Nothing lasts forever, not your vacuum cleaner, hair dye, or snowboard gear. While we can't tell you how long your household appliances or fancy new blonde hair will last, we can certainly shed some light on how long the various components of your snowboard setup can last, including your board, bindings, boots, and helmet. We’ll also offer suggestions on how to get the most out of them and maybe even make them last longer!

Snowboards

Estimated Longevity

The exact amount of time a snowboard will last you is impossible to predict as there are so many factors: brand, riding habits, maintenance frequency, and off-season storage habits, to name a few. However, as a rough estimate, you’ll likely be able to get about 150-200 days out of your snowboard, maybe even longer! If you only ride a couple of days a year, reaching that 150-200 day mark will take you decades, so you likely won't need to consider a new snowboard until after about 10 years, give or take a year.

Keep in mind that boards won’t ride like they’re brand-new during this period, though. Boards with a camber profile begin to lose their camber, and pop will diminish. All boards will eventually lose their rigidity (aka their flex) over time, so if top-notch performance is important to you, expect to replace your board after about 100 days on snow. As boards age, the core will weaken from the wood inside rotting or the internal glue losing its adhesive properties.

Best Practices

The numbers above are based on you keeping your snowboard in good shape. If you ride like a maniac, hit tons of rocks, never address any damage to the topsheet, base the edges, and then throw your snowboard in a shed in the off-season, it won’t last you nearly as long. So let’s discuss some best practices to make the gear last longer and ensure it performs its best.

Maintenance

Regular maintenance includes applying fresh wax on the base of the board and sharpening its edges. Waxing your board is the easiest and most noticeable maintenance, and you can do it on your own, even if you’re a total newbie (although many snowboard shops will do it for you). It’s good practice to wax your board every 5-10 days of riding if possible, and it makes a world of difference for how your snowboard carries speed, especially when the snow conditions are warm and slushy.

How to wax your snowboard:

• Wipe the base down with a clean rag to remove any dust (use a base cleaner if it has lots of old wax or if dirt is caked on it).
• Apply a hot wax using a specialized wax iron.
• Use a scraper to remove excess wax.

Sharpening the metal edges of your board can be a bit trickier, and while you can do it on your own, it may be best to have a tuning shop do it. Many shops offer a “tune-up” package where they will wax and sharpen your snowboard. The price of this tune-up can vary, but it’s typically around $40-$60.

There is also other maintenance you may need to do if you extensively damage your board. To be clear, small scrapes, scratches, and nicks are normal and will happen eventually, no matter how careful you are. However, if the damage is deep enough to fit a fingernail, it’s worth repairing. This type of base repair will require a P-Tex candle, which is melted into these deeper gouges to seal them up.

If you ever get a core shot (when you can see exposed wood), it’s crucial to get this repaired ASAP, as water can seep into your wood core, rotting it from the inside and ruining your gear very quickly. Many tuning shops offer this base repair, waxing, and sharpening as a “full-tune” package. These full tunes usually cost closer to $80-$100 but are a great idea to complete before the season starts, so you’re ready to go!

Storage

Storage during the off-season is an area many people overlook, but it’s quite important. Ideally, it would be best to store your snowboard in a dry location out of direct sunlight, and somewhere that isn’t too damp to prevent the edges from rusting. That said, a bit of surface rust is normal, and you can easily buff this out by hand using a steel wool sponge. It’s also not a bad idea to give your board a “storage wax,” waxing it before putting it into storage to prevent it from drying out and assuring you’re cruising smoothly down the slopes next season.

Snowboard Bindings

Estimated Longevity

Bindings will last as long as you’re willing to give them proper care. The main components of a binding, such as the heel cup and baseplate, are basically indestructible, and it’s rare to break them. Highbacks may break if you’re not careful (although this has never happened to me in my 11 years of riding). The main culprits are the hardware holding everything together, which can loosen over time, and the plastic ladders, which can snap. While you can easily replace these pieces, a malfunction will ruin your day if it happens out on the mountain, so I’d advise carrying extras with you every time you ride.

Unfortunately, there’s no saying when a piece of hardware may loosen itself and fall off, or a plastic ladder will snap. But we offer some best practices in an attempt to avoid these issues altogether!

Best Practices

To avoid the issue of losing hardware or snapping a plastic ladder, inspect your board every time you go riding; it’s that simple! This doesn’t have to be a long or difficult process; just stick a screwdriver into all the pieces of hardware and give them a little twist to ensure they’re all snug. If you notice a screw is coming loose repeatedly, it's worth buying some replacement hardware from the binding company, as there may simply be a defect with your current hardware. Some people will recommend using Loctite, but I’d advise against it as it can make it much harder to adjust your bindings down the line.

For your ladders, simply look all four over quickly to ensure a crack isn’t forming anywhere. Cracks often appear long before a ladder fully breaks, so it’s easy to catch them ahead of time if you’re vigilant. If you’re reasonably careful with your bindings (i.e., not accidentally stomping on them all the time) and have a ladder break on you more than once or twice a season, consider switching to a different binding brand.

Snowboard Boots

Estimated Longevity

While it’s easy to fall prey to the idea that boots are good until the soles fall off, this isn’t true. In fact, boots are often the most frequent snowboard gear replacement. They typically lose their performance after just 50-75 days of riding. They will almost certainly lose most of their “performance” (aka flex) after the 100-day mark of riding them.

The flex or firmness of a snowboard boot is responsible for how quickly energy is transferred from your body to your board. As you ride a boot, it becomes progressively softer flexing until it loses most of its responsiveness. To be clear, you can still ride a boot even after it’s lost its flex; it’s just won’t have the same responsiveness that it once did, and if you’re by the books and want to get the most out of your setup, it is best to upgrade to a new boot.

Best Practices

Try to dry your boots after a snowboarding session and then store them somewhere at room temperature when not riding. Many people toss their boots in the trunk of their car when they are done riding, which is a great way to ruin a boot faster than needed. This is because the materials in boots can break down quicker if left wet or exposed to extreme temperatures. Boots are expensive and don’t last long, so don’t assist with shortening their lifespan even more!

Snowboard Helmets

Estimated Longevity

Snowboard helmets are one of the most important pieces to replace when necessary, as their whole purpose is to protect your head. You should replace a helmet if you’ve owned it for 3-5 years (the exact amount of time depends on manufacturer recommendations) or after it’s had one significant impact, even if no visible damage is present. For this reason, you should never buy a used helmet as you don’t know its history.

Best Practices

Keep your helmet out of direct sunlight or areas with moisture when not in use, as the foam in it can break down over time due to exposure to the elements.

Is It Time to Replace Your Snowboard Gear?

If reading through this article made you realize you need to replace one or more pieces of your snowboard gear, fear not. The Snowboard Experts at Curated are here to help! We can provide you with free, personalized recommendations for whatever gear you need. Simply take our gear quiz, connect with an expert, and get all kitted and fitted for your next adventure!