by Janice Lynn Mather Before you take that exhilarating plunge down a snowy slope with your feet locked into place on a small board, you’ll want to make sure you’re well prepared. If you’re new to snowboarding, it’s essential to have top notch snowboarding gear that will leave you free to concentrate on the thrill.

The snowboard is the perfect place to begin your snowboarding gear purchases. As with many adventure sports, you will select your snowboard based on what you hope to do on the slopes. Snowboard types can be divvied up into three categories: freestyles, carving boards, and freerides. A freestyle board is the best choice for a beginner. They are wide, stable, shorter, and lighter to work with. Their structure is more flexible, they are easier to turn, and they are more responsive than other types of snowboards. Need another reason? Ironically, they’re also the best boards for performing tricks and stunts, so if you’re just starting out, but plan to spice things up as soon as you’ve mastered the basics, you can’t go wrong with a freestyle board. Carving boards — also called alpine or racing boards — are at the other end of the spectrum. Their shape is narrower, and they are built for speed. They offer great performance and speed, but are harder to control, making them better suited to more advanced boarders. Also, they are not built for tricks. The freeride or all-mountain board style offers the best of both worlds. This makes it the most popular type of board. Since they are easy to maneuver, beginners can also handle these models. Do bear in mind, though, that they are not as easy to handle as freestyles, although they will offer more speed. Your snowboard will be chosen also on the basis of your height. Board lengths do vary based on style; upright, a freestyle board should come between your shoulders and your chin, while a freeride board should reach between your chin and your eyebrows. Next, you’ll need to select a good pair of snowboarding boots. Once you’re on the slopes, your feet can swell up quite a bit, so be sure to fit a pair of new boots later in the day, when your feet are a bit larger. Try the boots on with thick socks, then try them attached to the board. Shift your body weight around to see how your feet feel in them. Now that you’ve got the snowboarding gear that will get around, you’ll want to make sure you stay comfortable in the process. Snowboarding jackets vary in their durability, how waterproof they are, and how well they ventilate. Jackets made with Gore-Tex will provide good waterproofing. Features like pit-vents will help you to cool down when things get sweaty on the slopes. They’re exactly what they sound like: a zipper under the armpit that you can open up to let some air in. Make sure your jacket allows you to move freely and comfortably. Similarly, you’ll want waterproof and breathable snowboarding pants that’ll keep external moisture away, and let your own self-made dampness evaporate, to keep you comfortable and doubly dry. Websites like BoardZone.com offer pants that are fashionable as well as functional. If standard solid colors seem drab, you can select camouflage prints, stripes, plaids, or unusual hues like mauve or pale aqua, so that while you’re gliding down the mountain, you can look as amazing as you feel.