never been skiing/snowboarding need help...
 

okay so I have never been skiing and I'm going to go on wednesday. what things do I need to buy? I'm clueless!

I'm thinking for once I'll take advantage of boxing day sales and pick up everything one would need :concentrate:

eventually I want to start snowboarding with my friends that are regulars. I'm tired of working all the time and need some new hobbies.

:accepted:

You can rent gear, if you don't go very often thats the easier way. Otherwise, you'll need skis, boots, poles. A water resistant winter jacket, snow pants, goggles, toque.

If all ur buddies board, id consider buying snowboarding gear than ski gear. Ans get one of ur buddies to teach u how to board. Itll be alot easier and faster to get the hang of it
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I've never been on a mountain ..

:alone:

i would get a nice jacket/snowpants/goggle/helmet setup
and then rent the equipment (snowboarding is way cooler bra)

i know the money probably isnt a huge concern for you, but there is always used sales of this stuff going on at the beginning of each season you can save pretty huge on

For boarding:

Board, bindings, boots.

Goggles, touque, winter jacket, snow pants, gloves. Under layers (regular clothes) I usually wear long jons and long socks. Also consider a bandana or scarf if your face gets cold.

try getting dri-fit/underarmour type stuff for your first layer.

Ask your buddies to see if they have an extra stuff they can lend you first. If not, then you can rent it.
Purchase your own toque and gloves

The stuff from beginning of each season sucks. Usually ex-rentals thats been used for 4-5 seasons.

I would aim for end-of season...and buy used "high performance" ones. Those are a lot more better bargains.

thanks for the suggestions guys. I don't mind spending the money on some gear. any suggestions on brands. I would prefer buying snowboarding stuff. So shoes what kind? buddy said under armour for first layer. is north face good for snow pants, jacket, gloves etc. or is there another store you guys can recommend??

I don't need to purchase an actual snowboard yet but if specific brands are better then others i might as well buy the good shit now instead of having to replace later on.

as far as snowboarding vs skiing i was told if you haven't gone before go with skiing. if that isn't necessary then I'll stick with going snowboarding.

thanks!!

i never went before last season and i did snowboard for the first time. its so much fun! Would recommend :D a lot harder to learn i've heard , but man oh man is it funn :concentrate:

Ive taught quite a bit of people and I tell them to buy a gloves, goggles, pants and jacket. Rent the board, boots, bindings and helmet your first time. If you see yourself going again. Buy the rest of the gear, even if it's cheap. You won't be able to tell the differnece anyways.
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If you go to the BoardRoom in Van or NVan, they can hook you up with all the gear you need.

i just bought new stuff: board (Forum), bindings (rossignol), boots (Vans), goggles (spy) all from that store for $470. All 50%.
Youll need good gloves, pants, and jacket that you can pick up from there too.

I can't say it enough. Buy good pants. Waterproof ones! You live on the mild west coast. This means wet. Your going to spend a lot of time on your ass. You will get wet! If you can afford gortex, get it. Get a good waterproof coat too, along with gloves. Goggles, helmet doesn't really matter. As for the gear, rent first. See if you like it and go from there.

get ferrari brand, fast and styling :troll:

woob's impromptu guide to snowboarding softgoods (and boots) v0.1

This is all based on personal experience so take everything with a grain of salt. Brands I've recommended are brands I've actually used and are not based on stuff I've just read on some random website by some guy who knows some other guy who has used the gear.

I suggest you spend the most on the equipment that goes the lowest on your body and spend less as you go up (i.e boots>pants>jacket>accessories).

Boots: If your feet feel like shit, I guarantee you will feel like shit as well. Boot fit is really hard to get right and some brands fit differently than others, so try on as many different boots as possible before you buy. I suggest not skimping in the boot department. Invest in some nice socks too. Seriously, treat your feet well.
Brands: Celsius, Vans *but my feet are probably different from yours so try on EVERYTHING

Pants: Some people can ride in jeans, but you're new so you'll probably want pants that are more waterproof than that. You'll probably spend as much time on your ass as your feet. I suggest a minimum 15000mm waterproof rating with fully taped seams to keep your ass dry. Of course if you can spend, a waterproof/breathable membrane like Gore-Tex Pro Shell is top of the line.
Brands: NFA (but they are dead now). Next pair will probably be Airblaster.

