With the pandemic and the complications related to riding at the local mountain, more and more people are switching to Splitboarding! With the popularity of the sport and the masses of newcomers wanting to get a piece of the action, we felt like we could help with a few simple pointers.
If you just started to practice splitboarding or touring, know that there are a few things you need to apply in order to have fun while you climb up or ride down the mountain. That way, your split experience AND the experience of the riders around you will be that much better. Keep scrolling to learn some of the most important things to know before going up or down these slopes.
KEEP YOUR WEIGHT ON YOUR HEELS WHILE CLIMBING
There’s a lot of things that are good to know in order to climb without burning too much energy, and the first one that everyone should know is to keep your weight on your heels at all time when you climb a steep hill.
We know, climbing up a hill on foot is usually done using the toes or the front part of your feet, but remember that you are strapped on a splitted snowboard. Even if using your toes feels more natural at first, don’t fall for it and concentrate on staying balanced and centered on your heels. That way, your body will stay straight; your balance will be solid and the chances of slipping will magically disappear.
Another few key pointers would be to not lift your skis when climbing. Trust us, it will only end up making you feel really tired, really fast. It’s also smart to use your poles as support by keeping them behind you as you push to climb up.
LAYER UP
We’ll never say it enough! Layering is the ultimate weapon if you want to spend time outside during the Winter, especially if you are a Splitboarder or a touring lover. Let’s just say that a day in the backcountry can’t be compared to a day at the mountain because your body temperature will drastically change throughout the day. That’s what we call the transition, aka when you reach your drop point and prepare to shred down.
The transition is when you need to evaluate what kind of gear you’re going to need to stay warm and dry. Since the weather and physical both change drastically during a day on the road less travelled, having layers is the number one ingredient to have a blast and adjust to what Mother Nature is putting in front of you.
CLICK HERE TO KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT LAYERING →
PICK UP YOUR GARBAGE
That’s a no brainer, right?! But we feel like it need to be said more as splitboarding’s popularity rose at all-time highs in the past year.
Remember, we go on splitboarding missions to shred and have extreme feelings, but also to appreciate the beauty of the great outdoors. We don’t expect to ride through empty cans of beer or your lunch leftovers and neither should you! We know that there’s no trash cans in the backcountry, but that’s the whole point of a split mission on the road less traveled!! Bring a garbage bag in your backpack and keep ALL of your day’s trash with you until you find a garbage bin. Period.
ALWAYS RIDE WITH A PARTNER
Just like there’s no trash cans at your local splitboarding/touring spot, there’s also no ski patrol, no paramedics, no first aid kits and no directions to follow. Reason why splitboarding should never be done alone.
We don’t want to sound dramatic or anything over here, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry and to have someone with you in case something happens to you. Let’s not forget that in any case, the joys of splitboarding should always be shared with people you love.
DON’T BLOCK THE TRACK
Last but not least, let’s talk about the track. When you go on a split or touring mission, follow same track as everyone else so you don’t waste any shredding real estate and don’t lose too much energy on the ascent part of the day. So yeah… Follow the track, don’t break the track and most importantly, don’t stop in the middle of the track during an ascent!
Stopping in the middle of the track to check a text message or take a look at the stock market’s prices should be prohibited while ascending! A huge part of climbing up a mountain is about the flow, finding your cruise control and ascending in a smooth and even manner. Since everybody should be climbing on same track, one person stopping means the whole group is stopping. And just like that, the flow is lost and you got yourself a nice traffic jam! Not cool!