They come in high and low styles, in hi-tech materials and good old leather, and have stubby, blunted toes which make your feet look small. They also run about a size bigger than your normal shoes. Assembling all the equipment is fairly simple. Buying used gear is also an option, and often a good snowboard shop will have a selection of both pre-owned and previous model year stock. No matter if you rent or buy, you'll need to determine your stance on the board.
Most people board with their left foot forward.
Usually, that's going to be your lead foot while boarding. Strap your front foot onto the board, which will place your toes over one edge and your heel against the other. In order to get around in the flats, you push with your free back foot, much like propelling a skateboard. When you are ready to start your decent, you strap the back foot in and allow yourself to drift down the mountain. Turns are made by leaning forward or backward and from side to side, using the toe edge and heel edge of the board for steering and speed control.