Dicks Board Store

SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE

2012-02-21T06:17:00.000-08:00

!!SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE!!!
BONFIRE, WESTBEACH, SALOMON,LANGE, DIRTYDOG, ICEPEAK, LUHTA, ODLO, THIRTYTWO, ........................
!!HUGE HUGE HUGE HUGE HUGE HUGE HUGE HUGE !!
!!SKI SKI SKI SKI SKI SKI SKI SKI SKI SKI SKI SKI SKI SKI SKI !!
!!SNOWBOARD SNOWBOARD SNOWBOARD SNOWBOARD!!
!!JACKETS JACKETS JACKETS JACKETS JACKETS JACKETS!!
!WINTER CLOTHING WINTER CLOTHING WINTER CLOTHING!
APRES BOOTS, WINTER BOOTS, APRES BOOTS, SOCKS, WARM GLOVES, WARM HATS, HELMETS, THERMALS, CHILDRENS JACKETS, SKI AND SNOWBOARDING CLOTHING, FLEECE TOPS, FLEECE HATS, NOW ON SALE STARTS THIS WEEK RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW!!!!
!!Lots of Easter bargains to be grabbed!!
Happy Holidays to you all!! There is loads snow around this season, here's to some great spring skiing and boarding!!

Salomon Powfinder

2012-02-18T09:06:00.000-08:00

Got a smart phone like to know were the best
snow is, now Salomon have the answer!!!!!

With Salomon's new app
you can find the best spots while on the move with hundreds of resorts this app has your back.

up to date snow reports and info from people actually there just to let you know how good the snow is.

but this app is not just a one trick pony it also has Salomon FREESKI TV built in to make those trips to the airport a little bit less boring and one hell of a way to get your self in the mood for some awesome powder.

once in the powder this app doesn't stop working you save your favourite spots on the app to show friends or just remember were it was.

so what are you waiting for if you want powder then you need this app just search on your app store for POWFINDER!!!!

The Source Academy Sheffield

2012-02-18T08:50:00.002-08:00

Thank you to the Source Academy for displaying a showcase window of our Ski and Snowboarding equipment! Drove down Charter Row the other day and spotted it! Lovely red white and black window, could just do with the skis and snowboards in too! So will be poppin em down shortly!
Couldn't help but notice what a lovely Charity shop you have! Flowers on the counter, fragrant smell in the shop, and nice staff too! Not to mention the little fur jacket which was spotted by one of my staff!
We will be bringing our donations in next week, what a good job you are doing! One of the charity's we try and support is the Cavendish Centre, where a lot of good work is done to help cancer patients through their chemo therapy and meet other people similar who have positive stories to tell. It would be nice if you could support them one time?

If any one doesn't know about the Source Charity shop it is on the corner of Pinstone street opposite Couplands bread shop! Just down the hill from Cole brothers. Plenty of parking too! This is not the charity shop picutre!! It is inside part of our Store!! :)))

Offers and Salomon Goggles!

2012-02-17T09:28:00.000-08:00

Offers and savings.

Right now at Dicks Boardstore we have loads of stock andloads of top notch offers for all of you looking for a way to keep warm. Wecurrently have a wide selection of fleeces and jumpers all with 20% of the rrp,excellent for wearing under a coat to keep extra warm and stylish enough towear as an out layer when the temperatures start to rise again.

Also feeling the blade of our price slashing sword are theaprès boots, like the fleeces and jumpers these also have 20% off the rrp, thiseven includes the boots with the awesome OC system in the soles, if you haven’tseen or heard about these they are well worth checking out, there is no betterway to stay firmly planted on the ground in icy weather.

As normal we still have our famous clearance corner, pricesup to half of the original rrp, yes that’s a massive 50% of some items. With the discounts we are offering makethese some of the best value clothes you will find.
Also in store we have an amazing deal on hardware from £30 off all snowboards, 10% off all ski and snowboard boots and 10% off snowboard bindings all you could ever need before that spring trip to the slopes.

Salomon Goggles.

This year is the first year we have ever stocked Salomongoggles and the best way I can sum them up is simply ‘wow’. The Salomon X-tendgoggles are beautifully designed, incredible comfy and brilliantly functional.Almost everyone has been instantly drawn to the looks of these goggles, and Ican’t blame them, they really are very good looking goggles, everything fromthe spherical lenses to the sleek and simple frame ooze beauty and style. Therange of frame and lens colours also means there’s pretty much any combinationanyone could ask for.

Back onto the lenses themselves though, unlike most goggleswhich have the standard double lens, Salomon decided this wasn’t quite enough,so rather than two, their goggles are fitted with 3 lenses. ‘Why the extra lens?’you may be asking, well I’ll tell you, the third extra lens is a very thinclear lens designed to protect the iridium coating which would normally be onthe external lens, this means that any scratches you may pick up wont damagethe iridium, clever isn’t it?

The spherical shape of the lenses coupled with the lowprofile design of the frame also gives excellent peripheral vision, Salomonclaim an extra 20% on the vision angle compared to goggles of a similarexternal frame size, I can’t really judge if it’s exactly 20%, but I will saythe field of view really was very good.

As I said earlier the goggles are comfy, they fit like a dream,apparently this is down to the material used between the frame and the facefoam, it’s super soft and adapts to fit pretty much any shape of face. It seemsto work as well, so far I haven’t met anyone who hasn’t found them to be reallycomfy.

They fit perfectly with almost all helmets and if combinedwith a similar style Salomon helmet something magical happens, the diagonal ‘lom’of Salomon on the goggle strap matches up to cover the ‘lom’ of the Salomon onthe helmet. If lined up perfectly italmost looks like the strap isn’t there, not something that’s hugely importantbut it’s a nice little touch that shows Salomon really had their thinking capson when they designed these goggles.

