I'm brand new to snowboarding. I'll be in the Appalachias, mainly or completely in North Carolina for now. My considerations also include the fact that I probably will use some or all of the clothes when hiking and backpacking. I'll use them probably just as much in the backcountry as snowboarding or more. So the jacket for sure will be dual purpose. I love wake boarding so I'm confident I'll like snowboarding so I don't care to spend the money on the gear.
I think I'm going to pair a Arc'teryx Stingray in orange with Burton Black Jeans. I'm getting a good deal on the Stingray, so I'm kinda set on that. Picking a different Arc jacket will cost me more than the normal price differece. I also like the Jeans a lot (also getting a deal on them). They seem very packable and looks good with the bright jacket. All Gore-Tex.
What should I expect form Carolina slopes? Wet? Warm? How much insulation should I expect to need? I'm afraid I'm going to over kill the layers and burn up and have to buy even more stuff.
I need sudgestions on baselayers. I know there a lot out there, but I don't know what would match the conditions I'll be in.
Well... you better be getting a good deal as the Stingray and the Burton Jean pants are like the priciest stuff you can get on the market (yes, there is most expensive stuff like Norrona, but at that point you have to be trying to buy the most expensive stuff). Arcteryx is great gear though (a little over-built for regular snowboarding... and regular winter hiking for that matter). My wife hates being cold (she doesn't like any weather below 70 Fdegree) ... so to keep her happy on the slopes I have her in arcteryx bib pants and jacket.
I wouldn't use the Burton jeans for regular hiking though as you are liable to rip/damage them. They are also not particularly packable compared to something like Sierra Design Hurricane Rain Pants. which is what I use for hiking.
Don't know what the weather is like where you are at... but for mid-layers I liked Patagonia Capilene and Smart Wool base layers. For mid layers, I like The North Face micro-velour stuff although typically I don't often wear a mid-layer when riding (just a base-layer) because the sun is so strong here in California (it gets noticeably warmer in the sun, and noticeably colder in shade and cloudy days).
Best over snowbaord thing i bought this year was the Burton AK Marino wool base layers. They are pretty hard to find, and non left at burton.
Really comfortable, and look great. You could easily wear them out to a nice restaurant the day before boarding. Really comfortable, with all the benefits of Marino. I bought 3 shirts, and 2 pairs of pants. Only downside is they are pricy.
Smartwool is all merino wool, I find the tops a bit itchy (merino is much less itchy than regular wool, but is still a little abrasive) so I only get the pants. Of course I'm out of date as I bought 2-3 pairs 5-6 years ago and they are still in good condition with hundreds of days of use (from snowboarding, to hiking the Inca trail in Peru (incidentally Alpaca wool is very scratchy) and Iceland)
Take a look at past years' weather data from the closest weather station(s) to where you're going to be riding (similar elevation, etc) and think about what you'll need at those temps. Probably not too cold out there mostly. I wouldn't overthink it too much at first. Don't buy a bunch of expensive stuff before you go out a few times and really figure out what you need. Get by with the basics at first and then get some more advanced stuff. If you're sticking to resorts I wouldn't think you'd need super swanky gear. Wool sweaters work fine as mid layers, and can be gotten cheaply at Army Navy stores, for example. A lot depends on your own internal furnace, too. Get out and figure out how to keep yourself warm, because what other people need may be different from what you need. Personally, I burn pretty hot but have cold fingers and toes. You may be just the opposite, so take a lot of what people recommend with a grain of salt.
That said, if it was me I'd get uninsulated hardshell pants (more like mountaineering pants than rain pants) that will stand up to some abuse and can be worn in nasty weather all year. For cold days wear a thin base layer and a fleece "expedition weight" base layer or some kind of insulated liner pants over that and the shell pants on top. For a midlayer, probably the best thing I've ever bought is a Polartec Powerstretch 1/4 zip top. I got it about a month ago and it's gone with me everywhere since. Today it kept me fairly warm with just a cheap base layer and a goretex jacket at 0F with a wind chill of about -20F, but I don't overheat in it easily, either. A lightweight down or synthetic jacket is nice to have if you find yourself standing around outside getting cold frequently. Either size it to wear as a mid layer or to go over your shell, depending on what you prefer. I'd probably go with synthetic where you are, too - primaloft and thermic micro are both really good.
Most of my boarding has been done out west. I went to Cataloochee in NC for the first time last season for one day.
At first I bundled up like I do out west, but it was like 35-42 effing degrees outside at the top of the hill and I had to strip down.
All you need is a sweat-wicking base layer to handle your sweat and a shell to keep the snow off of you.
In all honestly, a polyester/rayon hoodie will do the trick for most of your trips out.
Unless its a particularly cold/windy day or the snow guns are spraying on you, a standard snowboarding jacket is overkill for the tundra that you will be ice skating down.
I've never ridden during spring conditions out west, but I imagine that NC conditions are pretty close
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