Bike Touring: How Far Can You Bike in a Day?

By Megan Maxwell
While planning a bike trip, an important question to ask yourself is, “How far can I bike every day?” Having a flexible schedule is ideal, but it is also good to have a timeline for when you can finish your trip.


On my third day of my bike trip from Canada to Mexico, I was taking a break on the side of the road when a local cyclist stopped beside me. He was waiting for his group to catch up with him, and seeing my panniers, he asked where I was going. I told him about my bike trip. “Oh, so did you start in Vancouver this morning?” “No, I started there three days ago,” I replied.

A Ski or Snowboard Weekend in Whistler

By: Ryan Centioli

For 2015, Whistler Blackcomb has once again been rated as the number one ski resort in North America. People travel from all over the world to visit Whistler and get a chance to strap in and experience what makes Whistler so great.

Riding the Plank | Snowboard Jumps | Flight = Freedom

By: Brian Negele

Learning how to do a proper heel turn, a toe turn, carve...then, finally carving at high speeds, is just the obvious progression in boarding. What really breaks the gap between that and bigger and better things? Well... that would be jumping!

Your New Hoverboard Skateboard | Mr. Hoverboard

Paging Marty McFly!  Real or fake - this hoverboard skateboard looks real but you can't believe everything you see on YouTube...

Either way, this hoverboard skateboard is on my Christmas list.  And I'm looking forward to the XGames Skateboard Hoverboard event in 2017.  Although we will need to design a new "hoverboard rack" for this one.  



Visit: www.StoreYourBoard.com

Carrying a Ski or Snowboard Multitool on the Mountain

By: Brad McNally

A multitool can be a very useful thing to carry with you on a regular basis. Some people have a Leatherman or a Gerber tool that they use as part of their EDC (every day carry). There are multiple reasons to carry one along when you are skiing or snowboarding (or during any outdoor activity, actually). “Be Prepared” is more than just the boy scout motto -- it is great advice for any athlete that is going to be out on their board. Here are a few reasons you may want to consider carrying a multitool with you.

7 Ways to Beat Ski Traffic...and How to Keep Your Cool When You Don't

By Maya Silver

Are you a victim of ski traffic? If you're a skier or rider living in a city who works the Monday-Friday grind, chances are the answer is a big, sad YES. While there's no magic bullet solution (besides owning your own private jet, that is), there is a better way—at least I'm determined to find one.

I'll never forget the time that I woke up at the ungodly hour of 5am to beat the traffic to Winter Park. I really thought I was outsmarting all the other powder hounds that day! Who else would be crazy enough to rise in the dark on a bitterly cold and snowy Saturday morning? Apparently, everyone else in Denver.

Ski and Snowboard Goggle Care | Cleaning Your Goggles

By: Ryan Centioli

Whether you ski or snowboard, your goggles are one of the most important pieces of equipment for your day at the mountain. Your goggles protect your eyes, allow you to see better in poor visibility, and take a lot of abuse. Plus, they're often very expensive. So it makes sense to take care of your goggles, so they can take care of you! Here's how to care and clean your goggles.


How many times have you seen this? Goggles hanging in the rear view mirror of someones car. Some of you may be thinking, "I keep my goggles like that." While the "rear view mirror goggle hang" might look cool, and let everyone know how much you love to hit mountain, it's ruining your goggles! When ski and snowboard goggles hang from rear view mirrors it allows UV rays to shine through, and heat up the inner side of your lens! This can cause lens blur, lens warping, the breakdown of anti-fog coating, and can cloud the lens making your goggles difficult to see out of!

A Day in the Life of a Lifty: Working at a Ski Resort

By: Claire Botsy

Thinking about whether the lifty life is the life for you? Do you have what it takes to be a respectable member of the ski resort work force? The grueling day described will hopefully weed out the weak ones, leaving the most fit to uphold the standard of lifties everywhere.

You wake up early, not because you are about to carve some sick runs in deep pow, but because you have to scan the lucky guy that gets to do just that. It isn’t too regrettable though, getting first run and riding everyday are as commonplace as the Aussies that you work with.

