The effective edge measures the length of edge between the nose and tail of the board that is in contact with the snow...

Overall length is the full length of the snowboard from tip to tail. It is usually measured in centimeters. When you hear that a board is a 155, for example, it simply means that the total length of the board is 155 cm.

You're going to fall while learning to snowboard, but at least getting back up isn't difficult.

So you've decided to try snowboarding. You've bought the gear, you've mounted the board... now it's time to learn to snowboard.

This article will take you through learning to snowboard in ten steps. Each step is listed in order so that you may progress logically from one step to the next. You may even want to print this article and take it with you to the slopes as you learn to snowboard.

The great thing about snowboard bindings is that you can easily mount them by yourself, and change the bindings or their position as often as you like. Here is everything you need to know to mount a pair of bindings onto a snowboard.

Estimated time: 15 minutes.

A backside 180 is one of my favorite tricks. You can do it small while you're still learning, or huge and slow once you have it down. The technique is the same; the style is all yours.

Difficulty: Average
Time Required: Practice

+Video Tutorial

An indy grab is the quintessential "first trick". Once you get the hang of it, you can experiment with style by trying it tuck-knee or by boning it out (straightening your front leg).
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: Practice

Pull a roast beef out of your bag of tricks and provide your friends with a chuckle and yourself with a little bit of snowboarding fun.
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: Practice