Womens Snowboarding and Snowboards | Tips, Gear, Trips, Peace and Love!

Will Women Snowboarders Choose Dew Tour Over Winter X Games?

Womens Snowboarding Enthusiast — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 22:21:32 +0000

For years, snowboarders across North America have looked forward to the annual ESPN Winter X Games, where snowboarders, skiers, snowmobilers and crazy, wild winter athletes go big.

But where the Dew Tour has the advantage is its focus on skiers and snowboarders. And it also is a three-stop tour, while the Winter X only appears in Aspen, Colorado.

This year, snowboarding superstars Gretchen Bleiler, Hanah Teter and Kelly Clark are all expected to show up at the Dew Tour.

The Dew Tour has put women’s events on equal footing with the men, which has prompted Winter X to finally offer equal prize money to both men and women in its competitions, USA Today reports.

The buzz seems to have many snowboarders pumped about the potential of the Dew Tour. Snowboarder Hannah Teter told allisports.com:

“I feel like the Dew Tour is gonna be huge and I’m really looking forward to riding on the entire series this year,” said Teter. “The roster of athletes that will be competing on the Winter Dew Tour is sick. It’ll be a fun battle to see who comes away with Dew Cup at the end of the season.”

The first of the Dew Tour’s three stops has already gone down in Breckenridge, Colorado. And many of the snowboarders are looking at the results of the Dew Tour for early indicators on who might be the one to beat come Winter X.

Check out some of the top women’s snowboarding action from the first installment of the Dew Tour:

Breckenridge, Colorado - Women’s Superpipe

Breckenridge, Colorado - Women’s Snowboard Slopestyle

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Will more snowboarders save up their energy for the Dew Tour now that the $1.5 million purse gives shredders something to grab for? Will Winter X suffer?

Best Snowboarding Resorts, Pipes and Parks: Readers’ Picks

Womens Snowboarding Enthusiast — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 23:11:14 +0000

Thinking about planning a snowboard trip this year but not sure where to go? Depending on what experience you’re seeking, you’ll have a number to choose from - and it can get overwhelming.

Lucky for us, the awesome peoples at Transworld Snowboarding magazine polled thousands of shredders for the best overall winter resorts for snowboarding, the best snowboarding parks and the best snowboard halfpipes.

Here’s how their readers voted:

BEST SNOWBOARD RESORT: TOP 10

1) Whistler/Blackcomb, B.C., Canada - The site of the 2010 Winter Olympics, Canada’s most revered snowboarding destination features 8,171 acres of terrain and more than 200 trails. What’s the gnarliest thing about W/B? They just installed a peak-to-peak gondola this year, the snowboarding magazine reports.

Here’s some of Transworld’s pics:

BEST SNOWBOARDING HALFPIPES: TOP 10

1) Buttermilk, Colorado - Only a few years ago people would scoff at the idea one of Aspen’s mountains could have one of the top snowboard halfpipes. Now, the resort sports the largest in all the Rockies, writes Transworld. What do you think about these measurements? 500-foot long, 85-foot wide, and 21-foot deep.

BEST SNOWBOARD PARKS: TOP 10

1) Whistler/Blackcomb, B.C., Canada - Park crews expanded several areas and inserted several features to give it more of a skate park feel, writes Transworld.

Do you think there’s a resort that Transworld readers may have missed? Leave your comments here!

Best Women’s Snowboarding Camps for Shredding Betties

Technorati Tags: snowboard resorts, snowboarding

Best Women’s Snowboarding Camps for Shredding Betties

Womens Snowboarding Enthusiast — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 17:36:13 +0000

The biggest and best snowboarding resorts have hosted all-women snowboard camps for years, but which one is right for you?

Before shelling out hundreds, and even thousands, get to know best ladies snowboard camps in North America.

1) JACKSON HOLE: If you’ve mastered the green runs and you’re looking to take your game to the next level, set your sights on one of the most challenging snowboarding terrains in North America, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Wyoming. Jackson Hole’s all women snowboarding camp features 3-time World Extreme Snowboarding
Champ Julie Zell. This may be the perfect structured, athletic vacation you’re looking for.

Who’s it for: Intermediate snowboarders
What you get: Professional coaching, lift tickets, video analysis, lunch, apres-ski activities, dinner parties, and more!
Dates: January 14-17, 2009
Cost: $990, includes lift tickets

2) SNOWBIRD: The Snowboard Mountain School fills its womens snowboarding camp quickly, so don’t hesitate to register for this one. The women’s program includes women coaches and pros to help you conquer the mountain. Extra perks include free swag from sponsors and access to the famous Cliff Spa for easing your end-of-the-day aches.

Who’s it for: All skill levels, 16+
What you get: small groups, free swag, 3 days on-hill coaching, breakfast and lunch, access to Cliff Spa
Dates: Session 1 - January 2-5, 2009 | Session 2 - March 6-9, 2009
Costs: $400 for camp or $1,140 all inclusive.

