Skateboarding is currently enjoying yet another wave of popularity, after the skateboarding booms of the ‘50s and ‘80s. This time it is being led by charismatic skateboarders like Tony Hawk, widely considered the most famous skateboarder ever, and skate-parks have been built in many towns and cities especially to accommodate it.

So what is the appeal of skateboarding? It is primarily popular among teenage boys, but adults often fail to understand the reasons why. One big factor seems to be that it is a sport where not even the very best practitioners can do everything they want to, meaning that there is always room for improvement, and always room for someone else to be better than you.

To begin with, skateboarding was largely seen as something undesirable, like graffiti – a form of anti-social behaviour – primarily because so much skateboarding took place on the street, scaring pedestrians. Today, however, skateboarding has largely stopped being seen this way, and has instead been embraced by youth workers and others who deal with teens as a legitimate sport. Skating today has a subculture of its own, with punkish skater music and skater fashion, and it is easily one of the more popular subcultures, alongside goth and emo, dwarfing the popularity of the surf culture that it grew out of.

Modern skateboarding today is a rich sport, with a dazzling array of tricks: anyone who has played one of the Tony Hawk video games will no doubt have been confused by the huge array of odd-sounding trick names, but skaters try to practice and perfect each one individually, and each one can take months or even years to ‘land’ (pull off) for the first time. The nature of skateboarding is such that even once you have mastered all the existing tricks, you can try to take them further by turning another 180 degrees in the air, or even start to invent new tricks of your own.

The world of professional snowboarders is one where youth is often more of an asset than a disadvantage. In many sports, years of experience are necessary before it is possible to compete against the top tier of athletes; but the youthful spring of teen snowboarders often gives them enough of a leg up that they can reach the pinnacle of their field before they are even old enough to drive a car. Boarders sometimes turn pro as early as thirteen or fourteen years of age.

Snowboarding is surrounded by a very youthful culture, and the fact that so many of the sport’s stars are so young contributes to its appeal among kids and preteens. Skiing, which is similar to boarding in many ways, can feel very remote to young people because its stars are mostly somewhat older and very experienced.

There is a lot of debate surrounding the question of whether skiing or snowboarding is easier to learn, but the fact that so many famous boarders are so young seems to suggest that excelling as a boarder does not require quite as many years on the slopes as it usually takes to become a top skier. A dedicated and talented snowboarder can master the sport fairly quickly, and it is not unusual for a boarder to progress from novice to expert in as little as four or five years. Because many boarding role models are still in high school, and some are even still in middle school, excellence in snowboarding feels like a very attainable goal to today’s kids.

Of course, just because snowboarding is popular with young people doesn’t mean that it is off limits for older people who are interesting in boarding. Many habitual skiers choose to make some time on the snowboard a regular part of their sports regime. Taking up snowboarding is a great way to capitalize on and further develop the balance skills and agility that you have gained by pursuing skiing or any other sport. Boarding can be a lot of fun, and there are many intricate tricks and twists that are unlike the maneuvers that athletes perform in any other sport.

Some older sports enthusiasts are intimidated by the fact that pro boarders are so much younger than them, but there is no reason to let the fact that the leaders in the field may be less than half your age stop you from trying your hand at the art of snowboarding. For anyone who enjoys pursuing winter sports as a hobby, it is worth spending at least a few days on a snowboard learning the basics. The skills that you develop on a board can translate into many other arenas, and learning to board can make you a better skier, a better runner, or even a better football player.

If you are looking for a way to have a blast while adding some new elements to your training schedule, snowboarding might prove to be just the thing you are looking for.

Around a year ago I went on a snow boarding vacation to Europe and had a great time by all accounts. The best part was that I went with all my friends, all of which had varied abilities in the sport. Some of my friends compete in competitions and the like, whilst others have only been on the slopes a few times in their life. The fact is that we were all really looking forward to it, and we were all sure to enjoy ourselves whilst we were away. The fact is that we do not spend that much time together, as we all went to different colleges whilst others decided to enter the world of work and go out their and get a job.
 
