Snowboard Parts:

Here is a complete description of the main parts of the snowboard. The board, boots, and bindings.

The Board Itself:
The board is made up of the topsheet, fiberglass, core materials, and the base. The topsheet is the glossy part on the top that contains the design on the board and protects it in the harsh winter conditions. The fiberglass gives the board strength, allows the board to flex and distributes the weight evenly throughout the board. The core is the backbone of the snowboard. It is what makes the snowboard strong and able to withstand hard pressures when turning and landing. The core is usually made out of wood or some other kind of durable material. The base is made of a material call P-Tex. This material is sanded smooth and flat. A layer of wax is then applied to the bottom of the snowboard. This layer can wear with time so a fresh "waxing" every season is a good idea if you snowboard a lot. If you need your board waxed, we can help you out…click here. P-Tex is clear and can be easily scratched and worn down. On the top of a snowboard there are two sets of holes call inserts, which allow you to adjust the position of your bindings on a board. These inserts have teeth that act like a nut when you attach your bindings. The inserts have two styles: 3D and 4x4. 3D holes have 3 inserts that are shaped a triangle and 4x4 holes are in the shape of a square.

Bindings:
Bindings are the devices that physically connect your boots to the snowboard. Like stated above, the bindings are bolted to the board with screws and placed into the inserts on the board. The part on the bindings called a disc plate has holes to put the screws through in a 3D or 4x4 style. Make sure you get the same disc plate that will fit your board holes. The disc plate has teeth that are located on the outside bottom of the board which help secure the bindings.

There are three main types of bindings: Alpine (race), Step-In, and Traditional. Alpine bindings are designed for hard boots and connect to the toe and heel of the boots. Step-In bindings come in many styles, but the idea is a metal cleat is on the bottom of the boot and there is a hook or some device that locks the boot to the board. These are used by boarders who like to take off quickly from the chair lift. Traditional bindings have two or three straps for direct placement of the boot into the binding; they wrap around and fasten the boot in place.

Boots:
There are three main types of boots: hard boots for race bindings, soft boots for step-in bindings, and soft boots for traditional bindings. Hard boots are a lot like ski boots. They have the same adjustments and buckles. Soft boots for step-in bindings are like traditional binding boots except for the metal cleat on the bottom and they are a lot stiffer for support. Most step-in boots have an external high back so they feel like a traditional binding. Soft boots for traditional bindings look like big moon shoes. They are specifically designed to fit in bindings. Make sure you choose the boot that is the most comfortable because if they don't fit you well, you will be in pain the whole time you are snowboarding, and that is the worst! The most important thing to remember when buy boots is to make sure your heel fits snuggly in the heel cup. This will make your turns quicker and more responsive along with your foot not rubbing and getting blisters. Make sure the boots are tight but not cutting off your blood supply because remember you will be wearing big socks.

Waxing Your Snowboard:

Tools:
-Some sort of cleaner
-Snowboard wax
-A wax scraper
-An iron

If you own these tools, you are ready to start waxing.There are two basic steps to waxing:

1. Cleaning The Board
Lie the board, topsheet down, on a level work surface . Clean the board with the citrus cleaner and a paper towel.

2. Waxing The Board
Before you start the actual waxing part of the board, let it dry!! Ask Mom or Dad for an old iron. Set the iron on low, press the wax against the iron, and the wax will start dripping onto the board. Drip the wax in a long circle from tip to tail.

-Only drip enough wax necessary to cover the base of the board. Tip: the less wax you use, the easier it will be to scrape. Now iron the board... use a circular motion to make sure the wax will spread nicely across the board.

-Keep one hand on the other side of the board to make sure that you're not overheating any section of the board. Once the wax is evenly spread, allow it to dry overnight.

-You should probably do this next thing outside...(if you don't want to spend your spare time picking wax scraps from your floor).

-Stand the board upright and use the scraper to shave the excess wax from the board, scraping from tip to tail…this part is actually kinda fun if you like peeling off sunburns.

-Excess wax will slow you down on the slopes, so scrape it well.

-If you have a structure pad or brush, run it from top to bottom to structure the board.

-After all of this, you’re ready to charge!

Note: If you are not too sure about this whole process and are afraid that you’ll mess up, always let a professional wax your board. To find out about Sun Diego's waxing process just go into any of our Sun Diego locations and an associate will be happy to help you.