How to Choose Your Snowboard Size

Choosing the right snowboard is the most important step to unlocking your full potential on the mountain. A board that's too short, too long, too wide, or too narrow can make it harder to learn, hinder your progress, and make the day less fun.

You may have heard the old-school advice to simply stand the board on its tail and see if it reaches between your chin and nose. While this can be a decent starting point, modern snowboard sizing is a lot more precise. The reality is, your weight is the single most important factor.

This guide will walk you through a simple, step-by-step process to find your ideal snowboard size based on all the key factors.

You can also check out our snowboard selection tool if you want to just punch all this info into our calculator

Step 1: Determine Your Ideal Board Length (Based on Weight)

 

Your weight is the primary factor in determining the correct board length. A board's length directly affects its flex and how it responds to your body.

• If you're too light for the board, you won’t be able to flex it properly, making it feel stiff and difficult to turn.
• If you're too heavy, the board will feel too soft and unstable, especially at high speeds or on hardpack.

Use the chart below to find a recommended length range based on your weight. This is your foundation.

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Example Snowboard Sizing Chart

 

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Step 2: Adjust for Your Riding Style & Ability Level

 

Once you have your recommended weight range, you can fine-tune the length based on where and how you plan to ride.

• For Beginners: Choose a board on the shorter end of your weight range. Shorter boards are easier to turn, which is crucial for building confidence and improving quickly.
• For Freestyle/Park Riding: Choose a board that's 2-4 cm shorter than the middle of your weight range. Shorter boards are lighter and easier to spin, butter, and maneuver on rails and jumps.
• For All-Mountain Riding: Choose a board that's in the middle of your weight range. This provides the best balance of stability and maneuverability for riding groomed runs, trees, and small jumps.
• For Freeride/Powder: Choose a board that's 2-4 cm longer than the middle of your weight range. Longer boards offer more surface area, providing better float in deep powder and greater stability at high speeds.

Step 3: Choose the Right Snowboard Width

 

Selecting the correct snowboard width is just as important as length. The width of the board (known as the "waist width") should be proportionate to your boot size to prevent "toe drag" or "heel drag."

• Toe or heel drag happens when your boots hang too far over the edges of your board and drag in the snow during turns. This can cause you to fall and makes carving difficult.
• If your board is too wide, it will be sluggish and hard to get from edge to edge.

A slight overhang of 1-2 cm on each side of the board is ideal. Use the chart below to find your recommended board width based on your US men's boot size.