If you and your family or friends are planning on a holiday to a ski resort, and you've decided that snowboarding is your choice, then it's best to make sure your gear is sorted first. Buying the correct gear can be the difference between having an enjoyable holiday and feeling cold and wet at the end of the day!
What do you need to start snowboarding?
If you've never been snowboarding before, then you might not want to buy your snowboard and bindings (the clips that attach you to the board) for your first trip. You can rent these at the resort, which is a much more cost-effective way of starting out with this winter sport.
There are different types of snowboard: alpine, freestyle and freeride. Beginners are much more likely to prefer freestyle boards as they're shorter in length which makes them far easier to control.
What do you need to wear on a snowboarding trip?
First of all, you'll need goggles and a helmet – these can be rented from the resort if it's your first time. Wearing sunscreen on your face is also advised to prevent sunburn. To avoid as much heat-loss as possible, it's advised to get a neck warmer, and you should have as many layers as possible. You'll need a base layer, sometimes referred to as your 'thermals', which is a tight-fitting layer that acts as the first base of insulation. Next is the mid-layer which is much less specialised and would be something along the lines of a ski top or fleece. On top of this, you'll need a proper ski jacket and trousers, as well as gloves and mittens.
It's recommended that you take out snowboarding travel insurance for the duration of your holiday to protect your equipment and luggage while you travel.
How much does snowboarding equipment cost?
Snowboarding equipment varies incredibly, depending on the brand you buy and how recently the product was put on sale. Snowboards themselves can range from anything between £70 to £500, while wrist warmers and cheap gloves can come in at £5 whereas proper, insulated gloves can cost you closer to the £60 to £100 mark. The key to finding a cost-effective kit is weighing up your options between renting as much as you can and buying as little.
Is my snowboard covered?
If your snowboarding equipment is lost, stolen or damaged, we can pay you up to £350 in total for your winter sports equipment. We will also pay you £20 per 24 hours up to a maximum of £200 for the hire of replacement winter sports equipment.
Holiday Extras Travel Insurance is sold and administered by Holiday Extras Cover Limited who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under registration number 828848.
Holiday Extras™ is a Trading Name of Holiday Extras Cover Limited
Holiday Extras Travel Insurance is provided by Taurus Insurance Services, an insurance intermediary licenced and authorised in Gibraltar by the Financial Services Commission under Permission Number 5566 and authorised to passport general insurance intermediary services into the UK and registered with the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK under registration number 444830.
The insurance is underwritten by Great Lakes Insurance SE. Great Lakes Insurance SE is a German insurance company with its headquarters at Königinstrasse 107, 80802 Munich. UK Branch office: 10 Fenchurch Avenue, London, EC3M 5BN, company number SE000083. Great Lakes Insurance SE, UK Branch, is authorised and regulated by Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht. Deemed authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority. Firm Reference Number: 769884. Subject to regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority and limited regulation by the Prudential Regulation Authority. Details of the Temporary Permissions Regime, which allows EEA-based firms to operate in the UK for a limited period while seeking full authorisation, are available on the Financial Conduct Authority’s website.