Snowboard Bindings Set-Up Guide

1. Goofy Stance vs. Regular Stance

First we will determine which foot is your dominate foot. Your dominate foot is usually the same as your dominate hand. This foot will assist you in steering the board, which is why it will go on the back of the board. If you're still unsure on which foot is your dominate foot, have someone gently push you from behind. Whichever foot you use to catch yourself with first is often times your dominate foot. 

Next, we will move on to determining your stance:

Regular Stance:

• Left foot on the front of the board (foot that will lead down the mountain first)
• Right foot on the back of the board (dominate foot)

Goofy Stance:

• Right foot on the front of the board (foot that will lead down the mountain first)
• Left foot on the back of the board (dominate foot)

2. Stance Width

Your stance width is measured from the middle of your front binding to the middle of your back binding. Stance width is important when figuring out what your riding style is and what feels comfortable to you. The wider your stance is, the more control you'll have over the board and the less likely you are to catch your edge. A narrow stance allows for easier carving and more speed.

Stand on your board and line your feet up with your shoulder width. Now slide your feet out just a tad further than shoulder width. Bend your knees slightly, as if you were riding down the mountain, just to get a feel for the stance width your at. If it feels good enough for a test run, measure the distance between the center of where you would put your bindings.

Here is a chart to help if you're still unsure about your stance width:

Photo Credit: http://snowboarding.about.com

3. Angles

The angle of your bindings is very important. Your angle depends on your body type and personal preference. If your bindings aren't set at the right angle for you, this could potentially make you work harder and hurt your knees. There is a lot of factors to consider when choosing the right angle to set your bindings at. I provided you with a video from Snowboard Pro Camp's Youtube Channel below:

Colorado Resorts

Colorado is known for its gorgeous mountains, mass amounts of snowfall, and for it's many skiing and snowboarding resorts. Colorado has over 20 resorts where you can snowboard down some of the best runs on the freshest powder. Here is a list of the resorts and their websites, along with a trail and/or village map to give you an idea of how much variety Colorado resorts have to offer!

Copper Mountain Resort 

Trail Map: 

Photo Credit: http://www.coppercolorado.com

 Village Map:

Photo Credit: http://www.coppercolorado.com

Aspen Mountain

Winter Map: 

Photo Credit: http://www.aspensnowmass.com

Summer Map: 

Photo Credit: http://www.aspensnowmass.com

Steamboat Springs Resort

Trail Map: 

Photo Credit: http://www.steamboat.com/

Base Area Map: 

Photo Credit: http://www.steamboat.com/

Winter Park Resort

Trail Map: 

Photo Credit: http://spatialdrift.com/

Colorado Ski Country USA can provide you with the many other Colorado resorts.

Shopping Online for Snowboard Gear

Shopping for online for snowboards and snowboarding gear can save you money and time. But sometimes it can be hard to determine which websites are the most reliable and which ones have the best deals. I'll list my top five websites for purchasing snowboarding gear based on my experiences and reviews I have read from other users.

The House - The House board shop is the first place I go to when buying any snowboard gear online. It's a great website, with a lot of variety, at low prices. They have almost every brand you could think of and an abundance of merchandise and gear from every brand. They also keep their prices low and are constantly having sales once new inventory is in. When using this website I almost always sort by brand because they have so many options. They also provide an in-depth review of each product, so you're not buying gear blindly. This is definitely the place to shop at, get product reviews at, and to use as a price comparison with other websites.

DogFunk - DogFunk is a great website for snowboards, snowboard gear, and for other accessories and clothing. They have a lot from every respected brand in snowboarding. They have a lot of extra accessories such as snow pants, coats, gloves, goggles, and helmets. They way they categorize their merchandise makes it easy for the user to find exactly what they're looking for. The website has a great layout, while maintaining simplicity. DogFunk is also a great place to shop online even if you're just looking for a new hoodie or hat.

Evo - Evo is a great website with great merchandise pricing. Their website is sorted into categories by sport, allowing you to find all things snowboarding. I have ordered bindings from them in the past and was impressed with their product and services. While throwing in stickers and other "extras" is a common practice among snowboard companies, Evo threw in stickers and lift ticket discounts for me. It's a great website, easy to use, cheap prices, and good customer service. 

