# How was your very first snowboarding experience?



## travis.rice.fan (Sep 20, 2010)

AirBender said:


> A general question, but please do be specific.
> 
> What age were you?
> What got you interested (or who)?
> ...


1. It was Christmas day and I was 17
2. I was a skier but always wanted to snowboard
3. Camelback PA
4. Girlfriend
5. I had a beat up Burton with clicker bindings. Now I ride a GNU Carbon Credit

First time, I caught in edge and broke my wrist.  My best advice is therefore to wear wrist guards for the first couple times you go, and RIDE WITH CLOSED FISTS.  Resist the urge to put your hands out when you fall, and let your body take the brunt. 
Also, I watched a lot of the youtube videos before going and I feel like they drastically improved my first day performance. I never took a lesson, but I feel like I did alright without them.


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## basso4735 (Nov 27, 2010)

I was 12 years old, went to a local ski "hill", rode a World Industries Board with 5150 bindings and boots . Woke up the next morning and had to skip school since I could barely move my muscles and I ached all over.


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## notter123 (Nov 11, 2010)

1) I was 17
2) I loved wakeboarding and always wanted to try snowboarding just never had the money then i got an early xmas present fromthe girlfriend who bought me my current board, a burton indie and i bought the bindings, boots and everything else an went the day before xmas last year and after that i was at the hill 4 nights a week and usually 1 4 hour day on the weekend and 1 six hour day!
3)it was at a little shit hole of a place in london ontario, 140 vert feet of nothingness, (no thats not the bunny hill)
4)i went with a couple buddies and my girlfriend
5)preferences havent changed since ive only ridden 1 board and been to like 3 differen hills

Advice:stick with it, as much as i fell and slammed my back and but against that hard pack, it was worth it, ater one grueling 8 hour day (btw dont do that your first time either) i could make it all the way down the hill, without falling and one of my buddies even gave me 5 bucks cuz i attempted a little 2 foot kicker!


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## Toecutter (Oct 11, 2009)

What age were you? 19

What got you interested (or who)? I can't recall a specific person that far back (it was 1986) but this snowboard doohicky was new and exciting.

Where was the location? Breckenridge, CO

Who did you go with? I went with a coworker

What brand was your first board (rental/bought) and how much did your preferences changed since then? I rented a Kemper (my coworker rented a Sims) and I borrowed a friend's Sorels, three sizes too big for my feet.

We went on a lark, without knowing the first thing about technique. It was an icy, hardpack day and we pretty much fell on our asses the entire way down. The day didn't last very long since we spent as much time falling as we did riding. The next day I couldn't even get out of bed and called in sick for the first time ever. My coworker figured I would be at work, since I never missed a day, and he was painfully surprised I wasn't there. He could barely move, and our other coworkers spent the day poking and prodding at his sore muscles. Ouch!


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## JeffreyCH (Nov 21, 2009)

1) I was 37. Wish I would have started sooner
2) I went to cure my wakeboarding jones, now I like snow better
3) Monarch resort near Salida Co.
4) 3 of my brothers, one has been skiing since he was like 12, the other 2 had been riding for a couple years. It's kind of funny that my 2 brothers that ride are still green/blue runners and I'm bombing blacks lol.
5) Burton rental of some sort. Bought my own set up at the start of last year and took the whole thing more seriously. (K2, Ride, Van's)

It was awkward at first because of my wake background, once I figured out to shift my weight forward and not back I got pretty comfortable. I went from bunny hill to normal greens and some blues with only a couple days under my belt.


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## JRosco (Sep 27, 2010)

What age were you? I was 18 and fresh off ski's
What got you interested (or who)? I don't think just seeing people boaring made me wanna do it
Where was the location at? Angel Fire, NM
Who did you go with (if it mattered)? My best friend at the time. 

I remember wanting to go take my rental back and trade them back for a pair of ski's, but I stuck it out and haven't looked back. My wrist's hust something terrible by the time the day was over.


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## AngryHugo (Oct 8, 2009)

What age were you? 25-ish...? mid 90's
What got you interested (or who) the bike shop I raced for at the time also sold snowboards. figured "what the hell"
Where was the location at? Blue Mountain in PA
Who did you go with (if it mattered)? bunch of people from the shop
What brand was your first board (rental/bought) and how much did your preferences changed since then? bought a Division 23 board and bindings (out of business now, but it was a decent board then)

I just remember going at night, and the entire mountain was a sheet of ice. I had a skateboarding background and couldn't get the idea of getting on edge (keeping the entire base on the snow = keeping all four wheels on the ground). Needless to say, my hands were so feeble, I could barely hold the steering wheel going home.


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## arsenic0 (Nov 11, 2008)

AirBender said:


> A general question, but please do be specific.
> 
> What age were you?
> What got you interested (or who)?
> ...


Winter '03 i believe, I didn't start till late, 23.
A buddy of mine was going up and taking some of his family up to teach as well.
We went to Skibowl and used their newbie area, made me realize later how much rope tows cause me to rage.
He tried teaching us some things, but some of his female relatives are the "prissy" type so he spent most of the time with them to keep them from complaining about this or that.
Later that season(or next?) i bought a new shitty LTD Peak 151 board(which i still own) from Play it Again Sports for like 180 bucks, some Burton Hail's and Burton Mission bindings.

Wish i knew then what i know now buying gear, boards specifically as i got ripped off pretty bad looking back lol.

Although i still really like Burton boots and bindings. Although ill look more at other brands this next time i get new ones, but my 09 Cartel's i got a few years back are still doing great.

My advice for any beginner. Dont have your friends teach you. Pay the 30-50 bucks or whatever and take a class from a proper instructor.


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## mikemounlio (Oct 6, 2010)

1. 22
2. Xgames
3. indiana
4. A POS
5. Rental. Now i ride an Elan Inverse with Bent Metal bindings and cheap burton boots


My 1st time down the hill i blacked out and broke some ribs. It was the best time ever tho. 

To all the new guys just start slow. Go step by step.


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## oneshot (Oct 8, 2010)

age: 16 (37 now)
stevens pass wa.
sims switchblade
I grew up in Sunnyvale, California couple blocks from the original Sessions surf and skate shop.. got my 1st skate there, i used to hang out and watch video's, one day they got some snowboards in and some video's and the infatuation began. soon after i moved to washington, bought a board, put the ski's in the closet and never looked back.


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## AirBender (Dec 3, 2010)

travis.rice.fan said:


> First time, I caught in edge and broke my wrist.  My best advice is therefore to wear wrist guards for the first couple times you go, and RIDE WITH CLOSED FISTS.  Resist the urge to put your hands out when you fall, and let your body take the brunt.
> Also, I watched a lot of the youtube videos before going and I feel like they drastically improved my first day performance. I never took a lesson, but I feel like I did alright without them.


Ouch! Thanks for the advice! Read somewhere that broken wrists are the most common accidents with snowboarding.  Already did the YouTubing. :laugh: And to be frank, it's what got me interested in it. I know no one that does it personally, no one that knows anything about it, at least not close by.



notter123 said:


> Advice: stick with it, as much as i fell and slammed my back and but against that hard pack, it was worth it.


Oh, I plan to! Assuming nothing worse happens during my first time. :laugh:



arsenic0 said:


> Wish i knew then what i know now buying gear, boards specifically as i got ripped off pretty bad looking back lol.
> 
> Although i still really like Burton boots and bindings. Although ill look more at other brands this next time i get new ones, but my 09 Cartel's i got a few years back are still doing great.
> 
> My advice for any beginner. Dont have your friends teach you. Pay the 30-50 bucks or whatever and take a class from a proper instructor.


