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What options do I have when shopping for equipment?... Look no further... If you're in the neighborhood of North Vancouver and just happen to be shopping around for ski / snowboard / water-ski / wakeboard equipment, a place you should stop into is The Destination. Here, you have the options to buy, lease, rent and even trade-up... with the peace of mind getting the proper fit and service you're hard earned money deserves! Destination Ski has been leasing skis since 1982. If fact, many people credit them with the idea. A lease package is the ideal way to eliminate long on the hill line-ups because you keep the equipment at home. You can also feel comfortable because the trained staff at Destination will ensure that the boots fit comfortably, the skis (or snowboard) are correct for the skier's (rider's) ability and that the bindings are properly adjusted. Leased equipment also comes with an all-inclusive maintenance package. They also have a great program for children's equipment. If your children are skiing / riding more than 5 times a season, you should be on this program. Every time they grow out of something - you just exchange it - sound simple? For more information on products and services
offered by Destination Ski, please call at (604) 984-4394. Ask for Paul and tell him "Steev at Get Board sent you"! He'll have some great winter stories to tell you too!
Choose the right Snowboarding Gear for YOU 1. Boots
Ultimately, the best way to determine what's suitable for you on the slopes is to try out as many variations of equipment as you possibly can afford to. This means renting the gear or trying demos from stores or manufacturers (sometimes it's free) before you commit to investing your hard earned cash. Only you can say what feels comfortable. Just because it's a popular brand or your friends swear by their equipment, it doesn't mean it's the right stuff for you. Do your homework and you won't regret it in the long run (or on long runs!).
The most important thing to look for first are the boots. It's the piece of equipment that must fit properly, otherwise your fun day on the slopes will end in painful blisters or maybe worse. It's the part of the equipment that's closest to your body, so feel comfortable with it! Let's start with the first thing you put on your feet... the right underwear is always important... in this case SOCKS. Bring the socks you will be riding with and wear them when you try on the boots. If you don’t have a pair, then buy a pair that you know you’ll be wearing with the boots. How the boots should fit at the toes: Stand in your normal riding position: feet shoulders width apart with a slight bend in the knees. In this position, your big toe should just barely touch the front of the boot. How the boots should fit at your heels: Standing in the same position and trying to keep your heels on the ground, lean forward checking for heel lift (no lift is best). This test is good if you can strap into a board with bindings and try to lift your heel. Everyone’s feet are different and so are the boots, so try on as many as you can. Finding the best fit for you is most important. Lace up liners provide less lateral movement as compared to moldable liners, but both help to hold your heel down, and keep your feet warmer. Lace up liners are great for all mountain riding (freeriding). For freestylers however, moldable liners are more flexible, making it easier to tweak tricks. Overall boot flex should be based on your preference and style of riding. Your boots should have some flex and forward lean. As mentioned, how much depends your style of riding. Freestylers want a flexible boot while free riders like the stability of a stiffer boot. Many boots come waterproofed, but depending on their quality, the treatment may wear off over time and on severity of use. To re-treat the waterproofing, try some Nix Wax or Scotch guard. Depending on the binding system, most step-ins include the high back and ankle strap right in the boot. Make sure the internal high back is adjustable and the ankle strap is comfortable, supportive, and easy to adjust.
2. Keeping your feet on the board - Bindings
When fitting the bindings to your boots, look out for any pinching from the straps, toe drag (toe overhang), and heel lift. Determine your specific needs. A simpler designed binding doesn't mean it's cheap, at the same time, a fancy, more expensive set doesn't mean it's better. Technology advances every season, so look forward to more selection of styles and mix of different materials. Recent improvements in design and materials are making bindings more comfortable and supportive than ever. If you can't try on the bindings on the slopes, at least try them on in the store (with your new boots) and look for pressure points. Keep in mind that it just takes a couple of pounds to cut off the circulation in your feet, especially when you're cranking down on those straps.There are a couple kinds of ratchets being used today. Find ones that are easy to use with gloves. Metal ratchets will generally last longer than plastic ones. Look for textured, rubberized heel cups that will help hold your heel into the binding. Make sure the high back is lower than the top of your boot. Most high backs come with an adjustable forward lean, which is important, and some have lateral adjustments. For a comfortable ride, you'll want plenty of padding where the boot contacts the high back. Some bindings are offering lateral adjustment now. If this is the case, make the high back parallel to the edge of the board. Height: Higher high backs will be better for all mountain riding because of their extra support while lower high backs allow the extra mobility for freestyle riding. Base plates: For a comfortable ride, most good bindings come with rubber padding on both the top and the underside of the base plate. You'll want the best fit into the binding without it being too snug. The looser the fit means the more cranking you'll need to secure your foot which will could add to possible pinching and discomfort. Ramps (or gas pedals) on the toe end give extra leverage for your feet,
especially for big air. Try to find ones that are adjustable, then you're not
limited to a fixed ramp and you can adjust it to your boot size. 3. What to look for in a Board When looking for a board, keep in the mind the following criteria as a part of you choice.
