Snowboarding safety and slope etiquette: helmets, wrist guards and the slope code

TUREFF• •0

Most snowboarding injuries happen to beginners and in ordinary falls, not in spectacular crashes. Simple habits, sensible protection and knowing the shared rules of the slope prevent a lot of them, and make the mountain more pleasant for everyone.

Helmets

Helmets are now worn by most skiers and snowboarders, and some resorts and ski schools require them for children. Make sure it fits snugly without pressure points, sits level just above the eyebrows, and works with your goggles without a gap at the forehead. Replace a helmet after a significant impact, even if it looks fine.

Wrist guards

Snowboarders fall forward and backward, and the reflex is to put a hand out. That is why wrist injuries are among the most common snowboarding injuries, especially for beginners. Research supports wearing them: a randomised trial in Norway with more than 5,000 snowboarders found fewer wrist injuries in the group wearing wrist protectors. That difference was mainly in sprains, and studies are less clear on whether guards prevent fractures; some research also raises the possibility that injury moves further up the arm. On balance, many instructors recommend wrist guards for beginners. Choose ones designed for snowboarding and wear them under or over your gloves as designed. Learning to fall helps too: tuck your arms in, fall onto your forearms or bottom, and avoid planting a straight arm.

Other protection

Padded shorts and knee pads make falls on hard snow less painful while learning.
Back protectors are popular for park riding.
Goggles with a lens suited to the light, and sunscreen; snow reflects a lot of sunlight.

The responsibility code

In North America, resorts post a responsibility code published by the National Ski Areas Association. It was revised in 2022 and grew from seven points to ten. Key points that apply everywhere, in some version:

Always stay in control. Be able to stop or avoid other people and objects.
People ahead or downhill of you have the right of way. It is your job to avoid them.
Stop only where you are visible from above and do not block the trail. Never sit down just over a rollover or in a narrow section.
Look uphill and yield before starting downhill or entering a trail.
Use devices to help prevent runaway equipment, such as a leash or bindings that stay on the board.
Observe all signs and warnings and stay off closed trails.
Know how to use the lifts safely, and do not use them if impaired.

Codes vary by country and resort, and in some places local law sets out similar duties. In Europe, the International Ski Federation (FIS) publishes its own rules of conduct along the same lines. Read the code posted at the resort you visit.

Snowboard-specific etiquette

Sit at the side, not in the middle of a run, when strapping in.
Be aware of your blind side. Heel-side turns leave you facing downhill but toe-side turns put your back to part of the slope. Look before you turn.
Don't stop in groups across the run.
Carry your board carefully in lift queues and crowded areas.
Never leave an unstrapped board on the snow; a runaway snowboard is dangerous.

Off-piste and avalanches

Leaving marked runs means leaving patrolled, avalanche-controlled terrain. Do not go off-piste without avalanche training, the right equipment (transceiver, probe and shovel) and a partner who has them too, and check the local avalanche bulletin first.

Look after yourself

Warm up and stretch briefly.
Stop before you are exhausted; many injuries happen on the last run.
Drink water and eat; cold and altitude hide dehydration.
Know the resort's emergency number and the location of the ski patrol.
Check that your travel or sports insurance covers snowboarding and mountain rescue.

What safety tip would you give a first-timer? Share it, or ask about protection gear, in the comments.