Know your snowboard lingo

If you're planning to buy a snowboard it's a good idea to know your base from your bevel, and you camber from your goofy. Here we bring you a guide to some of the technical snowboarding terms. Base: This is the underside of the snowboard and the area that is most in contact with the snow, unless you're giving it some air time, in which case it's the part that all your fans will see when your riding above their heads. Base graphic designs are popular and very varied. [caption id="attachment_1267" align="alignleft" width="153" caption="All-important dimensions of a snowboard"][/caption] Bevel: If someone talks about having their edges sharpened, they will be referring to the bevel, or the degree of angle that the edges have been sharpened. Camber: If you lay a snowboard flat on the ground you'll see there is a bit of space between the centre of the board and the ground. This is because the board has a camber and its weight rests on the nose and tail of the board.  Edges: The length of metal that runs down each side of the snowboard. Effective edges: The edge area of a snowboard that cuts into the snow when your're riding and is therefore "effective". Flex: This is referring to the flexibility of the board. Flex determines how a board will go into and out of a turn, and according to various snow conditions. Front Foot: This is straightforward as it's the foot that is mounted closest to the nose of the board. What makes riders different is whether they are regular (left foot forward) or goofy (right foot forward). Leash: A short strap that can be attached to the snowboard and the rider to prevent the board slipping away if you fall or when you're jumping off a tricky chairlift. Nose - The front end of the snowboard. Rocker: This is  the opposite of camber, so when the snowboard is placed on a flat surface, it rests only on the centre area Side cut radius: The radius of a circle that makes the hourglass shape of a snowboard.  Stance: The position of a snowboarder's feet on their board. Tail: The rear of the snowboard. Toe edge: The edge of the snowboard where your toes are positioned. Twin Tip: This is a board that is deigned with an identical nose and tail so that the board can be ridden the same in both directions. Waist width: The width of the centre part of the board from one side to the other. Thanks to Sport Communities on Flickr for the header image.