handy snowboarding items

I went snowboarding at Wilmot on Friday and went on the moguls, so I had to have my binding very tight. Foolishly, I tightened it so much that the ratchet popped off the strap! I saw all the pieces and had my screwdriver with me though so I fixed it quickly. It got me thinking how much some objects come in handy when snowboarding. I came up with a list:

1. a helmet! I think I would have died several times if I was not wearing a helmet.


2. a small screwdriver. This could save you the cost of a new binding or just help you adjust them for the powder day.


3. a lock. An easy way to prevent losing several hundred dollars.


4. your own food. Ski resorts charge so much for food and get away with it because they have no competition on the hill. But you can get around that by sticking a food bar or a bag of nuts in your pocket. ;) Plus, when you bring your own food you can make sure it is nutritious.

For home: an iron, wax, and scraper. Waxing your board by yourself is quite easy, takes only about half an hour, and is like $30 cheaper than having a store do it. It is good to wax snowboards every 3 to 5 rides.