Although we currently don’t have any of this years Salomongoggles in store at the moment as we have sold out they are available to order,so if you’re after a pair let us know and we will try and get hold of some foryou. We will be stocking more of the goggles next year as well, as i said rightat the beginning this was the first year for them, and they really have proved themselvesto be top goggles, so they certainly will be back.

Is it Cold enough???

2012-02-10T06:59:00.000-08:00

Well is it Cold enough!!!

This morning whilst scratching the ice off my car, as fast as I was doing this it was freezing up again!

Be careful everyone on the ice which seems to have accumulated this last few days! Instead of putting old socks over your shoes, why not treat yourselves to a pair of Olang OC boots? They have certainly helped a lot of our customers over the last 3 years in the bad weather. Not only are they for apres skiing and walking in the snow and ice, they are for all us Sheffield and South Yorkshire folk who teeter about on the ice hoping not to have a fall!

Unless, of course you are like my Dad who has bought a pair of mens Baltico OC boots, shown them to all his friends, swears by them, is amazed at what a great product they are, and then keeps them in his car boot, for when it is icy or has snowed! Last night he parked his car at the top of his steep icy road, then this morning realised his Baltico Olang boots were in his boot, so walked in his leather shoes up the icy road and nearly broke his neck trying to get to his car! The moral of this story is dont leave your winter boots in the boot of the car! Wear them!! Thats what they are for lol!!!

2012-02-05T07:42:00.000-08:00

Ginevra tex black fur boot sheepskin lined OC

What a fabulous morning to walk to work! Snow under foot, the sun was shinning, all the kids were out building huge snowmen, they all had their ski jackets on, little hats and rosy cheeks!
It funny how the snow always brings people together, everyone seems to be much more empathetic and friendly.
Is it the snow, the sun shine or just the fresh air!!
Not many cars were on the roads first thing, which was a bonus I didn't get my legs blasted with mud and slush puppy type snow!
Past loads of other families all sledging down the fields and every little incline they could find to enjoy some family time with the kids, actually some people didn't have any kids with them, they were just sledging by themselves!! I would be one of those people if I wasnt working today!
For all those people who are fed up with cold and wet feet, and for all the kids who like to stay out in the snow all day and be warm and happy, we now have all our Olang apres foot wear and winter boots in the SALE. Warm, furry, waterproof, sheepskin and wool lined boots for all the family!
Don't miss out this year and get caught in the icy conditions which we are left with after the snow melts.
The Olang OC boots are a must with their non slip OC device which pops out of the sole unit to aid you to walk on compact snow and icy conditons.
Not sure whether you all know but for all those people who have purchased a pair of Olang OC boots, we do stock spare OC devices/clips/replacements if you happen to have lost one or you have had your boots for many years and the OC need replacing.
Here at Dicksboardstore we have stocked a vast range of Olang boots for all the family. Now all on SALE just in time for the snow and ice! Don't be fooled this won't be the last of the snow for this season!!!
Check out our sledges and apres footwear and winter boots here on www.dicksboardstore.co.uk>

Sabrina OC waterproof boots all sizes

Diva tex fur boots waterproof good durable grips divine!!

Diva tex black waterproof boots durable grips need we say more !

Patty kids boots and ladies boots oh so warm and waterproof

What can we say this is one of our shop windows thirty two clothing but the window has changed now!!

We are sure there will be something for you all! Don't miss out while stocks last!!

What you need to know about wax

2012-01-25T03:40:00.000-08:00

From working in Big Dicks Board Store I know there are a lot of people asking about waxing skis and snowboards. questions such as how often, what wax, do I need to wax before I store my equipment and how to apply the wax. i hope to cover questions below

to start with the questions how often should you wax your ski?

The answer is if your are on a weeks holiday then a wax befor you go will see you out week. if you are on season skiing every day for 8 hours (your are living the dream) you should be waxing every 3 days or so.

What wax to use?

you can get wax specifically designed for temperature ranges and snow conditions, different coloured wax for different temperatures

BLUE = -20 TO -14 RED = -4 TO 14 YELLOW = -4 +

however this wax is expensive and you need to spend a lot to make any difrence. In my experience it is better to stick to a product such as Toko Mouse Tex Wax which is also easy to apply with a standard iron and is £8.00 per packet from Dicks Boardstore. Its a lot less messy than melting big blocks of wax and wasting most of it when you scrape it off.

Do you need to wax your skis or board before you store your equipment till next season.

As long as the base is not bone dry it is not essential for the base to have a brand new layer of wax. The truth is you will need a wax before you go shredding the next tim,. so if you choose to wax just before the trip or after the last run of the season it doesnt mater .One thing I would recommend is to put Vaseline on the edge to stop them rusting.

How to wax a ski or snowboard

To learn thi,s it is best to watch this video it is exactly the right way with out any unnecessary steps.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SN_x9F0pk0c

if you are looking to get a iron you can use your house hold one, just rember to use a layer of tin foil over the holes and don't use the steam on the iron.The iron temperature not too hot, just enough to melt the wax, so it glides on the surface.

south Yorkshire enthusiastic skiers and snowboarders! This is what we do

2012-01-25T02:33:00.000-08:00

Big Dicks Board Store has it's own in house workshop for all repair + maintenance of skis, boards ans boots. over 25 years of experience we have at Dick's Board Store we endeavour to help you "fix" your 15 year old ski boots, order spare parts for you bindings, snowboard boots or skis.
Bid Dicks Board Store is a Salomon stockist and has a huge extensive range of Bonfire,Thirty Two and of course Salomon. Thirty Two boots are one of the lightest snowboard boots on the market, fully custom fit liners, and Salomon boots have in our opinion got the best ergonomic liners around! the heel holds is superb, completely heat moldable to the shape of your foot and is made to last.
Oakley goggles are our favourite. the persimmon lens has one of the best clarity around. If you damage your lens don't buy some more goggles just purchase the lens.

We are here to service south Yorkshire enthusiastic skiers and snowboarders in the north of England!