Ehhh... Just one small problem... I doubt there are any instructors around here. And I don't have anyone to go with that knows a little more than I do, either... :laugh: The hill/slope that was built here is quite new (they finished cutting the trees and building everything about last year) and the city is pretty small. Aaaand... despite that, I really really want to try it out. I'm hoping I'll meet someone more experienced up there and that I won't be entirely alone. :laugh:
I also haven't seen any shops that sell snowboards around, but I saw this advertisement sign about someone renting them, so I'll just go with that for now. If I really like it, I'll maybe go to a neighbouring city and check a shop from there.

Thank you for all your replies so far everyone!  Reading about first experiences is really interesting (and sometimes funny, I admit). Hope mine won't be plain either! (if there even is such thing as "plain" regarding snowboarding :laugh: )


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## InfiniteEclipse (Jan 2, 2009)

What age were you? 13-14
What got you interested (or who)? School trip
Where was the location at? Mt. Saint Louis 
Who did you go with (if it mattered)? Friends/School
What brand was your first board (rental/bought) and how much did your preferences changed since then? Rental/Burton

It hurt. Everything hurt. I never liked the cold. Body ached for a couple days because I would gun it down and throw/roll myself to stop, often colliding at top speeds with my buddy, at times intentionally. Went only a handful of times after that, mostly because of the money, 2 hour ride to get there (no one to drive us) and I thought it was a vacation type of deal. 

Soon I came to my senses, made it a "seasonal" thing, befriended the cold, made my own money and grabbed decent equipment. The sport becomes magical when your boots aren't always wet, when they fit right and when the board isn't holding you back... it helps to go on two consecutive days for once (at least) so you can actually improve. And I can go by my own schedule, get up at 5am, come back by 2am... wouldn't trade it for the world


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## JoeR (Oct 30, 2010)

How was it? Awful! I reported on the experience in excruciating detail years ago on Usenet, back when the now-dead snowboarding group was still lively. Anyone interested can check out the archives:
Our snowboarding misadventure at Seven Springs - rec.skiing.snowboard | Google Groups


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

What age were you? 51
What got you interested (or who)? Watching the snowboarders.
Where was the location at? Seymour
Who did you go with (if it mattered)? My daughter was taking ski lessons and I was standing around.
What brand was your first board (rental/bought) and how much did your preferences changed since then? 
First board was a Morrow Lithium. Second was a K2 Brigade. Third and fourth are a Ride Havoc and a Never Summer Heritage. Apparently my tastes are getting pricier.

Also, what you think was the most challenging aspect for (and maybe after?) the first experience for you.
The fact that I didn't bother to take lessons, and didn't know anybody who already boards. Really REALLY self-taught. In retrospect, a mistake.

And maybe add one main advice you would personally offer a beginer (learnt from personal experience). 
take a freakin' lesson!


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## rodgerdodger (Oct 13, 2010)

AirBender said:


> A general question, but please do be specific.
> 
> What age were you?
> What got you interested (or who)?
> ...


18
The other guys who lived in my dorm in college
Meadows @ Mt Hood
Borrowed my roomate's burton 156

Didn't take a lesson, but figured it out on my first run down. I managed to get myself a concussion at the very end of a long first day by catching my back edge. I use a helmet now.


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## john doe (Nov 6, 2009)

25 years old.
My best friend
Hidden Valley in St. Louis 
My best friend
rentals 5150 board with Head boots and Head quick adjust bindings

Got some advice from the magic carpet jocky that was correct but out of context lead to disaster. After a few hours of fustration I caught heel edge and found my self flying backwards through the air. I landed and smacked my head and had to use all my will not to pass out. When I tried to release my bindings I realized my right shoulder didn't work. I walked the 100 yards back to the lodge before I noticed my glasses were missing. By some miracle a guy managed to find my glasses after I had been searching for over 5 minutes. Never went to doctor for my shoulder but it took a year to get back to mostly normal and my clavicle now has a weird point on it.


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## Halborr (Oct 5, 2009)

I was maybe 11 or 12, I had been skiing for a couple years (going 3 or 4 times a year) and wanted to try out snowboarding, with which I was well acquainted because I was (and still am, although admittedly I haven't progressed a ton since then- I'm 17 now, lol) a skateboarder and had seen it in the X-Games and played snowboarding video games.

We (my family) went either to Chestnut "Mountain" (Galena, IL) or Sundown (Dubuque, IA). I remember taking a lesson at Sundown*, but it might have been my second trip on a snowboard. I went between skiing and boarding for a few years, depending on what I felt like that day. I gave up skiing.

The first board I ever rode on was a resort-branded (not even joking, no brand name on the board) with step-in bindings. I didn't ride strap bindings until 2008-ish, when we went up to Afton Alps in MN (I freaking love that place, but it's a 2-day trip to go there comfortably, so I have to wait until my family wants to go) I saw that the rental guys had strap bindings behind the counter and asked if they rented them out. They did, and it was a blast- I had _no_ idea how different it was. I instantly decided I was never going to ride clickers (as I now know the nickname) again, and pleaded my parents to buy me a board. They did (my parents are awesome), the package deal at Scheel's Sports (don't laugh... I don't think there's a real boardshop within 200 miles of us) which was a Burton Clash, Customs, and Tribute boots. I still ride that exact setup, and I must say, except for the boots being too big (my fault) and the salesman using the old system of height for a board (he put my then-125-lb-self [135 now] on a 155 cm board), I actually like the setup quite a bit, even if it does make me look like a Burton whore. :dunno:

At first when I bought the board, all I wanted to do was bomb the hill and straight-line it as fast as possible down the hill. Now I'm more into park/all-mountain freestyle/soul carving (although not really that much fun on groomers- no pow in the midwest).

*On my first (and only, I think. I don't recall any others) lesson, the thing I remember most about it was there were 6 or 7 people in our group, not including the instructor. Except for the instructor, I was the only guy there, and I was the only person under approximately 16 years old. Because of this, I got to ride the chairlift with him, and I remember he was a really cool guy. It sticks out in my memory, and sometimes it reminds me that there are genuinely nice and chill people out snowboarding.

I hated those clickers because every time I wanted to put my foot in I had to sit down and scrape out the packed-in-snow-that-had-turned-to-ice-from-me-trying-to-mash-my-foot-in-there. At least Chestnut, I don't know about Sundown, only got rid of their clickers last year. We're way, WAY, behind it seems.


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## Magnum626 (Dec 31, 2009)

What age were you? Hmmm I think 20 or 21, this was back in 93 or 94. There was like 6 of us and we did a weekend trip. I must say we were really good at partying the night we got there and really bad with the lessons the next morning. I always wanted to try snowboarding since I saw the first burton in an issue of Freestylin' magazine in 87 or 88. 

We went to Hunter mtn in the catskills. It seemed like the instructor was a bit lazy as well just teaching us how to hop up the hill and how to glide down with one foot strapped in. Then teaching falling leaf and basically telling us to try going down the mountain...lol

So after the first day only 2 out of us 6 got the hang of it and continued the next day. Looking back at it I realized I was trying way way way too hard to snowboard. I was using so much energy trying to stand, bend, edge, lean. I was too sore and partied too hard to try the next day. I went again the next season and tried 3 days in a row finally getting it on my 3rd day after figuring out how to relax and go edge to edge. I was still scared to go toeside though.

