Effects of temperature change on snowboard stiffness and camber properties

Snowboarding is a weather-dependent sport, where riders may be exposed to considerable changes in on-snow temperature within a short period of time. Anecdotal evidence indicates that such changes affect snowboard performance. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of temperature variations on snowboard stiffness and camber properties, which have been determined in previous research to strongly influence on-snow feel and response. In order to examine this phenomenon in greater detail, three snowboards possessing different composite structures were tested. Each board was subjected to static bending and torsional deflection under standard loads and had their camber measured at 22°C, 41°C and -17°C. The resulting bending and torsional stiffness profiles displayed an increase in overall stiffness with a decrease in temperature, but with negligible stiffness gain occurring between 41°C and -17°C. The camber levels measured at each of these temperatures also exhibited similar trends. The article describes the experimental methods, test results, and the reasons for changes in board stiffness and camber with decreasing temperature. The importance of this research in the structural and vibrational analysis of snowboards is discussed.