Road Bike Safety Tips | How to Keep You and Your Bicycle Safe

By Megan Maxwell

        Anytime you’re sharing the road with cars, you need to know what you’re doing. While most drivers will give plenty of space to bicyclists, some drivers simply don’t care if they get a little too close to you. That’s why it’s up to you to be as cautious as possible and follow the rules of the road.

Follow these steps to stay safe on the road.

helmet + reflective clothing = win

Tips for Snowboard Parents | How to Help Your Child Learn to Snowboard

By: Brad McNally

Many parents want to be right there beside their children on the slopes, and it can be a stressful time for both the adult and child. Sharing a sport can help strengthen the bond between you and your child, and snowboarding is a wonderful sport to share. These tips can help your child get comfortable out on the slopes.

Photo: Bailey Duran

First Surfboards for Beginners | the Wavestorm Foam Surfboard

By Rick Bickerstaff

I bought one of these surfboards for my wife a few years back and, on a smallish day, I took it out instead of my short boards. I have to say I was blown away by how good this 8-foot piece of Taiwanese foam actually rides...

It's the $100 Wavestorm from Costco, and though it takes a certain lack of self-consciousness to ride one, I can't deny its prowess, though I'm pretty sure that was an accident on the manufacturer's part.

Rip Currents for Surfers | Using the Rip to Paddle Outside

By Athair Baer
Hopefully, we’ve all had the life safety pep talk on how to avoid rip currents and why they're dangerous. This is true and appropriate measures should be taken in regards to rip currents. AND by appropriate measures I mean – c’mon! I’m telling you that there’s a current of water swiftly moving away from the shore! What do we do when we go out to surf? We’ve gotta paddle to get outside the break so we can pick n’ choose the best ride. Right?

Photo: Heidi Grabowith

Ski Tips for Saving Money on Meals | Cheap Eats on the Mountain

By Jake Walnut

Last week we took a look at how to find cheap lift tickets when you’re planning a trip this winter. This week we’re going to show you how to save even more money on your next ski or snowboard adventure by eating cheap on the mountain.

There is no denying that snowboarding and skiing are expensive sports. After you get past the price of equipment there are still lift tickets, travel fees (gasoline, etc), and, of course, the cost of eating. Though many people opt to eat meals at the lodge or a restaurant in the resort village, there are far more effective and affordable ways to fuel up on tasty food while you’re at the mountain.

Photo: www.ski-bums.org

Ski Goggle Tans are Trendy? Sun Protection for the Ski Slopes

by: Lauren Fry

For years, fake tans have been the easy way to get a vacation glow, either bed tanning or spray tanning. However just recently, there is a new tanning trend in the UK. It all started with ski gear/apparel companies giving their models a fake goggle tan to look authentic on the shoots.    

Beginner Skiers and Snowboarders | 3 Tips to Move Past the Bunny Slopes

By: Brad McNally

Although your snowboard may look great on display in its snowboard mount, it was built for going downhill and you are probably hoping to take it out soon. If you’ve never made it off the bunny slopes yet and are looking to head to bigger hills for the first time, these few tips will help make that transition much easier.

Triple Wood Wall Surf Rack | Organize and Display Your Surfboards

By Natasha Hamilton

The other day I got a really cool surf rack for my surfboards.  I have never had a surf wall rack, so my boards were just hanging out in the garage lonely and sad.  

The wall rack shipped super fast and was really light. I was a little nervous that because it was so light it would not be very sturdy or might look bad on my wall.  Once I received the rack, the packaging gave me hope and the rack components were beautiful.  Yay, two fears alleviated!    

What to Bring on a Long Distance Bike Trip | Bicycle Gear Essentials

By Megan Maxwell

        I’m planning an 1800 mile bike trip down the Pacific Coast for this summer, and I have absolutely no long distance biking experience. When I’m trying to do things I’ve never done before, I like to talk to as many people as possible who have knowledge on the subject and read blogs by people who have done similar trips. I’ve had a biker tell me that she used Tidy Cat buckets for her panniers to save money, while other bikers have told me that I need to get an expensive touring bike.

        What to bring on a long distance bike trip largely depends on your budget and your priorities. My budget is minimal and my priority is to bring the least amount of gear possible to save weight.

