I’m sure most of you when skiing or snowboarding like to listen to music when out on the slopes. I always take my iPod with me where ever I go and love using it whilst snowboarding. Recently though, I’ve started to become slightly concerned about potentially damaging my iPod if I fall over whilst snowboarding. I decided I needed to purchase a cheap, durable mp3 player, so that I could take that on the slopes instead and not risk damaging my iPod.

When searching for cheap mp3 players I stumbled upon this snowboarding shop website, www.bigairsnowboarding.co.uk which sold exactly what I was looking for. This site sold great mp3 players in their snowboarding accessories section, so I bought one of their mp3s.

I also noticed that they sold headphones which wrapped around your ears, www.bigairsnowboarding.co.uk/snowboarding_accessories/mp3-headphones.html I thought these were pretty handy because my headphones always fall out of my ears when snowboarding, so I also purchased a pair of headphones from the site. I highly recommend you take a look at the website if you intend to buy any snowboarding equipment.

Here are some cool snowboarding videos my friends created teaching snowboarding tricks. Take a look at them and see if you can learn the techniques to carry out these tricks yourself.

Frontside Tailslide

360

Shifty

If you want to practise your skiing and snowboarding skills a good place to do this is at Xscape in Castleford. Xscape is an indoor dry ski slope and it provides a great range of activities for every level of skier or snowboarder to take part in.

I frequently visit Xscape during the ski season break. I find that sometimes when skiing again after the season break I am a bit rusty. Going to Xscape allows me to maintain my level of performance and saves me from having to waste time adjusting to skiing again when I go on holiday to ski resorts.

My friend Will Wood whose website is www.multitudemedia.co.uk kindly let me use a video review of the Xscape indoor dry ski slope. The video will show you what the dry ski slope at Xscape looks like and will give you an idea of the different activities you can participate in.

It is important when skiing to wear comfortable, well fitting warm clothing which are suitable for snow activities. Some skiing beginners can make the mistake of wearing clothing which causes overheating. It is best to avoid wearing thick clothing which can restrict movement. Being able to move about freely is paramount when skiing.

The best method to use when wearing ski clothing is to dress in layers,

1) Wicking underwear
2) A ski turtle neck
3) A fleece or wool sweater
4) A windproof water resistant jacket

Ski socks

The ski socks you should be wearing should be designed specifically for ski boots so that they fit comfortably to the shape of your feet and boots. Wool and cotton ski socks are suitable, but you should try and avoid ski socks with raised patterns as this can lead to discomfort.

Sunglasses

An excellent pair of sunglasses is essential when skiing. Snow is an extremely reflective surface, and light from the sun can cause damage to your eyes. Domestic sunglasses should not be worn whilst skiing. Those kinds of sunglasses are not designed to filter out large amounts of UV B rays. Specially designed skiing sunglasses should be purchased from ski shops.

Ski Bindings

Modern bindings now provide skiers with a high degree of security. It is extremely important to keep your ski bindings well looked after and maintained. By doing this they will perform as they are suppose to.

You should make sure that qualified ski professionals check and service your ski bindings annually. If your ski bindings are out of date it is vital that you replace them as soon as possible. This will hopefully prevent you from injuring yourself if you fall over.

When purchasing ski bindings it is important that you know how to use your bindings before you leave the store.

Ski Poles

Ski poles are a simple piece of equipment. When purchasing ski poles, the types of poles you should go for should be based on your budget and overall ability.

Expensive ski poles are usually used by expert skiers. They provide great balance and are extremely light. Beginners should purchase ski poles which are cheap. Cheap models tend to bend back much easier and absorb more of the impact if you fall over.

When buying ski poles you should make sure the grip feels comfortable in your hands.

There are skis available to suit every type of skier, whether you are a first timer who moves very slowly, to more advanced skiers who are confident at doing high speeds.

Skis are categorized into 3 groups. Each group has a letter assigned to it and these letters are usually found on the binding area off the ski.

The letters for each category are

1) L – for beginners and slow skiers.

2) A – for intermediates who are capable at managing moderate slopes at medium speeds.

3) S – for advanced skiers.

It is very important to avoid purchasing skis which are cheap. You may be tempted to find bargains and save money. Cheap skis tend to be poor quality and suffer from wear and tear. When purchasing skis you should stick to well known brands. Ski shop personnel should be able to advice you on correct ski lengths and models for you to purchase.

Renting before buying is a good idea. In most cases ski shops will deduct a day’s rental charge from the price if you later decide to buy the skis.

If you already own skis and are storing them away during the season break you should check them before you use them again. You will need to make sure your skis have a clean running surface, are rust free and are fully waxed before using them on the slopes.

Well maintained skis are important for your own safety and control.

Wearing perfectly fitted ski boots is extremely important. Poorly fitted or sized ski boots can leave your feet feeling painful, sore and cold. This can result in your time on the slopes being a complete misery.

Making sure you choose the correct ski boots will provide you with excellent comfort and control.

As explained earlier I advice that you begin by renting your ski boots. When you eventually move onto buying your own ski boots make sure you purchase them from a specialized ski shop, as this will guarantee you a great fit.

When renting your ski boots it makes sense to rent them from ski shops located around ski resorts. Specialists who work at these shops will be able to provide you with excellent advice and if you do find that the ski boots you’re wearing aren’t right for you, the specialists will be able to see fresh pressure or stress marks on your feet and suggest better ski boots for you.

If you start to feel pain in your feet when skiing caused by poorly fitted ski boots it is important that you stop skiing immediately. Inadequately fitted ski boots can lead to injuries in the feet which can take weeks to recover from.

How to shop for a Ski Boot

1) Only purchase your ski boots from qualified skiing personnel working at ski shops.

2) Make sure you visit the ski store when you and the store staff are not in a hurry. A lot of time needs to be put into the purchase of ski boots, so expect to stay in the store for an hour or two making sure your ski boots fit and are comfortable around the pressure points on your feet.

3) Once you find the ski boots you’d like to buy, keep them on your feet for about half an hour before purchasing. Walk around in them to make sure they fit correctly. You could possible shop around for other items of ski equipment whilst wearing the ski boots. Wearing the boots for a short period of time will highlight any problems the boots may cause you if they don’t fit properly.

Purchasing ski equipment is an investment. Making sure you choose high quality skiing equipment will make your experience on the slopes more enjoyable and fun.

If you are a skiing beginner, it is advisable that you don’t get caught into the trap of buying the most expensive ski gear and equipment. Expensive ski equipment is not always the best option for beginners to purchase.

Ski equipment in top price ranges are typically designed for expert skiers and it can often be the case that skiing beginners wont fully benefit from all the features those types of equipment have to offer.

Instead it is a good idea for beginners to rent skiing equipment rather than buy. Most ski resorts provide ski shops which allow you to rent equipment. If you are a skiing beginner renting ski equipment will allow you to try the sport and give you an idea about whether you like it. Renting will also allow you to sample different types of skiing equipment and allow you to choose the best equipment suited for you.

If you decide skiing is for you and after renting, have identified the most suitable equipment that you need, you can go ahead and invest in your own skiing equipment.

This blog will hopefully be useful for new time skiers and snowboarders. I wanted to create a blog so that beginners could gain quality relevant advice on snowboarding and skiing. I’ll be inlcuding in my blog advice on purchasing ski and snowboarding equipment and places where first time skiers or snowboarders can visit in order to practise and develop their skills before hitting the slopes.