Everything You’ll Need for Your First Snowboard Season

Everything you’ll need for your first snowboard season!

Snowboard Gear for Rookies

Last year, I was debating if snowboarding was worth the hype. I couldn’t shake the image of a bunch of old white dudes cheersing at the ski resorts. In the US, it didn’t seem like the most inclusive or fun sport. It was super expensive and I never wanted to invest in it. Something really irked me about it, but it wasn’t until I tried a full ski season and invested in the experience until I understood the magic of ski season. 

I tried skiing one time with a friend in Vermont, wearing all of her family’s old clothes. One of my other friends taught me the basics but I didn’t have enough power on the bunny slope. Then, I had TOO much power on the beginner slope. I wasn’t a fan. But I wanted to give it another go, this time snowboarding! 

I came to New Zealand with only a summer wardrobe, so to say I was unprepared is an understatement. “Let’s do this as cheap as possible,” we thought in the most backpacker tone. “I would never spend hundreds of dollars on ski clothes,” I thought to myself. Oh boy was I wrong… I did end up investing in the sport after I absolutely fell in love with it. Snowboarding might be one of the closest feelings to flying. 

If you’re anything like me, thinking about the start-up costs of ski season probably gives you a massive headache. It is not cheap. It is going to be a big investment. I found every dollar I spent on ski season to be 100% worth it. But hopefully I can help introduce you to some ways to your first snowboard season without breaking the bank.

• Table of Contents
• Shopping for Your First Snowboard Season on a Budget
• Your Guide to Your First Snowboard Season Outfit
  • Snowboard Socks
  • Base Layers: Pants and Top
  • Pants or Bib or Onesie
  • Hoodie or Mid-Layers
  • Waterproof Layer or Jacket
  • Sports Bra
  • Comfortable Underwear
  • Beanie, Sunglasses, Hat
• First Snowboard Season Gear
  • Goggles
  • Helmet
  • Gloves
  • Snowboard and Bindings
• You’re Ready to Shred!

Shopping for Your First Snowboard Season on A Budget

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• You don’t need to go on a massive shopping spree and buy everything brand new! There are a shocking amount of people who buy everything brand new and injure themselves on the first few days of the season. You can collect higher quality gear as you need it, rather than fully investing from the beginning. 
  • Try out different styles of clothing to determine what is most comfortable. 
  • There are great ways to save money like getting stuff from thrift shops, sales, and buying in the off season. My favorite resource is SnowInn.com.  

Your Guide to Your First Snowboard Season Outfit

All of these recommendations are for your comfort and safety. As you progress, you can pick and choose which pieces of gear you’re willing to spend a little more on, or a little less on. If you’ve never done a ski season, you won’t know what you like and how you’d prefer your clothes to fall. Some people like baggy sweatshirts while others like tight fitting jackets. Some people like bibs, while others like pants.  

Snowboard Socks 

You’ll need these to keep your toes warm and to stop you from getting blisters. Long thick socks will do. There are light-weight, mid-weight, and compression. I happily wore mid-weight socks all season. Snowboarders generally wear thicker ones and skiers wear thinner ones. New socks cost around $20.

Base Layers: Pants and Top

Thermals are especially useful because you can shed off outer layers depending on your temperature. To start the season, it’s common to just chuck on an old pair of leggings / under armour paired with a wool or synthetic top. 

I first set off in a pair of leggings and an athletic top under my ski suit. Later in the season, I bought the cheapest base layers available from MacPac. This season I may invest in some sleeker thermals, like those from Mons Royale. IceBreaker is another good option! 

Some materials are more conducive to sweat and easily washable while others stiffen over time or have shorter lives. So this depends on your budget and commitment to snowboarding.

If you have the extra cash, you won’t go wrong investing in comfortable, athletic, and high quality base layers because it will make the experience more pleasurable. But if you’re looking to save, this is something you can probably compromise on. Base layers cost around $50 for a cheaper set and up to $100 per item for longer-lasting ones. 

Pants or Bib or Onesie 

Although you technically could wear anything from leggings to sweatpants to jeans, wearing waterproof pants is ideal because you’re going to be doing a lot of falling. 

Snowboard waterproof pants are great because they will keep you warm and dry. I personally love my bib because it stops snow from getting in my pants. One-pieces are also sick, but can be hot and sweaty for spring riding. Pants start around $100, bibs start closer to $200, and onesies start at $250. Tipsy Elves have some legendary retro ski suits!

Retro ski suit anyone? I thought it would be the most epic idea to grab a retro-ski onesie for my first season. Pros: I looked awesome and felt confident. Cons: It was too hot, I couldn’t layer with it, the fabric was from 1980 and the entire suit was falling apart. Do I regret it? Not one bit.