When we decided to book the holiday I was delighted to hear that everybody was able to make it, and that everyone had promised to save up enough money to really enjoy themselves while we were away. The cost of booking the holiday worked out at around $300 for accommodation for the week as we were going to be staying at a backpacker's location, and it was only going to cost $150 for return flights. We really felt like we had struck a bargain, and we were even more delighted when we heard that the cost of living would be really cheap when we got their. We had decided to save up $1000 each, which meant that we would have more than enough spending money for when we arrived.

The price being so cheap, some of my friends decided to go online and buy some equipment for the trip and that was anything from new boards to clothing. I personally never bothered, as I was currently struggling for money, surviving merely on the pay that I got for working in a local MP3 player shop.

When we hit the slopes I cannot explain how brilliant it actually was. We had never had an opportunity to ride a snow board on snow, apart from one of my friends who has more of an interest in the sport than the rest of us. We decided that would really just do our own thing, please ourselves and then meet up at night. This is not the way it worked out as we had such a laugh out their on the slopes. My best friend Blair was struggling at first so I done my best to teach him about how to handle the slopes. After a few hours he was doing great, and even managed a nice little Ollie or two. After our hard days on the slopes we couldn't wait to get home and get a shower. Although it is not cold, when your clothes get wet, it can become very tiring and you often feel like getting in, having a hot shower and changing your clothes.

Next thing it was time to get out their and sample the night life. This is what we had been looking forward to, we had heard great things about European girls, and we were sure to enjoy ourselves getting to know the culture. We firstly went out for a meal, and we all ended up having burger and chips! Next we went to a local club and really had a great night. This was the pattern for the rest of the week and I can hardly say that I regret it.

Snowboarding accidents happen every single day and the reasons for this vary from person to person, and from accident to accident. Despite this, one thing remains prominent. Of those accidents, many of them could have been stopped with appropriate care and attention from the snowboarders involved. This is why we have to realise that snowboarding is a dangerous sport, and therefore health and safety should always remain an issue to any snowboarder.

The first thing that any snowboarder has to remember is to wear appropriate protective head wear. Protective head wear may not look as cool, or even be as warm as a hat, but when it comes to going down the slopes wearing one could save your life. In 2003 15 people suffered fatal head injuries whilst snowboarding. This number could have been reduced to 0 if those 15 people had chosen wear a helmet whilst snowboarding. When people go snowboarding and do not wear a helmet, they do not take precautions based on this, and are still happy to attempt stunts such as jumps, slaloms which involve dodging trees, and other activities that could not be recommended. People have to remember that snowboarding is in the top 10 most dangerous sports, and I would call on the authorities within the sport to drive even further towards excellence in health and safety.

My brother is a keen snowboarder and recently broke his leg whilst snowboarding. Although this was not his fault, many of the complications that went along with the injury could have been avoided with due care and attention. This includes the fact he was stranded on a slope for over 4 hours before he was noticed by a boarder who was then able to go and get help. But how could this have been avoided. Firstly he should not have chosen to hit the slopes on his own. Through doing this problems arise automatically, if you do have to go snowboarding on your own then make sure you tell people that you are away. I would also call on snowboarding facilities to keep better records of who is on the slope, and for what time. This could certainly help with many issues.

I would secondly advice and call for people to carry mobile phones with them when they go snowboarding. Even, a mobile phone on its own may not be enough if you do not have a signal or do not have any battery left in your phone. This is why I advise that you ensure that your battery is full at all times, and that you also take appropriate care to ensure that you have a replacement SIM card. If you have a replacement SIM card that works on your phone you may be doubling the chances of you being able to contact someone if you phone does not work. This is why people also choose to carry a torch, a flare or an air horn. All of these can work in alerting people to a situation as long as they are near where you currently are.
 
