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Snow Boarding for Bikers

I'm sure many seasoned bikers know that when the mercury drops (or the alcohol, bi-metalic strip etc.) the thermals come out of storage and join us on many rides. If you are a summer/good weather only rider, then this may not pertain to you so much.

For myself, in winter, I like to Snow Board. Snow Boarding, like motorcycling, is not an in-expensive hobby and requires the use of specific, fit-for-purpose, equipment. Helmet, boots, Goggles, Gloves, Jacket and Pants.

The nature of snow, being that it's when when warm (aka water), means that much of the snowboard gear is designed with waterproofing in mind. Furthermore, boarding can be quite an exertion, generating heat and sweat; resulting in breathable equipment.... aren't these the same qualities we look for in decent motorcycle gear these days, especially for the Adventure Sports riders?

On a long ride last week I discovered the benefits of using snowboarding specific equipment for riding. The boarding pants provide great wind resistance, water resistance and breathability - though they are no substitute for a pair of armored overpants, I don't have any at the moment, and these worked beautifully.

Today (and hopefully the subject of a post later tonight) I decided to try my "Technical underwear" with my motorbike. Technical underwear/Base Layer is an excuse to charge more for long-johns that are "designed for snowboarding". Believing that the principles behind the design for other snowboarding equipment was still relevant here, I tried them out today. My base layer is by Kombi. I have started to notice a few motorcycle apparel manufacturers (FirstGear, Olympia etc) recommending the use of their base layer technology, but a little tip....if you are a snowboarder, then you may find some of the gear useful on your bike too. I found my snowboard base layer to be perfectly suited to motorcycling too, so I won't be buying something specific to the bike !!

I also use the liner of my boarding gloves under my motorcycle gloves when it gets TOO chilly !!!

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