First board was a hand me down morrow board with k2 clickers that would get stuck on every flat. I don't think it ever had wax and had pine sap stuck all over the bottom instead. My first board I bought was ride timeless in 155 with k2 clicker bindings and boots. 98-00 me and the same friends had a house for two seasons where my riding improved getting 25+days in a season.

I still recommend a lesson, try to find a good group to go with who wants to have fun on the mountain. Don't party too hard the night before either, the falls mixed with a hangover can be the most painful thing. When I see people learning, I don't miss that part at all. The artificial confidence of going down the hill then catching an edge and doing a yard sale...LOL


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## ev13wt (Nov 22, 2010)

12 - 33 now
I windsurf and skiing was easy and boring, the had snowboard rentals and I begged my dad to try it.
Tahoe.
Parents and bros
Sims rental

Self taught, slammed many times so my spine cracked up to the neck every time. Got the hang of it, watched other kids do a jump, tried that on the 3rd day, slammed my hip. Haunts me to this day.

Tips: Protective gear and lessons.


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## SimonB (Oct 13, 2010)

I was around 10-11 so around 1989-90. I got a Black Snow Mogul Monster. It was a blue piece of plastic, 125 cm long with rubber straps. I must have seen it in some department store catalog. The thing costed about 50$. At that time, I didn't know snowboarding was a real sport and that it existed in ski resorts, so I just used it on neighbourhood hills.

Nobody else I knew had one, so I pretty much was on my own. Had lot of fun though!!

Couple years after I got a Black Snow Edge, with steel edges, as the name implies. I could ride that to the local resort (snowboards were allowed on 2 runs...) Then I started being serious about snowboarding and got "real" boards.


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## Shocktroop531 (Aug 3, 2010)

probably about ten or so years ago at blue mountain in Pennsylvania. I remember being so beat up and bruised at the end of the day I felt like fucking hell. Every part of my body hurt like never before. I also remember riding those shitty ass rental boards with step in bindings. and riding without goggles and stopping to wipe away tears every 30 seconds. haha. good times.


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## InfiniteEclipse (Jan 2, 2009)

It's amazing how most of us got our asses handed to us our first day, and yet, we chose to come back and take another beating. I remember when I first linked turns... I think it was as exciting or greater than the pleasure of loosing the virginity


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

My first day on the mountain, first day on a snowboard, I was tripping on mushrooms. True story.


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## shifty00 (Oct 17, 2010)

1. I was 17
2. I was a skier (since about 7) but always wanted to snowboard
3. seven springs PA
4. Girlfriend/high school ski club
5. I had some rental with click in bindings hahaha

First time, I caught my back edge, went to brace my fall and broke my wrist in 3 places. But it gets better... I didn't even make it to a lift. I was riding the bunny tow rope hill till I felt cozy then headed to the lift, about 20 feet from the lift I went down. Good ol ICE coast is not forgiving. Then after that I stuck to skis and just started again in 2007 when I was living in Washington and got to see what real mountains/powder/backcountry are (damn I miss them)and in 2 seasons I advanced further than I was at with skis. Now there is no way I would ever go back, I caught on really fast I think for never even skateboarding or surfing (BMX son). I do think I should take some lessons one day though as I am sure I have some bad habits since I am self taught but I'll be honest, I am faaast (may have something to do with starting on a 166 billygoat) hehehe.


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## Phenom (Dec 15, 2007)

I was 12 years old, went on a trip with the family. I don't remember the mountain, somewhere here in the north east. I was on a rossignol rental. The overall experience was miserable the first day because I sucked lol, and no one in my family had ever tried snowboarding so I was on my own for a little while. I took a lesson the second day and started getting the hang of it a little more so I started to enjoy it. The lesson only went as far as heelside turns, falling leaf, and stopping heelside. Turning toe side, linking turns, and stopping toe side were things I had to figure out on my own over the next several trips. I haven't stepping into a ski ever since.


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## Toecutter (Oct 11, 2009)

InfiniteEclipse said:


> I remember when I first linked turns... I think it was as exciting or greater than the pleasure of loosing the virginity


At least it took a whole lot longer...


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## Lab (Nov 21, 2010)

4 or 5, some very early age
My dad wanted me to try skiing but i chose a snowboard instead when we got there :cheeky4:
My local ski hill on their "bunny hill" which was just the lower part of their easiest run.
My sister who hated it :laugh:
Some rental piece of junk. Now I'm riding a salomon pulse

It wasn't a very pleasent experience. The instructor was just some 15 year old kid who seemed like he was there only because he had to. He tried to explain to me how to stop first, and when I didn't get it he just sort of pushed me down the hill  I tried to stop but just ended up going straight into the lift line and knocking over a bunch of skiiers :laugh:

After that I stopped until about 4 years ago and my dad dragged me there again and I got an actualy instructor and fell in love with the sport.


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## InfiniteEclipse (Jan 2, 2009)

linvillegorge said:


> My first day on the mountain, first day on a snowboard, I was tripping on mushrooms. True story.


hahahaha.... do tell


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## HouseMuzik (Dec 22, 2008)

My first was two years ago.. was 29. Went to Ski roundtop as they had a sweet deal .. $39 for ticket and lessons. Well, didn't learn a hell of a lot and didn't get my foot in the other binding cause i was too much of a puss.. actually couldn't bring myself to do it until the 3rd time i went out.

Now i look back with how quickly i have progressed and its almost embarassing how bad i was lol


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## HoboMaster (May 16, 2010)

To be honest, I think most first snowboarding experiences are pretty bad because you are pretty much just falling on your ass and face all day long. I think by about the 2nd/3rd day it actually becomes fun :laugh:

It's pretty cool to look back at how envious you were of all the really good snowboarders, and then later on to progress into what you used to envy.


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## anti-bling (Apr 21, 2010)

What age were you? - 13
What got you interested (or who)? - My Dad. I actually was in ski racing nad had zero interest in switching to a new sport. But he bought the first snowboard in our town thinking it would be fun, and have it to my brother and i at our local hill a few days before Christmas, 1987.
Where was the location at? Kimberly, BC
Who did you go with (if it mattered)? Just my brother.
What brand was your first board (rental/bought) and how much did your preferences changed since then?
Etc...- Kemper Mini Rampage, 3-starp bindings and sorels. Not bad, but i like using real snowboard boots now.

Actually i didn't have much fun at all, it was a painful 30 minutes on my ass on an icy bunny hill.
My next time at Fernie a couple weeks later was much better. Learned how to kinda make turns in shallow tracked powder, and was hooked then and there. Hung up the skis, fought with my brother over who got to use the board until next season, when my dad got me a burton Free 6.



> And maybe add one main advice you would personally offer a beginer (learnt from personal experience).


Get lessons. It makes the learning curve SO much faster,more time sliding and less time trying to figure it out on your own, or have your dumb buddies take you on a black diamond and say 'just turn, yo!'.


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

InfiniteEclipse said:


> hahahaha.... do tell


Really not much to tell. It was at Loveland and one of those brutal days that all Loveland locals know all too well. It was absolutely bitterly cold with ridiculous wind and snowing. Visibility couldn't have been much more than 50 feet or so. The snow was great though. There was about 8" of fresh, so the falling and flailing was nicely padded. Considering my condition, I think the low visibility actually really helped. You can't get sketched out by what you can't see.