Health and safety are prominent issues in snowboarding and that is why we all, have to be careful that we abide by them. Through choosing to take simple measure we can all choose to snowboard, and enjoy ourselves at the same time. Do not make yourself another statistic.

If you are considering doing some snowboarding activities then I simply must tell you about the kind snow boarding activities that I have tried in the past, and the kind of activities that I intend to try In the future. The fact is that when I first tried snow boarding I had only been skiing a couple of times, so I was really a newbie that was looking to have a little bit of fun and experience some snowboarding activities for the first time.

Me and my friends all decided to go out their and see what kind of fun we were able to have on the slopes, and we sure did have heaps of fun and in fact far more than I would ever have imagined. We went out their, and because we had a rough idea how to ski we were far more cocky than we should have been but that did not stop us from having the most fun in our lives. The slope was very quiet, which just made it so much better. They way you move on a snowboard just makes you feel so much more in control, however you feel like you are taking more risk. When you are skiing it is just that little bit too comfortable at times, but the fact is that you never actually notice it until you give it a try. It really does not surprise me that people are choosing to give up skiing and are taking up snow boarding in its place, lets be honest you cant actually jump on ski's. So OK, it is possible but you could hardly suggest that they are custom built for doing Ollie's. That is why I have to tell, you that when I done my first jump on a snowboard and successfully landed it, I was sure to give it a try again, in the future.

Me and my friends all decided that the most fun thing that we could do was have a race down the slope, and this what we done. I was actually very nervous, as I was very anxious  to win, but I knew if the worst came to the worst then I could always say that I tried my best, and trying my best is certainly what I done. Over the next minutes as we went done one of the most daring runs on one of our first times I was sure that I was going to win. That is not to say that I was, I could have hit a tree, or took a wrong turn and in the end I done the later. I lost and I was gutted, but the exhilaration just meant that I wanted to do more. I proposed doing it again, and everybody was up for it. It was the fact that when we done the first run, we had managed to grab some "Air-time" and I can assure you if you think that is good on ski's you have experienced nothing yet.

The main problem with doing this run was that we were failing to abide by the rules of the slope with aggressive turning and twisting. The last run my friend Alan actually pushed Collin into a tree for a laugh. Although most people would not see this as being fun, it was the kind of think that happened based on excitement and I have to tell you that this snow boarding day has to be one the best days of sport that I have ever experienced, and even when I go skiing and snow boarding these days I often think back to the stuff we got up to that day on the slopes. I have to say that skiing just doesn't seem to compare to snow boarding and it really does not surprise me to see people migrating from snow boarding to skiing at all. The thing is though we really should not compare them, I suppose they are both good in their own way.

Snowboarding by itself is a fun and safe sport which is basically a cross between skiing and skateboarding. Using a single large snowboard, enthusiasts rush down slopes through the snow. The feel and balance is quite different from regular skiing since navigation through the snow is achieved on only a single board, and unlike skateboarding, snowboarders let gravity do all the work of propulsion for them as they slide down the slopes.

Naturally, once snowboarding caught on in popularity, it was only a matter of time before the most highly skilled practitioners decided to tackle harder and harder slopes, finding ones with more dangerous terrain, or natural formations that allowed for stunts like turnpipes in skateboarding.

Thus was born extreme snowboarding. Extreme snowboarding involves extremely tough slopes set at 45 degree angles or less, making runs down these slopes extremely fast and difficult to control. Unlike gentle civilian snowboarding slopes, extreme slopes will also usually have outcroppings of rock jutting out from the snow as part of the challenge.

This is not a fact to be taken lightly, and not a sport to be taken by amateurs. Given the speeds at which an extreme snowboarder can go, even a casual splash on the slope an lead to broken limbs or a broken neck from impact with the snow alone. When you factor in the presence of actual rock formations, you can see how this sport is one that is not undertaken lightly.

