Source: verywellhealth.com
Snowboarding is an action sport and as such, it comes with some inherent risks, so the most important thing is to keep yourself safe while enjoying the slopes. Make sure you always have the right snowboard setup, from base snowboard to protective gear as snowboarding is all about having fun and staying protected while working towards your personal goals.
Learning to snowboard is all about confidence and even a major injury can slow down the learning process. During a fall, the first natural movement is to brace yourself with your hands, which can eventually result in a sprained wrist. You don’t want to end up holed in the lodge with a cast on your arm or foot, while your friends are out shredding, so that’s why you need to keep yourself protected when coming down challenging trails as falls can happen regardless of how good a boarder you are.
Therefore, it’s not surprising at all that wrist injuries are some of the most common injuries in snowboarders. So, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced snowboarder, investing in snowboard wrist guards is always a good idea. Unfortunately, wrist guards are not used as commonly on the slopes, even though they are essential in preventing wrist injuries.
Should You Wear Wrist Guards Snowboarding?
Source: mcdavidusa.com
These days, it’s an ongoing debate if one should wear wrist guards snowboarding or not and looking for the right answer can get a bit overwhelming. You can find an article that says only beginners need them as they don’t know how to fall yet, while another one will say that it’s the intermediate riders that need extra protection as they are confident before they should be.
Often you may hear that if you wear wrist guards, you’re only moving the break from your wrist to your forearm, but several specific studies are showing that the use of good quality wrist guards doesn’t increase upper extremity injuries. That being said, you can find wrist guards snowboarding enthusiasts love and hit the slopes in full gear.
Many say that snowboarding is difficult to learn but easy to master. So, if you’re a beginner, you may need some time to learn the basics of snowboarding and protecting yourself is very important as a sprained wrist or any other injury won’t let you focus on the learning process as much as you should.
The wrist guards will protect your joints and bones by minimising the effect of a fall. They are designed to protect your hands from fractures, dislocation of the bones, strains and many other painful injuries. Their main role is to stabilise and protect your hands, wrists and arms whenever you fall or hit something.
Choose Your Snowboard Wrist Guards Right
Source: eliteskater.com
A high-quality pair of wrist guards keep your wrists dry and gives your arms and palms some supports in case you fall or hit something with your arms while snowboarding. Snowboard wrist guards are part of the essential snowboarding gear that you need before hitting the slopes. So, here are a few things to consider before buying a pair of wrist guards for your snow adventures.
Construction
The main purpose of snowboarding wristguards is to break your fall. As falls can happen often, you want a pair with durable stitching that can withstand the harsh conditions when you’re snowboarding. Look for wrist guards that can take hard crashes, especially at odd angles because you can never know how you’re going to brace for a crash or the way you’re going to take a rough impact. High quality pair of wrist guards will keep you protected in many different situations and you’ll know that they won’t accidentally cut or break while you’re enjoying your time on the slopes.
Flexibility
When buying your wrist guards for snowboarding, select a pair that will let you move around even when they’re locked in. A good snowboard wrist guard will protect you from injury and brace your hands at the same time.
Style
Apart from construction and mobility, when getting your wrist guards, you need to pay attention to their design as well. Various models come in various shapes, so you need to make sure to get the ones that work perfectly well with your body and are not too tight or stiff.
Padding
Wrist guards have extra padding or cushioning in the palm area, which guarantees ultimate comfort while you’re snowboarding or carrying your gear. The cushioning can be placed on the back of the palms as well, to protect your hands if you fall. It should be strategically placed, so it won’t make your wrist guards feel bulky and affect your ability to master your snowboarding skills.
Fit
Wrist guards can be found in many different sizes, so you can easily find a pair that fits properly. Some of them can be worn above or under your snow gloves or mittens. If you want to wear them on top of gloves or mittens, then you can opt for a bigger size.
The straps allow you to easily adjust the size of the wrist guards and ensure a comfortable fit. Some models have Velcro straps that can provide the snuggest fit, while others have hook and loop straps. Whatever your choice is, make sure not to adjust the straps too tight as it might affect your comfort and mobility.