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## InfiniteEclipse (Jan 2, 2009)

linvillegorge said:


> You can't get sketched out by what you can't see.


Ain't that the truth... well sounds like you had a good time fear and loathing on the mountain :thumbsup: Thought you might have started tripping out yelling "Where's my other ski???"


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## HouseMuzik (Dec 22, 2008)

LOL.. the ganj is one thing.. but idk about mixing snowboarding and other mind altering substances


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## Shocktroop531 (Aug 3, 2010)

I distinctly remember falling and busting my ass while trying to unload from the chairs at the top of every lift. that is so embarassing. thank god I've got that one down now. haha


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## Magnum626 (Dec 31, 2009)

linvillegorge said:


> Really not much to tell. It was at Loveland and one of those brutal days that all Loveland locals know all too well. It was absolutely bitterly cold with ridiculous wind and snowing. Visibility couldn't have been much more than 50 feet or so. The snow was great though. There was about 8" of fresh, so the falling and flailing was nicely padded. Considering my condition, I think the low visibility actually really helped. You can't get sketched out by what you can't see.


I would've freaked out on the bunny lift. It was my first time on one and I'm afraid of heights. :laugh:


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## EagleTalons (Oct 10, 2010)

I was 16.

I had always had those cheap little kid snowboards and now wanted to try something a bit bigger.

I went to Red Lodge Mountain in Montana.

I went with my best friend and his parents.

My first board was rental. Some mountain branded junk. 

After the first year I went, I got offered the chance to go snowboarding with another town's physical health program. Which was awesome, because none of that happens in my town. I could get a bus ride up to the mountain for about $10. Which the mountain is about 150 miles away. 
After a year of that I decided that I needed my own board to love and be mine. So I surfed Ebay and with very little research I bought from a M3 Hardcore with Super B Bindings. I took it to the mountain (without waxing) and rode it down. I had the bindings set at 30/15 which almost ripped my ankles off... I switched it when I finally got to the bottom, to a more normal 15/0. I had a hard time riding this board. It was so flexy and I had only rode hard rentals. Although I could now pass up those long rental lines and get straight to having fun!


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

I never had any issues with lifts. I know that's one of the hardest thing for most new riders to get down, but they were never an issue for me. Linking turns took awhile though. I finally broke down and took a private lesson to get them down. Best money I've ever spent on snowboarding. Should've done it from the get go.


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## EagleTalons (Oct 10, 2010)

I used to fall getting off of lifts all the time. Now I've learned that "I'm awesome" and lifts don't scare me!


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## Triple8Sol (Nov 24, 2008)

After skiing for around 5yrs including teaching at a local ski school, I decided to try snowboarding. Took a 2hr group lesson at Whistler and decided I was ready to take some runs. First lift ride I fell while unloading. Then made it halfway down that first run before catching a heel edge and slamming, resulting in a minor concussion and severely spraining my wrist. Huge out-of-network clinic bill, scrip for Tylenol 3, and a soft cast. Still, I only skied twice after that and never switched back. That was over a decade ago.


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## rephreshed (Aug 21, 2010)

What age were you? 21
What got you interested (or who)? My husband (we were dating at the time) tried and failed to get me on skis (even though he is a snowboarder). I cried like a little baby so his dad decided he would pay for me to take a snowboarding lesson if i let him write an article for a local newspaper about learning to snowboard for the first time.
Where was the location at? Royal Mountain Caroga Lake, NY
Who did you go with (if it mattered)? the lesson i did alone but went with my now husband and his parents
What brand was your first board (rental/bought) and how much did your preferences changed since then? my first board was a rossi rental with step-in bindings. after that i used my husbands old salomon board and bindings and some aweful burton men's boots. i got rid of that for morrow bindings and board with some 32 boots. this year i upped the ante with a k2 board and new 32 boots. still can't decide on what bindings i want.


the number one thing i learned is to NEVER let the person you are with try and convince you to go down a blue run straight out of a lesson. haha, horrible experience but totally fueled my drive to learn more.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

44 yrs old and too damm stubborn to take lessons (I'm an idiot)...had nevered skied, skateboarded or anything like it; my son was 16, said dad you got to try this...went to baker, rented gear at the hill...had fun rolling around in the snow...but damm sore for the next week; then two weeks later the daughter age 7 demanded to go...about the 4th or 5th time out hit a 6" pow day and it came together...ADDICTED.


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## elstinky (Jan 24, 2010)

1. 28
2. snow basically. There's hardly any snow in winter here, but I had vacation and was sitting at home being bored. Went to the shop and told the guy I wanted a board/bindings/... whatever I need so that I could be having fun that same day.
3. something close to my home, not even worth calling a slope. But fun I had. Even though there was only like 10cm of snow making it impossible to learn properly how to turn.
4. all alone
5. bataleon. Never rode anything else, but I really like how it feels so I see no reason my next board should not be that brand again.


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## Ripside (Nov 19, 2010)

First time in March this year, at A-Basin. Went on my own, with a Morrow Clutch board, Burton bindings. I was 40 at the time.

Spent half the day with an instructor, then the rest of the day in the learning area (Molly Hogan).

Had my first (and only real) injury that day, that still bugs me now and then. I didn't have a stomp pad of any sort - getting off the lift my back foot slipped off the board, planted into some slush, while the front foot and board kept going. Ended up doing the splits, and tore some muscles in my thigh pretty bad. I kept going, even though I was in agony, and was back the next weekend (still in agony), and every weekend until A-Basin closed on June 6th.


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## kls (Feb 10, 2010)

I was 16 the first time I went boarding. My dad had taken the family skiing since I was 10 and he would never let me ride a snowboard because he thought it was more dangerous. So on a ski trip with my high school I rented a board instead of the skis and never went back. Oddly enough snowboarding came very easily to me. I don't remember the board I rented but my first purchase (at 19) was a Burton (stereotypically) and now (22) I'm buying a K2 Fling.


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## ComicStix (Oct 9, 2009)

AirBender said:


> A general question, but please do be specific.
> 
> What age were you?
> What got you interested (or who)?
> ...


Age - 13 (15 now)
There's a local hill in the town next to me so I though what the heck might as well. Then I was hooked!
Neighboring town
My former BFF (she wore all cotton and was SOAKED by the time we finished riding)
It was a stiff Head board that we both rented
I actually didn't fall that much which was a relief I also didn't get sore
A tip for beginners? Pay attention on the beginner slopes people are TERRIBLE so you're more likely to be hit


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## pontiuspylate (Oct 7, 2010)

What age were you? 32 - I soooo wish I had started sooner!

What got you interested (or who)? I had been a life long snow skier and wakeboarder. I figured "what the hell" and decided to see what this whole snowboarding thing was all about. I can tell you I will never touch another pair of skis again!!

Where was the location at? Sipapu, NM opening day with only one hard pack man-made snow run open.

Who did you go with (if it mattered)? One of my buddies from work and his kids.

What brand was your first board (rental/bought) and how much did your preferences changed since then? A brand new K2 Brigade 158 and 5150 bindings that I bought at the annual ski swap. I now ride a K2 Parkstar 155 with Ride Spi bindings. 

