Ever get to the top of the lift and find yourself asking, “does anyone have a screwdriver?” Your bindings are so loose you can rotate from regular to goofy without moving the board, and there’s not a tool in sight. Well, except for you…
Tool Kit
It pays to pack your own snowboard tool, and depending on the weather, there are a few other key items that will keep you from running back and forth to the base lodge all day. First and foremost, keep a snowboard-specific multi-tool in your pocket, like Dakine’s Stubby Driver.
Or, wear a toolbelt, no seriously—686 makes a snowboard belt with a built in #2 Phillips driver, bottle opener, and a detachable loop with 8mm, 10mm, and 11mm wrenches.
The 686 Snowboard Tool Belt
High Maintenance
If you like to keep your edges ultra buff and catch-free, or you are still detuning that new board, Dakine’s Pocket Stone is a handy accessory—you can score both of these items for under 20 bucks. Slow base or powder day? Consider rolling with a tin of rub-on wax to avoid getting stranded on the flats.
Storm Insurance
Powder day runs are pure gold, and you want to maximize every minute you have on the mountain. So if it’s hammering, or mid-winter cold and windy, consider rolling with these items stuffed in your outerwear.
• Bandana/facemask – There are a variety of styles, from gangsta to cowboy, and are virtually weightless so you won’t even know it’s in your pocket.
• Extra goggles – If you have fog issues or tend to yard sale bring a backup pair of goggles. There’s nothing worse than trying to ride down a mountain blind in a snowstorm.
• Backup gloves – These can be in your pocket or in your car, but it pays to switch into a fresh pair of gloves when your other pair is soaked. Cold hands=no fun.
• Chapstick and sunscreen – pretty self-explanatory, protect your face so you don’t get weathered.
-MH