Staying Warm Distance Biking | What to Pack and Wear on a Bike Trip

By Megan Maxwell

Having proper clothing and staying warm is very important while biking for long distances. While you will likely be biking in the sun a decent amount, it will also be cold, cloudy, and raining fairly regularly. It’s essential to bring lightweight clothing that is functional.  By wearing layers, you can regulate your body temperature by adding or removing layers as needed.

How to Pack Your Bike for a Plane Ride | Bike Travel Tips

By Megan Maxwell

Traveling with a bike can be very stressful. First, you have to worry about booking tickets with an airline that doesn’t overcharge for bikes. Then you have to disassemble your bike and hope that it arrives at your destination safely. There’s also a good chance that TSA will open the box and not bother to put things back correctly. While some aspects of traveling are out of your control, you can still disassemble and package your bike to the best of your abilities.

Home Guide to Sharpening Snowboard Edges | Tune Your Snowboard's Angles

By: Brad McNally

photo: nonstopsnow.com

Now that you’ve learned to fix your snowboard base and wax your snowboard at home, know that there is other basic snowboard maintenance you can perform yourself. Sharpening your edges will help your snowboard perform better. This is a small adjustment that can make a world of difference in how your board grips the snow as you carve. Basically, you will be sharpening the edges to a specific angle where you want to board to grip the snow better and detuning (or dulling) the edges that you don’t want to catch. According to ABC-of-snowboarding, edge maintenance should be done after each day of riding.

This is done before you wax but after you remove your bindings. You can will need to use a file guide with your edge file to make sure that you are creating the correct angle on your edge. Before you do this part (and especially if you are new to it), take a marker and put a strip of color along the entire edge that you will be filing. The goal of marking is to make sure you get each part of the edge sharpened, not just a section or two. The edges can be 90 degrees, 89 degrees, or 88 degrees. The lower the number, the more grip that the edge will create. The creation of an angle on the edge is called beveling. There are two surfaces that you can sharpen: the base and the side.

How to Repair Your Snowboard: Base Damage

By: Brad McNally

Last week, we discussed waxing your board to get it ready for riding, but unfortunately sometimes bad things happen to good boards, like when you find yourself riding down the mountain and hear that sickening sound of a rock grinding into the bottom of your board. This is even more likely early in the season when the conditions aren't as prime, so it is possibly going to be coming up soon.

image: snowboardingfix.com

Surfing and Camping in Big Sur, California: Andrew Molera State Park

I recently had a chance to do some surf traveling in Northern California and scored at Andrew Molera State Park in Big Sur!  My trip started out in San Francisco, where we got a few days of surf at the Beach, then cruised south, stopping in Santa Cruz, and then on to Andrew Molera.

Waxing Your Snowboard: Why and How-to Guide

image: nonstopsnow.com

By: Brad McNally

Many snowboarders (myself included) are maintenance nuts. For several reasons, I always try to do work to my own equipment, and one of those is completely monetary -- it costs less to do it at home than at the shop. 

Another reason is that you get to have more control over what happens to it, and the experience is rather rewarding. Just as there is a good feeling when you are driving a car that you worked on yourself, there is a good feeling when you hit the slopes on a board that you have done the maintenance on. 

Waxing your board is a simple process and it is really easy, but it can be intimidating to a first timer. The wax will help you go faster over the snow, but it also will protect your board and keep it lasting longer.

Biking and Camping the Pacific Coast: Washington, Oregon and California Bike Camping Tips

By Megan Maxwell
This past summer, I went on a long-distance bike trip through Washington, Oregon, and California. I had always wanted to see the Pacific Coast, but I needed to be frugal with my money. The best way to save money and make my bike trip a reality was to camp along the way. I kept my tent and other camping gear in my panniers and pedaled my gear down the coast.

Christmas Gift Ideas | Stocking Stuffers for Surfers, Paddleboarders, Snowboarders and More

Looking for a great Christmas, Hanukah or other holiday gift this year?  StoreYourBoard.com has some great stocking stuffers for the surfers, skateboarders, paddleboarders, skiers, snowboarders, bikers, kayakers and wakeboarders in your lives!  Reasonably priced gifts that are unique and thoughtful to make your loved ones smile!

Snowboard Art | Display Your Snowboard Deck Art!

By: Brad McNally

When you first look at a snowboard in a shop, or online for that matter, you often see them categorized in one of a few ways. Typically, this is by if the intended use is freeride, or deep powder use, or any other various type of board. After that, typically you can search by size. But the big thing that every customer sees is the graphic on the board...

