Thus, the rear of the binding opens up to allow the child to slide his or her foot under the wide strap without adjusting it. The back of the binding is then closed with a large lever buckle for a secure fit. With this system the child can slide his or her foot under the strap while riding up the chairlift and get off the lift with much more support than that afforded by a nonskid pad between the bindings. When choosing a binding system for your child or recommending a binding to parents of a student, an important consideration is that the binding offers good fit and support, and is easily manipulated by the child. To set a child on a path toward success in snowboarding, the wise instructor will realize that there is more to effective lessons than stellar teaching technique.
Proper equipment is a key element of the equation as well.
The author wishes to thank Central Division snowboard examiner Mario Zlataric for providing research for this article.