Extreme snowboarder slopes actually dont have any of the usual conveniences of a civilian ski or snowboard slope. There are no trans for uphill transport, no waystations for shelter and relaxation. It is wilderness all the way. More often than not, during extreme snowboard competitions, the boarders actually ride airlifts to get to the top of the course.

Like some extreme sports, snowboarding enthusiasts have even merged their styles with that of other extreme sports. For example, some snowboarders actually pack parachute gliders on their backs These extreme sportsmen take a snowboard and do a run all the way down a slope which ends at a sheer-drop cliff, and once they fly off the cliff, trigger the chutes and hang glide all the rest of the way down the mountainside. If that isn't an adrenaline rush, I don't know what is!

Some of the more popular and challenging snowboard slopes are located in New Zealand and Alaska. In the Alaskan slopes, there are 4000 foot vertical run areas with gullies, ditches, and wind lips, as well as trees to contend with on the slope. There is also an area with natural half-pipe formations and rolls where freestyle exhibitions similar to that done for skateboarding can be performed.

The New Zealand slopes are more challenging for those who enjoy absolute speed runs. With one of the steepest and sharpest slopes around, navigating the New Zealand snowboarding slopes requires perfect balance and control to keep from spilling.

Given the risks of snowboarding, every professional competing extreme snowboarder is required to learn first aid specializing in cold weather injury treatment, as well as survival, search, and rescue techniques for winter and mountainous terrain. On their runs, they are also required to bring avalanche transceivers for emergency pickups in case of an avalanche or if they go off course and get lost.

Like most extreme sports, extreme snowboarding is most definitely not for the weak or the faint of heart. But for those who are up to the challenge, it offers one of the most exciting blood rushes around.

My local ski slope is quite a fun place to hang out for me and my teenage friends. We find that it's a good way to keep ourselves amused. You see in my local area when you are under 21 their really is nothing else to do. You see me and my friends can't go out drinking and nor do we have any particular desire to hang out at the local tennis court, that is why we were looking for something to do that was knew, exciting and more suited to our need for extreme entertainment!

So we went down the local ski slope and asked some questions about what kind of thing goes on and basically tried to get a grasp for how much it was going to cost to get started. The lady was really helpful and seemed to be really encouraging. She explained that we would not need a snowboard, snowboarding boots or even snowboarding skills to get started. We were really pleased to here it, so basically asked if we just went on the slope or if we needed some kind of tuition first. The lady explained that we would definitely need some kind of tuition first, and explained that for $15 an hour we could get a group lesson. This was kind of what we were looking for, as the idea was to do this as a group and we felt that if we all done it together It would be more of a laugh. So we basically booked a lesson, and the lady explained that we had to pay a deposit because the slope had to arrange it with the instructor.  She explained that we would get lessons for around 5-10 hours and then she thought that we would be good enough to come down the slope on our own and try things out. This was the kind of thing that I was looking to do, because we wanted more than merely to learn. We wanted to pick up the basic skills that were required and then come down on our own and have a laugh at the slope.

So we went to the lessons and they worked out great. They were really fun for everyone involved. It turned out that it wasn't just us at the lessons, but the other girls and boys who went to the lessons were all really easy to get on with and everyone got on well. Nobody had been to snowboarding lessons before so we were all kind of in the same boat so to speak. The teacher went over really basic stuff at first, and to be honest I did not pay too much attention because I was more concerned with actually going out their and starting to ski for real. The guy who was our teacher was really approachable and that just made it so much easier for everyone. We were able to ask all the questions we wanted, and he seemed to pick up when someone was having problems and when we understood things. He then explained after around 30 min's that we were ready to hit the slopes, and you can be sure that we were ready, I was practically desperate to hit the slopes and get started. At first, he asked us to go down the beginner slope which is basically a slope that is for people who are just starting to learn. The gradient is much less and that makes it so much easier to get going, because if you build up to much speed and you do not know how to stop then that could cause real problems for a beginner.