Technology and Surfing | Innovation in the Surf Industry

By Rick Bickerstaff

I have a love-hate relationship with technology. Actually, like-hate relationship is a better way of putting it...

I'm that guy who gives people dirty looks when they're on their phone in a public place, or appreciates asking strangers for directions instead of using a cell phone. I still buy CDs because I like having a physical backup of music, and I don't own a tablet.

Still, I'm not too proud to admit that technology has its advantages, even applied to something as natural as surfing. So here are some technological advances that, to me, seem to enhance the sport we love.

Preparing Ski Slopes for Competition | Behind the Scenes at Sochi

by: Lauren Fry

Hosting any type of ski race takes hundreds of volunteers and days of preparation. Starting early before the sun is even up, volunteers use water cannons to ice the course, and sharp edges on their skis to slide down the course sideways to even it out and shave off the rough top layer of ice.

the alpine volunteer ski crew smoothing out the course for the men's Super-G in Sochi.
Photo: Montreal Gazette

5 Reasons Snowboarding Equipment Makes a Great Gift

By Federico Barbieri

Birthdays. Christmas. Valentines. It doesn’t matter which festivity we are talking about. When it comes to presents, there’s a whole world in front of us. It can be personal or simple, exotic or mainstream, but it must always be an awesome gift for the person who receives it.

photo: Jason Waltman

5 Snowboard Travel Tips | Planning Your Next Snowboard Trip

By: Brad McNally

It doesn’t matter if you are heading cross country or just across town to hit the slopes, you still need to prepare for the trip. This can easily become the most stressful part of the entire trip, but it doesn’t have to. These 5 tips can help you keep the traveling simple so you can get to what is really important - shredding!

Mastering the Moguls | Ski Mogul Techniques and Tips

By: Lauren Fry

A common misconception I have noticed with skiers, is that they don’t realize their ticket/pass is good for the WHOLE Mountain! No, not just the groomers, the moguls and back bowls too! Too many skiers are scared or intimidated by a long steep mogul field. Even I get intimidated standing at the top when you can’t even see the moguls below because how steep and large they are. 

Surfing with Sharks | Are Shark Attack Risks Overstated?

By: Rick Bickerstaff
Lately this meme has been going around, illustrating how you are more likely to be killed by (among other things) a vending machine than a shark. I don't know how accurate their research is, but the fact still stands: the odds are highly in your favor of having a shark-free surf. But still I know many people who are reluctant to even try surfing because they are afraid of shark attacks.

What I usually tell these folks is, "Think of all the people that go surfing in the world, every day. Now how many shark attacks do you hear about?" Few to none. But when you're on the open water, in "their" territory, it's not hard to imagine a big fin popping up in your peripherals, or a giant shadow gliding underneath you:

Video courtesy of Brad Coder.

The Coriolis Effect | The Ocean, Beach and Changes to the Shoreline

By Athair Baer
If you’re anything like me, you see things and wonder, “what happened(?)” when things have been the same way for so long, but upon your next visit seem very… Changed.  This is the sort of thing that prompted my minor in Marine Biology. When I would see all the beautiful things on my beach one day and then a week later everything from the consistency of the sand to the color of the water would be so very different. 
  

photo: Heidi Grabowith

How to Find Cheap Lift Tickets This Winter | Ski and Snowboard Tips

By Jake Walnut

Hitting the mountain on your skis or snowboard doesn’t have to break the bank.

At least it doesn’t have to be as expensive as many of us make it. With a little luck and know how you can greatly reduce the price of skiing and snowboarding this winter. All by simply looking for cheap lift tickets before you pull your snowboard off its snowboard rack, load it up into the back of your rig, and head out for a day of (hopefully) freshly powdered adventure.

photo: Nicole McCabe, Missblondie.com

Below are 5 ways to score cheap lift tickets without a whole lot of huffing and puffing:

Ski Lift Safety Tips for Snowboarders | How Not to Fall on the Lift

By Megan Maxwell

Getting off of the ski lift is a difficult thing to do, especially when you can hardly make it down the bunny slopes. If you want to snowboard down the mountain, you have to ride the ski lift up. The ski lift moves quickly, and you’re supposed to slide off of it and get out of the way of the people behind you. If you fall, you have to do an awkward sitting shuffle away from the lift so no one runs into you. It can be a scary and embarrassing thing.

