Snowboard Maintenance

Same as most sports, snowboarding is no exception to the fact that expert advice comes from every man and his dog and half the time the info Bruce from Canada gave you on how to wax your board is maybe less than ideal for you, your board or the conditions you ride in. It is so important to research your gear and understand how to maintain it properly and of course to make sure you are getting the best gear for YOU!

There are a number of snowboard websites that provide great articles explaining those little things you are too embarrassed to ask your mates. White lines, Transnowboarding, Evo, Snowboard Addiction just to name a few. Keep in mind that the majority of information is going to be applicable to Northern Hemisphere snow conditions eg. RED WAX is great for Australian conditions. Keep informed and up to date with the latest in Snowboard Tech, Every season each brand will release new technology and just because it is new does not mean it is the best for your riding style.

Don’t forget that OzExtreme is always here to answer any questions and pass on our know how when it comes to everything snowsports. For us, no question is a stupid question.

To get you started, below I have supplied you with some links to useful articles from a couple of websites. To get the most out of this info its best to determine what kind of rider you are, All Mountain, Powder Chaser, Rail rider, Park all round, Big booter rider, Cat track jibber, Boardercross bandit, Speed racer.

All mountain rider is a very broad term for someone who likes to do a bit of everything, usually when you first start snowboarding you will fall into this category purely because you haven’t decided on a specific area to specialize in. The snowboards applicable for this category of riding are simply called “all mountain” which makes it pretty easy. Being an all mountain rider it is your duty to do just that explore ALL the mountain, you should get to the end of your day and have ridden every lift on the hill at least once, explore and get creative with what you find.

Powder Chasers have a pretty sad season in Australia, due to the fact we are very lucky to get 3 mornings of fresh pow a winter unless of course you are willing to earn those turns out the back of the resort. If powder is what you are chasing then a directional, long and stiff board is perfect for you. Keep in mind when purchasing your pow stick that you will be carrying it up the hill 50% of the time in Aus, so although the weight is going to help with those long, fast sweeping turns its a pain in the backside to cart up those bootpacks so find that medium.

Rail riders will always seek that camber and flex that will help them lock in that foot and pop response on tap for comfy spins on and off the rails. If you are just starting to ride rails and boxes the best advice I can give you is De-Tune you’re edges!!! There is nothing worse than taking that new board out for the first time and doing a boardslide to face because the razor edge has collected the paint of the box or rail, its a mistake you only have to make once. Usually you would want a board that is a little shorter than usual, this will make lower speed maneuverability a lot easier. Park all rounders, Rail riders and big booter riders usually use similar gear. When you start to hit jumps 30ft+ you are going to want a board with a bit more length for high speed run ins, less flex for stability and camber that is going to give you more points of contact for take off and landing.

Cat track jibbers are those snowboarders you see rat packing down the family runs hitting features you didn’t even notice as being a possibility. What sets them apart in my opinion is buttering, buttering is a super fun and usually slow method of turning, spinning and pressing on the snow in fluent motion. You guessed it, pump that flex rating up to the roof for these guys. More press – more style.

Boardercross bandits and Speed racers wax their boards once a week (or before each snow trip) and sport longer stiffer snowboards and bindings giving instant response that is vital to either making the corner or shooting off into a fence. Always ride within your capabilities and play with that line between speed and chaos pushing it gradually further and further without putting yourself or others into harms way.

Which one are you?? Once you know what kind of rider you are, research the field and be informed when it comes to, tricks, safety, tech, terrain, gear and of course maintenance specializing in your category.

Here at OzExtreme we are kitted out with the latest in snowboard maintenance equipment and machinery. Getting a wax can be as cheap as $25, we always check over your gear during this process and ensure it will be safe for you’re next trip to the mountains. So come in today and have a chat with one of our factory trained snowboard techs about what we can do for you.

https://whitelines.com/snowboard-gear/set-up-maintenance/how-to-wax-a-snowboard.html  – How to wax a snowboard

https://snowboarding.transworld.net/how-to/how-to-snowboard-tips-how-to-set-up-your-snowboard-bindings/ – How to mount bindings to a snowboard

https://snowboardaddiction.com/blogs/buttering-basics/82536004-basics-of-buttering-step-1 – Basics of Buttering

https://snowboarding.transworld.net/grab-directory/ – Snowboard grab directory

Carrie Ives

OzExtreme Geelong