What Size Snowboard Should I Get? 2 Steps to Help You Choose the Best Snowboard Length

When shopping for a new snowboard, the options on offer these days is unreal and being a first time buyer must seem like a daunting task so we’re here to try and simplify the process for you. There’s many factors in this decision, including camber profile, shape, flex and width but we don’t want to muddy the water so this article is all about snowboard length.

If you want a more in depth look at snowboard designs, profiles, shapes and all the nerdy talk that goes with it, check out this article.

So, how do you choose the “right” snowboard length? Well, it’s a slightly loaded question as there isn’t a “best size” out there and certainly not a “one size fits all”. We’re glad you found this article and made it here as it likely means you’ve heard some outdated advice (“if you’re this tall, buy this length") so let’s take a deeper dive into things. All you can do is educate yourself about the potential pros and cons of shorter and longer boards and go from there.

Even if you know what you like to ride, it can still be tough to choose a new board especially if you feel you are between sizes. Should you get the forty-four or the forty-six, the fifty-five or the fifty-seven? Should you agonize over every single mm and what it might do to your riding? Or does it even matter anyway? Well, it’s a little bit of “yes” and a little bit of “no”.

For the purpose of this article, we’ll assume everyone already knows if they need a wide snowboard or not. If the concept of a wide snowboard is new to you, or you need help determining if you need a wide snowboard or not then stay tuned for an upcoming article on wide snowboards. So, let's get into how to choose the best length snowboard for you.

 

Step 1: Check out the manufacturers weight recommendations

This should always be your first check. This may sound odd, but a snowboard has no way of knowing how tall you are, but it does know how heavy you are! Thanks to its flex and rebound properties, it will respond to your body weight. Every manufacturer should have a sizing chart available for all of the board models and sizes which will give you an idea of what board lengths you should get on. Manufacturers will make sure that you don’t put a board under any undue stress, that’s all. If you’ve been through this process already, you’ll see that you “qualify” for various sizes based on your body weight.

Pro tip - don’t forget that your body weight will impact how the board flexes. A brand may say their board is a 7/10 flex but this could behave like a 9 with a rider too lightweight or a 5 with a rider too heavyweight for that length so remember where you sit on the weight range for your chosen board length.

 

Step 2: Choosing the longer or the shorter board

If you’ve narrowed your decision to 1 or 2 board lengths, this is where other factors come into play. We’ve honed in on 4 of the most influential factors we think should be considered when weighing up the decision to purchase a longer or shorter board. In this scenario, imagine yourself trying to decide on a board model between 2 sizes that are even as little as 2cms apart - for example 144 vs 146 or 155 vs 157.

• Riding Style & Terrain Choices

Generally speaking, for the freeriders, carvers, powder chasers and riders who like to ride fast, it’s beneficial for you to choose the longer board of your two options. You’ll enjoy a little more surface area of support under your feet which can provide more float in deeper snow and stability at higher speeds. For riders looking to be a little more playful and freestyle focused with their riding, perhaps spending lots of time in tight tree runs with lots of side hits, the shorter of your options will likely be a better choice.

• Snowboard Contact Edge, Effective Edge or Running Length

The contact or running length of a board is the length of the edge between the nose and tail that is in contact with the snow whilst riding on edge. Boards have different geometries and it’s possible that a 155 from one brand has the same, or similar running length compared to a 157 from another brand. It’s important to know this because if you are buying a longer board for the concept that you will have more grip and stability, you should check this board spec to make sure that really is the case. In some circumstances, you may be able to buy the shorter board but still have as long, or nearly as long of an effective edge. In contrast, longer boards with shorter contact edges will usually have longer noses/tails and/or reverse camber profiles indicating they could be well suited for more playful riding and even deeper snow.

• Riding Experience

This will definitely be a generalization, however, a rider with more real life, on-snow experience and a few seasons under their belt will be more comfortable transitioning between boards of varying lengths. More experienced riders should have an easier time riding a longer board, though it doesn’t mean you need one. If you are relatively inexperienced, and you fit comfortably into the weight range, I would suggest starting with riding the shorter of your two options as shorter boards tend to be more maneuverable compared to their longer counterparts.

• Quality of Riding

More importantly, how’s your riding? This can make the biggest difference of all and is commonly something that is hugely undervalued. Being able to move well over your snowboard and getting it to do what you want it to do is a big part of the puzzle. If you want to get nerdy, the more biomechanically efficient and effective your movements are, the better rider you will be and you will be able to enjoy more sizing options of snowboards, as you will be able to control them easily in-spite of the length differences. If you have found your way to this article and didn’t know about Focus Snowboards before, this is one of our commitments to our board riders…to help them get the most out of snowboarding and we do this with video coaching sessions, included with each board purchase. Learn more about us and our care over our riders progression here.

 

That pretty much sums up our simple approach to board sizing. It’s important to check out board specs to know some specifics and then once you have a decent idea, step back and take in the bigger picture with some of the advice above to help pick your board size. If you can, find out if you can demo your board, or even rent one in your size to really get a feel for it.

If you have any more specific questions and are still not sure what board size to choose, feel free to get in touch!

Happy sliding,

Leo & Kahli