Information and articles for everyone who is passionate about sport or wants to get fit.
Buying the Perfect Women's Snowboard
Buying the Perfect Women's Snowboard
by Mayoor Patel
More women are getting interested in snowboarding. As a sport
that does not require a great deal of upper body strength, and
the fact that snowboarding provides an excellent cardiovascular
workout, it is a lot of fun and very healthy for both genders.
However, the equipment is not designed to be a uniform fit for
males and females alike. If you are in the market for a quality
women's snowboard, there are several factors you should keep in
mind.
One of the most basic differences between snowboard manufactured
for women is that they are different in the width of the board
itself. The deciding factor here is the obvious differences in
the width of the male foot from that of the female foot. Smaller
feet need a more narrow board in order to allow the rider to
have optimum control of the snowboard. A good rule of thumb is
to see how your foot rests on the surface of the board. If your
toes or heels do not come near the edge of the board, then you
know it is too wide. Choosing a board that is too wide for your
feet will result in a decreased ability to maneuver, especially
when it comes to making a turn.
Once the width has been addressed, turn your attention to the
length of the snowboard. As a general rule, the ideal length of
the board should correspond to the height of the intended rider.
To get an idea of whether a board is the correct length, stand
the board on end and see how close the overall length comes to
the chin. A board of approximately that length will be fine if
you plan on participating in park or pipe snowboarding. If
carving or freeriding is your intention, then the board should
be a little longer, coming up to approximately between the cheek
and eye level.
One last factor to address is the flex of the board. Your body
mass will come into play here. If you are lighter, then you will
need a board that is slightly more flexible. You can test the
flex factor of the board by pressing against the board along
toward the middle. Just remember that the greater the weight
load, the less flex you need in the snowboard.
Sporting goods shops will carry a vast array of snowboards, each
with various combinations of these essential elements. Since
women, just like men, come is all heights, weights, and shoe
sizes, it is important to try out several boards until you find
the one that most closely will meet your needs. Do not allow
yourself to be directed toward any one board that is promoted as
being a good fit for any woman. With a little effort, you can
find the perfect women's snowboard for you.
Copyright 2006 Mayoor Patel.
For vital information on all things concerned with snowboarding
visit Snowboarding.