What you wear on your body, hands, head, and feet when you go snowboarding can make the difference between a cold, wet, and miserable day of riding; and a warm, dry, and fun day of riding. What you wear should be functional; and where you ride will dictate what you wear. But, to help you be prepared for all conditions, layer your clothing. The above diagram shows a typical layering system. A layering system traps heat, repels snow and water, and wicks away perspiration. A layering system allows you to add or remove layers to adjust to temperature changes or to your level of activity. The outer layer should be a shell-type jacket or pant that is waterproof and breathable. A shell-type outerlayer will help protect you from the snow and wind. The inner layers trap your body’s heat, and wick away perspiration. It is better to go with a few light inner layers, than one heavy inner layer. A few light inner layers will let you adjust more easily to temperature changes or to your level of activity. To help keep you warmer and dryer the layer that is closes to your skin (like a T-shirt and long underwear) should be made of a synthetic material that can quickly transfer perspiration to the outerlayers. Keeping perspiration away from your skin will help keep you warm. Make sure that all of your layers fit inside each other. The layers should not be tight or restrict your freedom of movement. Also, remember that depending on where you ride these layers can vary. For warmer areas, you can decrease the number of layers. Besides what you wear on your body, what you wear on your hands can affect your day of riding. Always wear a good pair of gloves. Some gloves even have a removable liner, so that on warmer days you can just wear the shell of the glove.

To Prevent Heat Loss Wear a Hat or Beanie Wear Goggles to Protect Your Eyes

You loose a lot of heat through your head. So, remember to wear some type of hat or beanie to cover your head and ears. A neckwarmer is a good idea also. Also, wear goggles to protect your eyes. Goggles will keep the wind out of your eyes, and protect your eyes from the glare of the snow. Sunglasses offer little protection while snowboarding. Sunglasses fall off easily, and fog up. Also, goggles will protect your face better when you fall than sunglasses will. A good pair of socks is also important. It is best to wear snowboard specific socks. Snowboard specific socks are made so that the sock does not bunch up over your instep. Finally, in some parts of the country it is a good idea to wear sunblock. It may not be warm out, but on a clear day the glare from the snow can cause a bad sunburn. Remember to layer your clothing, wear a good pair of gloves, a hat, goggles, and sunblock. All of these things will help you have a warm, dry, and fun day of riding; instead of a cold, wet, and miserable day of riding.