History of Snowboarding

2012-01-23T08:30:00.000-08:00

Take a read at this, a little bit about the History, so if there is nothing doing one evening you may like to read this!! This was found on Wikipedia whilst browsing for something else.

Snowboarding is a sport that involves descending a slope that is covered with snow on a snowboardattached to a rider's feet using a special boot set onto a mounted binding. The development of snowboarding was inspired by skateboarding, sledding, surfing and skiing. It was developed in theU.S.A. in the 1960s to 1970s and became a Winter Olympic Sport in 1998.

History

Proposed state quarter design for the state of Utah (though not the one that was eventually minted)

Snowboarder riding off cornice

Snowboarding contributes greatly to the economies of ski resorts

Modern snowboarding began in 1965 when Sherman Poppen, an engineer in Muskegon, Michigan, invented a toy for his daughter by fastening two skis together and attaching a rope to one end so she would have some control as she stood on the board and glided downhill. Dubbed the “snurfer” (combining snow and surfer), the toy proved so popular among his daughter’s friends that Poppen licensed the idea to a manufacturer that sold about a million snurfers over the next decade. And, in 1966 alone over half a million snurfers were sold.

In the early 1970s, Poppen organized snurfing competitions at a Michigan ski resort that attracted enthusiasts from all over the country. One of those early pioneers was Tom Sims, a devotee of skateboarding (a sport born in the 1950s when kids attached roller skate wheels to small boards that they steered by shifting their weight). As an eighth grader in Haddonfield, New Jersey, in the 1960s, Sims crafted a snowboard in his school shop class by gluing carpet to the top of a piece of wood and attaching aluminum sheeting to the bottom. He produced commercial snowboards in the mid 70's. During this same time, Dimitrije Milovich—an American surfing enthusiast who had also enjoyed sliding down snowy hills on cafeteria trays during his college years in upstate New York—constructed a snowboard called “Winterstick,” inspired by the design and feel of a surfboard. Articles about his invention in such mainstream magazines as Newsweek helped publicize the young sport.

Also during this same period, in 1977, Jake Burton Carpenter, a Vermont native who had enjoyed snurfing since the age of 14, impressed the crowd at a Michigan snurfing competition with bindings he had designed to secure his feet to the board. That same year, he founded Burton Snowboards in Londonderry, Vermont. The “snowboards” were made of wooden planks that were flexible and had water ski foot traps. Very few people picked up snowboarding because the price of the board was considered too high at $38, but eventually Burton would become the biggest snowboarding company in the business. In the spring of 1976 Welsh skateboarders Jon Roberts and Pete Matthews developed a Plywood deck with foot bindings for use on the Dry Ski Slope at the school camp, Ogmore-by-Sea, Wales. UK. Further development of the board was limited as Matthews suffered serious injury while boarding at Ogmore and access for the boarders was declined following the incident. The 'deck' was much shorter than current snow boards. Bevelled edges and a convex, polyurethane varnished bottom to the board, allowed quick downhill movement, but limited turning ability.

In 1979 the first ever World Snurfing Championship was held at Pando Winter Sports Park near Grand Rapids, Michigan. Jake Burton Carpenter, came from Vermont to compete with a snowboard of his own design. There were many protests from the competitors about Jake entering with a non-snurfer board. Paul Graves, the top snurfer at the time, and others, advocated that Jake be allowed to race. A “modified” division was created and won by Jake as the sole entrant. That race was considered the first competition for snowboards and is the start of what has now become competitive snowboarding.

During the 1970s and 1980s as snowboarding became more popular, pioneers such as Dimitrije Milovich, Jake Burton Carpenter (founder of Burton Snowboards from Londonderry, Vermont), Tom Sims (founder of Sims Snowboards), Chuck Barfoot (founder of Barfoot Snowboards) and Mike Olson (founder of Gnu Snowboards) came up with new designs for boards and mechanisms that slowly developed into the snowboards and other related equipment that we know today.

In 1982 the first National Snowboard race was held near Woodstock, Vermont, at Suicide Six. The race was won by Burton's first team rider Doug Bouton.

In 1983 the first World Championship halfpipe competition was held at Soda Springs, California. Tom Sims, founder of Sims Snowboards, organized the event with the help of Mike Chantry, a snowboard instructor at Soda Springs.

Snowboarding's growing popularity is reflected in its recognition as an official sport: in 1985, the first World Cup was held in Zürs, Austria. The International Snowboarding Federation (ISF) was founded in 1990 to provide universal contest regulations. In addition, the United States of America Snowboard Association (USASA) provides instructing guidelines and runs snowboard competitions in the U.S. today, high-profile snowboarding events like the Winter X-Games, Air & Style, US Open, Olympic Games and other events are broadcast worldwide. Many alpine resorts have terrain parks.

Initially, ski areas adopted the sport at a much slower pace than the winter sports public. Indeed, for many years, there was animosity between skiers and snowboarders, which led to an ongoing skier vs snowboarder feud. Early snowboards were banned from the slopes by park officials. For several years snowboarders would have to take a small skills assessment prior to being allowed to ride the chairlifts. It was thought that an unskilled snowboarder would wipe the snow off of the mountain. In 1985, only seven percent of U.S. ski areas allowed snowboarding, with a similar proportion in Europe. As equipment and skills improved, gradually snowboarding became more accepted. In 1990, most major ski areas had separate slopes for snowboarders. Now, approximately 97% of all ski areas in North America and Europe allow snowboarding, and more than half have jumps, rails and half pipes.

An excellent year for snowboarding was 2004 with 6.6 million participants. An industry spokesman said that "twelve year-olds are out-riding adults." The same article said that most snowboarders are 18–24 years old and that females constitute 25% of participants. Now, entering the second decade of the 2000s, snowboarding continues to increase in popularity among all demographic regimes regardless of age, sex, or ability levels.

