Frequently asked questions, honestly answered.

No. You need no previous experience, and you can hire a board, boots and helmet from us – just add them when you book. All you need to bring is warm, waterproof winter clothing and gloves.

Waterproof ski trousers and jacket, not too bulky – you want to be able to move. Add warm base layers, a hat, a scarf and, crucially, waterproof ski gloves. We provide the helmet.

It is best to bring something to eat and drink. The beginner course has a lunch break of about 45 minutes between its two parts, and there is a snack bar on site. It can get busy, though – with your own supplies you are on the safe side. The schedule shows when the break is.

The Mini Boarder course starts at age 3 and the beginner courses at 8 – with no upper limit at all. We have had 68-year-olds happily sharing the slope with the teenagers.

Yes. Our snowboard lessons are for people of every age – adults very much included. Many people only learn to snowboard as adults, on their own, with friends or together with their children. The Beginner Course, the Basic Course and the private lesson are for ages 8 and up, with no upper age limit.

Yes. For children under 8 a carer has to be on the slope the whole time. Our instructors keep an eye on the whole group and cannot guarantee constant one-to-one supervision. Whoever stays helps with getting kitted up, warming up and during the breaks – the teaching stays with us.

Oberhof has everything from hotels to holiday flats within walking distance of the slope. Our accommodation tips collect the places our guests book most often. Directions to the meeting point are on a page of their own, with a map.

Add a board with bindings, boots and a helmet to your course – individually or as a full package:

• Full package (Board + Bindings, Boots, Helmet) 40,00 € 55,00 €
• Helmet 5,00 €
• Board + Bindings 30,00 €
• Boots 20,00 €

You book the hire together with the course, so everything is ready on the day. The kit comes from Germina Sportwelt Oberhof – well-maintained gear from a professional rental shop, handed out on the course day right at the meeting point. Mini Boarder: we provide the children's gear ourselves, complete for 25 € (Helmet 5 €, Board + Bindings 15 €, Boots 5 €). Browse the courses.

Set the bindings so that both feet stand parallel on the board. That is how we start in the lesson. Boots should fit firmly and be closed; you can rent a helmet when you book if you do not have your own.

The Basic Course is a full day of around 6 hours. Important: those roughly 6 hours include a lunch break of about 45 minutes. It falls between the Beginner Course in the morning and the follow-up part in the afternoon – for eating, warming up and recharging. Actual lesson time is therefore 2 × 2.5 hours. The Beginner Course on its own is a half-day course of around 2.5 hours, without a lunch break. The schedule shows exactly how the day runs.

It differs from person to person. In our experience most people are standing on the board after two or three hours, and many ride the beginners' slope on their own by the end of the first day. How far you get depends on your willingness, how you learn and your motivation – and we take as much time as you need.

That's what our success guarantee is for: if you're not as steady on the board at the end of the course day as you had hoped, tell your coach. You then join another course day in the same season, at no extra course fee and subject to availability. Rental gear for the extra day is booked again if you need it. We don't refund the course price for this: we'd rather get you riding.

No. The Basic Course is one course on one day and runs in one go – the morning and the afternoon cannot be split across two days. If you just want a first taste, book the Beginner Course: it is the morning of the Basic Course, and on the day you can flexibly extend to the full day. The schedule shows how a course day runs.

The Basic Course is our classic: a full day in a small group. If you only want half a day, book the Beginner Course and extend to the full Basic Course on the day if you like. The Private lesson is one-to-one with your coach, at your own pace. All courses at a glance.

We can always get by in English – riders from all over the world learn with us regularly. We are happy to run a whole course in English on request; just tell us before you book so we can plan for it.

We teach in small groups so everyone gets enough personal feedback. If you would like something even more individual, the Private lesson is the right choice.

It is quietest outside the school holidays, midweek and on Sundays. There is more room on the slope then and more calm in the course. The schedule shows which courses run on which days.

The meeting point is right at the Fallbachhang in Oberhof (Alte Ohrdrufer Str. 6a, 98559 Oberhof) – reachable by car, bus or train. On our directions page you will find written directions and an interactive map.

We teach snowboarding only. For skiing we will point you to our partner in Oberhof – everything about it on our ski school page.

We hear that worry often, and it is a fair one. If you follow your instructor's guidance you are in good hands: we spend most of the time on the beginners' hill, where speeds stay low and you are kept clear of the main slope traffic. The FIS rules of conduct cover the rest.

If you are injured – or worried about getting injured – it is better to skip the course. Snowboarding means falling over at the start. The date can be moved; just give us a ring and we will find a new day.

Yes. School groups, club trips and other larger groups we plan separately, so everyone is out on the slope together. Write to us with your group size and preferred date – and we will find a date.

A day on the slope together works well as a team day or a stag or hen do – everyone starts from scratch, and that brings people together. Corporate Events & Team Building shows how we put a day like that together; for a stag or hen do just get in touch directly.

Yes. Birthdays and Christmas Parties have pages of their own with the details. For children and teenagers there is also Shred Kids.

A snowboard course voucher is ordered online and arrives by email or as a printed version by post. You redeem it via the voucher redemption page for the date you want.

The Basic Course, the Beginner Course and the Mini Boarder course cost 10 € more per person during German school holidays – what counts is the course day, not the day you book. The booking calendar shows the price for your date. For the private lesson, 50 € is added once per booking during the holidays, however many people take part.

Private coaching costs 349 € for one person. From 2 people you pay 249 € per person. From 3 people you pay 199 € per person. During German school holidays, 50 € is added once per booking, not per person – for two of you that makes 548 € in total. Lift passes for all participants are included, and your coach talks you through every run via helmet radio. Go to the private lesson.

A free cancellation is possible until 5 pm the day before the course – a phone call or an email is enough. If you simply let the date pass without a word, we unfortunately have to charge for the course.

We only run the course when conditions are safe and sensible. If it is cancelled because of the weather or a lack of snow, we will move it free of charge to a new day of your choice – or you get a full refund.

You book online and the confirmation comes straight by email. You can choose from: Credit card, PayPal, Bank transfer / prepayment, Apple Pay and Google Pay. Browse the courses.