Ski and Snowboard Boot and Gear Bags | Christmas Gift Ideas for Skiers and Snowboarders

As the winter snow season revs up, make sure you've got ski boot bags and snowboard boot bags on the checklist for your next winter trip.  We've got a bunch of different varieties of ski and snowboard boot and gear bags so you can find exactly what you need - whether it's duffel boot bags, backpack boot bags or wheeled rolling boot bags - we've got it.  And don't forget - they make a great Christmas present for the skiers and snowboarders in your life!

Introduction to Snowboard Boots and Bindings | Binding Types, Widths and Angles

By: Brad McNally

Snowboarding, like most sports, can be extremely enjoyable. To the casual observer, it can also seem extremely simplistic in respect to gear. Those that have looked into starting may notice how expensive most gear actually is, but also realize that you can find good products that are much more affordable. One of the biggest costs for many riders is the board, but boots and bindings come in close behind. 

Knowing what works well for you is important, but much like clipless pedals on a bicycle, you do buy a “system” and that will determine what components you use. 

In this post, we will look at the two most common types of binding/boot systems and how to set them up on your board.

5 Skateboard Decks and Mounts Bundle | Customize Your Skateboard Art

Whether you're a skateboarder, artist, or both, we've got just what you need to complete your portfolio of skateboard decks / artwork.

Our bundle of 5 blank skate decks comes with 5 wall mounts - turn the decks into works of art and mount them in your house as the perfect skate-inspired decoration.  Customize them however you want to fit any room in your house, or turn your art skills into a business by decorating the decks and selling them online.  Make a great Christmas present for the skateboarder or artist in your life.

Tips for Surfing Trestles | How to Score one of California's Best Surf Breaks

By Rick Bickerstaff

bikes, boards, bags: all good for Trestles

 My first full summer in Southern California, a friend told me about a mystical and elusive spot known as Trestles, at least that's how it sounded to me at the time. Somewhere in San Celemente, you had to walk a long path through the bush to get to the rocky, but worthwhile break with amazingly long rides that my informant claimed was where he learned to pump. Sounds good to me! I've been, and it lives up to the legend (minus the mythical and elusive part), so I thought I would provide some tips in case you want to visit this famous surf spot.

Snowboard Travel Bags: Hard and Soft Snowboard Cases for Winter Travel

Got a big excursion planned this winter?  Whistler? Vail? Stowe? St. Anton?  You gotta have the right gear to get your snowboards there, and we've got the snowboard travel cases you need.

HARD CASES:

The Sportube Snowboard Travel Case is made out of High-Density Polyethylene which makes it strong but lightweight. The hard plastic shell offers superior protection over a soft bag and creates a shield around the equipment protecting its contents better than a nylon bag. The hard shell plastic doesn't tear and is resilient to dings and bangs. There are no buckles, zips or permanently attached straps to get ripped, torn or broken. So it will hold up better and last much longer than a soft bag. Some airlines will only take liability for skis and boards packed in a hard case, soft bags may require a signed liability release! Not this Sportube hard case.

SOFT CASES:

We also have a variety of "soft bag" snowboard travel cases.  The features and price points on these cases range - whether you want a standard, zip case to carry a single snowboard on a weekend jaunt, or whether you want a heavier-duty, adjustable length, wheeled snowboard travel case for the trip of the winter. 

Visit: www.StoreYourBoard.com

What is the Right Size Snowboard for Me? Choosing Your Snowboard Dimensions

By: Brad McNally

There are a lot of things that can happen if you use equipment that is the wrong size for your build. For example, it can go terribly wrong. Just think of a child riding an adult sized bicycle; they can’t touch the ground when they stop, they can’t reach the handlebars to steer, and they wobble around until they fall over. It can also go well. Imagine an adult sized person on a child sized BMX bike. It can be more responsive and they can have great control over every aspect of how the bike moves, allowing them to do some amazing tricks. The same could be said of snowboards, but the size issues come down to mere centimeters along the length and could make all the difference between having a good day on the slopes or not. Here are a few factors that can help you find the board best suited to your needs.

photo: snowboarding.com

Tips for Set Waves | Where to Sit in the Lineup to Catch Waves, not Wipeouts

By Rick Bickerstaff 
Have you ever been sitting in the lineup and waiting for a set when, out of nowhere, a giant bulge of water comes at you like a miniature tsunami? You're in line for a normal set, but this is something different, breaking farther out and bigger; and so you have to make a split-second decision to either paddle and beat the wave, or sit and duck dive six feet of white water, a real life choose-your-own-adventure.