       

So, how do you stop falling every time you get off of the ski lift?

Surfboards for Beginners | Buying Your First Surfboard | Longboard, Foamboard, Funboard, Fish

By Zac Heisey

For starters, taking a surf lesson at the closest beach will give you a great idea of the type of surfboard you should be riding as you building your surfing skills. Another good hint is to pay attention to the surfers who frequent your home break and keep a mental note of the boards they have strapped to their car racks. The guys who rip are likely to have wafer-thin, high-performance thrusters, while the less-skilled surfers will probably have much longer, wider boards. As with all things, there are always exceptions to the rule, and sometimes even top-notch surfers will elect to ride something other than a high-performance short board. In general, however, it is recommended that beginning surfers choose longer, wider, thicker boards to provide a stable platform for learning the proper techniques and fundamentals of surfing. Below are four types of surfboards that are great for those just getting their feet wet in the sport of surfing.

SUP Wall Racks | Paddleboard Storage and Display Racks

SUP Storage.  We've covered storage and display racks for paddleboards and surfboards a few times on our blog, including best SUP racks, SUP ceiling rack, and SUP triple storage rack.  Well, we keep getting more photos and reviews from our customers of their SUP racks, so we've got to post 'em.  

5 Essentials for a Surf Camping Trip | Surf Travel Tips

By Zac Heisey

Nothing quite matches the anticipation and excitement that comes with packing for a surfing road trip. Just you and your surfer buddies preparing to hit the open road, get a little dust up your noses, share some beers around a camp fire, and hopefully, catch some decent surf. In the midst of the building excitement, it can be easy to forget some essential surfing, camping, or traveling items. Check out these five necessities you’ll want to be sure to pack for your next surf/camping adventure.

Surf Break Blues | Making the Best of a Bad Beach Break

By Rick Bickerstaff
I've spent most of my life surfing beach breaks, and to be honest, I'm hitting a point where I'm getting a bit tired of some of the downfalls:

• Closeouts
• Backwash waves
• Dredging
• Parking/ Crowds

Most days, however, I don't have time to drive up to the nearest point, reef or rock break, and so a quick session at a nearby beach will have to suffice. So I thought I'd compile a list of ways to make the most out of your less-than-perfect beach break.

Safety Equipment Every Longboard Skateboarder Needs

By: Kyle Beck

     It’s one of those warmer winter days and finally a day you can take your longboard skateboard out for a ride, but before you take your board off your skateboard rack and hit the hills there is one major thing that every longboarder should make sure they have. Safety equipment. I know it’s something your mom used to say all the time when you were a kid, “wear your helmet” but those sometimes nagging words of advice were spot on. Having the proper safety equipment is key to making sure your day doesn’t go from awesome to ER.

4 Bike Hanging Wall Storage Rack | Organize Your Garage

By Megan Maxwell

I recently ordered this garage bike storage rack for 4 bikes. I glanced over the directions to see what I was in for and was happy to find that they were pretty straight forward. The box included just a few items: the rack itself, four hooks, two wall brackets to secure the rack, and a few washers and screws. The only other things I needed was a drill, drill bits, a hammer, and a nail which I borrowed from my roommate. Here's my review of (1) the garage bike rack and (2) the installation process.

5 Reasons To Shred Caviahue: Argentina's Hidden Ski and Snowboard Spot in Patagonia

By Federico Barbieri

What do Vail, Aspen and Zermatt have in common? Well, besides all three being top ski resorts and having pretty cool names, they will never get the chance to boast being the ski resort of the end of the world. That title belongs to Caviahue, located in Patagonia, Argentina.

U.S. Snowboarding Olympic Preview | Snowboarders to Watch in Sochi

As you know, the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia are fast approaching. NBC practically has a countdown clock in the corner of their programming, and almost all of the major news outlets have at least one person reporting live from Sochi already. However, a few of the U.S. Olympic teams have yet to be finalized. In fact, this past week was the FIS Snowboard World Cup, which gave a few underdogs a last shot at making the U.S Snowboarding team.