Snowboard Gear Buying Guide


 Reviews & Guides


Snowboard Gear Buying Guide


Despite having an initial reputation as an “extreme” sport, the popularity of snowboarding has grown by leaps and bounds. Whether you’re just getting started, enjoy the occasional day out on the mountain, or are an expert “shredder,” you’ll find all the equipment you need, from snowboards, boots, and bindings to apparel, goggles, and tuning kits, right here on eBay. 

Select a Snowboard


Select a Snowboard

Choosing the right snowboard for your style is important. Are you looking for speed, agility, or a mixture of both? There are basically three types of snowboards: freestyle snowboards, freeride snowboards, and alpine snowboards. Popular choices include K2 snowboards, Burton snowboards, Rossignol snowboards, and Salomon snowboards.

  • Freestyle snowboards: Freestyle snowboards are short, wide, and flexible. They are very responsive and forgiving over harsh terrain. This makes them a good choice for beginning riders. Freestyle snowboards are designed for half-pipes and terrain parks. Most freestyle snowboards are symmetrical and have shovels on both ends. Some are directional-twin—they have the same shape on both ends, but the tail is stiffer than the nose.

  • Freeride snowboards: Freeride snowboards combine some aspects both of alpine snowboards and freestyle snowboards. They are usually directional, with the tail thinner than the nose, but not as severely as alpine snowboards. They are more rigid than freestyle boards, so they’re good for carving long turns, but they are not as rigid as alpine snowboards. Freeride snowboards are versatile and account for nearly half of all snowboard sales.

  • Alpine snowboards: Alpine snowboards are stiff, straight, and designed for speed. Because of this, they basically look like an enlarged ski. They can be symmetrical or asymmetrical, but usually only have a shovel at one end. They are designed for clean curves, sharp turns, and speed. Because of their stiffness, they are usually reserved for advanced riders who are looking for a snowboard built for downhill.

The most important things to consider when buying a snowboard are your riding style and experience level. Freestyle snowboards and freeride snowboards are generally better for beginners, while alpine snowboards are designed for anyone who wants to get down that mountain fast.


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Buy Snowboard Boots & Bindings


Buy Snowboard Boots & Bindings

Without snowboard bindings and specialized snowboarding boots, controlling your snowboard would be close to impossible.

Snowboard Bindings

Without snowboard bindings, you wouldn’t be able to steer or control your snowboard, and it would be pretty difficult to keep your feet attached to the board, too. There are five main types of snowboard bindings: strap bindings, step-in bindings, flow-in bindings, plate bindings, and baseless bindings.

  • Strap snowboard bindings: Strap snowboard bindings use two straps and a high backplate to secure your feet to the snowboard. Use strap snowboard bindings in combination with a soft snowboard boot—they offer a lot of control and are generally very comfortable.

  • Step-in snowboard bindings: Instead of straps, step-in snowboard bindings have a backplate and a step-in mechanism that locks your snowboard boot in place. This mechanism makes it very easy to mount and dismount the snowboard, but often doesn’t offer the control of a strap-in binding. When buying step-in snowboard bindings, make sure that your snowboard boots can accommodate them.

  • Flow-in snowboard bindings: Flow-in snowboard bindings offer the comfort of soft boots, the control of strap bindings, and the speed and ease of step-in bindings, thanks to the combination of one strap and a backplate. The drawback is that they can’t be adjusted as easily as strap bindings.

  • Plate snowboard bindings: Like traditional ski bindings, plate bindings require hard boots. This binding style is used most often by downhill (alpine) snowboarders who want the extra leverage that plate bindings offer.

  • Baseless snowboard bindings: Snowboarders who ride terrain parks and pipes prefer baseless bindings for their responsiveness. The base of the binding is removed, so the rider’s feet sit directly on the board, giving them a better sense of the board’s flexion.

Popular snowboard binding choices include Salomon snowboard bindings, SP snowboard bindings, Forum snowboard bindings, and Atomic snowboard bindings.

Snowboard boots

Along with bindings, snowboard boots transfer your body movement to the snowboard. They also protect your feet and ankles from the twists and torque of snowboarding, as well as the cold. There are three main types of snowboard boots available: soft boots, hard boots, and hybrids.

  • Soft snowboard boots: Soft snowboard boots are comfortable to ride and walk in, making them a popular choice for beginners and freestylers. They can be used with strap-in or flow-in bindings. Soft boots have two layers. The inner liner has cushioning and insulation to keep feet warm and act as shock absorbers. The outer boot is stiffer to give the rider control of the board.