Standout approaching! (photo: @jinheejoung)

Snowboard Types and Shapes | Choosing the Right Snowboard

By: Brad McNally

One of the biggest mistakes that new snowboarders make is to use a board that is the wrong size or shape for what their riding intention. Much like a bicycle, the snowboard can be designed for specific purposes and specific sizes. While you can use any snowboard if you like, it isn’t always the most effective. To stick to the bike analogy, this would be like buying a nice road bike and taking it out on dirt trails through the woods -- it might make it, but it probably won’t be the best ride.

image: windwardboardshop.com

Hydration and Nutrition Tips for the Ski Slopes

By: Brad McNally

Many articles cover snowboarding safety, and they likely address a large number of topics including wearing a helmet, not going above your ability level too much, and being sure to wear all protective gear, but what often gets overlooked? Like any other sport, snowboarding takes a toll on your body. You need to make sure that you plan for both your nutrition and hydration needs when heading out for the day, especially if you are in a remote area. Here are some things to keep in mind when planning your day.

image via: http://images.gizmag.com/inline/geigerrig-1.jpg

Nutrition

Endurance athletes often calculate for their needs before a big race. We’ve all seen the cyclist with his jersey stuffed full of energy gels, but does anyone really need that stuff? Extreme heat can cause the body to burn additional calories, but it is often forgotten that cold increases the metabolic rate as well. According to an article about nutrition on Active.com, snowboarders should aim for about 200 calorie intake per hour of continuous boarding. This might sound like a lot, but could be accomplished rather easily using a wide variety of sports nutrition products.

The simplest option is to pack a few protein bars and consume one in between runs on the lift or when you take a break. Most any sports nutrition will have a wide variety of these to try, but make sure you find out what you like before you get out on the slopes and are stuck with it. Another suggestion is to try to consume warm drinks between runs to help keep your body temperature up as well. This might mean packing a thermos in the gear you bring or stopping into the lodge for a hot chocolate. Making sure you have a steady intake over the day will keep you from hitting a wall late in the afternoon.

Hydration

Hydration is often drilled into the head of warm weather athletes, but it shouldn’t be written off for snowboarders at all. When you are out in the cold, you often don’t think of hydration coming up. Feeling thirsty during any activity generally means you are already beginning to become dehydrated, so this is your body asking you to fix the problem. At this point, slight dehydration can be causing your abilities to degrade as well. Since your body doesn’t feel hot, you may not even notice for a longer time than usual.

Intake of fluids while boarding is absolutely vital, and there are a few easy ways to accomplish that. Ideally, you should aim for between four and eight ounces of fluid for every 15 minutes of activity. Stopping every few runs and playing catch up is one way to do this, but it is far easier to bring along a hydration pack. These backpacks include a bladder that can be filled with water and a tube that connects from the bottom of the pack to your shoulder area on the strap. A quick bite on the end of the tube gets you water without slowing you down. Remember to look for a pack that includes an insulated shell and tube cover so it won’t freeze on you in the cold.

Staying hydrated and nourished isn’t hard with a little preparation. Luckily, most boarding happens near a lodge, so if you have forgotten you can run in and get something, but for more remote locations it is vital to plan ahead. Before you throw your gear in the car, drop a few protein bars in your ski boot bag or snowboard boot bag and you’ll be sure to have something when hunger hits later in the day.



Visit: www.StoreYourBoard.com

Tips for Night Surfing | Catching Waves at Night Point Break Style

By Rick Bickerstaff We've all seen the epic (and totally false) night surf scene in Point Break, right? Despite Hollywood's mistaken depiction of night surfing, there are a lot of benefits to it, including fewer people and awakened instincts due to the lack of sight. I've made a few mistakes on the nocturnal way though, so I thought I'd share some tips for going on a night surf.