Styles

Since snowboarding's inception as an established winter sport, it has developed various styles, each with its own specialized equipment and technique. The most common styles today are: free-ride, freestyle, and free-carve/race. These styles are used for both recreational and professional snowboarding. There is also a relatively new style known as Splitboarding. While each style is unique, there is overlap between them. See also List of snowboard tricks.

Jibbing

Directly influenced by grinding a skateboard, jibbing is a freestyle snowboarding technique of riding on any surface other than snow. Most common surfaces include metal rails (known as rail riding), boxes, benches, concrete ledges, walls, rocks and logs. Typically jibbing occurs in a snowboard resort park but can also be done in urban environments (known as urban jib).

Free-ride snowboarders also commonly find incidental jibs, such as a downed tree, that prove suitable to ride over in the course of their line or run.

Free-riding

The free-ride style is the most common and easily accessible style of snowboarding. It consists of riding down any terrain available, but most often consists of groomed runs. Free-riding may include aerial tricks and jib (any type of fixture which can be ridden with the board that is not snow) tricks borrowed from freestyle, or deep carve turns more common in alpine snowboarding, utilizing whatever natural terrain the rider may encounter. Free-ride aptitude is the first step to accessing other, more difficult forms of snowboarding terrain; such as freestyle (tricks), alpine, back country, and gladed terrain. Free-riding, which is more popularly known as "all-mountain snowboarding" is achieved by establishing a mastery of style in many areas of the sports including the abilities to ride, carve, and perform jumps on virtually any terrain.

Free-riding equipment is usually a stiffer boot with a directional snowboard: since the free-ride style may encounter many different types of snow conditions, such as ice and deep powder, a medium-stiffness setup is recommended to maintain stability in deeper snow or at higher speeds.

Freestyle snowboarding

Snowboarder in Tannheim, Tyrol, Austria

Freestyle

In freestyle, the rider uses man-made terrain features such as rails, jumps, boxes, and innumerable other innovative features to perform tricks on. The term "box" refers to an object with a slick top, usually of polyethylene(HDPE), that the rider can slide on with the base of their board. Like all freestyle features, boxes come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and difficulty levels. The intent of freestyle is to use these terrain features to perform a number of aerial or jib tricks. The term "jib" refers to the rider doing a slide or press on an object not made of snow. This most commonly refers to tricks done on boxes, rails, or even trees.

The equipment used in freestyle is usually a soft boot with a twin tipped board for better balance while riding regular or switch, though free-ride equipment is often used successfully. The most common binding stance used in freestyle is called "duck foot", in which the trailing foot has a negative degree of arc setup while the leading foot is in the positive range i.e. +12°/-9°. Freestyle riders who specialize in jibbing often use boards that are shorter than usual, with softer flex and filed down edges. Shorter length enables the board to be rotated faster, and a softer flex requires less energy for a rider to press a feature. Reverse camber boards, or better known as rocker boards, are most often used as freestyle boards due to their softer flex and inverted 'camber' design. Pressing refers to a type of jib where the rider leans heavily toward the nose or tail of their board- causing the opposite end of their board to lift off of the feature they are sliding on. This trick is typically done for added style. Freestyle also includes halfpipe tricks. A halfpipe (or "pipe") is a trench-like half-tube made of snow. Tricks performed may be rotations such as a 360° (a full turn) in the air, or an off-axis spin like a "McTwist". Tricks can be modified while hitting different features.

Free-carve

Similar to skiing, this race and slalom focused style is still practiced, though infrequently. Sometimes called alpine snowboarding, or the 'euro-carve', free-carving takes place on hard packed snow or groomed runs and focuses on the ultimate carving turn, much like traditional skiing. Little or no jumping takes place in this discipline. Free-carve equipment is a ski-like hardshell boot and plate binding system with a true directional snowboard that is usually very stiff and narrow to facilitate fast and responsive turns. Shaped-skis can thank these "free-carve" snowboards for the cutting-edge technology leading to their creation.

Safety and precautions

Like some other winter sports, snowboarding comes with a certain level of risk.

The injury rate for snowboarding is about four to six per thousand persons per day, this is around double the injury rate for alpine skiing. Injuries are more likely amongst beginners, especially those who do not take lessons with professional instructors. A quarter of all injuries occur to first-time riders and half of all injuries occur to those with less than a year of experience. Experienced riders are less likely to suffer injury, but the injuries that do occur tend to be more severe.

Two thirds of injuries occur to the upper body and one third to the lower body. This contrasts with alpine skiing where two thirds of injuries are to the lower body. The most common point of injury is the wrists - 40% of all snowboard injuries are to the wrists and 24% of all snowboard injuries are wrist fractures. There are around 100,000 wrist fractures worldwide among snowboarders each year. For this reason the use of wrist guards, either separate or built into gloves, is very strongly recommended. They are often compulsory in beginner's classes and their use reduces the likelihood of wrist injury by half. In addition it is important for snow boarders to learn how to fall without stopping the fall with their hand by trying to "push" the slope away, as landing a wrist which is bent at a 90 degree angle increase the chance of it breaking. Rather, landing with the arms scratched out (like a wing) and slapping the slope with the entire arm is an effective way to break a fall. Coincidentally this is the method used by Judo practitioners to break a fall when they are thrown against the floor, by a training partner.

The risk of head injury is two to six times greater for snowboarders than for skiers and injuries follow the pattern of being rarer, but more severe, with experienced riders. Head injuries can occur both as a consequence of a collision and when failing to carry out a heel-side turn. The latter can result in the rider landing on his or her back and slamming the back of his or her head onto the ground, resulting in an occipital head injury. For this reason, helmets are widely recommended. Protective eye-wear is also recommended as eye injury can be caused by impact and Snow blindness can be a result of exposure to strong ultra-violet light in snow-covered areas. The wearing of ultra-violet-absorbing goggles is recommended even on hazy or cloudy days as ultra-violet light can penetrate clouds.

