When you’re new to the snowboarding scene, it can be a little overwhelming when it comes to choosing the right size snowboard.
There’s no clear-cut formula to determine what size snowboard is best for you - but don’t worry!
Our snowboard sizing guide is going to help you use your ability and riding style to figure out what size to go for.
Ready to get started?
Types of Snowboards
Before you worry about what size snowboard to buy, it’s important to consider the different types of snowboards available.
You can ride any type of snowboard on any terrain but many boards are specifically designed so you can get the most out of your experience.
For example, you should consider the snowboard’s flex rating. Snowboard flex rating describes how flexible a snowboard is. The flex rates vary and choosing the right one depends on the snowboard and what it’s designed for.
Here are the basic types of snowboards available depending on your ability and riding style:
Freestyle Boards
These boards are best used in snowboard parks and for catching air and doing tricks on the hills. They are also a great board for beginners!
Freestyle boards have a soft to mid-flex, maneuverability at slow speeds, and are designed to lock in on rails.
All-Mountain Boards
All-mountain boards are made for cruising and jumping. They have a mid to mid-firm flex and are designed for stability, versatility, spinning, carving, and floating.
Freeride Boards
These boards are designed for steep hills and maneuverability at higher speeds. Their flex is mid to firm to stiff and provide stability, smoothness, and responsiveness while boarding
Freecarve Boards
Freecarve boards are great for hard pack and groomed trails and, as the name implies, they are made to carve turns. Their stiff flex is great for responsiveness and stability.
Powder Boards
Powder boards provide the best floatation in deep, untouched snow. They have a mid to stiff flex which makes for smoother riding.
Splitboard
These boards can split in half and turn into skis for backcountry trails, giving you uphill capabilities. Their mid firm to stiff flex provides stability and charge.
Snowboard Shape
Apart from what you want your board to do, it’s also important to consider the shape.
Again, many snowboards will work anywhere but there are a variety of shapes available to make the most out of your riding style and abilities:
- True Twin Shape: This board shape has an equal tip and tail width and silhouette. These boards are great for all-mountain riders and beginners.
- Directional Shape: These profiles are designed for freeride and powder boards but can be used for all-mountain boards as well. Directional shape boards are stiffer in the tail with a wider and softer nose.
- Directional Twin Shape: This shape combines the twin and directional snowboards into a symmetrical shape with a directional core. These are mostly used on all-mountain and freestyle terrain.
- Volume Shifted Shape: These boards have a short and wide profile and are designed to push your weight to the back of the board to keep the nose on top of the snow. Volume shifted boards are best used for backcountry and deep powder.
- Asymmetrical Shape: This shape has a shorter heel side, longer toe side sidecuts, and softer heel side cores to make riding easier.
Choosing the Right Size Snowboard
Now that you have an idea of the styles of snowboard available, let’s look at how you can figure out what size is best for you:
Height, Weight, and Boot Size
Your height, weight, and boot size is going to help you determine exactly what size snowboard you will need. You also need to take your ability and the type of board you want into consideration as well.
For example, beginners probably shouldn’t get a board that is too long and hard to control. Therefore, a shorter board is easier to learn on.
Alternatively, longer boards have greater stability at speed for more experienced boarders.
Your weight is going to determine the flex you want. Heavier individuals are going to want a firmer flex but a stiff board isn’t suitable for a lighter person.
Lastly, your boot size is going to tell you how wide your board should be. The larger your feet, the wider the board and vice-versa.
How much wider you go compared to your boot size depends on how you ride - wider boards help with speed and stability while narrower boards have easier maneuverability.
So What Size Board Should I Choose?
We’ve just talked a lot about choosing between a short and long board but how do you know what size to actually choose?
Basically, if you’re going for a shortboard, go for the shortest option based on your height, weight, and boot size. The same goes for longboards - go with the maximum length for your size.
By using height, weight, and boot size, the right board for you will combine the most comfortable size with the flexibility to maximize your snowboarding experience!
If you’re ready to hit the slopes, we have you covered! Boardom offers a wide range of snowboards and snowboarding gear to help you make the best choice for your riding needs.
Check out our products here or contact us for more information.