What Size Snowboard Do I Need?
And it is time again for another snowboarding series: our brand new snowboarding tech tips. This time our series is dedicated to everyone who is stoked about strapping in sideways for the first time or for everyone who is still struggling to find the right equipment.
Our snowboarding tech tips series will help guide you through each step of your purchasing decision and the first time on your new board. We talk choosing the right equipment for your style of riding, setting up your snowboard and maintaining your gear. This series will be short but sweet so you can find all information needed within a few lines.
Let’s start with one of the most important questions that you will stumble across when buying a snowboard: what size snowboard do I need?
This might also be interesting for intermediate snowboarders who are looking to buy their 2nd or 3rd snowboard and are still not sure if they are riding the right size of equipment or if they are ready to downsize an inch or two.
And off we go…
Snowboard Size
Body weight to choose the right size
To find the right snowboard size for you, firstly it is important to go by your body’s weight more than your body’s height. The second factor that can influence the choice of length when buying a snowboard is in which terrain you mainly want to use your new board. The length of park boards, all mountain snowboards and power boards should not be the same because the right snowboard length will make riding the different terrains easier and more enjoyable.
Therefore, we made a little graph to easily find the perfectly sized snowboard for you. Just follow the line with your weight and see which snowboards sizing we suggest for you.
Weight
50 – 55 kg
55 – 60 kg
60 – 65 kg
65 – 70 kg
70 – 75 kg
75 – 80 kg
> 80 kg
Snowboards Size
128 – 136 cm
136 – 145 cm
143 – 152 cm
149 – 157 cm
154 – 163 cm
160 – 167 cm
> 160 cm
Size & style of riding
Now let’s look at the second factor that has an influence on your perfect size: the riding style. Where do you want to mainly use the snowboard you are looking to buy? If you found the perfect snowboard length next to your weight, you still have quite a big range of snowboards size that you can choose from. For our example, we will have a look at the perfect size for someone with a body weight of 70 kg. The example can be applied to any other weight and board length on the graph. We will look at the perfect snowboard length of a beginner’s board, an all mountain board, a park board and a powder board. Talking about a person with 70 kg, the range for our perfect snowboard lies between 154 cm and 163 cm. So let’s check in which part of the size chart range you should buy your new snowboard considering the different riding style.
Snowboard Size
Riding Style
154 – 158 cm
Park board
For a park board, you should go for a snowboard length at the lower part of the size range. The shorter the board, the easier it will be to turn & rotate in the park.
For hitting big jumps or attacking the pipe you will want a little longer board for extra stability.
156 – 160 cm
All mountain board
If you want to be able to do a bit of everything with just one board, a snowboard in the middle of the range will do the job.
Beginner board
This size range is also perfect for a rider, who is looking for their first snowboard. It should not be too long, to make your first turns easy and not too short to still make you feel safe and stable while riding.
> 160 cm
Powder board
Your powder board should be at the longer end of the scale for extra floatiness when riding powder.
What else should I consider?
A few other things to consider and keep in the back of your mind as you progress (as you expect your equipment to become more advanced as you refine your skills).
Board Shapes
Flex
To Sum It Up
- Choose your park board at the lower end of the size scale for extra maneuverability
- If you are a beginner or are looking for an all mountain board, go for a snowboard in the middle of the size range for stability and easy turning
- Choose your powder board at the longer end of the size scale for a floaty powder experience
We hope this was helpful for all those riders who are struggling to find the perfect snowboard sizing for their skill level and for their style of riding. Now, that you found your perfect board, it is time to set up your snowboard! In the next tech tip we will talk goofy vs. regular, bindings and binding angles. So stay tuned for next week’s snowboard tech tip and stay stoked!
Looking for the latest snowboard clothing styles? Check these out…
Hi, my name is Lina and I am working in content marketing at Ridestore. My obsession with surfing and snowboarding leads to the fact that I am constantly traveling the world to chase the waves or fresh snow. Other than that I am a huge fan of good food, deep talks, and binge-watching Netflix series.