Courtesy of Inlet Charley's Surf Shop (inletcharleyssurf.tumblr.com)

Bad Things and Shaun White | Snowboarder Turned Rocker

By: Brad McNally

Nearly everyone has heard of Shaun White by now, but many may not have heard of Bad Things. Shaun White is the guitarist, and the rest of the band is made up of singer Davis LeDuke, bassist Jared Palomar, guitarist Anthony Sanudo, and drummer Lena Zawaideh.They released a self titled debut album in early 2014 and it is available for streaming on Spotify, but what does this mean for the snowboarding career of guitarist Shaun White?

Enter to Win a Free SUP Wheels Evolution from StoreYourBoard.com!

The team here at StoreYourBoard.com is offering our fans a chance to win some free SUP gear!  We are giving away a SUP Wheels Evolution to one lucky person.  All you have to do to enter is submit your email address.  One random entrant will be chosen as the winner on September 29.  Hurry up and enter already!



Visit: www.StoreYourBoard.com

Workouts for the Ski Season | Get in Ski Shape

by: Lauren Fry 

Before you start groaning at the thought of a smelly gym, or making a lifestyle change, keep reading! These are simple and quick workouts that can be done in your home that do not require equipment. This means you could fit it in before work or as a study break. These specific workouts do not even require much, if any, sweat!

Hurricane Cristobal Waves | Surfing Ocean City, NJ

About 2 weeks ago, at the same time that Hurricane Marie was hitting the West Coast, over on the east coast we were getting our own swell from Hurricane Cristobal.

All the forecasts were calling for clean waves with size, so on Thursday morning, August 28, I got up at 5:00 am so I could hit Ocean City, New Jersey at first light.

When I paddled out near 7th Street off the boardwalk there were already plenty of guys out, and the waves were firing.  Clean conditions with head high waves and plus size sets!

I got my fill, connecting on some nice long lefthand waves (I'm goofyfoot).  When I got out I snapped a few pictures on my phone of the scene.  If you look closely you can see guys getting barreled in 2 of these pictures.

Preparing for Ski Season | Pick Out the Right Ski Gear

by: Lauren Fry 
Do you suffer from summertime sadness? Post-snow depression? Off-season anxiety? You are not alone in the long wait for the return of the powder, this corgi also suffers from these very serious disorders. There however are things to do, so quit laying around and get shopping!

Now is the time to gear up and get ready, The off season is the best time to buy new gear, especially before Halloween! While that sounds so far away, it is sneaking up on us. Retailers are getting rid of their stock in preparation for their new inventory that comes in just in time for season! 

Thanks to Hurricane Marie | Waves from the Wedge, Malibu and More

By Rick Bickerstaff

Hurricane Marie swept Southern California last week, pumping in the biggest swells it's received in twenty years. And fortunately for me and my friends, it hit Los Angeles and Ventura counties the hardest. You might have seen pictures or videos at the Wedge in Newport Beach, just an hour or so south of Los Angeles. Massive 20-30 foot waves abounded here at the ultra-dangerous beach break. Mostly body-boarders populated this spot, as the break is so shallow it's practically suicide for surfers. Still, many made it out, and more watched.

The Wedge, photo by ©John Lucarelli, courtesy of grindtv.com

Paddleboard Storage Racks | SUP Racks | Customer Photos

Check out some of the latest photos we've received from satisfied customers of StoreYourBoard.com who are using our paddleboard racks to store their SUPs all over the place, on ceiling racks, in their garages, in their bedrooms, outside - everywhere really.

Wakeboard Boat Towers | Big Air Cuda Wakeboard Tower

We've been working at StoreYourBoard to expand our selection of wakeboard boat towers in addition to the wakeboard tower racks we've been known for.  We now have a great selection of boat towers, including towers from Big Air, Skylon, Krypt and FlyHigh.

One customer favorite boat tower is the Big Air Cuda Wakeboard Tower.  The Big Air Cuda wakeboard tower is Big Air's premier, radical forward swept design wakeboard tower. This wakeboard tower is on par with any OEM tower you would get from the major companies like Malibu, Moomba, and Centurion but without the inflated price! This rack has all the goodies such as a high polish finish, universal mounts, ultra-rigid frame, and swiveling rope head. 