Unlike ski bindings, all snowboard bindings are not designed to release automatically in a fall. The mechanical support provided by the feet being locked to the board has the effect of reducing the likelihood of knee injury - 15% of snowboard injuries are to the knee, compared with 45% of all skiing injuries. Such injuries are typically to the knee ligaments, bone fractures are rare. Fractures to the lower leg are also rare but 20% of injuries are to the foot and ankle. Fractures of the Talus bone are rare in other sports but account for 2% of snowboard injuries - a lateral process talus fracture is sometimes called "snowboarder's ankle" by medical staff. This particular injury results in persistent lateral pain in the affected ankle yet is difficult to spot in a plain X-ray image. It may be misdiagnosed as just a sprain, with possibly serious consequences as not treating the fracture can result in serious long-term damage to the ankle. The use of portable ultrasound for mountainside diagnostics has been reviewed and appears to be a plausible tool for diagnosing some of the common injuries associated with the sport.

Four to eight percent of snowboarding injuries take place while the person is waiting in ski-lift lines or entering and exiting ski lifts. Snowboarders push themselves forward with a free foot while in the ski-lift line, leaving the other foot (usually that of the lead leg) locked on the board at a 9-27 degree angle, placing a large torque force on this leg and predisposing the person to knee injury if a fall occurs.Snowboard binding rotating devices are designed to minimize the torque force, Quick Stancebeing the first developed in 1995. They allow snowboarders to turn the locked foot straight into the direction of the tip of the snowboard without removing the boot from the boot binding.

Avalanches are a clear danger when on snowy mountain slopes. It is best to learn the different kinds of avalanches, how to prevent causing one and how to react when one is going to happen. Also when going out onto the snow, all who practice an activity with increased chances of injury should have a basic First Aid knowledge and know how to deal with injuries that may occur.

Snowboarding boots should be well-fitted, with toes snug in the end of the boot to minimize movement. Padding or "armor" is recommended on other body parts such as hips, knees, spine, and shoulders. To further help avoid injury to body parts, especially knees, it is recommended to use the right technique. To acquire the right technique, one should be taught by a qualified instructor, this way you will hear about other people's mistakes and are less likely to have to learn from your own. Also, when snowboarding alone, precaution should be taken to avoid tree wells, a particularly dangerous area of loose snow that may form at the base of trees.

Some care is also required when waxing a board as fluorocarbon waxes emit toxic fumes when overheated. Waxing is best performed in a ventilated area with care being taken to use the wax at the correct temperature - the wax should be melted but not smoking or smoldering.

Competition

Slopestyle

Competitors perform tricks while descending a course, moving around, over, across, up, or down terrain features. The course is full of obstacles including boxes, rails, jumps, jibs (includes anything the board or rider can slide across). Slope-style contests consists of choosing your own line in a terrain park using a variety of boxes, jibs and jumps. To win a slope-style contest one must pick the best and most difficult line in the terrain park and have a smooth flowing line of tricks performed on the obstacles. Style is also a huge factor in winning a slope-style contest. The rider who lands the hardest tricks will not always win over the rider who lands easy tricks but makes them look good.

Big air

Sebastien Toutant at the downtown Québec big air competition

Snowboarder in the halfpipe

Further information: Big air

Big air competitions are contests where riders perform tricks after launching off a man made jump built specifically for the event. Competitors perform tricks in the air, aiming to attain sizable height and distance, all while securing a clean landing. Many competitions also require the rider to do a trick to win the prize. Not all competitions call for a trick to win the gold; some intermittent competitions are based solely on height and distance of the launch of the snowboarder. One of the first snowboard competitions where Travis Rice attempted and landed a "double back flip backside 180" took place at the 2006 Red Bull Gap Session.

Half-pipe

The half-pipe is a semi-circular ditch or purpose built ramp (that is usually on a downward slope), between 8 and 23 feet (7.0 m) deep. Competitors perform tricks while going from one side to the other and while in the air above the sides of the pipe.

Boarder-cross

Further information: Snowboard cross

In Boarder-cross, also known as "Boarder X" and "Snowboard X", several riders (usually 4, but sometimes 6) race down a course similar to a motorcycle motocross track (with jumps, berms and other obstacles constructed out of snow on a downhill course). Unlike traditional head-to-head races, competitors use the same terrain, sometimes resulting in accidental collisions.

Competitions involve a series of heats, traditionally with the first 2 riders in each heat advancing to the next round. The overall winner is the rider that finishes first in the final round.

Big mountain and free-ride

A big mountain contest is one that takes place in open terrain, and challenges riders to find their way down the mountain with the most style and difficulty. Big mountain events usually take place in powder snow conditions in closed off areas of resorts or in the back-country. There are a number of big mountain events in Europe, the United States and in New Zealand and this aspect of snowboarding competition is quickly rising in popularity.Snowboarders consider Alaska the pinnacle of this style of riding, being featured in some of the most popular snowboarding videos and has given rise to one of the sport's most popular events, Tailgate Alaska, a yearly gathering of riders on Alaska's infamous Thompson Pass.

Rail jam

A rail jam is a jib contest. Riders perform tricks on rails, boxes, pipes, wall rides, and several other creative features. Rail jams are done in a small area, usually with two or three choices of features for the rider to hit on a run. They are sometimes done in an urban setting, due to the relatively small amount of snow required. Scoring is done in the "jam" format, where every rider can take as many runs as time allows, usually around an hour; prizes are typically awarded for best overall and best trick in the male and female category.

Slalom

Slalom snowboarding is akin to slalom skiing, where riders must complete a downhill course constructed by laying out a series of gates; they must pass between the two poles forming the gates. As with skiing. there are several types of courses: slalom, giant slalom, and super G. In slalom, boarders race downhill through sets of gates that force extremely tight turns, requiring plenty of technical skill. Giant slalom uses a much longer course with gates set further apart, resulting in even higher speeds. Super G is the fastest of all, with speeds of up to 45 mph (72 km/h).

