Purchasing tips for snowboards for kids, including types, brands, and sizing suggestions.
One error many adults who are not skiers or snowboarders themselves make when purchasing a starter board for their child is to buy a plastic toy board. Snowboards sold in stores next to sleds should be marked that they are for use on sledding hills only. They are not suitable for the slopes. A suitable board's standard construction is fiberglass over a core material with metal edge. Core material refers to the interior part of the board. Most common is a wood core, though foam is used.
Semi directional is a term that is often mentioned when reading descriptions or talking to salespeople about boards. It generally means that the board can be ridden in either direction. Though the graphics on a board may define which way is front or back, there is no wrong way to place the bindings.
Length of board is important. Different guides exist for sizing according to height, but weight of child should also be considered. Generally, a shorter board is good for freestyle, while a longer board is better for snowboarding in lots of fresh powder. Initial sizing recommends that a board's tip should fall somewhere between the child's chin and nose. Weight should also be taken into consideration, with a board reaching the nose for a child that is heavier, or coming to the chin area for a lighter weight child.
As you actually begin shopping for a suitable board for your child, you will be pleasantly surprised with the wide variety of manufacturers who specifically design boards for the youngest ages up to teenagers. Graphics are in as wide a variety as the boards themselves. Both new and late models exist, with huge savings often available if you forego the newest of the new and opt for last years models. Some boards to consider include:
The 2005 Elevation Forward is an excellent choice for children. It is a semi directional board with quality sidewall.
From Lamar comes the Tagger kid's snowboard, featuring biaxial fiberglass on the exterior with a Versaflexâ-¢ Jr. polymer core. This extremely lightweight board allows the smallest rider to learn board control as they become comfortable with boarding itself.
Designed especially for the young female boarder, the 5150 Mini Empress is also made with biaxial fiberglass. It is quoted as a dependable board with forgiving edge control. With a Grom-Flex Coreâ-¢ it has the added flex that many boards lack.
Heelside Hawg kids snowboard features fun graphics combined with a full wood core, tri-ax fiberglass top, and bottom, complete with a full-wrap metal edge. The board also boasts reinforcement of carbon fiber stringers running from tip to tail.
Another board for the girl crowd is the K2 Kandi Snowboard. Graphics that will please any young girl, lightweight, complete tip to tail wood core, quoted as being both durable with a very forgiving flex.
K2 also offers the Mini Zeppelin, scaled for a growing child. Hybritech sidewall construction, pure wood core, stitched biaxial fiberglass laminate, and steel edged provides a board ready to hit the slopes.
Other brand names to consider when shopping for the ultimate snowboard for you child include Burton, Salomon, and Ride. Last, but not least, make sure to add a helmet purchase to whatever style board you ultimately buy, as no snowboard is complete without one.
