Snowboarding
Snowboarding has really taken off over the last 15 years. It's similar to skiing but on a single board - it's basically surfing on the snow!
It also makes you look uber cool, if you can do it that is. We highly recommend that you have a lot of lessons before going abroard to snowboard. This way you won't waste your trip learning to snowboard and you won't look like a beginner.
Where to go, Cost and Equipment
Where
There are many dry ski slopes dotted around the UK. Check out the link for your nearest dry ski slope.
www.touchlocal.com/nat/c-630-Dry+Ski+Slopes
All of the slopes will offer Snowboard lessons. If you go on a Snowboarding holiday ask your travel agent about the best slopes in Europe.
Want to learn to Snowboard or Ski on real snow without leaving the UK? Check out the Snowdome review at the bottom of this page.
Snowboarders are the Fonzies (cool people) of the slopes so you have to remember that when buying the clothing it's all about looking uber cool!
Cost and Equipment
Lessons - Check with your local dry ski slope as prices vary. There will be a peak time and a off peak time. They can range from around £16 per hour off peak right up to around £35 peak.
Snowboard - Boards start at around the £99 mark
Binding - These are the things that hold your boots on the board. They are around £45.
Boots - Starting at £45. Spend more for comfort. It's worth it.
Helmet - Around £40.
Jacket - From £80 and up.
Trousers - From £50 and up.
Snowdome
If you want to get into snowboarding but don’t want to spend the money on a holiday and lose most of it learning how to carve up the slopes, then the Snowdome is the place to go! Real snow, full equipment and great instructors.
So Solsteerin decided to try it out.
'The founders of Solsteerin ready for the day ahead'
We pre-booked the places which cost us £95 per person for a whole days snowboarding lesson where they teach you everything you need to know in a day. This is the price for May to September but beware in the winter the price can almost double.
So we set off to Tamworth wandering if we would come back able to call ourselves “Snowboarders”.
We got to the Snowdome, which was sign posted from the motorway, right on time to check in at the desk (9:00am). We where then told to go and collect our equipment. Normally hire equipment isn’t the best, but at Snowdome the boards, boots, bindings and helmets were all top quality and well maintained.
'All the boys suiting up'
Then we got our free tea or coffee in the bar where we meet our instructors for an introduction to snowboarding and the equipment.
By 10:00am we were on the slopes. A massive in door, real snow slope! Amazing! Its -4 in the dome so bring warm clothes and gloves with you. We first learnt how to stop front-side and back-side, which after some really good guidance from the instructors, we mastered by the 12:15pm lunch break. This 2 course meal is included in the price and would satisfy any hungry, budding snowboarder. While you eat your meal the slope is prepared for the afternoon session.
'Learning how to stop'
So when you get back on the snow at 2:00pm a fresh slope awaits you.
The first part of the afternoon we learnt how to turn so we could start to carve up the slopes. After learning the basics we all started to progress quite quickly and after the tea, coffee and pastries break at 3:30pm (also included in the price) we were craving up the slopes in the latter part of the afternoon. If the instructors feel that you are snowboarding well the slopes are yours for the rest of the day till around 4:45pm.
'At the bottom after carving up the slopes'
To sum the whole day up we at Solsteerin think Snowdome is great! We are quite confident about booking a snowboarding holiday and only needing a small refresher course before to really enjoy a holiday on some real slopes.
'All the boys'
The good thing about learning in a day is that you will learn faster in the six hours of boarding that you get at Snowdome than six separate one hour lessons else where.
We all had a great time and want to thank Snowdome and there instructors for a awesome day!
