Snowboard Construction

SNOWBOARDS

Construction
The various components of a snowboard are:

A Core: The core forms the interior of the snowboard. It is typically comprised of a solid material, normally either wood, foam, or some composite plastic. The properties of the core directly effect important characteristics of the board, such as flexibility and weight. There is also the "dgb" which is wood that goes in different directions over the core of the board to increase control. This construction feature is not included in all board designs.

A Base: This is the bottom of the board which is made of a graphitic material that is saturated with a wax that creates a very quick smooth hydrophobic surface. It is important that the base of the board is as slippery as possible, therefore different base waxes are available for different snow conditions. If the board is damaged a new base pattern can be stone ground into the board. If the base becomes significantly damaged the board may become sluggish, or if the damage is deep enough it may even weaken the core.

An Edge: A strip of metal tuned normally to just less than ninety degrees that runs the length of either side of the board. The sharp edge is necessary to be able to produce enough friction to ride on ice, and the radius of the edge directly effects the radius of carving turns, and in turn the responsiveness of the board. Kinking, rusting, or general dulling of the edge will significantly hinder the ability for the edge to grip the snow, so it is important that this feature is maintained.