The Olympics ended weeks ago, but many of us can still remember the excitement of the U.S. virtually dominating the relatively new sport of Olympic snowboarding.

Although snowboarding has only been included in the Winter Olympics since 1998, the sport itself has been around for decades.

So what exactly is snowboarding?

Snowboarding is a sport in which one descends snow-covered slopes with a small surfboard-like object equipped with bindings attached to one’s feet. In other words, snowboarding is actually snow surfing.

Snowboarding’s roots are credited to a number of people.

The earliest creator was said to be a boy named Tom Sims who crafted what he called a “ski board” out of plywood in his eighth-grade shop class in 1963.

After Sims, a man named Sherman Poppen created what he called the “snurfer” when he attached two skis together side by side.

But perhaps the most well-known pioneer is a man named Jake Burton, the founder of Burton Snowboards, the largest snowboard brand in the world.

In 1979, Poppen began fashioning boards out of fiberglass and equipped them with bindings. He later added steel edges and bindings with higher backs, giving us the snowboards we are familiar with today.

Over the years, snowboarding has grown into a mainstream, multimillion-dollar sport. Since the founding of Burton Snowboards, over 50 other snowboarding companies have emerged, offering a wide variety of essential snowboard gear.

So what exactly do you need to get started?

The basic necessities include the board, bindings, boots, pants, a jacket, gloves, a hat and if you really want to look the part, a sweet pair of goggles.

Brands like Burton, Ride, DC, Vans, 686, Roxy, Snowbunny and K2 specialize in snowboard gear and equipment, although there are other less costly alternatives.

A new snowboard can range anywhere from $99 to over $600. Most companies offer different levels of price and quality.

To save money you can buy new equipment from the last model year or go the used or rental route. To get the best price on new gear, try shopping during summer while snowboarding is in the off-season.

So now that you’ve got the basics on snowboarding, remember them the next year when you’re sitting around campus in the middle of another Wisconsin winter. Stop cursing the snow and get out to Alpine Valley or Olympia Highlands and enjoy it.

Sources: snowboarding2.com/history.php, snowboarding.com

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