Outdoor snow fields Snowboard gear includes the following:

This article focuses on protective gear, which ishighly recommended equipment.

(Other equipment will be shared in separate articles)

Some say: “Lacking skills, just rely on gear,” but besides the essential gear, protective gear is also extremely important, especially for beginners.

Chinese snow fields mainly have machine-packed snow trails, which are hard; falling on them is like falling on concrete. Moreover, besides injuring oneself, protective gear plays a bigger role in preventing collisions, especially against those who cannot control their speed and crash into others. The consequences can range from minor injuries to severe ones, including unconsciousness and ICU care. Therefore, I list protective gear as part of the “highly recommended equipment” series.

Currently, there are various protective gears available in the market, with mixed quality. I will share a few based on my own tests:

1. Beginner to Intermediate Protective Gear — Black Rhino

The Black Rhino brand was the first protective gear I used when I started learning to snowboard.

Advantages: Impact-resistant, cheap (around 200 yuan for a set)

Disadvantages: Bulky, hard, prone to shifting

This gear is acceptable for beginners; after all, the sliding speed won’t be too fast, and frequent falls won’t matter too much for appearance. It can still provide protection. However, those who care about looks, especially girls who pursue leg shape, may skip it.

In 2015, I was still a beginner, learning while falling at the Beida Lake snow field, wearing Black Rhino protective gear. I ended up with some bruises but no major injuries. I continued using it throughout the 2016 season, but after a fall caused by a catch edge, the knee protection shifted, resulting in pain that made me decide to upgrade to a more stable set.

2. Intermediate to Advanced Protective Gear — D3O Material Series

D3O is a highly recommended option in my opinion. If you don’t play in parks or on obstacles, this gear is completely sufficient.

Advantages: Lightweight, comfortable, impact-resistant

Disadvantages: No chest protection, rumored to lose effectiveness in low temperatures, relatively expensive.

This set of protective gear (armor, hip protector, knee pads) has saved my life several times! In 2017, when I wore this gear, my skills had improved significantly, and I wasn’t making beginner mistakes anymore, so I was pushing for speed records, reaching over 90 km/h at Vail in the USA. The snow there is soft, so it wasn’t a big issue, but on the hard snow in China, I fell a few times and felt like my shoulder and upper body were about to break. However, once I sat up and took a moment, I realized I was fine. I am deeply thankful for my D3O armor for saving me multiple times in similar scenarios.

D3O is not a brand but a type of material. It is a type of “expandable foam” that remains relaxed, soft, and elastic under normal conditions, but when subjected to severe impact or pressure, the molecules tighten and harden instantly, providing protection. Once the external force disappears, the material returns to its normal state.

There are rumors that this material may become ineffective at low temperatures. I respect this concern, but I personally tested it in conditions as low as -20°C at Chongli and Beida Lake, and the material held up fine.

So why did I upgrade my protective gear in 2018? Because I started playing on obstacles and in parks.

In 2018, while participating in New Zealand ski instructor training and exams at the Chongli Taiwu Ski Resort, I attempted a board slide on a temporary box made of two short boxes. As I slid across, my board caught on the seam, and I fell heavily onto the box, feeling dazed for nearly a minute, thinking I had severely injured my ribs. I couldn’t inhale due to the pain.

Since the D3O gear I was wearing did not have chest protection, I decided to order a set of FF protective gear that night.

3. Top-tier Protective Gear — ForceField (FF)

This set of protective gear is my top choice (just my personal opinion), offering protection for all joints and both front and back.

Advantages: Excellent protection performance, comprehensive coverage

Disadvantages: Relatively expensive

At this stage of skiing, I no longer pursue speed, especially after participating in professional ski instructor training and exams, I realize that safety is the most crucial issue in skiing. Being able to ski stably and control oneself at all times is what makes an excellent skier.

When playing on obstacles (boxes, rails, jumps), besides mastering safety techniques, this FF gear has been protecting me continuously. Last year in Hakuba, Japan, I was knocked down from behind by a skier, sliding for dozens of meters, but I got up slowly and felt fine, so I am very satisfied with this gear.

The fabric of FF gear comes in regular and breathable versions, with the breathable one being slightly more expensive. FF was originally designed for bikers, so breathability is prioritized. However, for skiers, the regular fabric is actually warmer.

4. Cute Turtle Cushion

Haha, the cute turtle cushion is a beautiful sight at Chinese ski resorts, especially for girls who care about looks, many beginners wear them, and some even wear turtle knee pads. Falling on them is soft and very comfortable.

Advantages: Cute, adorable, cheap

Disadvantages: Not professional

From a ski instructor’s professional perspective, I must say that the turtle cushion can provide some cushioning and protection for beginners at slow speeds, but it cannot replace professional protective gear! I suggest wearing professional gear underneath the turtle cushion for better safety.

5. Wrist Guards

I believe that wrist guards are necessary for both beginners and experts, as wrist bones are relatively fragile and prone to injury. When people fall, they instinctively use their hands to brace themselves, increasing the risk of wrist injuries.

I recommend harder built-in wrist guards for the best protection. They can be worn inside ski gloves without affecting appearance.

6. Medical Insurance for Skiing

Medical insurance is also necessary, but be sure to check if it covers extreme sports like skiing.

I use AIA’s annual accident insurance, which is globally applicable and covers skiing below 6000 meters altitude and diving within 40 meters depth. It offers unlimited coverage throughout the year, with a maximum coverage of 10,000 yuan per incident (which is sufficient for general fractures). The annual price is only 388 yuan, and it covers foreigners as well, which is very reasonable.

The above is my sharing of protective gear choices based on personal testing, and the content may not be comprehensive. Snow circle expert Billy White has launched the “Hot Snow” (SnowFever) snow circle consumer guide platform this year. This platform is a shared platform that aggregates and organizes thousands of snow gear parameters and shares insights and experiences about equipment. Whether you are a newbie, an enthusiast, or a gear geek, you can express your true voice here and connect with others through equipment.

The content of Hot Snow is quite rich, with detailed personal tests of various equipment available for reference.

Hot Snow also has a mini-program, which is extremely rich in content, including introductions to major ski resorts worldwide and discussions on skiing techniques. I am also a “Hot Snow creator” on this platform, and everyone is welcome to follow and communicate together.

↑↑↑ This ski season is officially open for appointments, welcome to scan for inquiries ↑↑↑

Let’s go have fun~

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