I picked up snowboarding REALLY fast!!! I watched A TON of youtube "how to snowboard" videos before my first time on the hill. So I had a good idea of how to do it, I just needed to put it into practice. I caught the snowboarding bug BAD!!! After I learned how to link turns (second day on the hill) my skills exploded. I went every day of every weekend from Jan - mid Apr. By the end of the season I was bombing down blacks, hitting 1's and 3's, grinding down rails and boxes in the park, and buttering all over the hill. Deciding to try snowboarding has been the best decision I have ever made!!!!


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## Extremo (Nov 6, 2008)

I was 11, 1991, and my friends and I strapped bungee cords to our skateboards and rode down the streets when it snowed. That was my first experience "snowboarding". 

My first time on a snowboard was on my friends Barfoot 163 that same winter, we took it to some snowmobile trails because it was the closest thing to being groomed. It rode like a slab of steel. I was probably no more than 90 lbs and the board felt like it weighed more than I did, and it took you wherever it wanted to go. It's been no looking back since. 

My first snowboard was a rossignal that was directional with a small tail and a pointed nose, that I got the following christmas. The owner of Nu-Wave, Jim, cut it with a jig saw into a twin-ish shape and mounted the bindings with T-bolts. I spray painted it and was one of the first kids in my neighborhood to have a twin board.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

I was 29. I had a trip planned to go to venice louisianna for some offshore fishing in January. Some storm came in and cancelled out the long weekend. I decided to take my family somewhere different. I got a wild hair up my ass and figured "fuck it, I wanna see some snow". I called my wife on wednesday from work and told her to take thursday, friday and monday off for a long weekend. I went to the local sporting goods store and got some snow gear for my wife, son, daughter and I on a 75% off sale, bunch of columbia stuff that I actually still use...... 

We headed off to Wolf Creek, CO since I knew a couple people that were in the area. Drove out wednesday night and got there thursday morning. hit the mountain on thursday afternoon, friday and saturday getting the kids lessons on thursday.... I thought it looked fun so I went and bought a board that evening in town. Got a sale demo/new/wall display board, it was a flow 164 with flow bindings. 

My first trip up the lift with my son I wiped out at the top of the lift. My son was scared to go down the mountain the first time, he was 6. I had to man up, grab my sack and get down the slope. I straped in, stood up and went down like I had done it before. I didnt fall once and was able to stop. The only problem is I couldnt turn to my heel edge and only learned to ride on my toe edge. It took me about 5 days to learn to turn heel to toe and toe to heel. 

I have been riding burton boards up until now, I just got a smokin KT-22. I cant wait to try the reverse camber and magna traction out.... should be interesting. 

This is our 5th season boarding now and we have gone 4-5 weeks every year since then...


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## OHeazt (Aug 8, 2010)

The first time I snowboarded I was eight and I didn't take lessons and kept catching an edge so I quit early and went back to skiing for two years. For some reason I tried it again and it just clicked and I still haven't skied since. 
My first board was a Burton Chopper 131, and now I have a Neversummer Evo 151.


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## Satchel Dub (Oct 18, 2010)

_Age:_ 7th-8th grade, sooo 13-14? (22 now)
_Interest_: Had skied and snowbladed for ~4 years. After some friends had snowboarded for a year I became intrigued and made the crossover into boarding
_Location:_ Stevens Pass, WA
_Comrades:_ Some friends
_First Gear:_ Liquid board and can't remember bindings/boots, it was a friends backup setup
_Intermediate Gear:_ ('04?) Ride System w/ Ride EX, K2 boots
_Current Gear:_ '10 NS Heritage w/ '09 Rome Targas, '11 NS Evo w/ '11 Flux TT30, '11 Vans Andreas Wiig

I remember the transfer from skiing being pretty easy... the hardest parts were learning how to fall down (because skiers rarely fall) and the forward leaning carves. The "falling leaf" is your best friend the first time out.

Advice for the beginners: Snowboard with people who are above your riding level, it won't take long to catch-up or surpass their skills.


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## jjermzz (Sep 20, 2010)

Age: 24 Last year

Peer pressurer: My cousin

1st Location: Pats Peak, NH

With who: A bunch of cousins, my girlfriend.

Equipment: 
Then I use rental junk
Now: 08/09 Burton ICS Jussi Oksanen 156 w/ C02 EST bindings(slightly used) and a 2010 experimental board from Forum Roost 155 w/ old ass K2 binding Got that all for $300

First experience sucked. My fat ass couldn't get up when I fell. My cuz made snowboarding sound easy. So right when I get off the then lift, I'm eating snow and military crawling to safety. That when I knew it wasn't going to be good. Then It took me 2 hours to get down the slope. Only after figuring out, half way down the hill, that I could use it as a sled. 

I'm still a beginner, but got some equipment to work with.


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## gjsnowboarder (Sep 1, 2009)

What age were you? *18*
What got you interested (or who)? *A telemark rider and ski shop worker in my town*
Where was the location at? *Antellope Butte in Wyoming, has been closed the last several years*
Who did you go with (if it mattered)? *Several Friends, Was one of two people who were never evers*
What brand was your first board (rental/bought) and how much did your preferences changed since then? 
Etc... *Rental on the first day in ski boots, then rental rest of the season from in town shop. The next year I got the Burton Floater since I had large feet with Burton Freestyle boots and bindings. Have had many different types of board but my preference now is to match up gear to intended style of riding for that day.*

Feel free to add whatever you felt was unique to your own experience. :laugh: *We went up to the top of the mountain very first ride with no lessons. We had a friend who was showing us the basics but I got wise and had seen it on tv so went for it, I was doing s-turns but also taking some major hits in flat or variable terrain.*
Also, what you think was the most challenging aspect for (and maybe after?) the first experience for you. *Trying to work after having whiplash*
And maybe add one main advice you would personally offer a beginer (learnt from personal experience). 
*LESSONS,, I would have been a much better rider faster with knowledge. Once I became an instructor I got the knowledge and the repetitions to improve.*


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## BliND KiNK (Feb 22, 2010)

I spent most of the time with my face in the snow... and moaned and groaned about how I'd never do it again. hehehe.... then three weeks later I went to Colorado.


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## KahWhyC (Nov 10, 2010)

What age were you? 16
What got you interested (or who)? I tagged along with my cousin on a weekend trip to White Face.
Where was the location at? Upstate NY
Who did you go with (if it mattered)? Cousin, Cousin's BF,and some friends 
What brand was your first board (rental/bought) and how much did your preferences changed since then? I rode a rental at first, now I ride a burton with custom bindings and some cheap 32 boots.

Went on the blue and got stuck on a tree because I was too deep into the snow, had to get someone to pull me out lol


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## kysnowboarder (Oct 28, 2009)

What age were you? 30

What got you interested (or who)? Growing up in Kentucky I always believed snowboarding was not a possibility (it still isn't in this state lol) I picked up mountain biking and started traveling to mountain bike big mountains and then began to realize snowboarding wasn't really out of reach. I had been fascinated with it snowboarding since I was a kid, but coming from a working family there was know way I could have asked mom and pop for the gear or asked them to flip the travel expenses. Once I started making enought money to afford snowboarding I picked it up. 

Where was the location at? Perfect north, which is in Indiana of all of the places. The first time I went the slopes were a sheet of ice. I took a group lesson and never made it off the bunny hill...I of course fell repeatedly and was sore for about two weeks. The bunny hill was with in site of the lodge driveway...I watch what seemed to be a parade of ambulances coming and going, at that site I realized snowboarding was the sport for me! 

Who did you go with (if it mattered)? I went with a one of my buddies that I ride mountain bikes who is a skier, not a snow boarder lol.

