Snowboard Boots and Other Equipment

Boots are the final part of the equipment that connects a rider to a board. Shoes are available from numerous manufacturers and come in different sizes. The shoes should fit perfectly on the feet of a rider and shouldn't be too tight or too loose. Shoes that are too tight tend to cause problems in making turns and shoes that are too loose run the risk of pushing the rider off the boards. Soft boots are commonly used in most terrain styles, because if offers cushioning against bumps. However, riders prefer hard boots for alpine snowboarding. The boots protect the rider and transfer the energy of the board. There are different features available in boots such as heat molding liners, lacing styles, gel padding, etc. Shoes also depend on the type of binders being fixed on the board. A standard boot is popular with strap in binder. For step in binder, boots come specifically designed with many bindings having only one specific boot that fixes on it.

Stomp pads are place between the bindings. The stomp pads provide added control of the board to the rider, even if only one boot is strapped in. This is advantageous when jumping off a chair lift.

Snow goggles protect the eyes from severe cold and the bits of snow that can hider sight. The goggles should not form fog on the insides. These goggles even cover the nose and provide protection from UV rays.

One of the most overlooked pieces of equipment is the helmet. A helmet is very important for snowboarders considering sliding down from a large hill. It can protect a riders head from hidden boulders in the snow.