3) MAMMOTH MOUNTAIN: The camp instructors Los Angeles’ “local” ski resort match group boarders with similar skill levels for this 3-day camp. If you’re looking to sharpen your skills, this camp can help.

Who’s it for: Intermediate to expert
What you get: Three 6-hour days of instruction, breakfast and lunch, video analysis, product demos and apre-ski activities
Dates: Dec. 12-14, 2008 | Jan. 13-15, 2009 | February 10-12, 2009 | March 10-12, 2009
Cost: $495

4) WHISTLER BLACKCOMB: If you’re new to snowboarding, who better to learn with than ROXY, the pillar of womens’ snowboard gear. Roxy’s Learn to Ride women’s snowboard camps puts you on one of North America’s premier snowboarding areas. Whistler Blackcomb is also the site for the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Who’s it for: Beginning boarders who want to get better fast
What you get: 2 days of instruction,
Dates: Dec. 6-7 | Jan. 10-11 | Jan. 24-25 | Feb. 7-8 | March 7-8 | April 4-5
Cost: $179-$217

Roxy also offers an All Star snowboard camp combined with skiers

5) MGT SNOWBOARD CAMP: If you’re looking to pump up your pipe and park skills, this is the camp for you. MGT (More Good Times) Snowboard Camp for girls offers an all-female training regime at four big-time resorts in North America in 2008. Some of the coaches include Marie-France Roy, Alexis Waite and a ton of big trick pros. Catch the sole U.S. camp session at High Cascade at Mt. Hood.

Who’s it for: Any female snowboarder interested in tricks, looks to be geared toward teen and young 20s riders
What you get: 2 days of instruction from pros, good times
Dates: Dec. 13-14 | Jan. 3-4 | April 4-5 | August 2009
Cost: $279 US for Canadian sessions

6) GIRLIE CAMPS: Have the itch to travel? Try out Girlie Camps, all-female snowboard camps in Switzerland and France. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill camp. With a full week on the slopes, you’ll get to experience what it’s like to live the true snowboarding lifestyle.

Who’s it for: All skill levels
What you get: Small instruction groups, safety lessons, video analysis, lift tickets, hotel, side activities
Dates: Jan. 31-Feb. 7 | Feb. 7-14 | Feb. 14-21 | Feb. 21-28 | other sessions available
Cost: 750-840 Euro

7) NORTHSTAR AT TAHOE: Try out the Northstar Womens Snowboard Camps and get a side of pampering. These camps include side bonuses of yoga classes and wine tasting. Packages don’t include lodging

Who’s it for: All skill levels 13+
What you get: 3 days of instruction, video analysis, yoga, equipment class, wine and appetizer tastings and demo equipment
Dates: Jan. 30-Feb. 1 | March 6-8 | March 27-29
Cost: $449 (doesn’t include lodging)

Photos: Sebrenner (Jackson Hole), vice48sr5005 (Snowbird), Clinton Steed (Mammoth), Andre Charland, milesgehm (Northstar)

Technorati Tags: snowboarding, snowboarding camps, Womens Snowboarding

Top 10 Best Womens Snowboards Under $400 for 2009

Womens Snowboarding Enthusiast — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 12:08:00 +0000

With economic troubles facing much of the globe, it’s no wonder that many of us are looking for a new deck that’s a little cheaper than those top of the line snowboards.

If you’re looking for a new board, you have a number of options that won’t make you go totally broke.

Transworld put more than 175 snowboards to the test. Here’s their unordered list for this year’s top ladies snowboards that cost less than 4 Benjamins.

*ROME DETAIL

Want to rule the rails? Consider the Rome Detail snowboard. This board features a jib-oriented flex profile to perform sharply on rails, boxes and ledges. The impact base is perfect to withstand everyday, all-day rail riding.

*SALOMON LILY

Salomon’s patented rubber sidewall construction gives this board excellent shock absorption for riding tough terrain and park. The full edge allows you to use the complete board.

*BURTON BLENDER
New to the park? This soft-flexing twin-tip snowboard makes for easy learning. The new scoop convex nose and tail will help make taking off and landing go a lot more smoothly.

*ATOMIC FALLEN ANGEL
The Atomic Fallen Angel is the ultimate all-mountain freestyle board. “Strategically placed poplar stringers around the edges and the inserts for durability and willow everywhere else to keep things light.”

*K2 VAVAVOOM ROCKER
Get some stability and control over your ride with this snowboard’s twin tip dual progressive shape and centered stance. The K2 Vavavoom Rocker rides smooth and absorbs shock in the park.