What brand was your first board (rental/bought) I used a rental the first three times, and then bought a ride control, my second board the one I have now is a ride antic.


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## Magnum626 (Dec 31, 2009)

kysnowboarder said:


> WThe bunny hill was with in site of the lodge driveway...I watch what seemed to be a parade of ambulances coming and going, at that site I realized snowboarding was the sport for me!


 ROFL...Awesome!


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## RedRomo (Aug 17, 2010)

*What age were you?* _37 (I'm 38 now)_

*What got you interested (or who)?* _I always wanted to board when I was a kid but never could afford it. So, now that I'm in a better position finacially....we go all the time._

*Where was the location at?* _Mt. Spokane_

*Who did you go with (if it mattered)?* _A friend's son who owed me for some personal training I did with him._

*What brand was your first board (rental/bought) and how much did your preferences changed since then? *_My first board was an Option Motive (my son uses it now). I rode that my first two trips up and then bought my current board. A Skate Banana._

My first time up was non-stop crashing for the first 3 hours...then all of a sudden it "clicked" and I could go down the bunny hill with no problems. Decided to go down a blue diamond....1.5 hours later I arrived at the bottom. The next day all I remember is pain. The only part of my body that didn't hurt were my toes. ..but that was the beggining of the family addiction.

Now, my wife and 3 kids board. We have 7 boards between us and our whole winter life revolves around boarding.


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## binarypie (Nov 29, 2009)

- I was 12 (1995/1996)

- I was skateboarding a lot and snowboarding seemed like fun during the winter

- St. Albans, Vermont on a little hill with a tow rope.

- My best friend Dave.

- Bought a burton A-Deck (pastel pink w/ green base) with Freestyle Bindings (forest green) and Jobless boots (black and teal) I looked ridiculous.


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## riznfall (Jan 17, 2009)

It was a couple of yrs ago. The wife and I decided to try snowboarding. We got gear off of ebay. Hers was a 5150 that was about 10 cm to big for her and mine was an oxygen board that the base was ripping off. My fix was rubber cement that only held for that first trip. Went up to blue knob in PA. Spent more time on my ass than I did that whole year off the slopes. We had so much fun that we have invested in some better gear.


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## WolfSnow (Oct 26, 2008)

What age were you? I was 11
What got you interested (or who)?I always wanted to snowboard, I can't remember what got me interested. 
Where was the location at?Martock, Nova Scotia 
Who did you go with (if it mattered)?My parents (they sat in the lodge.) Got lessons. 
What brand was your first board (rental/bought)? Burton, something or other. That same night I got a Rossignol Sublime, Salomon Force bindings and Flow boots. 
How much did your preferences changed since then? I've ridden that set up ever scince, but this year I got myself all Burton. Its all thats really available in my neck of the woods.


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

What age were you? 34...*was back in 99*
What got you interested (or who)? *My younger brother*
Where was the location at? *Ovindoli, near Rome, Italy.*
Who did you go with (if it mattered)? *My brother and a dear friend.,..*
What brand was your first board (rental/bought) and how much did your preferences changed since then? *I have no idea...a crappy plankl with clicker bindings.*

tried it on the flats, and when I thought I was ready hopped on a rope lift, and started trying to turn the "thing" aftert a bit I was able to turn, and accelerate, but without no control whatsoever...I hit my first family of skiers 20 minutes later...it was the beginning of a long journey..


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## xDOTY (Nov 29, 2010)

1. I was 12
2. Friends
3. Tahoe
4. Family
5. I had some rental with standard bindings and JEANS!!!!

I took the class the first day, then I went out on my own...after renting those two days I was hooked...last Christmas I got a board ( LTD Quest ) and 24/7 Bindings don't have boots cuz I grow so much and oakley goggles...(also jacket and pants) I never really fell or hurt i guess after the first day...I'm only 13, but pretty resilent. I hope I do not get kicked from this forum because of my age...trust me my parents dont really care about cursing as long as I dont do it. Back on topic it is REALLY worth it to do the class!


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

Feb 2009. My daughter was up Seymour with her class taking ski lessons. I was one of the volunteer parents, there to help out and keep the rugrats from wandering off. Lemme tell you, standing in snow for 4 hours watching people have fun is BORING!!! But it was the first time I'd ever seen snowboarders up close, so I decided to try it. Next school trip up, I rented the equipment, hiked over to the bunny slope, and proceeded to provide great entertainment for onlookers. The phrase "flopping around like a fish" comes to mind.

I didn't take lessons, but I _did_ have the good sense to watch what other people were doing and copy it. By the end of the day I was hitting the green runs. And by "hitting", I mean leaving impressions of various body parts all over the hill.

But by the end of the day, I had a big grin plastered on my face, and I was hooked. Bought my own equipment a week later, bought the spring season pass at the end of Feb, and I've been boarding ever since.


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## zeeden (Sep 29, 2008)

What age were you? I was 22-23
What got you interested (or who)? A friend from Texas wanted to try.
Where was the location at? Horshoe Valley, Ontario 
Who did you go with (if it mattered)? Friends
What brand was your first board (rental/bought)? I rented everything, I think it was a Lamar board.
How much did your preferences changed since then? I've bought boards, i have no brand loyalty I buy what's best bang for buck. 

I thought I was a badass because I got off the lift without falling and because I've ridden a skateboard before. I proceeding not to wait for my friends to get off the lift and went down the bunny hill. I was bombing it! 

My friends were on the lifts still at this point and were saying "damn he's pretty good". Midway, something clicked in my head, HOW DO YOU STOP!?? I decided that I need to slow down or else I'm going to fly into one of those cars parked at the base. So I forcefully tried to fall, I tumbled down the mountain landed on my butt first then the back of my head, no helmet. It took me a while to get back up.

After that incident I did not snowboard again until 2 years later. A girl I was dating started boarding, so I needed to man up. This time I bought a helmet. 

My friends still laugh at that incident, but i'm still the only one who knows how to properly board. To this day, I think to myself that I'm lucky to be alive. My girl had a mild concussion with a helmet ON! I know somone who is now in a vegetative state due to head trauma from snowboarding without a helmet on. Snowboarding in the east coast is dangerous.


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## newguy36 (Feb 23, 2010)

AirBender said:


> A general question, but please do be specific.
> 
> What age were you?
> What got you interested (or who)?
> ...


Age: 25
What got me interested: I love trying new sports
Location: Alpine Valley, WI
Went with: One of my best friends, and a girl that was trying to teach us how to board.
First Rental: Sucked, I have no idea what brand it was
First Owned Board: Burton Se7en. I've been looking at a few Rome boards and the Burton custom as my potential next board. I sure hope i get my bonus this year 

The first time I tried my toe edge i caught my heel edge and smashed my head off the "snow". Some guy yelled "thank god the snow is soft"...IT def wasn't soft, and I'm pretty sure i had a mild concussion after.

The most challenging part of snowboarding for me was get over the fear of falling. The first two times I went I was super cautious.


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## turbospartan (Oct 27, 2010)

What age were you? about 12, 26 now. 

What got you interested (or who)? I was a skiier since I was 3, and seeing these "knuckle draggers" got me interested. 

Where was the location at? Alpine Valley, MI

Who did you go with (if it mattered)? Myself. My whole family was there, but they were skiing. I was the first person out of anyone I knew (friends, family, etc.) to ever try snowboarding. 2nd time out my dad tried as well. 

