www.snowboard-women.com

When it comes to dressing for snowboarding, it’s all about the layers. If you don’t wear enough layers, you’ll be too cold. If you wear no layers, and just a bunch of bulky clothes, you’ll be too hot because you won’t have anything to take off. So here’s some basic advice on what to wear & how to dress in layers on the mountain.

1. First, you need a base layer to provide the initial layer of insulation and to wick sweat away from your body while you ride. The base layer is usually snug-fitting (not super tight) thermal pants or tops made of a polyester blend, or a layer of silk long underwear.

Recommended base layer items:

• Shirt: Under Armour Base 1.0 Long Underwear Crew
• Pants: Hot Chillys MTF3000 AM Baselayer Long Underwear Pant

2. On top of your base layer, comes your insulating layer. This is a thicker layer which plays the biggest role in keeping you warm. This layer is typically fleece or wool for warmth. I typically go with a fleece zip-up vest over the base layer, or if it’s really cold, a long-sleeve fleece. Then, fleece pants, or another pair of thermal pants on top of some silks.

Recommended insulating layer items:

• Vest: Women’s Furnace Vest
• Long Sleeve: Columbia Colter Bay Fleece Hoodie
  
• Pants: Under Armour All Season Gear Fleece Pant

3. Next, on top of the insulating layer, is the protective layer. This layer is your outer layer - pants and jacket, usually made of a waterproof and windproof material. I won’t list recommendations because your choice of jacket & pant is highly personal, but look for both a jacket and pants with a lot of pockets, gaiters in the waist and the ankle to keep out snow, and a hot color combo that you won’t get sick of after 1 season.

• Shop for a jacket and pants in the Women’s Snowboard & Gear shop at The-House.com.
  

4. Capping off your day on the mountain should be these other items, for warmth (and in some cases, additional safety)…

• Beanie or Helmet (your choice of color & style. just make sure to buy ASTM rated F2040 helmets)
• Face Mask w/ Neck Warmer: I recommend & wear the Seirus Neofleece Combo Scarf
• A nice warm pair of mittens
• Goggles (again, a personal preference so no reco’s here)
• Snowboarding socks - I wear Wigwam Wigwam wool-blend socks
• Hand and foot warmers to stash inside your mittens or boots - they last for hours!

Some other advice:

• Do not wear jeans on the hill. They just get soggy.
• Same goes for cotton socks. Wool blend are better.
• If it’s really cold you might be tempted to wear a scarf. Not a good idea… you could get it caught on the chairlift when you get off, I’ve seen it happen! Use a close fitting Seirus face mask/neck warmer combo or just a fuzzy neck gaiter instead.
• It’s better to be too warm than too cold… you can always take layers off at the lodge and put them in a locker. But if you forget items at the condo and you’re too cold on the hill? Well, either stay cold or buy more stuff in the lodge (ugh, that’s how you end up with 5 face masks!)

For a handy, more comprehensive list of what to pack, you can also check out our downloadable PDF of a snowboard trip packing list for women.

In honor of last week’s National Ski Area Safety Awareness Week, might be a good time to highlight a rad ladies snowboarding helmet we saw at the Mountain Riders snowboard shop in Whistler.

Here is Jessie modeling the Bern Baker Snowboard Helmet w/ Red Plaid Liner. We thought this helmet was so cute - both functional (um, protecting our brains!) as well as practical - it came with a very cute removable plaid liner with fleece on the inside. The fleece helps to wick sweat away when you’re riding, and I’m sure it’s also very warm on those cold cold days! And we liked the low profile, close-to-the-head plastic protective outer shell.

I’m a big advocate of wearing a helmet in general, not because I ride crazy and do the superpipe or jumps and stuff, but more because you just never know when some dumbass is going to run into you and who knows what will happen.

Want more safety tips about snowboarding?

• Remember the Skiers/Snowboarders Awareness Code - respect your fellow riders and skiers first and foremost!
• If you ride trees, keep these Tree Well Safety Tips in mind from Shayboarder
• Check out this recent article in The Coloradoan for more good tips and some stats about injuries from skiing/boarding

My personal guiding principles for riding: just te safe out there - wear protective gear, always ride within your abilities and above all, please don’t be a dumbass.

