacket is also waterproof, so you won’t risk hypothermia from getting too cold and wet.
You can always add extra layers underneath your protective outer layer when you need to.
If you want to be able to tell how many layers you need, spend some time outside your lodge or wherever you’re staying. If you can stand to be outside, then you likely have enough layers. If not, you may need to rethink what you have on.
Gloves
To keep your hands toasty, you’ll need a heavy-duty pair of gloves. They should obviously be thick enough to work well, but they also need a couple more features too.
One is that they must fit you well. After all, you’ll still need to be able to do things with your hands while you’re outside, such as holding your board and picking yourself up if you fall. You don’t want your gloves getting lost if you wipe out, or simply flying off your hands when you’re snowboarding.
They should also offer some protection to your wrists.
Related Article: Best Snowboard Gloves with Wrist Guards
Socks & Boots
When it comes to your feet, you should have a nice comfortable pair of socks. The socks should be warm enough to keep your feet comfortable, but not so thick that they’ll make your feet sweat.
They should also be rather long because snowboard boots come up past the ankle and you don’t want the inside of your boots touching your bare skin; this could cause irritation or bruising.
Extras
Some people also use things like neck warmers, earmuffs, or other items that can cover up the rest of your face. If your jacket zips up past your neck, you can also use that to protect your face from getting too cold.
Another thing to keep in mind is that you want to make sure that you aren’t too bundled up. If you are sweating anywhere in your clothes before you even start snowboarding, this can be just as bad as being too cold.
Make sure that you are comfortable and don’t have too many layers on. You can always add more later if the temperature drops or conditions change.
When it comes to selecting snowboarding boots, you want to take your time. You need something that fits well and that you’ll feel comfortable wearing. You’ll also need them to work well with your board, so you may have to practice a bit, or at least try everything together to see how it feels.
If you don’t want to purchase all of these things at once, or don’t have everything you need, you can always ask a friend or family member if you may borrow certain items. There’s nothing wrong with borrowing things like mittens, gloves, goggles, or helmets, as long as they properly fit you.
Everything else, you should purchase especially for you because they can come handy in colder temperatures, or if you ever do any skiing or other winter sports besides snowboarding.
Additionally, most of the clothing doesn’t go out of style, so you won’t have to keep purchasing new items each year to keep up with the trends. The only thing that will change is the technology, as more helpful items may be created that wick moisture better or have greater waterproof protection.
Conclusion
Even if you’ve never been snowboarding before, it isn’t hard to figure out what you’ll need.
You have to keep every part of your body protected from the elements, which means you’ll need to be covered from head to toe. Besides that, you must have enough layers and its best if your outer layer is waterproof to keep you from getting wet and uncomfortable.
The best part is that after you buy all of these clothing items, you are set for any time you need to be out during winter or in the snow, so they are worth the money and time you put into choosing the right items.