So, I am going to **try** to start snowboarding this season, and thus need to buy gear, and here's my personal shopping list that I'm working on. I'm a full beginner myself, so these are merely my notes from people I've asked. If you have an opinion, dear reader, I would appreciate it, so please comment. :)
- Board
- Budget: JPY20-30k, no brand
- Actual: JPY45,000, Salomon Board + Bindings, bought at Murasaki Sports Kanda
- Buy at Murasaki so I get lifetime waxing for free. Apparently this is important.
- There are multiple kinds of snowboards, All Mountain, Freestyle, Freeride, Splitboard etc. As a beginner, choose All Mountain.
- Board length is a function of rider height and weight. Table here. I need to find one that is 149-157cm.
- Board width should be bigger than shoes. Shoes cannot hang over the board or it'll scratch the snow.
- Bindings
- Budget: JPY15-20k, no brand
- Actual: JPY6,000, Flex bindings additional fees to the bundle above. These were the only available bindings for my size (M)
- There are multiple kinds of bindings, ask for the shop's recommendation
- Bindings came in three sizes - S / M / L and that depends on the shoe size.
- Consider step on: step on. I was told not to buy step on, because step on uses softer bindings, and for beginners they recommend a firmer binding so I don't fall as much. Considering how much I fall, if I fall more, I wouldn't be boarding anymore.
- Snowboard bag
- Budget: JPY5k, no brand
- Shoes
- Budget: JPY20-30k, no brand
- Actual: JPY25,000, Head brand, Boa style.
- Buy in store as I need to fit. Definitely needed to measure for fit. I'm normally at 25cm, but I ended up buying 26cm. When I first rented equipment, I had to rent a smaller size.
- Different lacing styles, but definitely should buy Boa style for ease.
- Jacket and pants set
- Budget: JPY20-30k?, no brand
- Actual:
- Jacket: JPY32,000, Roxy, Goretex. Bought at 30% discount, plus a further JPY3,000 discount from the nice Bengali lady.
- Pants: JPY20,400, Burton, Goretex, bib type, at a 40% discount.
- Buy in store as I need to fit.
- Requirements : waterproof. Look for either Goretex, or those with Seams "fully taped" or waterproof rating of at least 10,000mm.
- Jacket
- Has underarm vent.
- Hooded
- Insulated + Shell. Insulation under 60g is lightly insulated, while over 100 is for extreme weather (source).
- Pants
- Also need Goretex
- Preferred bib type, just in case it gets too hot and I don't have to wear the insulated jacket. So I can just wear pants.
- Butt padding
- Budget: JPY5k, no brand
- Buy online
- Elbow padding?
- Budget: JPY?k, no brand
- Buy online
- Helmet
- Budget: JPY-
- I have a Black Diamond helmet I can use
- Gloves
- Budget: JPY-
- Actual: JPY8,400. Burton, Goretex. Bought at 40% discount.
- I have a Black Diamond winter mittens I use for serious winter hikes. However, I realized that my mittens are about USD270. I don't want to use my serious gear, and so I ordered some gloves.
- Socks
- Budget: JPY3k per pair
- Buy online.
- I like Smartwool so I'm choosing that.
- I cannot use hiking socks as they are not high enough, and the top of the snowboarding boots scratches my leg.
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