Choosing A Snowboard That Fits

When buying a snowboard it is very important that you get a board that is the right size for you. If a board doesn't fit properly you'll have a difficult time controlling your snowboard and you certainly won't be able to accomplish any of those mind blowing tricks.

The board needs to be the right length and the right width for your foot. It also needs to have the right amount of flexibility for your level of expertise. As a rule when you stand the snowboard up if it comes to your shoulder area the length is okay. Your weight also comes into play when choosing the right board

Here's a chart to give you an idea of what length board you should be looking at relating to your weight and height.

The width of the board you buy should be proportionate to the width of your foot. So if you have a small foot then you'll want a narrower board. And if they call you big foot because of the size of your feet you'll want to get a nice wide board to support those feet.

The narrowest part of the board is at the waist. The waist is the spot between the bindings. If you have a narrow foot you are looking for a board with a skinny waist. Here you thought waist lines were only important to the gals. If you have a larger foot you'll want to look for a board that has a wider waist. You might say you need an overweight board.

When you are strapped into the board, your boot can hang over a little bit but no more than a couple of centimeters.

If you don't pay attention to the board size like you should you'll run into troubles on the mountain. A board that's too wide will slow you way down and wait until you try to turn. You're going to look pretty funny planted in that tree because you couldn'turn your snowboard. Now how cool is that?

On the other hand if your board is too narrow for you and you've got foot parts hanging off the sides, your foots going to drag and it's going to be like carrying an anchor with you. You'll move real slow.

If you're new to the sport you'll want to choose a board that has more flex and is shorter. More flex and shorter = less dumps because these boards are much more forgiving. When you get better you can look at buying a longer more responsive board that will give you speed and stability at the higher speeds over mixed terrain. If you're ready for an adventure and want to ride the pipe and parks you'll need a shorter board that's easier to maneuver for all those wild stunts.

The Flex and Torsion

You'll also want to pay attention to the flex and the tension of the snowboard. For lighter riders choose a board that has a softer flex from the nose to the tail because it will give you a faster response time, and make your moves easier to complete. But you need to remember if you plan to go really fast a flex board is not nearly as stable. A stiffer board handles better with higher speeds and on ice, however turning can be more difficult.

The amount a snowboard twists on the center axis is referred to as torsion. The softer the torsion the more forgiving the board is. A softer torsion is always recommended for beginners. A stiffer torsion is a blast when you're carving and it holds the edge of the ice much better.

Next: > Page 3: Don't Get Twisted Over Bindings

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