Hi I have never Snowboarded or skied in my life but I have promised my son the I will take him snowboarding this year but have no clue of what I/ We need to make his first enjoyable. We are going to Japan in February. We live in China so snowboarding shops are few and far between not to mention the fact they don't carry sizes for westerners.
Any help at all is appreciated because I grew up in Florida and have not a clue about winter sports :dunno:
Places like Hakuba and Niseko both have lots foreign visitors, so there are places who will be able to help you out in English.
Not sure about who to talk to in Niseko, but if you are coming to Hakuba i can let you know some good places to rent from as well as get lessons (a very, very good idea for first-timers).
Glad to hear you're trying the sport. I promise you, no matter how old you or your kid are, you'll have an awesome time and you'll probably be hooked first hit.
1) DON'T BUY GEAR. Every hill/mountain/resort will have rental gear and most likely you'll get a package deal on your day's rental & lessons (which i'm telling you, you must take!). Do this a couple times before contemplating buying your own stuff.
2) You'll need a Toque (canadian for beanie or warm making knitted hat ear cover thing ), Jacket, Gloves, Goggles, and snowpants. You should be able to find these where you are, and it shouldn't be that hard to find the right size of pants and jacket i'd hope. Either way, it'll be cheaper at home than buying on the hill. If it's anything like North America, the mark up at a resort is retarded. No need to break the bank. The key to physical winter sports is layers. So a good thermal layer and a sweater or two under a wind and water resistant shell should do the trick.
3) First couple times out you'll fall on your ass and knees a bunch but don't let it get you down, you're new and it'll take practice. You're still going to have a great time
1. drink plenty of water...have a hydration bag
2. predose with ibprofen to stay ahead of the swelling
3. first learn how to fall...before even strapping on a board...to help avoid injury.
4. laugh, have fun and pace yourself...if your son is a little guy...having a fun non-frustrating, non melt down experience is key (for both you and son).
5. if possible do lessons for 2-3 consecutive days...that is if your body doesn't revolt.
6. immediately...start doing sit ups, jumping ropes, balancing on one foot (both feet), lunges and skate or long boarding and/or balance board to help get somewhat conditioned.
7. start reading and looking at vids on how to...so you develop some idea of the vocabulary and concepts.
I tend to agree with Dano. However, the rental issue is a gray area.
My general advice is to in fact at least buy a good pair of boots even on your first time out. This is because rental boots are absolute crap and can ruin the whole experience. If you can find yourself a nice pair of boots (nice meaning the correct fit, not price), grab them for you and your son.
As for board and bindings, that completely makes sense to rent the first couple of times out. Once you determine that you are going to keep at this sport, then it's time to buy your own gear. However, if you come across a great deal on new or lightly used equipment, don't pass it up. I'll tell you why: If you so decide that you hate this sport and have bought equipment, you can always sell it for the same amount or more than it would have cost you to rent the gear. Actually, that might be tough considering you are a Westener in Asia lol.
You will need to purchase outerwear specifically made for skiing/snowboarding though. Nobody likes to be wet in the middle of winter on a mountain.
If you can afford it, get some butt pads too. It's really going to save you from a ton of pain while you are learning.
Thanks For All Of The Advice It Been A Real Eye Opener!!!i'm In The Process Of Doing A Little More Research Now That I Have All Of This New Info. I'm Sure I Will Have More Questions Really Soon
Also Sorry About The Shouting But My Caps Lock Is Broke
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