Technique Of Waxing A Snowboard

 

How to Wax a Snowboard
By Andrew Cho

 

Waxing is the easiest tuning job for snowboards and offers immediate results. Since wax makes it easier for snowboards to glide over snow, a waxed board will slide faster and turn easier. Waxing also protects the base form the harmful effects of moisture, UV rays, snow contaminants, and dirt.

If you're a recreational snowboard, waxing your board every two or three times you go should do the trick. If you're looking to have the smoothest rides, you can always wax more often. Some spray or wipe-on waxes can be used between wax applications and even when you're on the slopes.

To wax your board, you will need wax, an iron (or waxing machine), a plastic scraper, and a brush.

1) Before waxing your board, make sure that the base is clean.

2) Using an iron, hold a bar of wax against the base of the iron and let the wax drip onto the base. Run a bead of wax along the base without ever letting the iron touch the base. The iron should be hot enough to melt the wax, but not so hot that the wax smokes. (250 degrees Fahrenheit is normal)

3) Once the wax has been applied along the entire length of the base, smooth it out with the iron, being careful not to let the iron stall or touch the plastic base. Spread a thin layer of wax evenly over the entire base.

4) Once the wax has completely cooled, scrape off the excess wax by pushing or pulling the scraper from the tip to the tail. Next, use a soft nylon brush to buff the remaining wax. Brush with small, quick strokes until there are no more little white balls of wax.

5) Finally, polish the base lightly with an abrasive pad that can make riding smoother and more enjoyable. Whatever you do, make sure to scrape excess wax from the steel edges so they can cut into the snow.
FindingSnowboards.com was created with one goal in mind: help snowboarders find the perfect gear. Whether you're looking for snowboards, goggles, or jackets, we'll introduce you to hundreds of products to choose from.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Cho

There are certain very important ideas given in this article, although I knew most of them from snowboard academy tutorials you can still note these ones down.

Buying A Snowboard?

 

How To Buy A Snowboard
By Eric Clemmer

Buying a snowboard can sometimes be a difficult task. Every snowboard company brags how their boards are better for this and that reason. But before you even get to deciding here are a few guide lines on how to buy a snowboard.

Before you buy a snowboard you should know what kind of board you will get for how much you spend. An entry level snowboard will be $150-$250, a mid-range between $250-$450, and a top end snowboard will cost $450 & up. Don't get caught up on how much a snowboard can cost though. I know plenty of good riders who like the entry level boards because they are softer and very flexible which makes them good for jibbing. On the other hand I see a lot of people riding around on top end snowboards and they can't even get off the lift. The point is that the price of a snowboard doesn't always reflect the riders ability.

Most people will tell you a snowboard should measure between your chin and nose. The problem with that rule of thumb is that snowboards don't know how tall you are. They only know how much you weight. You don't want to be a lighter person making turns with a huge board. It will be too difficult and you will end up hating the board. For a lighter person the board should be between the collar bone and chin, an average person between the chin and nose, and for a heavier person the board should measure to the nose and up.

You wanna make sure you don't have toe drag. Toe drag is when your boots extend well past your edges therefore making contact with the snow during turns. You don't want toe drag. Your boots should come to your edges. This will give you maximum control. The best way to check for toe drag is by screwing your bindings on the snowboard and strapping in your boots. Hold up an end at a time and look down the line of the edge and make sure your boots don't hang to far over.

Determining how flexible a snowboard is can also guide you to finding the perfect board . If you are a beginner you don't want a board that is too stiff because it will be harder to turn and less forgiving. A snowboard flexes two ways, from side to side(torsional) and from tip to tail(longitudinal). The more torsional flex the easier it will be to turn. Too little torsional flex and the board will be hard to keep on edge during a turn. You want a balanced flex from tip to tail. If the nose is more flexible than the tail or vice versa there will be an uneven flow between turns.

Knowing how to buy a snowboard involves a little honesty about your skills and knowing what kind of riding you want to do. Other than that follow this snowboard buying guide and you will be well on your way to having a blast with your new snowboard. Good luck and have fun!
You know how to buy a snowboard, now check out the 08' Snowboard Reviews at http://www.bettersnowboarding.com/snowboardreview.html and find the perfect board for you. Plus learn how to get your free copy of How To Tune A Snowboard tune guide at http://www.bettersnowboarding.com/snowboardtuneguide.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eric_Clemmer

 

I tell you what while this article does talks about snow boards review, Mett Belair has an extensive information on it and even know where you can get best deals.

Check out his Snowboarding Academy.