Snowboarding vendors Unless you're able to make everything yourself, you're going to have to buy some gear for snowboarding. One benefit of being an adult rider is that now you can afford to buy your stuff, rather than wait for your parents to hand over the money for you. On the other hand, one disadvantage of being an adult rider is that you may have to cut back on your snowboarding purchases to take care of your kids. Who makes and sells snowboarding gear There are a variety of people who both make and sell snowboarding gear and supplies. Vendors In general, you can buy snowboarding gear from three types of vendors: General purpose sporting goods stores. REI seems to have a decent selection, plus some useful information sheets; Specialty ski/board shops, where you may pay more, but get more knowledgeable staff; and Individuals selling their used goods through eBay, ski swaps, and the like. Manufacturers For the most part, the hobbyists who created the early gear of the 1970s have given way to large companies. Skiers will notice that many of these companies also sell skis. Here are a few of the companies, in alphabetical order. Some of the web sites, in an attempt to attract the teenaged market, employ the latest gimmicks in web design, requiring an up-to-date computer. Burton The biggest, definitely. The best? It depends. K2 Huge multi-line sporting goods company. Flow We like their bindings. Ride We've got their boots. Rossignol A ski company. Volkl Another ski company. WinterStick Back-country specialists. If you look around, you can still find smaller companies, as well. They are too numerous to list here. DISCUSSION Stop by the GraysOnTrays discussion board to add your comments or questions relating to snowboarding lessons. Return to the home page.