What brand was your first board (rental/bought) and how much did your preferences changed since then? Rental - no idea on what brand it was. I think it had Switch bindings...but truthfully I can't even remember. After that I bought a Burton A49, RED bindings, and Burton Work boots. I was a Burton fanatic. 

I still like Burton unlike most of the people here, although I now only have 2 pieces of gear from them: Burton Hail boots and just bought a Burton AK Stagger jacket. I also have some Cartel bindings... but I think I'm going to buy Rome Targas. 

For me, and the 10-20 people I've taught over the years, it is easiest to learn using the falling leaf method on your heelside, then toeside, then link the turns. Takes about a full day of falling until you really get it. 

Last thought: Michigan sucks.


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## shoe757 (Dec 6, 2010)

Painful and cold.


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## Brentslide (Nov 22, 2010)

What age were you? 13 circa 1987
What got you interested (or who)? A guy I watched ride a wall like a wave! Can't do that on skis, I made my decision to switch right then!
Where was the location at? Westcastle alberta

What brand was your first board (rental/bought) and how much did your preferences changed since then? 
Etc.. Kemper rampage 155, Sorels with ski boot liners....now NS Legacy 170, 174. Big sticks are the bomb!

First day, I was one lucky bastard! Fresh powder at Fernie snow valley where the almighty Griz threw down 35 cm's of the white delight. My skiing background really helped so it just came naturally! More natural than skiing for sure. The ankles and knees bent how they should and no poles to mess up the flow. And the best of all was the ultimate freedom of floating on the pow and leaving the wanker two plankers in the dust! 
The biggest challenge at first was trying to stay on edge and keep the board straight on the tucking sections where you need the speed! I advise all who are beginning to orient yourself with the snow; the softer the better, keep your knees bent and back straight. Utilize your whole body to set things in motion. Don't forget to laugh with yourself and don't worry about what you look like out there!


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## fhg25 (Dec 26, 2010)

lets see, me 
35 when I started
a friend got me started, did a snowtubing trip & saw people freeriding (all I had ever seen before was pipe & park) & I saw the potential to rail like a motorcycle & since I am an adreniline junkie, I was hooked!, 
I bought my setup before day one, lib tec, ride bindings, 32 ultralight boots.. I now shred a ride machete, union force bindings, same 32 boots (lol I got a good pair but they are beat now with 100+ days on them).
I am athletic, ex military SF, so I understand how importiant learning fundamentals are so I took a private lesson. Day one was tough and the hardest part was getting used to the sensation of speed & timing. 
Motorcycles used to be my first love, now I just get through the year waiting for shred season!


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## razzle (Dec 8, 2010)

I was 35 and skiing on my own at Whistler. I had friends working the season there but they were working and I was bored so I traded the skis for a board, got a half day lesson and haven't looked back. The next day my mates were off work and they dragged me all over the place. So much easier to have fun on a board than skis.


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## AirBender (Dec 3, 2010)

*bump* if anyone interested hasn't replied yet.

Update: I edited the initial thread message and posted my own answer in a link. It's tl;dr, so I advise not reading unless you're bored or interested. :laugh:


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## caneyhead (Jan 5, 2009)

Reformed skier. Made transition with my wife. I was 39. Hooked instantly and still obsessed 5 years later.

Rental gear
Took lesson and glad I did. Clueless 
Ass black and blue after first couple of days

Moved to mountains and work from home. My front door to ski lift 12 min. Ride 2-3 hrs daily.


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## Ttam (Jan 20, 2010)

What age were you?
16? Maybe 15. 
What got you interested (or who)? 
Probably xgames and my brother.
Where was the location at? Big Bear
Who did you go with (if it mattered)?
Bro
What brand was your first board (rental/bought) and how much did your preferences changed since then?
Um... It was some rental board. It was pretty up to date i guess... Now I ride a Academy with Rome 390's and some 32 boots.


I remember my first day was in 07 with a pretty good amount of snow. My bro had me rent all my gear and took me to the top... LOL! I picked it up pretty fast as I have been on a skateboard all my life. So instead of sticking to the trail my bro goes off the embankment into the park area. I thought if I hit the jump it would slow me down.. Dont ask me what I was thinking but I launched and did a 180 lean backwards thing and ate it.. Fun times


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## lightningflik (Feb 28, 2008)

What age were you? First time was when I was 17
What got you interested (or who)? Never tried it nor skiing/snowboarding, so went with a bunch of friends who didn't know either
Where was the location at? Small Resort, called Snow Valley
Who did you go with (if it mattered)? Friends
What brand was your first board (rental/bought) and how much did your preferences changed since then? No idea, I was riding an 08 burton custom, just picked up a skate banana

First time I tried snowboarding, I didn't understand the concept and did everything wrong. I faceplanted, flipped, twisted my arm, possibly one of my the worst day ever... I ended up switching to snowblades lol. 

A few years later, a bunch of my other friends bought their own boards and I set my mind to learning on how to board properly. key advice from me is to learn how to stop first, once you do that, you learn how much pressure you need to apply to make the board move.


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## StarCommand (Dec 21, 2010)

AirBender said:


> A general question, but please do be specific.
> 
> What age were you?
> What got you interested (or who)?
> ...


I was... I want to say 11. My dad made me ski first, so I tried skiing twice--I think I was 8 and 10, or 9 and 10. Whatever. I hated skiing.
I got interested because it looked cooler than skiing, and because skiing sucked. I wanted to snowboard from the jump, but my pops insisted I learn to ski first.
I think the first time I snowboarded was at a SHIT hill in CT. It's literally always ice.
I think my dad took me, stuck me in a lesson, and then went skiing.
The first board I rode was... I'm pretty sure it was a Santa Cruz with step-ins. I hated every minute of it. The first board bought was a gift from my dad. It was a Snowjam 160 with Snowjam bindings. 160!! I was barely 5 feet tall. Awful. Couldn't ride it worth shit. Almost made me give up snowboarding. Then I got a 5150 in a 149 with Drake bindings. Then moved up to a Burton Feelgood with Lexas. And now I ride a NS Infinity with Union Forces/ NS Pandora with Union Flites.

I always had the most trouble with toe-side turns. My switch riding SUCKS. I have to throw myself into toe-side turns. I think it's a fear from all the backwards falls I took over the years. They are the worst.

Advice: be confident, and if you're going for something (be it a toe-side turn or a kicker) go for it--don't second guess yourself halfway into it--that's when you eat shit.


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## garlicbread (Oct 23, 2010)

the first time i went i believe it was around 96-97 and i was about 11 or 12. how it happened was my mothers friend had a house up in new hampshire and she asked me if i wanted to go up there for a couple days to try snowboarding, the mountain was king pine. it was a very new experience to me and i knew hardly anything about snowboarding or skiing, no one in my family is into winter sports. i was into skateboarding at the time so automatically i choose snowboarding. i dont remember what rental gear i had at the time i want to say the board was an old rossignol with some kind of honeycomb pattern on the base. i was super excited once i got on the snow, i remember it being the coolest feeling. i did snowboard school for maybe a couple hours and then it was of to the slopes with my mothers friends husband. the only thing i really remember riding wise from the whole experience was the last run of the day and wanting to do this big hill at the bottom of the mountain, i was scared shitless of it but wanted to do it so bad, i went for it and didnt fall and it was the best feeling i was so stoked, and thats when i just became obsessed with snowboarding.