Well-known events

Some of the larger snowboarding contests include: the Air & Style, the X-Trail Jam, Burton Global Open Series, Shakedown, and the X Games.

The Ticket to Ride (World Snowboard Tour) is the largest culmination of independent freestyle events acting under one common Tour Flag. Officially recognized as the TTR World Snowboard Tour or simply ‘The TTR’, this culmination of Independent Freestyle Snowboard events has grown substantially over the last four years. Now in its seventh year, the TTR has a 10-month competition season including snowboarding events over four geographical zones. The Tour includes events like the TTR 6Star Air & Style, The Arctic Challenge and the US Open of Snowboarding.

Snowboarder Magazine's Superpark event was created in 1996. Over 150 of the World's top pros are invited to advance freestyle snowboarding on the most progressive terrain parks.

Tailgate Alaska is one of the sports most recognized and popular events. It is a backcounty gathering in Valdez, Alaska where riders challenge themselves in the worlds best mountains and snow conditions. It is a two week festival held every March–April. The legendary King of the Hill was also brought back by Tailgate Alaska founder Mark Sullivan and is considered the top freeriding event in the world.

A wave of Anti Contests have taken over snowboarding including The Holy Oly Revival at The Summit at Snoqualmie, The Nate Chute Hawaiian Classic at Whitefish, the original anti-contst, the World Quarterpipe Championships and the Grenade Games.

One of the more unique and legendary contests is the Mt. Baker Legendary Banked Slalom. Since 1985 it has been won by some of the biggest names in the history of the sport and continues to be an event that attracts the top riders from around the world. Terje Haakonsen and Karleen Jeffery are the riders that have won the most in the race with six wins each.

The North Face Masters of Snowboarding brought a return to competitive big mountain snowboarding in 2008. This contest has included such notable competitors as Travis Rice, and Rob Kingwill with three stops throughout the western United States. The North Face Masters also has such luminaries as Tom Burt, Temple Cummins, and Andy Hetzel acting as judges for the event.

USASA events

The United States of America Snowboarding Association (USASA) features three different divisions which include alpine, freestyle, and boardercross. Alpine consists of giant slalom and slalom which is a competition in which the agility and ability to make sharp turns of the snowboarders are tested. Freestyle consists of slopestyle and halfpipe. In boardercross, the idea is to be the first snowboarder down the mountain where everyone is racing each other through an obstacle course of harsh turns and wipeout potential is very likely. The USASA has 36 regional snowboard series in which anyone can compete.

Subculture

The snowboarding way of life came about as a natural response to the culture from which it emerged. Early on, there was a rebellion against skiing culture and the view that snowboarders were inferior. Skiers did not easily accept this new culture on their slopes. The two cultures contrasted each other in several ways including how they spoke, acted, and their entire style of clothing. Snowboarders first embraced the punk and later the hip-hop look into their style. Words such as "dude", "gnarly", and "Shred the Gnar" are some examples of words used in the snowboarding culture. Snowboarding subculture became a crossover between the urban and suburban styles on snow, which made an easy transition from surfing and skateboarding culture over to snowboarding culture.

The early stereotypes of snowboarding have been known to be "lazy", "grungy", "punk", "stoners", "troublemakers", and numerous others, many of which are associated with skateboarding and surfing as well. However, these stereotypes may be considered "out of style". Snowboarding has become a sport that encompasses a very diverse international based crowd and fanbase, so much so that it's hard to stereotype such a large community. Reasons for these dying stereotypes include how mainstream and popular the sport has become, with the shock factor of snowboarding's quick take off on the slopes wearing off. Skiers and snowboarders are becoming used to each other, showing more respect to each other on the mountain. "The typical stereotype of the sport is changing as the demographics change".

Local Scenes

Snowboarding culture thrives in the communities of Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, parts of New England, Colorado, Utah, California and the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec,Nova Scotia, Ontario, and New Brunswick. Countries with strong snowboarding subcultures and many local riders include Norway, Finland, Germany, Greece, Austria, Slovenia, Switzerland, France, Japan,Russia, Chile, Australia and New Zealand.

Media

Films

Snowboarding films have become a main part of progression in the sport. Each season, many films are released, usually in Autumn. These are made by many snowboard specific video production companies as well as manufacturing companies that use these films as a form of advertisement. Snowboarding videos usually contain video footage of professional riders sponsored by companies. An example of commercial use of snowboarding films would be The White Album, a film by snowboarding legend and filmmaker Dave Seoane about Shaun White, that includes cameos by Tony Hawk and was sponsored by PlayStation, Mountain Dew and Burton Snowboards. Snowboarding films are also used as documentation of snowboarding and showcasing of current trends and styles of the sport.

Magazines

Snowboard magazines are integral in promoting the sport, although less so with the advent of the internet age. Photo incentives are written into many professional riders' sponsorship contracts giving professionals not only a publicity but a financial incentive to have a photo published in a magazine. Snowboard magazine staff travel with professional riders throughout the winter season and cover travel, contests, lifestyle, rider and company profiles, and product reviews. Snowboard magazines have recently made a push to expand their brands to the online market, and there has also been a growth in online-only publications. Popular magazines include Transworld Snowboarding (USA), Snowboarder Magazine (USA), Snowboard Magazine (USA), Whitelines (UK), Pleasure (Germany), Method (Europe), Onboard (Europe), Whiteroom Magazine (BG), Snowboard Canada (Canada), NZ Snowboarder, (New Zealand) and Snowboard Colorado, (USA).

Video Games

Snowboarding video games provide interactive entertainment on and off season. Most games for this genre have been made for consoles, such as the XBOX and PlayStation. A plethora of online casual snowboarding games also exist. More recently games in this genre have been made for mobile devices.

2011-12-20T03:03:00.000-08:00

Santa has now left, we are coming up to our busy time in the Season so all you guys that have dropped your skis and snowboards off for servicing, last few days for picking them up!! All servicing will finish on Thursday 22nd December and will resume after the New Year so bring them in before the 22nd December before its too late!! Thank you to all our customer Old and New Have a great Christmas and Happy New Year!!!
See you next Year Yeah!!

