Snow

Snowboarding Protective Gear - 2024 Guide

Sep 12, 2024

With the rising popularity of snowboarding, more and more people are taking up this sport. Snowboarding is fun and challenging, but safety has become increasingly important. What to wear snowboarding？ Whether a beginner or an experienced snowboarder, wearing proper protective gear is essential to enjoy the sport safely.VECTOR MOTION will introduce you to the common protective gear for snowboarding, such as a snowboard helme t to protect your head from potential falls, and snowboard gloves to keep your hands warm and shielded from the cold, helping you avoid injuries while having fun on the slopes.

We'll guide you through:

The importance of protection while snowboarding
Head protection gear
Body protection gear

The Importance of Protection While Snowboarding

Many snowboarders tend to overlook the importance of protective gear. Proper protective gear, such as helmets, knee pads, and hip protectors, provides comprehensive protection from head to toe. These can effectively reduce the risk of injury from falls or collisions. Wearing the right protective equipment is not only about protecting yourself but also ensuring the safety of others. Understanding the function and usage of this equipment will boost your confidence on the slopes and is a key element in ensuring snowboarding safety.

Head Protection Gear

Helmet: Key to Head Protection

The helmet is a crucial piece of protective equipment in snowboarding. As snowboarding is an extreme sport, the helmet provides essential protection in case of accidental falls. It can effectively reduce the impact on the head, lowering the risk of serious head injuries. In addition to protecting the head, helmets also offer warmth. Keeping the head warm is an important part of preventing body heat loss. Most helmets are designed with insulation to provide warmth for skiers. Moreover, helmets also prevent snow and water from entering.

Weather conditions often change while snowboarding, and the outer shell of helmets typically have waterproof properties, effectively keeping the head dry.

When choosing a helmet, select the right size; a proper fit means the helmet won't easily move and feels comfortable when worn. It's also important to consider the material. Helmets usually have two layers: the outer layer is made of a hard shell material that provides external protection, and the inner layer consists of foam, which absorbs energy during impact, reducing harm to the wearer. When choosing a helmet, ensure it offers comprehensive protection while snowboarding to maximize its protective function.

Goggles: Protecting Eyes and Clear Vision

Due to the reflection from the snow surface, strong ultraviolet (UV) rays can harm the eyes while snowboarding. Wearing goggles can effectively block UV rays and prevent eye damage caused by UV exposure. Goggles not only protect the eyes from UV rays but also help you see clearly while snowboarding and prevent snow or rain from entering your eyes. Harsh weather during snowboarding, such as wind, snow, or hail, can cause injury to the eyes. Since the temperature while skiing can fluctuate, goggles may fog up, so choosing anti-fog goggles is especially important. This prevents fog from obstructing your vision, which could lead to dangerous situations while snowboarding.

Body Protection Gear

Hip Pads: Protecting the Tailbone, Hips, and Thighs

In snowboarding, falls are inevitable. When falling, hip pads can effectively protect the tailbone and hips, preventing fractures or even more severe injuries. During snowboarding, not only can falls cause injuries, but impacts to the sides of the body are also possible. Hip pads significantly reduce the impact on the thighs. Hip pads are particularly important for beginners, as they are more likely to fall.

There are two types of hip pads: external and internal. External hip pads offer excellent waterproof and cold-resistant properties, making them suitable for extended outdoor snowboarding. These pads are designed to be thicker and provide more comprehensive protection, making them ideal for beginners who fall frequently. Internal hip pads, which are worn inside snowboarding pants, are designed to be lightweight, offering convenience, comfort, and flexibility. They are often made of high-density foam, which provides good cushioning without restricting movement. When wearing hip pads, ensure they are securely fixed around the tailbone and hips to avoid shifting or displacement during snowboarding. After snowboarding, regularly check for any wear and tear or aging of the hip pads to ensure they continue to provide effective protection.

Knee Pads: Protecting Knees and Preventing Sprains

Knee injuries can be severe when falling during snowboarding. Knee pads can effectively cushion the impact from falls and protect the knees and surrounding areas from impact or sprains. Knee pads are typically designed to be lightweight, allowing for flexibility while still offering sufficient protection. In addition to protection, knee pads also provide warmth. When choosing knee pads, ensure the size fits properly, with the pads snugly covering the areas above or below the knees without slipping or shifting. Lightweight and breathable materials like neoprene are suitable for everyday protection and light snowboarding, as they offer good breathability without compromising flexibility. Hard shell knee pads made from materials like polycarbonate are ideal for extreme skiers or those with previous knee injuries, as they offer stronger impact protection.

Wrist Guards: Preventing Wrist Injuries

In snowboarding, many beginners instinctively use their hands to break their fall, which can lead to wrist sprains or even fractures. Wrist guards help stabilize the wrist and reduce the pressure on the wrist during falls. When choosing wrist guards, they should fit snugly around the wrist without being too loose or too tight, which could compromise protection. Choosing wrist guards with good breathability to keep the wrists dry is also important, making them comfortable for extended snowboarding sessions. Or you can also opt for snowboarding gloves with wrist guards to provide you with extra adequate protection!

Summary

Snowboarding is an exhilarating sport, but it also comes with certain risks. By wearing protective gear such as helmets, goggles, knee pads, hip pads, and wrist guards, you can significantly reduce the risk of injury. To fully enjoy snowboarding, start by choosing the right protective gear!

FAQ:

Q：Does Protective Snowboard Gear Work?

A: Yes! All of this gear offers protection against the most common snowboarding injuries.

Q: How do you protect yourself when snowboarding?

A: The most important things to protect are the head and the neck. For that, you can choose a ski and snowboard helmet. We also recommend protecting the rest of the body depending on your riding style, such as the back, wrists, knees, hips, and tailbone.

Q: How do I protect my face when snowboarding?

A: One of the best ways to protect your face from the winter cold is by wearing a balaclava. A balaclava is a piece of headwear that covers your entire head, neck, and face—everything but your eyes. They're usually quite form-fitting, so you'll easily be able to fit your helmet over the headwear without any discomfort.