Feeling the need for your own helmet? Get your shop on… check out all the snowboard helmets available at Snowshack.com

This weekend I had the opportunity to try out my new women’s Burton Lexa Snowboard Bindings. It was a cold weekend in Mammoth, with packed-powder and somewhat icy conditions at times.

These Lexa bindings were my first pair of toe-cap bindings, and what a huge difference this style made! Previously I was using a really cheap pair of bindings which just strapped over the bridge of my foot.

The toe-cap style works a little differently. It securely holds your boot into the binding, with a combination of pressure two ways: against the top of the boot and towards the back of the boot. This results in your boot’s heel being held in place and less of a chance of your heel to lift up during toe-side turns. (You may also find you don’t have to tie the boots quite so tightly, a definite bonus!)

I found that the toe-cap bindings made my board a lot more responsive during turns because of the better contact they gave my boot to the board. And this was a huge bonus on the icy, packed powder conditions this past weekend. I have yet to see how they perform in the powder, because I usually don’t have a too much of a problem with turns/control in powder.

As for comfort, the Lexa bindings offer a wide cushion across the top-most strap for a more even distribution of the strap’s pressure against your foot, resulting in better comfort over the course of a day riding.

The buckles are easy to tighten and loosen, although you do have to be careful on the toe-cap because at least for me buckle “skipped” as I tightened it - it felt a little loose at the connections. I’ll have to ask the guys at the Burton store if this is normal.

Being Burtons, they will fit most effectively from what I understand with other Burton boots (even older ones - my Sapphires are 4 years old.) These bindings also will work on any board - the plate comes with a hole configuration that works for 4-screw and 3-screw boards.

All in all, I’m very happy I made the investment ($180) for these Lexa bindings - made a huge improvement in my riding, they’re very comfortable with lots of padding on the straps, and are easy to adjust and fit. And they’re cute, too - white with pink, yellow, and blue stripes and cute Louis Vuitton-style insignias on the highback section. And, they were fairly light; didn’t add a lot of weight to my setup. Buy some today!

Wahoo! The 2008 snowboarding season is officially in high gear. With me and the crew headed there this weekend (Jan. 18-21), here are some special tips for women for what to pack for your upcoming snowboarding trip.

Now this ain’t your standard list, because there are special considerations for the mountain weather and us girls’ comfort on the hill and out at night. Download this list when you’re packing for your next snowboarding trip and you’ll be glad to have these little creature comforts to make your days and nights in the cold that much better. Plus, it may help you remember things you usually forget!

• What To Pack on a Women’s Snowboarding Trip (89k)

Did I forget anything? Let me know!

Back when I first started snowboarding, I used to wear what I thought were pretty warm gloves. Having grown up on the East Coast though, I know that mittens are by far much warmer than gloves (because your fingers are all mooshed together and they keep warmer that way.) And after days of freezing fingers, I wanted something much warmer on the hill!

So yeah, I saw the light and began wearing mittens. But sometimes mittens are just so cumbersome! Sometimes you want the dexterity of having separate fingers, but the warmth of mittens.

Well I have the solution for you! These Women’s Toaster Softy Mitts
are perfect - I first discovered them in Vail 3 years ago.

I picked up a pair myself in Whistler last week to replace my old ones. Here’s how they work:

You slip your fingers into the glove inner-liner…

that goes inside the outer waterproof mitten part…

Which you can then unzip on the side…

and access your four separate fingers when you need them to restrap your bindings, open your backpack, take a picture, unscrew your flask, etc.

These snowboarding gloves are the best! They keep you warm, AND give you the option to have more dexterity for detailed tasks without taking off your gloves. Plus, you can use the zipper to slip Hand Warmers right in next to your fingers - to keep even warmer!

Want to keep your hands warm while snowboarding? Go and get a pair of these; you won’t be sorry (and you won’t be cold!) Women’s Toaster Softy Mitts

Did you know that Shoes.com sells snowboard boots online? There is a really decent selection (30 styles) on their site, good brands, and prices seem reasonable. I haven’t been in the market for new boots for a while (I’m gonna wear these Burtons till the soles come off dammit, they fit me so well!) but if you need some new gear, and know what you want to buy, then head here. And a secret tip - I’m a KCRW member and they offer a 15% off discount to members at this URL which I’ll share with ya:

http://www.shoes.com/kcrw

Go here to activate the discount and then do a search for “womens snowboard boots” to bring you to their full assortment of boots. And while you’re at it, you should consider becoming a KCRW member too, to take advantage of all their other discounts, and support this awesome public radio station at the same time!

