Till Mangesius

After the season is before the season. For most splitboarders, the season begins to wind down around Easter. Before everything gets stashed away in the cellar, it’s a good idea to take a moment and check the gear: What’s its overall condition, and is everything set for the next season? Because let’s be honest, we all want to be ready for the first fresh snow of 2025/2026, right?

In the previous Splittie of the Week, I already wrote a lot about the advantages of ski straps when splitboarding. So why another report about an expensive extra that has virtually the same function as a skistrap? I asked myself the same question and ridiculed flex locks as fancy ski straps for a long time. This winter, however, my curiosity got the better of me when I came across a very affordable offer and finally wanted to try them out myself.

The search for the right splitboard and the corresponding binding has probably already taken a lot of time and nerves. The new treasures are quickly unpacked and want to be admired, but you soon realize: It doesn't look anything like a snowboard! But there's no need to panic, despite the many individual parts, a screwdriver is enough to assemble everything before the first tour. Here are a few helpful tips.

Some beginners may be asking themselves: Do I really need new boots in addition to a spliboard, bindings, poles and skins to start touring? The answer to this question is clear: No! But what if the boots are already a few years old and a new purchase is due anyway, is it worth buying special (soft) boots, even if normal days in the resort are on the list alongside ski tours? Here too, the answer is clear: Yes!

Ski straps, perhaps better known among snowboarders as voile straps, are now with me and my board every day. Not only on tours, but also in the ski resort, they have already saved me one or two days of riding. If a strap tears on the binding or you have an icy traverse ahead of you on a tour, it's a lot less unpleasant with ski straps.

Compared to a snowboard, the visual differences are barely noticeable and the basic requirement of connecting rider and board are the same. However, there are big differences between the manufacturers when it comes to the "how". The following is an overview of the various manufacturers and models, expressly without a purchase recommendation, as everyone has different requirements for the equipment they use.