It’s official- winter is upon us. After a sparse start to the season in some parts of the continent, the snow is falling thick and fast, lifts have started turning and the Euro-pop is blasting from the après bars.

If you’re in the UK and on the hunt for new gear for the season, heading to The Snowboard Asylum is a no brainer. It’s the biggest and best snowboard specific retailer with a huge range of products and dedicated, experienced staff who love snowboarding just as much as you do. There’s nothing quite like a good old bricks and mortar store for a proper chin wag, so we met up with our buddy Tim Warwood at TSA in Tamworth to get him kitted out for the coming season.

There are many things that set TSA apart from the crowd, but one of the most useful is the ability to try before you buy, the snowdome stores around the UK give you the unique experience of testing out snowboards before you commit to dropping the cash. Sure, that topsheet graphic looks nice, but will it actually suit you and your riding style? TSA experts know the boards inside and out, receiving direct training from the brands and actually getting the products out on snow to really understand how they ride and who they’ll be good for.

If you’ve been snowboarding with ill-fitting boots you know just what a pain it can be and if you’re only out for a week a year, you haven’t got time to waste nursing cramped toes. By coming into a store, you can get your boots fitted by a specialist, who’ll guide you through the process and ensure you walk away with the right product for you.

“Get yourself down to a TSA store and you’ll learn why it’s a much-loved institution”

Aside from hardware, TSA stocks a plethora of outerwear from all the best brands in the business, so whether you’re opting for steezed out park rat uniform or high-tech backcountry kit, you’ll be sorted. Eliminate the guesswork, get yourself down to a TSA store and you’ll learn why it’s a much-loved institution in the UK scene.