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One thing to watch out for with the ski suits: comfort over fashion every time! Make sure you get a suit that doesn’t just look cool, that is flexible stretchy material too! I was so happy with the comfort and ease of having a ski suit, that after my retro suit ripped I got a Volcom bib from SnowInn.com.

Hoodie or Mid-Layers 

Grab any fleece, hoodie or sweater lying around that will keep you warm and that you don’t mind breaking a sweat in. Once you get a little more addicted to the mountain, one of the most epic items of snowboard clothing must be the waterproof hoodie.

Waterproof Layer or Jacket

Like pants, you’ll see people shredding in all sorts of outerwear. A waterproof layer or classic ski coat can be a big upfront cost. You can either thrift one, rent it, grab a friend’s old coat, buy one new, or get one on sale. I would make sure this layer has a hood just in case your neck gets cold. My biggest tip would be not to get a waterproof layer that’s too big because it’ll be much too much extra fabric slowing you down. If something lays nicely against your body, you’ll be able to soar down much faster! Waterproof jackets start around $200 and waterproof layers start at $50 for the most basic model.

Sports Bra 

The lowdown: Most girls probably have a sports bra that would be appropriate. The better at snowboarding you get, the more support you’ll need. You’re bound to sweat with all that falling and standing up! For this, it’s whatever you’re comfortable in.

Comfortable Underwear 

I find that bikini-style underwear are the most comfortable to snowboard in. Other people prefer other styles but I find it’s almost like another layer to keep you warm so you definitely want some coverage. The last thing you want on the mountain is for your underwear to be uncomfortable because it takes precious time to fix it.

Beanie, Sunglasses, Hat

Because the snow is so reflective, it can sometimes be blinding when you take off your goggles. I think having a hat or sunglasses on hand would not be a bad shout! For your first few days, why not bring it all up with you and figure out if you prefer to wear a hat or beanie to hide your helmet hair, or if you prefer sunnies to shield your eyes from the harsh sunlight.

I’ve had my Ray Bans for over 9 years and they’ve lasted through dropping them, losing them, and bringing them up the ski fields.

First Snowboard Season Gear

If you’re visiting for a short ski holiday, chances are, you can rent all of this gear so you don’t have to carry it on a plane or in your luggage. But if it’s your first snowboard season, it might be worth buying your gear secondhand or renting for the season. When it comes to your outfit, there’s lots of flexibility, but with your gear, you really have to make sure it is solid or you could risk serious injury.

Goggles

I wouldn’t say you need the most high-tech goggles to begin with. But if you’re in a blizzard or the temperature changes drastically, it can be very hard to see out of the wrong type of goggles. Usually, goggles have multiple lenses for different types of weather. I used just one pair with only one lens last season – a UV pair meant for sunny days. It did the job but I had some close-calls on shady, dark days where I couldn’t see a thing. Goggles can be an area to save money, but if you’re keen to splash out, Smith does some epic and durable ones with 2 lenses. These start at just $20 and range all the way to $200.

Helmet

Your helmet is the most important item of gear because it is protecting your one-and-only brain. Don’t get distracted by all of the riders who think they’re too good for helmets. Getting paralyzed for life or getting a fatal injury to the head is definitely not worth it. Make sure your helmet fits nice and snug, it is adjustable, comfortable and lies correctly on your head. I went through 3 helmets last season. It is worth all the money in the world to keep you, you! Smith also has some good choices ranging from $60-$200.

It could be worth it to get a helmet with MIPS: Multi-directional Impact Protect System, which reduces motion to the brain.

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Gloves

Gloves are essential. I’ve definitely had a few days where I forgot my gloves and I learned very quickly, you can’t snowboard without them. Not only do they keep your hands nice and toasty, but they prevent you from getting scratches on your hands when you fall. Some people prefer gloves with fingers like me, while others wear mittens. You can find these secondhand for as cheap as $10 and new from $20.

Snowboard and Bindings

Your first snowboard isn’t going to matter much. I wouldn’t focus on the qualities of the board because you may not know what you like yet. Pretty much any board will do, unless it’s too heavy, old or completely falling apart. I rode on a 20+ year-old board all of last season and still managed to ride in powder, do board grabs and hit jumps.

You can get a used board secondhand for as little as $50 and new ones are upwards of $400. I would check with shops in your local area about rental deals for the season. Halfway through the season if your preferences change, you can probably sell your board on Facebook Marketplace and swap for a new one.

You’re Ready to Shred!

CONGRATS, you’re fully prepared to crush your first snowboard season. Now it’s time for the hard part… actually learning to board.

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Disclosure: At no extra cost to you, I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.