Anatomy of a Snowboard

Snowboarding is a great way to have some fun with some fresh powder on the ski hill. Some people who just can't get into skiing get entirely taken by the joy of snowboarding. Once you have the right board and a full day on the slopes to yourself, it can make for a liberating and adrenaline-filled experience.

Once you've spent some time on top of a snowboard, you might find yourself wanting to go deeper into the culture and become a better-rounded snowboarder who knows a thing or two. Maybe you've heard other people with snowboards talking while waiting for the next lift to come around, and you've found yourself confused at the technical terms they were using while discussing their time on the hill. Or perhaps, you'd like to be able to explain your concerns to your local shop or mentor well, so you can get some better tips.

In that case, here's a guide to what makes up a snowboard, so that you can talk better about your hobby:

Nose and Tail

These are pretty straightforward and are present on each snowboard. Sometimes referred to as tip and tail, the nose is the front end of your snowboard, and the tail is the back end of your snowboard.

The Board Itself

As far as the board itself is concerned, there are a few different pieces of terminology you should have in mind. The bottom of the board that's in contact with snow is referred to as the base, and it's what gets waxed when it's time for your board to go into the shop.

The top of the board is referred to as the top sheet, and it's where your bindings attach and where graphics are printed on to a board to make it more unique and personalized.

The edges of your board have their own terminology as well. The edge of the board where your toes face is referred to as the toe edge, while the other edge is referred to as the heel edge. Pretty simple to remember.

Bindings

Those pieces of synthetic material that your boots clip into are referred to as the bindings. In case you haven't noticed, the bindings are attached to your top sheet. The bottom of the binding directly attached to the snowboard itself is referred to as the baseplate, and it allows you to adjust the angle of the bindings themselves.

Profile

Now, this aspect is a little less straightforward than the other parts of a snowboard. The profile is how the board sits on the snow. A traditional camber board is concave, with the board rising away from the snow, the closer to the middle you get. From there, you have the reverse camber, which is the opposite of the traditional camber, a flat camber in which the board is completely flat against the snow, and finally, a hybrid camber which is flat in the middle, but rises towards both feet.

Parting Words

Now, you're just a little bit more knowledgeable in the realm of snowboards, and should be able to hold your own in any technical snowboarding conversation. These are the absolute basics, and you'll be able to pick up the rest as you go along. Next time you're on the hill or browsing a site like AdventureGenesis.com  trying to pick your new board, you’ll be able to understand completely without having to refer to Google later.