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Snowboarding is a rather simple idea to most of the people that don’t actually snowboard. There is a slope, a board, and a boarder. You don’t need much and while it is a difficult form to master and seems simple in your head, the fact is that snowboarding is far more involved than the casual observer is aware of.
For instance, there is something called dry slope snowboarding. They are man-made slopes which are different for snowboarders. They are commonly found in dry and warm climates so that snowboarding is still possible during the summer. You won’t see these kinds of dry slopes in the United States, but if you live in or are traveling to Europe, they are pretty common. The dry slope itself is made of materials like snowflex, astroglide, and nerveplast. They are increasing in popularity and in availability. They often provide a way for boarders to train during off season months without losing anything in the way of difficulty or authenticity.
One of the techniques practiced on this type of slope and the more traditional types of terrains is freestyle. There the rider will make use of anything that comes into their path. This could be boxes, rails, or anything else that allows them to innovate and perform a trick. There is a term they used called “box” which means anything that has a top with a slick enough surface, so the rider can glide along with the base of their board. These boxes come in a host of different looks and their degree of difficulty varies from box to box. The idea of freestyle is a great way to test skill and create a whole new riding experience but it should also be done with an extreme amount of caution. That caution needs to done in combination with proper training.