2011-12-17T08:04:00.000-08:00

Here is oneof our little customers with Santa Claus she is asking him for some presentsfor Christmas! All of the Children had been very good this year! Except for onelittle boy who told him he was trying hard this week to be good J

How cute isthis! Thank you girls for coming to see Santa Claus, and thank you all for yourdontations!!

This littlegirl is the one who wants a dolly or some plasters to make her dolly better!!

Here he isFather Christmas, just leaving to go back to Lapland! Bye!!

A great time was had by all with the Real Santa Claus coming to visit Dicks Boardstore today!! He brought loads of presents with him and lots of chocolates. We left his sledge in the car park with his reindeer's and the staff of Dicks boardstore took mince pies and water to them as a treat!

All the children thought their gifts were excellent especially the little girl who received a Barbie doll! One of our little customers Fay was given a china tea set, she was happy to chat away to Father Christmas about her broken doll which she was going to ask father Christmas to replace with a new one :). Father Christmas told her while he was in Sheffield he called into Bon Marche in Sheffield City Centre to buy his big red jacket and Big Dicks Boardstore had given him a nice long and strong pair of red snowboarding boot laces so he could fasten his black boots up nice and tight as he didn't want his boots to fall off whilst flying in the air! (Ski and Snowboarding helmets are available if any black boots fall from the sky in the near future!) Father Christmas was wearing his very special black belt which is very strong so he can fasten presents onto it, in case his black sack of presents gets too full.

There was no charge for any of the presents but a the kind donations from the parents will go to the Cavendish Centre, to the look good feel good charity. Thank you everyone!!!

Santa Claus -Father Christmas is coming to the Store on Saturday 17th December !!!!

2011-12-07T05:53:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to all our little customers!!
And big Customers!!!

On Saturday 17th Decemeber we have got a special visitor coming, Yes its Father Christmas!!! Santa Claus is coming to town especially for us!! He is coming for 2 hours from 12.30 till 2.30pm on Saturday 17th December, just in time for him to get back to Lap Land, where he will make his special visit to all the children on Christmas Eve! For any of you who would like to come and say hello and have a dip in our bran tub for a free gift are very welcome!!

Father Christmas says any donations will go to the Cavendish Centre in Sheffield. To the look good feel good department they have done a great job so far in looking after people who are struggling with Chemotherapy and need a helping hand. Fantastic voluntary work from them all thank you!!

This will make you laugh... well thought Carlsberg!!

2011-11-28T01:40:00.001-08:00

http://youtu.be/g6OaSzoSpHE check this out, what would you have done?? :))

2011-11-26T04:30:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures for you to browse around in our Store!! For all our customers who purchase from us on line, we thought you may like to see what our store actually looks like! We have a huge selection of ladies/womens ski and boardwear, what ever is 'on trend' at the moment we are sure to have it! Our Male customers on the other hand, are looking for something different with all the technical features added for the mountain and the cold climates down to -30 degrees, which will also double up for a warm street jacket for our cold damp Winters ahead! The only photos we have not published just yet are the ones of our apres Winter boots from Olang which is an Italian brand who have definitely got the best stylish winter footwear for babies, children and adults who know what they like but can never find what they are looking for!! Do you know what we mean?? Check out our store on www.dicksboardstore.co.uk Happy Winter!! Happy Skiing and Happy Snowboarding to you all for the forth coming season!

Ski Colarado check this out!!

2011-11-26T01:34:00.001-08:00

http://www.skicoloradoblog.com/google-maps-colorado-ski-slopes/

Christmas at Big Dicks Boardstore

2011-11-25T09:04:00.000-08:00

!Winter Greetings!
Its definitely Christmas time here! All the windows have been dressed, lots of snow in the window bottoms! Presents all wrapped up and ready for Santa Claus! Father Christmas will be visiting us, will keep you posted on that one!
Its becoming cold outside, we have got all the goodies to keep you warm and dry! Lovely embroidered fleece tops for ladies who like to keep on trend but warm too part of the Icepeak range! Mens fleece tops and padded checked water proof shirts and hoodies thanks Bonfire! Furry tops and gilets, hats and mittens by Barts. Olang have excelled themselves again with all their fabulous, funky, trendy, apres winter boots! Prices start from £45 to £210 some thing for everyones budget! Check out the website or call in the Shop...we have a FREE carpark at the rear of the building! Coffee is always on the go!
:)

!!!!! FACEBOOK FANS COMPETITION !!!!!

2011-11-23T08:03:00.000-08:00

!!!Free!!! Westbeach girls tees to give away!!
All you have to do is like our Facebook page and we will draw your name out of a hat for the lucky 6 winners!!
Also for you guys baseball caps to give away!!! Get cracking and like our Facebook page we will be looking out for you!!!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dicks-Board-Store/448043235121

Olang OC Lappone Boots now in stock all sizes

2011-11-22T07:42:00.000-08:00

Press Release: Olang made in Italy

Olang was founded in 1990 and thanks to the experience and dedication of its team is now

considered one of the leading Italian companies in the quality shoe sector. Olang boots are distributed all over Europe.

It is the Winter season where the Olang collection really excels themselves, there are loads of fabulous styles which will satisfy everybody, from a trendy teenager, to a trendy Gran or Grandad!!

And, Sheffield is the place to buy them this year, after an excellent sell through last year, and finding out Big Dicks Boardstore was the only outlet in England who stocked the OC Lappone sheepskin, water proof, fur lined boots! These were described in a national newspaper an amazing replacement for all the slippy Ugg boots people are happy to spend over £190 for!!

A combination of Italian design, extensive knowledge and a strong passion for footwear, makes each pair of boots a special and unique purchase.

