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Home > Tips > Snowboarding > How to Build a Snowboard Kicker

Kickers are small handmade jumps often built by snowboarders and skiers to get some air time and to show off some tricks. Learning how to build a kicker can add a new dimension to your snowboarding and how you enjoy the slopes.

Decide where you'll build it; finding a spot can be difficult. Make sure it's away from any crowded areas of the piste--If its anything like Mzaar ski resort (formerly known as Faraya ski resort) with 42 different slopes this shouldn't be too difficult--You'll need a good slope leading down to your spot to help you build sufficient speed to take off. It's also crucial that the landing is a downward slope and not flat.

Check your landing zone. It would be a tragic mistake to leave a large boulder hiding beneath the snow in your landing zone. Always checking the snow thoroughly, bringing in more from the surrounding area if required.

Use your snowboard to help shape it. Building a good kicker is a time consuming exercise. Digging a couple of snowboards into the snow to act as temporary walls for your kicker can help with shaping and compacting the snow. Start by creating a large pile of snow that can later be shaped into the appropriate form. A shovel will help immensely, and speed up the build process. The finished kicker should look like a wedge of compacted snow, not too steep that it'll send you straight up in the air, but steep enough that it will send you soaring.

Smooth out the runway. Ensure that they transition from piste to kicker is seamless. Use hands or a board to get this section of the run looking good and smooth.

Test the approach. Making the run down to the kicker (but not actually going over it) will help you gauge the speed, and decide if you need to work harder or not so hard before you hit the kicker.

Once you've grown accustomed to being launched into the air there are all sorts of tricks and stunts that can be learnt to impress your friends. Some resorts even have purpose built parks with half-pipes and grind rails and bigger kickers than you could ever hope to make by yourself. A fine place to graduate to.