*GNU B-NICE MTX
Several top snowboarding pros helped put the B-Nice on the map, but the snowboard doesn’t need much help. The B-Nice is built for women specifically who look to conquer everything from the top of the mountain to the big air launches.

*CAPITA SATURNIA
“Engineered to be a ‘Stairmaster for Women,’ the Saturnia is light, strong, and easy to ride through obstacles and jumps in the park.”

*ROXY OLLIE POP
The Roxy Ollie Pop features lightweight construction with an extra-wide stance for taking on park obstacles and rails. Pros Alexis Waite, Erin Comstock and Amber Stackhouse sport this snowboard.

*FORUM SPINSTER
If you’re the type that likes to beat the living crap out of your snowboard in the park, the Forum Spinster is built to withstand the worst you can do to it. Ladies who live in the park flock to this board.

*TECHNINE WOMEN’S JIB
Technine finds a near-perfect balance between a snappy lightweight core and super-soft flexibility, writes dogfunk.com. It’s hard to resist the gripping graphics as well.

View video of how Transworld tested these snowboards:

Technorati Tags: snowboads, snowboarding, Womens Snowboarding

World’s Biggest All Womens Snowboarding Party Roxy Chicken Jam Only Days Away

Womens Snowboarding Enthusiast — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:43:48 +0000

Ever want the mountain for just you and your girls? Head out to Austria this December for the glacier on Kitzsteinhorn in Austria where Roxy will host it’s Chicken Jam.

The Kitzsteinhorn glacier is one the top snowboarding destinations in the world, and the ‘Ticket to Ride Women’s World Snowboard Tour’ is bringing some of the globe’s top shredding ladies to its Roxy Chicken Park on December 12-14.

Did I mention this is a GIRLS ONLY event?

View Larger Map

Officials have invited last year’s winner Cheryl Maas (NED) and snowboarding champs Jamie Anderson (USA), Torah Bright (AUS) and Kelly Clark (USA).

If you’re not sure how sweet this event will be, check out the park map:

Technorati Tags: kitzsteinhorn, roxy chicken jam, Womens Snowboarding

Top 10 Best Womens Snowboards Over $400 for 2009

Womens Snowboarding Enthusiast — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 01:51:10 +0000

Top 10 Best Womens Snowboards Over $400 for 2009

Are you in the market for a new deck this season, but don’t know where to turn? You may be in luck. Transworld snowboarding released it’s top 10 womens snowboards that cost more than $400.

Transworld put more than 175 snowboards to the test. Here’s their unordered list for this year’s top ladies snowboards that cost $4 hundo and above.

*FLOW MYRIAD

The all-mountain Flow Myriad snowboard is designed to perform nicely in nearly all conditions. It’s twin-tip design will help you become queen of the park or allow you to enjoy an easy day coasting down the mountain.

*RIDE CANVAS

Not only would sporting the Ride Canvas make all the other borders jealous of your super style, this deck features Ride’s patented Pop Stixs natural wood core with carbon ribs in the tail and tip. That means you’ll see some major pop without stiffness.

*BURTON STRIA
Talk about a park lovers’ dream board. This snowboard is perfect for anyone who’s looking to pull a trick of anything sticking out of the snow. The board is skate-inspired and allows boarders to micro-adjust their stance with Burton bindings.

*LIB TECH TRS BTX

Most riders agree you won’t find a better board for all conditions. With banana core technology, the Lib Tech TRS BTX will make you float powder as if you were weightless and choppy grooves won’t slow you down.

*FORUM CRAFT
Talk about a park lovers’ dream board. This snowboard is perfect for anyone who’s looking to pull a trick of anything sticking out of the snow. The board is skate-inspired and allows boarders to micro-adjust their stance with Burton bindings.

*K2 FLING
A true freestyle board for the ladies who want to shred the snowboard park. This board’s progressive sidecut gives you super precise response for increased maneuverability. The strengthened base creates a stiffness that improves your ability to hold an edge.

*ROXY EMINENCE BTX
The Roxy Eminence BTX was designed for world champ womens snowboarder Torah Bright. The board features HUUUUUGE pop and a 5-layer wood core that could withstand a tornado. The twin-tip design is geared for pipe and park riders.

*ROME LO-FI
A true twin-tip board for stomping massive tricks in the park and pipe. The reinforced tip and tail will lend you some stability as you ramp up major speed for huge airs.

*ROSSIGNOL DIVA MAG
The Rossignol Diva Mag is a directional twin for cruising the mountain and gliding on powder. This one will be one of the hottest grabs for big mountain fans.

*GNU B-PRO BTX
Fine-tuned by snowboarding legend Barrett Christie for more than a decade, you won’t get much closer to perfection than this ride. This freeride/freestyle board will be ultra responsive and allow you to sweep powder and toss in a few tricks.