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## shary (Jan 2, 2011)

*What age were you?* I think i was around 13-14 don't quite remember (I'm 18 now). 
*What got you interested (or who)?*My uncle gave me a giftcard to a snowboard instructer for christmas. 
*Where was the location at?* Random Skisenter, doesn't matter. 
*Who did you go with (if it mattered)? *Went with my family, but i was snowboarding by myself. 
*What brand was your first board (rental/bought) and how much did your preferences changed since then?* Rental think it was a Burton, still use burton today. 

*feel free to add whatever you felt was unique to your own experience.*
Well my main problem was my instructor. It was this kinda young gal, bet she was around 17-20. The thing was that i'm a goofy rider, like there's no question at all i'm dead on goofy. But this girl she didn't check it, well she pretty much just showed me heelside and toeside and then pushed med down the hill. Obviously i fell a lot but this girl was so unpatient with me and almost seemed angry that i didn't mange to do it any good. 

So that lesson kinda "traumatized" me, but i kept going heelsliding down the hill and didn't really learn to snowboard until a year or two after when i was out with another member of my family who's a really experienced snowboard. Immediately he noticed that something was wrong and checked if i was goofy or regular, turned out i was goofy.So when i finally got my bindings right for goofy it got much easier and he learned me to link turns, carving (somewhat) etc. etc. 

So even though i started out pretty young i took me some time to actually learn snowboarding because of that bitch who teached me all wrong and didn't really care at all. Nowdays i'm alright i guess. Done a few rails and small jumps but isn't really that good and i didn't snowboard anything at all last year :/ Gone try a few basic tricks this year though and see how it goes. 

Tip: Can't really give any tip except make sure to check if your goofy or regular and that you don't get an ass for instructor. Also make sure you just hang in there buddy, once you get the hang of it it's just an amazing feeling, the flow of the snowboard in deep powder snow, oh laawwrd!!


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## soundwave27 (Jan 16, 2011)

What age were you? 30... Late bloomer and regretting having waited so long
What got you interested (or who)? Was always interested, just never got around to it. My ex was supposed to teach me this season out in Whistler, but after we broke up I decided to learn it out of spite. LOL. Also one of my best friends loves skiing and is always bugging me to go with him, so now I can.
Where was the location at? Mount St Louis Moonstone, north of Barrie Ontario.
Who did you go with (if it mattered)? One of my best friends, Brien... a skier.
What brand was your first board (rental/bought) and how much did your preferences changed since then?
I've only been twice so far. My first time was on a Burton rental board. Found it to be pretty sluggish. Decided to get my own board so I could go more often to practice w/out paying rental fees all the time... so I got myself a discount Lamar Mission. Going to beat the crap out of it learning this season, then get something better next season. But first time out with it, it was peppy... handled a hell of a lot better than that rental board.

First time out a couple of serious wacks to my tail bone are still making my ass a bit sore... and a nice thump to the head caused me to go out and drop $150 on a good helmet no questions asked... but it was a ton of fun. My last run of the day I made it all the way to the bottom w/out falling.

My second time out I was starting to be able to recover before I actually fell (well a couple of times anyway).

Can't wait to get back out.


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## ashann88 (Jan 19, 2011)

*What age were you? * 21
*What got you interested (or who)?* Well my friend had been bugging me that we should start, and I kinda put it off but then watched the Olympics and thought.. damn that looks fun.. so figured we should go spring break.
*Where was the location at? * Afton Alps, Minnesota
*Who did you go with (if it mattered)? * friend
*What brand was your first board (rental/bought) and how much did your preferences changed since then? 
Etc... * It was a rental, pretty sure a Lamar. I bought a Salomon after that though. 

*Feel free to add whatever you felt was unique to your own experience. * It was pretty painful, as is everyone's first experience, but I loved it. I'm still a beginner though so I think I've got a lot more pain filled runs to experience, but it's too addicting to give up. 
*Also, what you think was the most challenging aspect for (and maybe after?) the first experience for you.* Moving my limbs the next morning.. haha. Mm probably going to the top of the hill and having to start up again, knowing I was gonna fall pretty quickly. 
*And maybe add one main advice you would personally offer a beginer (learnt from personal experience)*. Still a beginner myself, but I guess just don't give up and commit to what you're doing. Also it helps to get out of your comfort zone once in awhile, I think it helps you progress more (at least it did for me)


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## DontLikeJelly (Jan 3, 2011)

*What age were you? * 23

*What got you interested (or who)?* I went on a shortski trip with a bunch of friends who are experienced skiers. Having only skied for 5 days some years before, me and a friend decided to not be inferior skiers (making the others wait for us) but to be cooler snowboarders (making the others wait even more for us). So the main motivation was wanting to belong to a different sub-culture .

*Where was the location at? * Kaprun Austria

*Who did you go with (if it mattered)? * Friends from university, driving 900km with our parents car

*What brand was your first board (rental/bought) and how much did your preferences changed since then? Etc... * Rental

*Feel free to add whatever you felt was unique to your own experience.* First we looked on the internet to read on how to do it (youtube did not exist yet). Then we took the highest possible lift on the mountain. And took half a day trying to get down. After a couple of days I really got the hang of it and never wished to ski anymore.

*Also, what you think was the most challenging aspect for (and maybe after?) the first experience for you.* Falling without getting hurt, in the beginning I used to hurt my ancles by trying not to fall. Later I learned that falling in a controlled way is much better then desperately trying not to fall.

*And maybe add one main advice you would personally offer a beginer (learnt from personal experience).* Don't be afraid, throw yourself/lean forward.


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## trickten (Dec 11, 2007)

What age were you? 38

What got you interested (or who)? It's something I've always been interested in. 

Where was the location at? Mid-Michigan. (don't remember which one)

Who did you go with (if it mattered)? My buddy that was interested as well so we jump in with some lessons.

What brand was your first board (rental/bought) and how much did your preferences changed since then?

Etc... Rental. I don't remember much about the board aside from the 153 length, but I know I had flow bindings and loved them. Now, I have a Salomon Burner 166 with Ride binding and Burton Boots. (Love the speed zone lacing!!!).

Feel free to add whatever you felt was unique to your own experience. 
Nothing unique. I just knew that once I started riding, I'd get hooked. 

Also, what you think was the most challenging aspect for (and maybe after?)
Getting over the fear of falling. It took a bit for me to feel comfortable in my heel side turns and not think I was going to violently attach my head to the slope. 

And maybe add one main advice you would personally offer a beginner (learnt from personal experience). *Take a lesson. I too studies videos, but the instructor pointed out and corrected me on several things I was doing wrong. I still take lessons when I can.*


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## Muki (Feb 8, 2010)

This is fun.


What age were you? *20*
What got you interested (or who)? *My friend took me and at this point in my life I was open minded to many things and wanted to try as many new things as possible.*
Where was the location at? *St. Louis*
Who did you go with (if it mattered)? *My friend*
What brand was your first board (rental/bought) and how much did your preferences changed since then? *Well, I guess MY first board would be one I bought? which, I haven't yet but it will be a Rome Crail. Using rentals still.*


Feel free to add whatever you felt was unique to your own experience. *Overcame the frustration and loved how every day of riding I learned a new skill. *
Also, what you think was the most challenging aspect for (and maybe after?) the first experience for you. *Linking turns.*
And maybe add one main advice you would personally offer a beginer (learnt from personal experience). *You're golden once you overcome the fear, don't be reckless, though, be smart about it.*


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