Jacket: If you're on a budget, here's where you cheap out. If not, the best product will have an extremely breathable waterproof membrane like Gore-Tex Pro Shell, eVent or Schoeller c_change. And unless you plan on being waste-deep in the powpow you may not even need a waste gaiter/powder skirt. High-end brands that I can't afford (yet) and are both local: Westcomb, Arc'teryx
Brands: Mammut, NFA (again, they are dead)

Base Layer: Anything that wicks moisture and will repel odor. Merino wool, or wool in general, is number one in this category and is very good for temperature management as well. Synthetic polyester blend (polypro) base layers work just as well but will likely start to smell sooner than merino (I'm not a super smelly person so I wouldn't really know).
Brands: no-name brand merino wool, Under Armour, Helly Hansen, Earth (?)

Helmet: May not prevent a concussion, but will definitely prevent your brains from splattering all over the hardpack.
Brands: Bern, K2

Goggles: If it fits, it's fine. When fitting goggles, look for things like a gap in the nose bridge (there shouldn't be one). Also, bigger lens = bigger field of view. Probably obvious but dark lenses (bronze, persimmon, black, red) are for bright days and light lenses (rose, yellow, clear) are for overcast days or night riding. I have one pair for each situation, but if you're only getting one goggle, a persimmon or rose lens with a mirror finish is a good all-rounder. A mirror outer finish will reduce glare. Not all goggles are created equal when it comes to venting and fogging so read some reviews.
Brands: Von Zipper, Spy

Gloves: Whatever fits and grips. Mittens will hold water out better because they have less seams, but you sacrifice dexterity. Gore-Tex/eVent + fully taped are as good as you'll get here. If your hands are too cold, buy some merino or polypro liner gloves from MEC.
Brands: Burton, a friend who is a cat- and heli-ski guide uses work gloves from Home Depot that are not waterproof at all but it's your call.

Random gear and tips:

• I also use an UnderArmour ColdGear hood as my face mask when the weather calls for it. The UA hood is a poly blend, but merino wool works here too.
• Don't place your goggles on your forehead between runs. They WILL fog up and you WILL be annoyed
• Stomp pads look ridiculous and you don't need them
• TRY ON ALL BOOTS
• rent your hardgoods before buying in case you don't even like the sport, but buying a good jacket/pants can be useful for all outdoor activities

Where to buy:

• W. 4th and Burrard are where the ski/board shops are (Comor, Pacific Boarder, Boardroom, Showcase). You'll find hardgoods here, as well as softgoods from brands like Volcom, Burton AK, Airblaster, Grenade, Special Blend, etc.
• Broadway and Columbia are where the outdoor goods stores are (MEC, Valhalla Pure, Europe Bound, Hillsound, etc.). They carry the high end waterproof pants and jackets from brands like The North Face, Arc'teryx, Marmot, Patagonia, Mammut, Westcomb, etc.
• SportChek has deals every now and then, but their product is quite diluted and they tend to stock brands' lower-end gear. Worth a look is they have sales on but def not my #1 stop.
• North Shore Ski and Board on Lonsdale in North Van has treated me well. There's also another Boardroom a few block north of it on Lonsdale.

Make sure you do get the basic outerwear before you hit the slopes.

Another place you can always check out is Comor (like Woob said) on East Hastings and Boundary, West 4th or North Vancouver. They are having a boxing day sale tomorrow, but I'm not sure how much of a "sale" there will be. The website is Comor. Go Play Outside

wow that was so much fun.

my gf hated it and to be honest the first time down the mountain i was asking myself wtf am i doing here. the 2nd time was fun. the 3rd time was a blast.

went to blackcomb by the way. thanks for the tips. how does cypress compare to blackcomb?

Nice! Good to see more people enjoying the mountains. If you're already hooked, consider planning a short weekend trip out to the Rockies. Fernie/Panorama, or Sunshine/Lake Louise have had ridiculous conditions lately.

I'm surprised noone has mentioned MEC. They have a good selection in gear, outerwear and it's of decent quality. If you haven't already, invest in a good helmet. As inexpensive as they are, there isn't really an excuse not to wear one. Yesterday at Sunshine, >90% of the people out there were wearing them (from newbs to where we were on the backside), so it's not a fashion faux pas or a sign of weakness.

I was at Seymour on Tuesday, preventable.ca was giving out $40 off coupons for helmets at pacific boarder.
Picking one up for sure
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I lent my friend (who just started boarding) my volleyball knee pads. I used them when I went on my first few times boarding. It helped me and my buddy I guess if you like borrow or get a pair :)