Backcountry - Backcountry is a website that provides gear for all outdoor activities from hiking to skiing and snowboarding. Their website is easy to access and use. You can search by brand, mens/womens, accessories, hiking gear, snow gear, and many other variations of search preferences. They have all their categories sorted for you at the bottom of the page and in the tabs at the top of the page. Although there is a lot of good reviews about Backcountry's customer service, there are quite a few negative reviews. Most of the negative reviews talked about not being able to price match and a lot of complaints about shipping issues. I have never ordered from here but their products seem reliable, their guest service is good, and their prices are fair. The only obvious downside to shopping with Backcountry is shipping and handling issues they seem to have with multiple customers.

Buckmans - I chose this website because I have shopped online through them in the past. I ordered Forum women's snowboard boots because they were cheapest through Buckmans when I compared their prices with the prices of other websites. Buckmans has everything from summer apparel to winter equipment. Their prices are reasonable and they have a lot of online merchandise. They also have a very detail-specific filter tool that the user can use when looking for an exact match on an item. One thing I don't like about the Buckmans website is the layout and the clutter. The homepage has so much going on as far as links and other pages on their website which makes it look cluttered and unorganized. Overall, Buckmans is a reliable and reasonably priced website.

Choosing your Snowboard

Determining what size snowboard best fits you depends on a number of things such as height, weight, personal preference, and numerous other factors. There are a few ways to determine the right board for yourself, but for the sake of time I will explain the most widely accepted way of finding the correct length of snowboard for yourself.

Weight

Weight is probably one of the most important factors to consider when buying a snowboard. Heavier riders often times need a little longer board. If a heavier rider gets a board too short for them, they could have trouble controlling their snowboard at higher speeds.  Lighter riders usually prefer to have a shorter board. If a lighter rider has a board too long for them they could have trouble with turning their board. 

Photo Credit: ski.lovetoknow.com

Height

Another factor that many people look at when choosing the right size board for them is height. Height does matter when thinking about what you prefer as riding style. If you like to ride freestyle and terrain parks are where you spend a majority of your time, you might want to think about getting a slightly smaller board. If you are interested in speed or just want to hit the powder, a slightly longer board might be better. Often times, when "eyeing" the right length of board for oneself, riders will stand the snowboard on end. For shorter snowboards, I would suggest having the end of the snowboard land anywhere from the top of your collarbone to the bottom of your chin. For longer snowboards, the end of the snowboard should fall between your mouth and the top of your head.

Photo Credit: http://blog.sunandski.com/

Other

Height, weight, and preference are only a few things that can be considered when selecting a board. These are some of the more important factors when choosing the right board but there are other pieces to consider when doing an extensive, in-depth snowboard selection. Some of the more detailed factors include the width, ability level, board shape, board profile, flexibility, edge, and other things along these lines. 

If you are looking for a more detailed analysis of which snowboard is the best board for you, check out The House Boardshop for explanations of all these extra factors.

Your POW Playlist

Music sets the tone of each run. Snowboarding without music is an entirely different atmosphere. You hear your snowboard gliding against fresh powder or grinding against iced-over snow patches. But snowboarding with music can change the way you feel about each run. Whether The XX has you wanting to take the easy blue run or Ellie is blaring Burn, making you feel confident about hitting that next kicker.

 What's on your playlist, matters. Different runs call for different songs.

 Here's some songs that I suggest you add to your 

POW Playlist: 

An Unexpected Victory

"Sports are the only thing on TV that is actually reality television"
My dad has said that phrase to me hundreds of times. He's said it to me while we watched the Iowa Hawkeyes defeat LSU in the 2005 Capital One Bowl with a Hail Mary for the last minute, game-winning touchdown. He said it to me as we sat in the Captain Morgan Club at Wrigley field, drinking a Captain and Diet (tall double) as we watched the Cubs. Watching the London 2012 Summer Olympics from our cozy Ozark lake house, he reminded me yet again that this is as real as it gets. And of course, he reminded me about the excitement and reality of all sports as we sat in the Bear River Bar, at the base of Steamboat Mountain, as we watched the March Madness tournament while drinking our Captain and Cokes.
Nothing proves that statement to be more true than the power of an unexpected victory. The Gold going to the athlete that was seen as more of a Silver or Bronze-medal athlete. This is especially relevant as we watch the 2014 Winter Olympic Games, cheering on our old favorites, our new favorites, and the underdog. There are certain events from the 2014 Winter Olympic Games where some of the greatest, and most well-known athletes shocked us with a loss, while the underdog awed us with their Gold medal-worthy performance. Check out some of snowboardings unlikely outcomes from this years Winter Olympics:

Men's Snowboard Slopestyle

Gold: Kotsenburg

Silver: Sandbech

Bronze: McMorris

Photo Credit: http://www.sochi2014.com

One of the favorites in this event was the Canadian snowboarder Mark McMorris.
McMorris is known for landing his massive triple cork in the 2012 X Games.
Two weeks prior to the Winter Olympics McMorris fractured a rib in the 2014 X Games, making his chance at winning Gold in Sochi a little more difficult. 
Follow Mark on Twitter.

