Consider Their Ability Level

It used to be the case that all kids’ boards were beginners’ boards. They were all super soft, spoon-like buttery sticks that were mainly designed with avoiding edge-catching in mind. A face plant to scorpion will crush your kid’s stoke levels faster than finding a poo in your snowboard boot after a big night out (this happened once, and it actually made my boots smell better), so this design principle was understandable.

Nowadays, there are way more options, which has become a necessity since we now have eight-year-olds who can casually drop double backies between hits on the Haribo bong. Not all kids are beginners.

If your kid is starting to shred age four, then they are going to need something very different than if they are eight and have already done a couple of mountain trips. Basically, go softer and noodlier the smaller/earlier they are in their learning curve (the Burton Chopper is a good option here). If they have already got some skills, then something stiffer to handle speed will be needed (check out the Jones Discovery, or Prodigy).

“Cranking someone else’s bindings requires a lot of love, especially when doing it for the 32nd time that day”

Avoid Complicated Fiddly Stuff

This is less about snowboarding proficiency as their general level of doing stuff for themselves.

Complicated binding systems, or bindings that are tricky to put on and off will cause you a world of pain. If your kids are generally a bit feeble, and like to have stuff done for them (all of mine fell into this category for extended periods) then make sure you get gear that is super-simple to adjust and do up.

Cranking someone else’s bindings requires a lot of love, especially when doing it for the 32nd time that day. Anything with single buckles gets my vote here. When doing a recent gear test, we found there were some genuinely rubbish bindings that were a nightmare to crank up, so make sure you get your hands on a pair and feel them out before splashing the cash.

Also, avoid boots with laces. I would always go for a Boa system for kids. Honestly, it’s just way less effort in the mornings. No seven-year-old in the world can do up snowboard boots with laces, but with the Boa they can sort out their own shit whilst you are still eating breakfast croissants with almond paste and watching Robot Food videos on your iPhone.

Get Stuff They Like The Look Of

If they like it, your life is a lot easier. What a six-year-old girl wants may not be something you would choose, but that literally doesn’t matter (NB: if you haven’t already realised that what you think counts for jack shit once you have kids, then there are some bigger lessons to be learned first).

Tempting though it is to buy a snowboard as a surprise Christmas present, it can quickly turn sour when the skull and monster graphics don’t go down well with your daughter. Try speaking to your kids about what they want – this can actually be useful input (once you have discounted the requests for hover boards, unicorn wings or laser beams).

“If you haven’t already realised that what you think counts for jack shit once you have kids, then there are some bigger lessons to be learned first”

“Stuff breaks, and trying to find a random little screw for a broken binding is a quick way to ruin a holiday”

Look For What’s Widely Available

Stuff breaks, and trying to find a random little screw for a broken binding in a resort where none of the shops stocks the brand you’ve bought, is a quick way to ruin a holiday. Better to go with brands that are widely available and thus easy to get spares for.

Even better to go with brands that make stuff that lasts. But, based on my experience of my binding-breaking munchkins, I would say that nothing is indestructible, so playing it safe will be worth it.