So my fiance and I are going snowboarding for the first time (the TX born FL raised guy has never SEEN snow before, I’ve lived in WA and MD before and can handle the snow). I’ve only ever been skiing once…..like 15 years ago but I surf and skate (long boards), any chance that’ll give me a leg up or will I still spend most of the time sliding on my ass? Is a class really worth it? And are there ones for ‘adults’ (I’d feel even more stupid if my ‘instructor’ was younger than me, yes I know there will be 10 year olds doing circles, literally most likely, around me, my ego can take that).
We’re planning to go to Big Bear the beginning of March, anyone been there before? Good time to go, bad? Crowded? Good place for beginners?
Again, we live in So Cal sooo….the warmest thing we own is my letterman jacket from high school and even when I lived in the cold areas I pretty much stuck to sweatshirts and jeans, I’ve been told this won’t cut it (I haven’t lived in a cold area for almost 10 years). I figured nice thick wool socks and a hat…..but beyond that….ok, obviously pants and a coat, but what do we HAVE to have versus what’s nice to have. So do I really need microfiber water proof extra light gold leafed with diamond zippers, or will you’re regular cheap stuff work just as well?
Any reasonable cheap places near by would be great too, the cheapest I found was $90/night, all I need is a bed and a heater to dry my socks on, so cheap is good.
Any other tips more than welcome!
Any mountain out there is a good place to start. They all have small hills and places to learn. As far as clothing goes, waterproof is a must. Being wet all day is 100% miserable. The more you spend on your clothing the warmer and drier you will stay. I recomend going to a board shop and picking up legit riding gear.. idk about accomodations. im only 17 so I dont worry about that when I go snowboarding haha
yea big bear aint bad at all … u gotta stay the weekend if u go tho .. rent a cabin or stay in a hotel … check the weather b4 u head up .. a cpl weeks ago every1 was gettin turned around if they didnt have chains on their tires cuz of all the snowfall we got
if i were u a firsttimer i would get something waterproof definatelly, ure gonna get soaked from all the falling. dont wear wool, cuz the snows gonna get stuck to it n ure gonna be like a walking snowman .. ( not kidding same thing with jeans .. theyre gonna get wet, then freeze and its gonna be uncomfortable and cold .. id definatelly invest in good gear b4 u head out … once u get experienced u can wear sweatshirts all u want … go check out http://www.house.com they got good deals on there for gear. got my 1st set up from there
If you can surf and long board, yes that will definitely give you a decent leg when you start to learn to snowboard. Specifically because you will already have balance, know the basics on how to turn and have experience riding on a board strapped to your feet.
You will fall more than a few times your first time out no matter how much background you have. Taking a class/private snowboard lesson is the best thing you can do. It is the most important thing I recommend to beginners. Spend the money and take a lesson because you WILL be much better after wards and you will progress much faster.
Don’t worry about the age of the instructors (they range from 18-40s) They know you are just learning and it is their job to help you learn, not make you feel uncomfortable or bad because they are younger than you. If you are that worried, take a private lesson because then it is just you and the instructor one on one.
Big Bear is a sweet mountain. It’s busy but not crowded because the mountain is so big so the crowd is spread out. Any mountain is a good place for beginners because they will have designated hills for beginners so you don’t have to worry.
$90/night is probably the cheapest you’ll get for a decent place to stay unless you want to stay in a run-down motel.
As for clothing, it will be hard if you aren’t going to be snowboarding again anytime soon. Typically you will want snowboard goggles ($40-160), a snowboard jacket ($100-400) (check for brands like Ripzone and Columbia for good jackets around $100-140), and snowboarding pants ($50-300) (check out the same brands as jackets), gloves (you will want good waterproof ones because nothing sucks more than wet hands all day, try brands like Dakine, Ripzone for cheaper ones $30-60). Check the weather before you head out and layer accordingly. If it is going to be really cold (-15 C or lower) wear a good thermal shirt and pants and a sweater over top (thermal shirt and pants range from $30-70 ea try brands like Underarmour, 686, Holden, Dakine, Burton).
Make sure the jacket and pants have a rating of at least 10,000mm and 10,000gg (waterproof and breathablity rating). If can go lower if you want but don’t expect to stay completely dry.
Cheap stuff from Wal-mart and other sports stores will be way cheaper but you will soaked after you fall a few times and you will regret it.
I hope this helps and if you have any other questions just email me on my profile. Good luck.