View video of how Transworld tested these snowboards:

Technorati Tags: snowboarding, snowboards, womens snowboards

Womens Snowboarding Gear: What Snowboarding Equipment You Need

Womens Snowboarding Enthusiast — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:43:26 +0000

Before you hit the snow, it’s important to make sure you have everything you need for whatever type of snowboarding you’re doing.

Here’s a list of snowboarding gear that you should consider:

1) SNOWBOARDING EQUIPMENT

First things first, you need a snowboard!

This is an easy one, but it’s worth taking note: Do you have the “right” snowboard for you?

Not all snowboards are created equal. Using the snowboard that’s right for you depends on your riding style, expertise level and body type.

Body Type: Take a look at this snowboard size chart to find out which size snowboard you should use. The snowboard size best for you depends on your height, weight and what type of riding you want to do.

Riding Style: Your riding style falls into three categories - Freestyle, Freeride and Freecarve. While some boards can somewhat provide for more than one style, most boards are constructed to serve a specific riding style. Learn more about different riding styles in our snowboard style guide.

Snowboard Level: Most snowboarders fall into one of three snowboard levels: n00b, intermediate and expert. On top of that, you can be at a different level depending on the terrain you’re riding. For example, you may know some awesome park rats who can tear it up on Midwestern slopes, but once you get them on a real mountain, it might be a different story. The same is true for someone who is great at riding back-country powder but can’t pull off a 360 spin so save their life.

Picking the right snowboard is an essential start to enjoying snowboarding.

Other snowboard equipment you need:

Snowboard Bindings
Snowboard Boots
Snowboarding Wrist Guards

2) SNOWBOARD HELMET

Snowboard helmets could fall in snowboarding equipment or gear, but this one deserves a mention all it’s own.

While it might not be the coolest snowboard gear you have to pick out, this is the one you should go after first - maybe before you even pick out your snowboard. Your head is the most important part of your body to protect on the slopes. And it’s something every pro uses in competition. Do yourself a favor, protect your noodle.

3) SNOWBOARD CLOTHING

Snowboarding clothing is built for style and comfort, and it’s important to find a balance on both.

Clothing you need to consider include:

Snowboarding Jackets
Snowboarding Pants
Snowboarding Socks
Snowboarding Hat
Snowboarding Gloves
Snowboarding Thermal Underwear
Snowboarding Fleece

MORE SNOWBOARDING EQUIPMENT TO CONSIDER

The amount of items you can pick up in your quest to be the ultimate shredder is enough to fill your parents’ garage and then some. In fact, you could even turn your parents’ garage into your own snowboard shop if you wanted.

In the meantime, we’ll keep updating this page with a comprehensive list of all things you may need for whatever type of snowboarding you might fall into.

Technorati Tags: snowboard sizing, snowboarding, snowboards, Womens Snowboarding

Womens Snowboarding’s Marie-France Roy Rocks New Snowboarding Flick ‘No Correct Way’

Womens Snowboarding Enthusiast — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:59:00 +0000

Just got word that the Rome Snowboard crew will be premiering their new full-length feature snowboarding film “No Correct Way” this Sunday, October 12, although you can already get it without having to wait!

The fresh flick features (triple-F!) highlights of 24-year-old boarder Marie-France Roy, a top 10 womens snowboarding finisher, several pro riders, including Bjorn Leines and Casey Neefus and even the Rome AmArmy snowboarding team.

The preview video looks sick for sure, check it out:

Says the Rome team:

The film will take you into the travels, lives and good times of the Rome team from Romania to Western BC to their Magic Bus as it rolls through the country. All of it centered around what each rider personally defines as fun.

I’m pretty pumped for this one. The angles they got in the preview are nuts. Plus near the end of the teaser they show some snowboarders jumping through twenty foot flames on their boards.

And how can you pass up the chance to scope out Marie-France Roy’s latest tricks?

Check it out: No Way Out

Burton’s Love Line Puts Playboy Women on Snowboards - Distasteful?

Womens Snowboarding Enthusiast — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 20:49:48 +0000

It was only a matter of time before one snowboard company eventually put naked women on snowboards - but who would have thought it would be snowboard stalwart Burton to lead the charge?!?!

CNN reports that many parents are upset with the images portrayed on the snowboards. What do you think? Should naked women be on the slopes?

Flickr image by MRSA.

History of Snowboarding: How Snowboarding Started

Womens Snowboarding Enthusiast — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:21:31 +0000

Hey Snowboarding friends! I stumbled upon another great video about snowboarding and want to share it with you.

Of course you don’t have to be a history buff to be a badass snowboarder, but it’s kind of cool to know the roots of snowboarding and where it came from.

Check out this video on the early glory days of snowboarding:

What do you think? Would you have been able to snowboard in the early goings?

Pro Women Snowboarders Reveal How Snowboarding Impacts Their Lives

Technorati Tags: snowboarding, snowboarding history, snowboards