i know how to skateboard and surf, and i’m okay at that 
but i know it’s completely different than snowboarding, but im going to snowboard for the first time later today, could anyone give me some tips or anything that i should know?!
i already started googling and youtubing stuff ahhaha
thanks in advance!
Take a lesson
First thing you want to do is slide across a kitchen floor in your socks, the foot you have in front is goin to be the same on the board. Try to keep the same amount of pressure on both feet on the board. First things first, get used to skating from lift to lift, thats with your front foot in binding and backfoot pushing like a skateboard. Next have your board —– this way facing down the hill and practice what is called side slipping, this is how you stop while snowboarding. Everything else comes once you can stop well. Safety first. Once all this is fine let the hill lead you. Put your front foot facing down the hill and go to one side, once you start to slow going that way it means it’s time to turn let the hill lead you through this its going to take lots of practice but it’s really worth it. Good luck.
Edit: Trevors answer. For a beginner you are pretty keen. Just a few things about your answer.
1. Wrist guards are actually quite dangerous. You should brace falls with your forearms, this protects wrists and doesn’t have as high a chance of breaking your arm or ulna.
2. Don’t let a rental shop pick your board size, it should go by weight and skill, not really by height, which is what every beginner or rental shop guy and most shop rats at stores will tell you. You will hear lots of between your chin and nose and this is not accurate. If you are a beginner you want a directional board (helps with learning to turn) that is no longer than your bottum lip as something to your nose would be very hard for a beginner to handle. Unless you are heavy for your height. Something not too heavy with a bit of flex. If your goig to be riding powder get a bit stiffer, wider board maybe to your top lip or nose depending onyour weight, but this would be once you are intermediate. If your staying on the groomed then something shotter and a tad softer. When you get into park if you decide to, get something to about your collar bone and flex as you can find. Just some general rules of picking boards
and 3. Boot size. They are NOT going to be the same as your shoe size. NEVER. Have your foot measured without shoes on and you are going to be in a boot a half size to a size smaller. The general rule is if your can go smaller do it. I wear an 8-8.5 shoe and a 7 boot. The reason for this is that new boots pack out (expand) half a size to a size when they break in. If you have a boot the same size as your shoe your feet will
a. get cold because of the access room that air is now filling b.your heal will not stay where it should causing heal slip and a less tight fit. You want your boots as tight as possible as general rule.
And c. Danger. It is dangerous to wear boots too big because they impeed movement and slow down the reaction time of your board. PLUS you will have more heal and toe hang which will negatively impact your riding.
One more thing about new boots. When you out try them on, if you stand straight up your toes SHOULD be squished! Crushed in the boots. When you bend your knees and get into riding stance your toe should touch the end of the boot and be squishe a little bit. This is a perfect fit! By two weeks with these boots they will fit like a glove. Wear them a little loose tie the first couple runs and tighten them slowly after every run to break them in quicker an with less pain/discomfort.
Go into a shop and ask the shoppies to fit you for boots. If you happen to live in or near Vancouver go to west coast sports, they are the he’s board shop in town.
Don’t go on the flattest slopes, it’s too hard to learn when you are not moving! ;o) And definitely don’t brace a fall with your hands, you can easily break your arm, take the fall with your butt.
It’s easy to switch edges, don’t go down only on your heel edge like a typical beginner. If you can do a 180º turn while standing, you can switch edges. Just work your back leg and swing it! Good Luck! And just go for it!
- First off all one day wont get yoiu too far, so have some patience.
- bend your knees when turning
- keep equal weight on both feet ( many beginners tend to lean back, which causes falls)
- when doing toeside/heel side keep an athletic stance ( like a soccer goalie)
These tips will help with balance. Balance will be the hardest thing to achieve when starting, you just gootta find it!
Private lessons really help too!
I just started to snowboard this month and I have already been three times, so maybe I am the best one to answer this question. First off Snowboarding is so much fun once you get the hang of it. Your first time out you will fall a lot, and I mean A LOT, but don’t worry that’s usual. You may even get to a point where you will just want to quit because you are getting so frustrated. But don’t! Go out at least three times. The first time you probably will be confused and not understand everything, the second time you begin to get it and the third time you will flying down the hills.
The first couple times rent equipment and then after you have gone out a couple times and realize you love it then you should think about buying your own gear. Renting equipment can sadly be quite costly.
The things you will need which you need to bring yourself are:
-Heavy pair of socks
-Some nice warm waterproof snow pants (you should wear something comfortable underneath your snow pants like pajama pants or something like that)
-A nice heavy waterproof jacket (it doesn’t have to be waterproof but it would be best) You should wear some nice warm clothes underneath that jacket. My jacket has a liner in it so I just wear a t-shirt underneath which is warm enough for me.
-Gloves are a must (preferably waterproof)
-Goggles (if you don’t have any, borrow some from a friend, if you can’t then just bring sun glasses or something to cover your eyes)
-A Neck Warmer
-(optional) wrist guards
Things you can rent are as follows:
-HELMET (FOR THE LOVE OF GOD WEAR A HELMET, this is a must)
-Snowboard (find out if you are regular or goofy, an easy way to do this is put on some slippery socks and slide of a slippery floor, slide like you were in a snowboard stance. Do whatever way feels the most comfortable to you, left foot forward is regular, right foot forward is goofy) Beware some people will tell you to have a friend push you from behind and whatever foot you place forward is the foot you want to put in the front of the board, this does not work. But you probably know if you are regular or goofy cause you have skateboarded and surfed before. And the places I have been they sort out the size of the board for you.
-Snowboard Boots (same size as your shoe size)
-Bindings
Sadly it can be expensive but that is the only way you can try this amazing sport. Look for beginner lift discounts, bring your own food and buy your own equipment once you find out you enjoy the sport for renting can be quite costly. Take some lessons though because I think it would be way to tough to teach yourself the sport. Take lessons from a professional instructor and not one of your friends unless your friends are amazing teachers who have top of the quality snowboarding skills. I never personally thought that I would enjoy it so much but since I have given it a try I love it.
Snowboarding is amazing and it is something I will keep doing for the rest of my life since I am only 17. Go out and have a blast, it’s worth a try.
SNOWBOARDING IS AMAZING!!!
Good luck