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Introduction

This book has something for anyone who wants to play in the snow. Which of the categories below matches your attitude about snowboarding?

Semi-Interested. If you are just curious about snowboarding, not really sure you want to try it, and think the investment of time and effort might not be worthwhile, the following few pages will give you a balanced overview of the sport.

Warning: Contents are contagious

Eager to Try It. The first chapter, “Getting Started,” gives you all the information you need about equipment, with special emphasis on selecting a rental snowboard. If you have never visited a ski resort or taken lessons before, you will also find some important information on these topics. After that, the chapter, “First Runs,” gives you step-by-step instructions that will teach you how to become a full-fledged snowboarder. Self-taught snowboarders usually have a very difficult time. But if you take it step by step, as outlined in the text, you will find that learning to snowboard can be surprisingly simple.

Dedicated Snowboarder. Experienced snowboarders will find three particularly helpful chapters in this book. “Getting Hot” outlines advanced techniques for different kinds of terrain. This section gives you specific points on which to focus regardless of slope conditions. It will stimulate you to develop your own theories and techniques—a life-long challenge.

“Freestyle” is filled with detailed instructions about more tricks than most nonprofessionals will ever care to master. But now you can at least find out about how to do it all.

Finally the “Equipment” chapter is filled with design, construction, selection, and maintenance information. You could eventually pick up about half of this material from your friends and the magazines over a few years—maybe. The other half you might never learn without reading this book.

Two Perspectives

Historically, skis were conceived and designed as tools for “walking” on flat snow. They do this job very well. But using two separate boards for sliding down a slope pulled by gravity is not a perfect design concept. Would you want to surf using two boards? One strong, unified board is the easiest approach. The single surface simplifies everything. This is one reason why snowboarding is so much fun.

Learning to ride a snowboard is like learning to ride a bicycle. To someone who doesn’t know how, it looks nearly impossible. In the beginning, it is! But the balance and control needed to ride a bicycle or to ride a snowboard soon become second nature. Eventually it seems that it was always easy.