Six Steps to Maximum Snowboarding Safety
Snowboarding safety tips for everyone - no matter what your skill level
Snowboarding safety is all about staying alive so we can snowboard some more -- doesn't that sound like a GOOD thing for every rider? Snowboarding safety is definitely something we ALL need to think about, probably a lot more often than most of us do!
Snowboarding safety is essentially all about cutting down on the risk of injury -- to yourself and others. Any time you are trying to combine speed with manoeuvering and obstacles, there's potential for troubles!
Here, then, are six steps to maximum snowboarding safety for all of us!
1. Don't try to be a pro when you're only an intermediate rider -- or worse, a beginner. Yes, it's easy to learn to snowboard - almost anyone can have the basics down pat in an afternoon. But it's not quite as easy to know exactly what to do in any given situation, or to have fast reaction times when you need them -- that kind of snowboarding safety will only come in time. So practice, practice, practice -- and don't try to be a hero in the meantime.
2. Pay attention to the rules, the signs and the out-of-bounds markers wherever you go -- every hill and every resort is different, so you need to know the deal each place you ride. Then, once you've learned the boundaries and regulations at each place, RESPECT them, they're there for a reason.
3. Remember that you will often share the powder with skiers, who move differently and have different kinds of abilities than you - be courteous and respectful, and be watching all around you as much as possible during your descent.
4. Make sure that you have all the proper gear and accessories -- and that they all fit you properly.
5. The more you can learn about terrain in general, weather systems and snow patterns, the better equipped for snowboarding safety you'll be. Get stoked about educating yourself!
6. Learn basic first aid before you ever strap on a board, or if you're riding with a group of people, make sure someone in the group has a basic first aid certificate. Although this won't specifically help with snowboarding safety, it'll sure be a comfort when you need it!