Snow Bodyboarding

"Snow bodyboarding" or "airboarding" is a new sport that's attracting more and more people: a young crowd looking to "slide on snow" in a different way.

What is "snow bodyboarding"?

"Snow bodyboarding" or "airboarding" was developed in Switzerland around ten years ago. The idea is to shoot down a slope lying or sitting on a cushion that looks a bit like an inflatable sledge, giving it the properties of an airbag. The airboard has grooves on its underside that let it grip the snow, take fairly tight turns and come to a stop. You steer a snow bodyboard by shifting your body weight.

Snow bodyboarding is fairly easy to pick up, the device is light to carry, and it can reach speeds of up to 100 km/h!

An "aquatic" version of airboarding also exists, letting you surf lying or sitting on big ocean waves.

Is snow bodyboarding dangerous?

Learning snow bodyboarding is fairly simple, and it isn't much more dangerous than other snow or sliding sports.
However, given the position of the body and the speeds you can reach, the risk of head injury is high.
So there's no question of doing this sport without a helmet and proper ski gear (ski goggles, knee pads, gloves and sturdy boots, warm and hard-wearing clothing) or on a surface that isn't suitable for it.

What should you watch out for?

• Make sure you have suitable equipment in good condition.
• Don't take up this new sport without first learning from experienced instructors how to use the airboard, how to control your speed, and how to turn and stop.
• Only do snow bodyboarding on slopes specially set up for this sport, or on ones where it's allowed, and don't put other users at risk.
• Snow bodyboarding off-piste can be very risky. Don't be tempted by a "free ride" unless you've become an expert yourself and are fully aware of the risks.