Spelunking Gear | What You Need to Explore Caves

by: Lauren Fry 

When exploring nearby wilderness areas, you are not limited to climbing or hiking up the mountain. Some of the greatest climbs in the country are hidden in caves. Whether you call it caving or spelunking, it's the exploration of natural cave systems and usually is far underground, with limited to no light.

Wind Cave National Park located in South Dakota

Offseason Snowboarding at Snowflex's Artificial Mountain

By Rick Bickerstaff

A friend and I were on a trip to Lynchburg, Virginia recently, when one of our friends got us free tickets to a year round ski and snowboard mountain called the Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre. The "mountain" is made of a synthetic material that looks and feels like rigid carpet, developed in the UK by Briton Engineering Developments that allows riders to hone their skiing and snowboarding skills in and out of season.  We were both skeptical as to how "carpet boarding" would treat us, but the results were an unexpectedly fun night of riding.

Best Heat Ever? Kelly Slater v. John John Florence Semifinal at the Billabong Pro Tahiti

John John Florence and Kelly Slater squared off in the semifinal of the 2014 Billabong Pro Tahiti in what people in the surf industry are calling one of the best, if not the best, heat ever.  The two surfers traded huge, barreling waves at Teahupoo in an epic session.  In fact, Kelly and John John ended up in a dead heat - tied at 19.77 - but Kelly advanced to the finals because of his higher individual wave score, a perfect 10.

Kelly's 2 waves were scored a 10 and a 9.77. John John's 2 waves were scored a 9.90 and a 9.87.

Some might question whether Kelly got a "former champ score boost" on his 10 wave, or at least that John John deserved a 10 also.  Regardless, it was an epic heat from two awesome surfers in incredible conditions.



Visit: www.StoreYourBoard.com

Freestanding Kayak Racks | Storage Racks for Two to Six Kayaks or Canoes

Check out the new line of freestanding kayak racks we are offering to meet the storage and display needs of kayakers, canoers, paddleboarders and other boaters.  The freestanding racks consist of 2 basic components: (1) a freestanding frame (U-shaped base support and a vertical support post) and (2) the particular rack for your kayak, canoe or other boat.

Modular, expandable, and high quality are the best way to describe this line of premium freestanding storage racks. If you have the standard freestanding frame (for 2 boats), you can expand it to hold up to 6 boats!  See the three kayak rack, four kayak rack, five kayak rack and six kayak rack!

What You Need in a First Aid Kit for Surfing and Paddleboarding

After a couple of nasty injuries acquired recently from surfing and paddleboarding, I realized that it is seriously important to have a decent first aid kit.  So before you head out for your next gnarly session, make sure you have a surfing first aid kit with these essentials.

SUP Carriers | Paddleboard Transports: Wheels, Carts and Dolly

We know that paddleboards are heavy, big and tough to carry.  Give yourself a hand with a wheeled SUP carrier or paddleboard cart!

SUP Wheels Classic: Saves you time & energy getting your SUP to the water!  Its collapsible design is easy to take and use anywhere and it is built and tested to withstand harsh beach environments.  An optional handle allows you to tow your SUP behind your bike.  SUP Wheels has two 13.5 inch hard rubber wheels that will never go flat and can easily hop over curbs, steps, and more. Designed to be pushed or pulled, you can easily maneuver your heavy SUP over sand, grass, and pavement.

Surfboard Stands in Texas | Home Storage and Display Racks for Surfboards

Check out this picture from our friend Eric down in Texas! He knows how to store his surfboards!

A surfboard on a surfboard stand in the front with a few surfboard wall racks in the back for good measure! Check out our entire selection of surfboard racks to find something you like for your home, garage, or car.



Visit: www.StoreYourBoard.com

Longboard Surfboard Fins Noserider Fins | Rainbow Fin Company

Check out some of our longboard fins made by Rainbow Fin Company. Rainbow was started back in 1968 in Santa Cruz, California, by a group of Santa Cruz surfers who were looking for fins to ride for their own boards and to sell to others in the surfing community. Since then, for over four decades and counting, and through the evolution of fin setups, designs and constructions, Rainbow has been relied on by surfers throughout the country and around the globe to provide them with the perfect fins for any conditions. Whether your go-to is a longboard or shortboard (or a SUP), a single, twin, thruster, quad, or five fin setup, or have FCS or Futures, Rainbow has you and your surfboards covered.