What do I wear to go snowboarding?

Question

I am from Florida so I am clueless about how to dress for Wyoming in Jan.
Any brands, places to buy them online, etc. would be helpful!

I am going to Targhee and Big Sky (MT), and yes, I know it's cold that time of year, and yes, I am very set on going there!

Answer 1

Aido says some good stuff but I must disagree with the Walmart comment.

Do NOT buy anything from Walmart when looking for Snowboarding gear. Have you ever heard the saying, "You get what you pay for"? Well that is very true when it comes to winter clothing and ski gear. While I'm not saying that you need to buy the most expensive brand name stuff on the market, I am saying that you should buy things from reputable companies.

Most ski/snowboard outer layers are rated as to their waterproofness and breathability. You will see ratings like 10,000mm's waterproof and a breathability of 10,000g. To make it simple, the higher the number the more waterproof or breathable it is. The cheap stuff at Walmart isn't even rated. And the bare minimum, in my opinion, is a waterproof rating of 5,000 mm's. Also, some garments are waterproof because of a coating like scotch guard called a DWR (durable water repellant) coating applied to the fabric. Now, while all waterproof coats have a DWR coating the cheap coats ONLY have this and in my opinion a DWR coating alone isn't enough. Look for pants and jackets that are laminated with a waterproof fabric. You can find great, inexpensive clothing items from Columbia and The North Face. If price isn't an issue or you plan on snowboarding alot go for something made with Gore-Tex as it's the best waterproof laminate around but we're talking $300 minium for a jacket and $200 minimum for pants.

Being in Florida you may find it difficult to find a large selection so check out online retailers as they may have good deals this time of year.

Aido's advice on layers is great but keep in mind that you never want a layer of cotton next to your skin. Cotten is the worst insulator as it absorbs water and then it looses 60% of its insulating qualities when it's wet. Long underwear made with advanced wicking materials allows the water to pass through it and evaporate keeping you warm and dry. The same goes with socks....never use cotten. A good set of thin to medium weight wool socks should do you right.

Don't forget the sun glasses (or goggles if it's snowing) as the sun out on the hill can be very intense. And always bring along some sunscreen as you can get some serious sun burns even in the middle of winter.

Have fun

Answer 2

Layer, breath-ability and convertibility are the most important thing for clothes. You'll need some nice snowboarding socks (I like 32) because they have extra material to pad where you need it. Make sure that all base layer stuff is synthetic or a synthetic wool mix. Cotton will not wick away moisture so at the end of the day you will be a sweaty mess. As far as convertibility look for a jacket that has a shell that can zip off of the insulated layer. I'm not to sure about this actual jacket but this is the type of thing you need. http://www.backcountry.com/store/SES0022/c11/s20/686-Smarty-Argyle-Jacket-Mens.html
The reason you need this is because weather can change and this allows more flexibility. Plus you can where the inner layer out after boarding. You may be able to get pants that have a removable layer. Those are nice too. Also zipper or Velcro vents are important.

As for where to by try backcountry.com, rei.com or the-house.com.
Backcountry also has an outlet you can find on their site so you can get sales. REI is nice because if you have one near you then you can have them ship stuff to that store for free. That way you can actually order many sizes and return what doesn't fit for free.

Have fun

Answer 3

The most important thing to do is to dress in LAYERS, Then your clothing can be bought anywhere.

what you need is thermal underwear, long johns, and long sleeved vest. Then a t-shirt and sweater all covered by a pair of water/wind proof jacktet and pants.

The jacket and pants are very difficult to choose depending on what you want to spend, look like, feel.

What I normally wear is just my hiking jacket as it is waterproof and wind proof and very light which gives me lots of movement. However most snowboarders look on this as being uncool because it isn't a custom made jacket. However it is easier to add another sweater underneath if I get cold and in March or April i can wear it on its own with no sweater underneath.

For me the best thing you can get is a pair of propper snowboarding pants as these are loose and baggy a la skate style. They are insulated with a waterproof shell to keep you warm and dry. also pants with vents in the thighs are useful. you can get quite hot boarding and freeze on lifts. Similarly vents in the armpits of a jacket are good too.

As for brands you don't need anything more than Walmart unless you are fashion conscious.Then you need a kick up the butt and should donate the difference in price to charity.

Get proper thin thermal socks, available in the resort the day you arrive as thin socks give you better connection with your boots and therefore better response. Ask another question about why boots are so important.

Gloves should be Warm and waterproof again. I recommend mittens with a glove liner and then possibly a thin silk liner again inside that

A light woollen or acrylic hat with a thin band on the forehead for good contact with your goggles, too thick and the top edge of your goggles won't fit on your face properly.

Thermals should be made of polypropelene. t-shirt and sweater can be cotton in necessary Fleece is better. Outer layers should not be cotton under any circumstances as when it gets wet it has no insulating power anymore.

This might all sound complicated but it isn't so long as you remember the layers bit.

Decathlon.fr is a great store for top quality gear at low prices, but probably wouldn't be worth it after you factor in the shipping prices to the US. It will give you an idea of what to look for though.

Enjoy yourself

Adrian

Answer 4

The last three suggestions are all great, so I'm not gonna add too much to that stuff. You may not realize it, but most of your body heat escapes through your head, so a top quality helmet (preferred) or hat is a good suggestion.

Then, you may want to know that Jackson is one of the coldest ski resorts in America. Are you set on Jackson? Good alternatives are Snowbird or Taos, both warmer with good terrain. Jackson is freeeezing many days of the year due to its' altitude and exposure.

Answer 5

buy, Burton, Rome, Westbeach, Wesc, Jeenyus, DC, Mission 6, M16, Nixon, Vans, Four Square, ....................there my reccomendations and just search for them in google or yahoo

Answer 6

Anything with lots of padding

Answer 7

Nah, just your swimming trunks will work fine....