Your board's width can play a huge role in riding performance
and depends your boot size. At the rider's given binding angles,
1/4"-1/2" is the desired overhang of the boot's toe and heel along the
side edges. If the boot does not reach the edges, the rider is unable to
turn well because of a lack of edge leverage. If the boot's toe and heel
overhang off the board too much, the rider will experience his or her boots
noticeably dragging through the snow, which will also make turning
difficult. Some riders can get away with a little more than 1/2"
overhang depending on how far they get on edge and the type of snow they are
riding on. Keep in mind that if a rider needs to go to a wider board, the length
may be slightly lowered. The lower length will offset the added width and
thus help to even out the actual board mass in contact with the snow. BOOT
SIZE WAIST WIDTH When deciding upon what length of snowboard to
get, there are quite a few things to consider: weight, style, type of snow being
ridden, and height. RIDER
FREERIDE FREESTYLE There are three basic riding shapes. Be honest
with yourself when considering what style of riding you typically will be doing.  2) True Twin Tip: A true twin tip is symmetrical in shape from the center of the board out towards the tip and tail. It is used by boarders who mainly freestyle in the park. A twin tip has a centered stance and a forgiving, softer flex all the way through. Both of these features make for a good board to ride fakie and spin in the air, but not to freeride on.  3) Directional Twin: This can be considered to be the hybrid of the other two shapes. A directional twin is more inclined for a boarder who likes to use the whole mountain while throwing in a bit of freestyle riding. It will usually have a soft nose and stiff tail, with a true twin tip shape. While not the best at straight freeriding, this shape works well as an all-purpose board. 
1) Regular: A
regular sidecut is basically uniform throughout. The deeper the sidecut of a
board is, the shorter the distance it will take turn when on edge. A deeper
sidecut will turn more quickly and is better for freestyling, but can be less
stable at higher speeds. While more stable at higher speeds for freeridng, a
shallow sidecut will not turn in as short of a distance when compared to a
deeper sidecut.  Regular Sidecut
 Progressive Sidecut 1) Extruded: This is the cheapest,
slowest, and softest of the three base types. An extruded base absorbs wax
decently, but not as good as the others. Although not hard to repair, it is the
most easily damaged due to it's softness. To make this high density base,
polyethylene pellets are fed into a heated extruder, where they melt and are
pumped out of a die to form the base.
1) Longitudinal: This refers to the flex from the tip of the snowboard to the tail and can be gauged by holding the tip with one hand and applying pressure to the top of the board with the other. A stiffer longitudinal flex is good for freeriding due to it's ability to power through crud and provide stability at higher speeds. However, the stiffer the flex, especially the nose, the harder it is to maneuver and freestyle on. Most freestylers prefer a softer flexing board because they do not need the extra speed and like a more forgiving board that can turn quickly. The main disadvantage of having a soft flex is that the board will be less stable at higher speeds, especially when on ice.
2) Torsional: This refers to the flex from edge to edge of the snowboard and, while difficult to measure, can be gauged by placing the bottom portion of the board sideways between your feet and knees, and using your hands on both edges to twist the board against it's natural flatness. A stiffer torsional flex will hold a better edge, but is less forgiving in terms of feeling vibrations when going over bumps. A softer flex offers a smoother ride, but is not as stable on ice.
1) Foam Composite: The use of foam in a
core offers lighter weight and the ability to fine tune the characteristics of
the core. Often the core is injection molded with the aid of computers, allowing
the cell size to be changed and each core to have the same flex patterns.
However, most feel that foam core boards tend to lose their camber faster. This
of course will vary between companies depending on the level of quality put into
the production of their cores.
1) True Cap: While difficult to distinguish between when riding, there are advantages to each of the different types of constructions. A true cap is easily distinguished by the topsheet graphics continuing down to the edges on the sides of the board. This construction serves well for freestyling because it is light, offers a more responsive ride and has increased snappiness for ollieing. The disadvantage of a true cap is that it does not hold it's edge as well when in deep carves.
2) Sandwich: A sidewall board's graphics stop where the topsheet meets the sides of the board, giving way to noticeable separate walls that continue to the edges. This technique serves well for freeriding in that it tends to provide greater pressure to the edges and will not wash out as easily in deeper turns. Also, sidewall repair on this type of construction tend to come out looking slightly better than with the cap style. However, sidewall boards are more prone to chipping along the edges of the topsheet. This may lead to water seeping in and eventually de-lamination.
3) Half Cap: The half cap is a combination of the other two types of construction. It's goal is to offer the best of both worlds and is usually only found on high end snowboards.
1) Full Wrap: Virtually all manufacturers
use Rockwell steel edges on their snowboards. A full wrap edge goes all the way
around a board, stopping where it meets itself. This offers the greatest
protection for the board, but can be hard to repair if heavily damaged. Although
practically undetectable, the full wrap edge does make the board ever so
slightly heavier.
A snowboard has a measurable amount of camber or bow through
the center. This camber is responsible for giving the board "pop" or
liveliness and aids in the transitioning between turns. When a snowboard's
camber is greatly diminished or gone, it is time to get a new one. Measured in
millimeters, camber generally gets higher as a board gets longer. This is
because of the simple fact that a longer object is easier to bend than a shorter
object, and to accommodate for the extra weight of a heavier rider on the longer
board. The life of the camber will depend on the construction of the board, the
rider's weight, and the rider's level of aggressiveness. 
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Once you've found a comfortable boot, it's time to look
for a set of bindings to keep your feet on the board. It's ideal to try
your boots with the bindings while your in the store to ensure a good fit.
There are many things to keep in mind let alone the number of bindings to choose
from. Remember to keep in mind your style of riding as well as your
budget!
A:
Fiberglass
A:
Fiberglass