The only thing is about buying boots online, it’s so important for boots to fit you perfectly, that you should be sure of what you’re getting. If you were so inclined, you could go try different pairs on at a brick & mortar store, decide on a model/size that works for you, then head here to get a sweet discount. Shoes.com also offers free shipping & returns (like Zappos.com, my other favorite online shoe store) so it’s a good deal all around.

The holidays are here and it’s time to go shopping for the snowboarders in your life! Here are my recommendations for some gifts sure to make them happier on the hill. I think for more pricey, and arguably more “personal” things like jackets, pants, and helmet, it’s better for the snowboarder to pick those out themselves. Otherwise, you can help them to accessorize during and after riding, while keeping warm and looking good, with the items below.

The good news is, you don’t even have to leave your chair for the hell of the mall - just click on the link and it’ll take you right to the specific snowboarding product page on Amazon. I’ll even break down the prices, in case you’re feeling a little Scroogey.

Stocking Stuffers - Inexpensive/under $20

• Knee pads - these are key for protection for any beginner. I even still wear them for those hard falls!
• Burt’s Bees Hand Repair Kit - in the cold mountain air, our hands get really dry and chapped! She can use this repair kit to refresh & moisturize rough hands.
• Nixon Acrylic Beanie - great for apres-ski. Can just stuff it in a jacket and throw it on after a session on the mountain. Very cute from Nixon.
• SmartWool Snowboarding Socks - I have a pair or two of SmartWool socks myself. A good value, and warm.
• Wrist Protectors - very important for helping prevent wrist injuries.

Snowboarding Stuff for $20-$50

• Box of Hot Hands Handwarmers or Toastie Toes Foot Warmers - essential for keeping warm on the hill! Each box contains 40 pairs.
• Velvet Flurry goggles - these are adorable, in a tortoise shell pattern, but also offer key features for anti-fogging and improved vision.
• Volcom Knit Beanie w/ Visor - this beanie is cute, in the visor style with thick knitted yarn.
• Leather Thinsulate-Lined Gloves - she will need gloves for when she goes out on the town later that night! These will keep her warm with thinsulate lining.
• Multicolor Striped Wool Scarf - in keeping with the “keep warm at night” theme, check out this cute striped scarf - super long for great wrap-ability and a unique striped color pattern.
• Columbia Fleece Vest - Perfect for layering. And you can’t go wrong with Columbia outdoor products!

Splurges on Snowboard Gear - $50 and up

• DaKine Snowboard Mittens w/ Removable Liner & room for handwarmers - these are looking pretty sweet. Favorite feature: you can insert a handwarmer right into the mitten, so key!
• Wheeled Snowboard Travel Bag - the wheels are great for getting through the airport smoothly, and this bag features over 7000 cubic inches of storage space. Perfect for fitting in all the snowboard gear she needs.
• Grandoe “Knockout” Snowboard Mittens - I liked that these look like boxing gloves, cute! Available in white, pink, or black.
• Garmin eTrex Personal GPS - now this is cool for the backcountry boarder in your life - she’ll never get lost. Also fun for tracking trips to the mountains and to see where you went snowboarding through the day.

Still stumped? How about these other ideas:

• Buy a gift certificate for snowboarding lessons
• Buy a gift card for a new snowboarding outfit she can choose herself
• Provide inspiration with any of these Snowboarding videos

Now, go! There’s only 14 shopping days till Christmas! (and only 9 left to order from Amazon!)

Good quality snowboarding gear is essential on the mountain for keeping you warm, safe, and riding your best. From head to toe, these are things you should keep in mind as you outfit yourself for a day on the mountain.