  • Hard snowboard boots: Like soft snowboard boots, hard boots have a warm and padded inner lining. The rigid exterior is more like a ski boot, however. Downhill racers prefer these boots because they allow for quick turns and precise cornering. Hard boots are used with plate bindings.

  • Hybrid snowboard boots: Hybrid snowboard boots combine the best aspects of soft and hard snowboard boots. They offer flexibility above the ankle, along with a tough sole. Hybrid snowboard boots are often used with step-in bindings and must be matched with the binding that you plan on using.

Popular choices include Ride snowboard boots, Vans snowboard boots, Airwalk snowboard boots, and Flow snowboard boots.


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Get Essential Snowboarding Accessories


Get Essential Snowboarding Accessories

Boots, bindings, and snowboards will get the job done, but you’ll need some additional items to make your day more pleasant.

  • Snowboarding apparel: Snowboarding apparel, including jackets and pants that are waterproof, windproof, and breathable are a necessity. Breathability lets sweat and moisture evaporate to keep you dry.

  • Snowboarding goggles: Snowboarding goggles protect your eyes from snow, wind, UV light, and branches. Make sure your goggles have vents to prevent fogging.

  • Snowboarding gloves: Good gloves offer the same things a good jacket does: protection from the elements and breathability.

  • Snowboard carrying case: A snowboard bag or carrying case will protect your investment from the damages of traveling. Most have pockets to hold miscellaneous equipment like tuning kits, wax, gloves, and goggles.

  • Tuning kits: After use, snowboards can get dull and bent out of shape. Tuning kits let you customize how you want the edge of your board sharpened. Whether you want your board to grab every edge or slide a little, a snowboard tuning kit lets you choose. Wax keeps you gliding smoothly across the slopes.


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Find Snowboarding Gear on eBay


Find Snowboarding Gear on eBay

Once you know what type of Snowboarding Equipment you want, go to the Sporting Goods portal, click Snowboarding, and start searching for item listings on eBay.

  • Categories: The Categories list on the left side of each page will help you narrow down your listings by item type. You'll find links for snowboards, boots, bindings, and more. As you dig deeper into the site you'll also be able to narrow down your choice by brand.

  • Keyword search: Search eBay listing titles for specific words. For example, if you want to find snowboard bindings, type "snowboard bindings" (without quotation marks) into the Search box. Click "Search title and description" to expand your results. Visit eBay's Search Tips page for more tips on searching with keywords.

If you can't find exactly what you want, shop eBay Stores, tell the eBay Community what you want by creating a post on Want It Now, or save a search on My eBay and eBay will email you when a match becomes available.


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Buy Snowboard Gear With Confidence


Buy Snowboard Gear With Confidence

Before making your purchase, make sure you know exactly what you're buying, research your seller, and understand how eBay and PayPal protect you.

Know your purchase

Carefully read the details in item listings.

  • Figure delivery costs into your final price. If you spend a lot of money, make sure the seller will insure the item when it ships.

  • If you want more information, ask by clicking the "Ask seller a question" link under the seller's profile.

  • Always make sure to complete your transaction on eBay (with a bid, Buy It Now, or Best Offer). Transactions conducted outside of eBay are not covered by eBay protection programs.

  • Never pay for your eBay item using instant cash wire transfer services through Western Union or MoneyGram. These payment methods are unsafe when paying someone you do not know.

Know your seller

Research your seller so you feel positive and secure about every transaction.

  • What is the seller's Feedback rating? How many transactions have they completed? What percentage of positive responses do they have?

  • What do buyers say in their Feedback? Did the seller receive praise?

  • Most top eBay sellers operate like retail stores and have return policies. Do they offer a money-back guarantee? What are the terms and conditions?

Buyer protection

In the unlikely event that a problem arises during your transaction, eBay and PayPal are there for you.

  • Pay safely with PayPal: PayPal enables you to pay without the seller ever seeing your bank account or credit card numbers. In fact, PayPal protects buyers 100% against unauthorized payments from their accounts. Plus, with PayPal Buyer Protection, your purchase can be covered up to $1,000.

  • eBay Security & Resolution Center: Visit the Security & Resolution Center to learn how to protect your account and use eBay's quick and efficient resolution tools.


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