If you are interested in taking up a new hobby, and you enjoy thrilling, fast paced action, why not consider snowboarding?  Increasing in popularity year on year, snowboarding has always been highly fashionable, and is no more accessible than ever, so you really have no excuse for not giving it a go if you are interested.  In this article we will look at the equipment you will need, where to get started, and the things to watch out for when snowboarding.

First thing's first - get yourself online.  Look around, and find out exactly what snowboarding involves.  It is a dangerous game, and highly physically taxing.  Additionally, it can be quite expensive, so you need to try to ensure it's right for you.  Next you need to look for a board to get you started, and some clothing for wearing on the slopes.  First off, forget about buying a top quality board.  You need to start off with something cheap and cheerful, designed for beginners.  You can find these easily online, and you may also be able to come across some models in your local extreme sports shop.  Alternatively, you could try to pick one up second hand from a friend, or from another snowboarder.  You also want to make sure you look cool whilst your out there! Check out some of the highly fashionable snowboarding wear, and kit yourself out from hats, to sunglasses to thick socks - make sure you're prepared for the elements before you set off.

It is worth looking around to find lessons in your local area. Lessons range in availability, quality and price, although you will often find recommendations or local adverts particularly helpful.  Again you could look online for some tips to get you on your way.  If you do take lessons, it is important to take on board what the instructor says from both a performance and safety perspective.  Additionally, get out there and practice between lessons if you ever want to improve.  If you stick at it, and work hard, you will eventually see an improvement, and find the sport significantly more enjoyable also.

It is also good to note that snowboarding is a highly dangerous activity and people do get hurt.  Before you even think about snowboarding, take some lessons in safety, and make sure you are fully equipped both mentally and physically for avoiding injury to yourself and others.  Snowboarding is responsible for many accidents every year, and it is an extreme sport after all - if you're of a weak disposition, it is perhaps not the best sport for you.  Having said that, snowboarding can easily be performed safely with a bit of common sense, and a bit of research, so make sure you're prepared before you get out there.
Warnings aside, snowboarding is great fun, if you like this sort of thing.  Many people adopt the mantra that you should try everything at least once, and as far as snowboarding is concerned, this is definitely true.  Try snowboarding once, and join the legions of followers who enjoy snowboarding at every opportunity.  Chances are there are clubs and associations in your local town, so get yourself along and join in with like minded people.  Your level of experience doesn't matter, as long as you go along and participate, you will gain a lot from it, and you will definitely have a good time in the process.

With the winter season fast closing in on us, it's time to start getting ready to hit the slopes. Burton Snowboarding Gear is one of the best companies to come up with snowboarding equipment that keeps the fun-loving ones in mind. Where other snowboard manufacturing companies tend to focus on professional level gear that's patterned after "the equipment used by professionals" or some other similar sales pitch, Burton's focus is on the rest of us who just want to snowboard for fun, have a good time, and stay warm and comfortable while doing it.

Burton's lineup involves not only snowboards, but apparel and accessories that focus on stylish appearance, safe performance, and user comfort. While they also have their own line of competition level gear, a vast majority of their equipment is meant for casual enjoyment and usage. Here are some samples of their offerings.

Kiddie and Beginner Snowboards - these snowboards are designed like bikes with trainer wheels, in that their balance and shape are very forgiving on the slopes. Performance wise, don't expect to pull stunts with these boards, but if you don't know much about snowboarding, you can expect that you'll be eating the snow a lot less than you would with a normal board.

Intermediate to Advanced Snowboards - these are top quality snowboards designed for speed and agility. If you actually know what you're doing and want to hit the slopes with a board that will let you strut your stuff, these are good purchases. Just make sure that you really DO know your stuff, as these boards can turn pretty quick, and it you're not quite as agile as you think you are, you might wind up making a pretty good snowman on the slopes.