• Goggles. Of utmost importance is a good pair of snowboarding goggles. The best ones help to improve your vision on the snow by reducing glare from reflected sun, or by making it easier to judge bumps/dips in the snow as you ride along. Not to mention, they prevent the chilly wind from chapping your delicate eyeballs! I kid. Seriously though, I’d recommend a pair that has multiple colored lenses that you can switch out dependent on the sun and snow conditions. Rose snowboard goggle lenses are best for bright sunny days, amber lenses are good for cloud cover, and clear lenses are good if it is downright gloomy or if you go night snowboarding. I personally have one of each pair because it’s kind of what I’ve collected over the years. And your goggles must be fog-free - it sucks when you’re up there getting all a-fogged. Carry a fog cloth with you. One more thing… you could also consider polarized lenses in your snowboard goggles to really improve your vision on the mountain. (Note: Sunglasses for snowboarding are OK, but don’t cut the wind very well, and I would not recommend them.)
• Helmet. People hate wearing them because, yes, they do look dorky, but it comes down to the age-old “well, would you rather look like a dork, or be able to count to 10 when you wake up in the morning?” Helmets are necessary for protection… not so much for yourself if you’re not running around jumping off tabletops and half-pipes, but for those other idiots (yes, I said it) who are out of control on the mountain. You never know when you’re sitting down taking a rest at the side of a run, and some asshole runs you over. I’ve seen it happen… anyways… When buying a helmet, get the salesperson to advise you on the fit. It should be snug but not insanely tight like a motorcycle helmet. You may also consider getting one with vents, if you think you’ll get too hot. Sometimes you can buy one with the ability to remove the insulation so you can wear a beanie under the protective shell. In addition, some helmets also have special slots for putting your iPod headphones in.
• Gloves or mittens. Your ten little fingers will get mighty cold up there if you have poor quality protection! Invest in a good pair of gloves or mittens to keep warm. I prefer mittens because they keep your fingers warmer, but some people like the dexterity of having gloves on. Either way, get ones that are lightweight with a well-insulating material like Thinsulate, yet very warm, and have a waterproof exterior such as Gore-tex. My favorites are the gloves-inside-mittens that I bought in Vail… these keep your fingers in individual fleece “casings” inside a double-insulated waterproof mitten which zips and unzips when you need to use your fingers (e.g. when strapping in, taking a picture, answering your cell phone, etc.)
• Snowboarding Jacket. Now, girls, we all like to look good on the mountain, but the looking good has to be paired with functionality. (put your rule about stiletto heels on hold for a moment here.) Luckily, most jackets nowadays are super-stylish, but have the key functions that we need, such as warmth, waterproofing, and lots of pockets. Based on your own individual tolerance for cold, as well as weather conditions where you most often ride, you’ll have to decide for yourself just how warm of a jacket to buy. You may just want a shell with only light insulation. Or you may want to get a fully-lined, highly insulated jacket with a hood and a removable additional liner. There are tons of options, but the core functions are what I mentioned above (warm, waterproof, pockets.) Up to you on the hood - I don’t like them because they restrict my peripheral vision too much. In addition, you’ll want one with a gaitor that snaps around your hips to keep snow from plowing up your back and down your pants when you fall.
• Snowboard pants.The core features in your jacket are also considerations for your pants. Waterproofing is the key here. They should also have a snug gaitor which tucks over the outside of your boots to keep snow and wetness out. Many pants nowadays are sold with padding on the knees and butt built-in. If you’re a beginner snowboarder, this protective layer could prove helpful.
• Boots. The best boots are warm, fit well, and have many options for customizing the tightness. Good boots will usually have an inner liner that is able to be separately tightened from the external waterproof part. You’ll want to ensure that you are able to tighten the boots to your desired level, so that your heel doesn’t rise too far off the floor of the boot when you rock onto your toes - this is no good, and will result in a feeling of lost control when you’re making turns on the mountain. Again, get a good salesperson to advise you on the fit.
• Fleece and/or long underwear. These items are really more of a personal preference… some people find fleece to be too warm, and some people find “long johns” or silk underwear too cold. The key is to find pieces that are streamlined enough so that they still fit well under your outer layers. Wear multiple layers so you can remove pieces if you get too warm. Remember, it’s always better to be too warm than too cold - you can always take clothes off & stash them in your locker, but it’s not too easy to run all the way back to your condo for more clothes!
• Socks. I hate when my feet get cold, don’t you? Tingling toes is not a good feeling! For this reason, get nice warm socks of wool and/or thinsulate that are specifically made for snowboarding - these will have extra padding in the pressure points inside your boot, like at the top of your foot and the back of your heel. However, socks, regardless of their high-tech-insulation, don’t always keep your toesies 100% warm when you’re at 10,000 feet and it’s 20 degrees out. Therefore, I ALWAYS recommend putting in some of those toe-warmers before you head out… they work like a charm!

Now get out there and ride safe and warm!