Sage Kotsenburg was also a competitor in the Men's snowboard slopestyle.
Kotsenburg was viewed somewhat as an underdog after placing 8th in the qualification round and 2nd in the semifinals.
In the snowboard slopestyle finals, Kotsenburg nabbed the first ever Gold medal in the snowboard slopestyle event as well as the first Gold medal of the 2014 Winter Olympic games.
Check out his medal-winning run here.
Follow Sage on Twitter.

Women's Snowboard Halfpipe

Gold: Farrington

Silver: Bright

Bronze: Clark

Photo Credit: http://www.nbcolympics.com

Kelly Clark is one of the best female snowboarders of all time.
She has placed first in the X Games halfpipe event since 2011.
Sochi 2014 website lists a full player profile as well as Clarks previous victories in snowboarding events.
Clark placed 1st in the Winter Olympics snowboard halfpipe qualifying round only to fall to 3rd place in the halfpipe finals.
Follow Kelly on Twitter.

Kaitlyn Farrington's performance record is an impressive one, but it doesn't quite measure up to Clark's extensive list of 1st place victories.
Sochi 2014 website provides a full list of Farrington's performance profile.
Farrington placed 4th in the Winter Olympics halfpipe qualifying round and 1st in the semifinals.
She claimed Gold in the women's snowboard halfpipe after this run at Sochi.
Follow Kaitlyn on Twitter.

Men's Snowboard Halfpipe

Gold: Iouri Podladtchikov

Silver: Ayumu Hirano

Bronze: Taku Hiroka

Photo Credit: http://nymag.com

Shaun White dropped out of the Men's Snowboard Slopestyle so he could focus on winning the Gold in the snowboard halfpipe event. 

White has claimed halfpipe Gold in both the 2006 and 2011 Winter Olympics. 

It was shocking to many of the viewers when White didn't even reach the podium this year, leaving Sochi empty handed.

Follow Shaun on Twitter.

The Gold went to the right athlete this year, Iouri "IPOD" Podladtchikov, who is not necessarily an underdog, but an athlete that is able to prove himself to the world at the perfect moment. 

IPOD is a well-known snowboarder to most who actually pay attention to the sport.

Iouri actually invented his own trick called the YOLO Flip.

IPOD finished 8th in the halfpipe qualifying round, 1st in the semifinals, and 1st in the finals with this run.

Follow Iouri on Twitter.

Oh yea, did I mention Shaun White is taking time off from snowboarding to start a band? So there's that.

Winter Olympics Rewind

2 days - Winter Olympic Ceremony

3 days - The beginning of Winter Olympic Events in Sochi

With the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi just around the corner, I decided to take a look back to see where the Winter Olympics originally began and how far they have come.

There was once a time when there was no such thing as the Winter Olympics. The original Olympic Games consisted of many events, most of which are still showcased in the Summer Olympics. Soon, a platform to showcase more winter events was created and was rightfully titled the 'Winter Olympic Games. FactMonster provides a historic timeline of where the Winter Olympics originated from and how far it has come. Another, more broad, timeline that points out the major events of all previous Winter Olympics is provided by CNN Sochi 2014. 

Here are a few of the major controversies, scandals, and events that have shaped the Winter Olympics in years past.

Photo Credit: RollingStone, Chris Cole; Bob Martin/ALLSPORT

'The Daily Beast' article on the 1994 Harding, Kerrigan Scandal describes the relationship between Harding and Kerrigan, and the events leading up to the scandal.

Photo Credit: Huffingtonpost, getty images

The Huffington Post talks about the recent, tragic loss of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili in the trials prior to the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games.

Photo Credit: SmashingLists

1980 Winter Olympics and the "Miracle On Ice" was a defining moment for the young USA hockey team. About.com goes into detail about the USA hockey team and the challenges they faced during the Lake Placid Winter Olympics.