Kid's Apparel - snowboarding is for everyone, even little kids, and Burton's lineup takes into account high factors of both warmth and safety in their children's clothing. Warm multi-layered socks, flashy jackets that make it easy to spot your kids on the slope, and heat-retaining pants are just some of the offerings. There are even additional lines for girls, featuring fleece jackets and beanies. These are meant as much to look good as they are to keep their wearers safe and warm.

Adult Apparel - these are full sized regular adult snow gear that affords warmth and protection. However, Burton's winter gear lineup for adults also offers a greater degree of freedom of movement than some other winter gear manufacturers. While still warms and comfy, these jackets, boots, and pants are built light and sturdy to allow for quick and easy motions.

Gear Bags - Burton's lineup of winter gear bags are made to mold to a snowboarder's back during a run. Compact, light, and built with shallow profiles that cut on wind resistance, these bags can be taken on a board with no worries about their weight and balance throwing you off at a crucial moment. Even the arrangement of the straps has been taken into consideration, as they are designed to avoid binding up a person's arms and shoulders when snowboarding.

Belt Pouches - Burton also has a lineup of belt pouches that hold small odds and ends if you don't want to hassle with a full backpack on a snowboarding run. Some of these belt pouches are even specialized, like ones meant to hold the average portable CD player so you can listen to your favorite sounds while you're on the slopes.

As snowboarding becomes more popular, different enthusiasts created various channels to express their love and interest in the sport. As the years went by, the roads paved by the pioneers of snowboarding opened the way to more prestigious tournaments, to a category in the Olympics, and later on even to snowboarding videos.     

The progression in the world of snowboarding made snowboarding films part of the sport's culture. Since its recognition as an official sport 1985, many snowboarding videos have documented the events that happen each season which are usually released in the fall just before the winter, the peak season of snowboarding. While hobbyists were initially the only ones interested to film the sport, over the years, the number of companies covering snowboarding events have grown.  

What initially started as something for personal use became an industry that is filming for various purposes. Some video productions companies have seen its commercial value and are manufacturing these specific type of films for advertisements. In fact, most snowboarding videos usually contain footages of famous professional snowboarders advertising their sponsors.  An example where snowboarding films were used for commercials would be the film by Dave Seone about Shaun White called The White Album. This was sponsored by Mountain Dew, Burton Snowboards, and even Playstation for its snowboarding game.

Snowboarding has also been a subject of interest in Hollywood films, like the movie Out Cold released in 2001. The movie  included appearances by several famous professional riders as either stunt performers or actual characters, or both. Out Cold is one of few major film productions that realistically depicted snowboarding and exhibited a true understanding of the sport's real nature and culture.  

Snowboarding films have also been documented to showcase the current trends and styles in the sport. Whether you are a beginner or a professional, watching snowboarding videos will be a great help in developing your skills as a rider. Although videos can never substitute actual learning from an instructor, this may help supplement lessons that are being taught in the field. You can find many downloadable videos from the internet and you may also order copies of documented events from either websites or stores for snowboarding.

For those who just want to have a souvenir, don't hesitate to film yourself while on your board. You need not climb  mountains to go snowboarding since there many other places that you can use like ski hills. And, contrary to popular belief, you do not need large amounts of snow to do some slides. You can take your personal snowboarding video anywhere where there is enough snow and a nice slope. If it's hilarious enough, you can send it to America's Funniest Home Video and who knows, you might even win.

However, for those novices who want to be discovered, you can also create your own videos to document your talent. Though it is not necessary to have someone professional take your footages, it may help when you intend to replicate it and send it to different scouts looking for a rookie. But if you intend to do this, make sure that you use a high end camera to clearly capture your moves. This will be a good strategy to present and market your skill and style. Also remember that it is easier to send a scout a copy of your snowboarding video for him to see the talent in you than to wait for a scout to find while you doing your best trick.