The Olang OC Ice Grip System

The OC system features two sets of crampons that are embedded in the sole units. You can

quickly and easily flip out the OC Ice Grip System when the conditions get icy and then return it to

its original state when not required. The OC Ice Grip System is available in various Olang styles

for Autumn Winter 2010-11

Lappone

Press Release: Lappone OC

The Lappone OC, a stylish ladies classic from Olang, is made from Shearling, a suede leather that

has unique properties. The fibres of Shearling leather wick away moisture therefore making the

Lappone a very comfortable boot to wear throughout the year. The short ankle boot is a mix of

Shearling and hydro repellent nubuck. The built in OC Ice Grip System reinforces this boot’s

credentials when it comes to keeping your feet warm in the snow and keeping you upright on the

ice.

Available in Black and Coffee

Sizes 36 – 42

Press Release: Ziller OC

The Ziller OC, a classic ladies snow boot with front zip opening is an ideal winter companion. Soft

durable fabric, bow and stitching detail combine with a tough rubber sole unit and a water

resistant liner to ensure your feet are kept warm and stylish during the winter months. The

practicality of the OC Ice Grip System combined with feminine styling make this one of Olang’s

most dependable snow boots.

Available in Black or Coffee

Sizes 36 – 42

Press Release: Baltico OC

The Baltico OC, a reliable sturdy men’s ankle boot from Olang. The Baltico OC will help keep your

feet warm and the elements at bay. An anti slip rubber sole with the built in OC Ice Grip System

forms a tough barrier against the cold. The Olantex membrane helps to resist water permeation.

The easy lace up system and ample gusset makes the Baltico an easy boot to take on and off. An

all round solid men’s winter boot.

Available in Black

Sizes 36 - 47 All enquires tel 10042 797909 or email enquiries@dicksboardstore.co.uk

Cheap ski and snowboarding holiday before Christmas

2011-11-22T07:17:00.000-08:00

Dicks Board Store
Alpine Elements Booking form
www.alpineelements.co.uk this is a really good deal for anyone who can go skiing before christmas!!!

www.alpineelements.co.uk

www.alpineelements.co.uk

Alpine Elements specialise in high altitude ski holidays throughout the French Alps. We deliver great deals on ski holidays for single travellers, couples, families and groups. Check this out for a cheap deal before Xmas begins.

Sheffield Freeze

2011-11-14T08:52:00.000-08:00

 http://freeze.sheffieldskivillage.co.uk/ for more details you can click the link here !!

Annual Ski and snowboard competition here at Sheffield Ski village!!

2011-11-14T07:41:00.000-08:00

SHU and SUSC CLUBs ...................The Annual Ski + Snowboard Competition where we take the best local Ski and Snowboard talent, combine it with the largest artificial outdoor slope in the UK, chuck in a BBQ, some tunes, insane prizes and mix it all up with beer.

Ski+Snowboard Competition / Jam Session / Boardercross / Taster Sessions / Coors Beer Rally / BBQ / Bowling / TTC Afterparty

PRIZES INCLUDE:

• VIP passes for Beach Break Live
• ‘On The Pond’ tickets (from Off the piste)
• £250 vouchers for Syndicate Penthouse

Taster Sessions - Give snowsports a go! We are offering ski and snowboard taster sessions

Coors Beer Rally - A pint of water is given to you at the top of our obstacle course. Whatever you have left in your cup at the bottom of the slope is replaced with beer!

BBQ - A BBQ will be onsite for all you hunger pains

Bowling - For those of you who like the indoors, you can bowl to your hearts content in the Sheffield Ski Village’s full size ten pin bowling alley

Afterparty - Descendent soundsystem providing the slope tunes,
Studio45 Soundsystem are hosting the party in the bar & Tuesday Club DJs selecting the sounds till 2am!

TICKETS:

£15 competitor
£6 spectator

Tickets will be available from the Box Office at Sheffield Union and from Hubs and from the SUSC, SheffSki, and SHUsnow committees.

♥ :) xx

wa

2011-11-13T08:24:00.000-08:00

Here are some of the great Icepeak fashion shots we saw in Munich this February. The fashion for this season 2011-12 is really eclectic ranging from the on trend, brightly coloured bold stripes and flashes of colour retro styled ski and snowboard winter wear.
All jackets are made from a beautiful 4 way stretch waterproof breathable fabric.
Icepeak Luxury range with fur trimmed hoods, beautiful stitching detail with diamante ruched sleeves and flattering belts, not to mention the black and white fur waistcoats/gilets to complete the look! All the kids Icepeak has matching fleeces, hats and gloves Amazing value and a delight to see!!

Ice peak Retro jackets and pants,
refreshing, warm and fantastic fit. Below is the Ice peak Luxury line................a m a z i n g! Stylish, sheek with all the feminine details you have been looking for!

Here is the white fur gilet with coordinating thermal top.

2011-11-13T07:39:00.000-08:00

If you want to check out the snow conditions, forthcoming powder and live webcam of the slopes, of any resort any where in the world. FOR FREE look at

http://www.snow-forecast.com/

How to wax your skis properly

2011-11-13T06:10:00.000-08:00

Hey just thought we would let you into some Salomon secrets, if you are thinking of waxing your own skis, then bring them into the Store, where we have a full in house workshop for all your ski and snowboard repairs! If not take a look here for some valuable tips.

Heres what Bonfire has in store for you, check this fashion show out, 2012 winter gear!!

2011-11-13T05:56:00.000-08:00

Attack of la nina trailer

2011-11-13T05:28:00.000-08:00

The new ski video "Attack of la nina." If you are a boarder this will convert you to skiing, and if you are a skier this will make you pay for the first fight to snow.

This Season's Winter Apparel By Thirty Two

2011-11-11T21:26:00.000-08:00

Another season has started at Dicks Board Store.
New to the floor this season is our Thirty Two Apparel Range.
Check out some of this years leading fashion...

Thirty Two Ride Team
www.dicksboardstore.co.uk