Safety
Snowboarding comes with risks: if you know how to manage them, you ride safer and have more fun. Staying safe on the snow is something you learn, not something you improvise.
Please note: this site gives general information for educational purposes. In an emergency, always call the official rescue services. No online guide can replace certified hands-on training, especially for avalanche safety.
Protection
Helmets, goggles, wrist guards, impact shorts, knee pads, and back protectors. What to always wear and why, and how to choose the right protection.
Avalanche Safety
What you need to know before you head off-piste: avalanche bulletins, beacon, shovel and probe, companion rescue, and how to lower the risk.
Insurance
Why insurance is a must on the snow: rescue cover, policies sold with your lift ticket, travel policies, and what to check before you choose.
Mountain Rescue
How mountain rescue works in Italy, how to call for help, what to do if someone gets hurt, and emergency numbers region by region.
Rules and Legal Requirements
The rules of the slopes (Legislative Decree 40/2021):
- helmets are compulsory for everyone;
- third-party liability insurance is compulsory;
- keep your speed and behavior careful and suited to your ability, the run, and how crowded it is (art. 18);
- whoever is uphill must avoid colliding with those downhill (art. 19);
- at junctions, slow down and adjust your line (art. 21);
- if you stop, move to the edge of the run (art. 22);
- always give way to snowcats and other vehicles on the slopes (art. 25);
- skiing or riding while drunk or under the influence of drugs is prohibited (art. 31, fine €250–1,000; breaches of arts. 18–22: €50–150);
- off-piste where there is avalanche risk: transceiver, shovel, and probe are compulsory (art. 26).
Emergency Numbers in Italy
112 is free, and you can call it with no credit, no SIM, or a locked phone. If your own network has no signal, the phone tries another operator's network; but with no mobile coverage at all, the call won't go through. Where there's no signal, tell someone your route and when you expect to be back before you set out.