Dimensions Guide

It should be pointed out that snowboard sizes are largely a matter of personal choice. However there are some general guidelines worth bearing in mind.

Lengths

The appropriate lengths will depend on the size of the person. For an averagely built individual, the board should reach up to the chin when set on the ground. If you are heavily built, the snowboards should be a bit longer than this.

At the same time, it must be less flexible (i.e., sturdier). The opposite is true for light riders. They’ll do much better if the snowboard is lighter and more flexible.

The snowboard sizes you pick will also depend on your style of riding. For freestyle, you’ll need flexible boards so you can maneuver more easily. If you’ll be racing in deep snow, you’ll want a longer board most of the time.

Snowboard Width

Make sure your feet don’t project over the board too much. If they hang out too much, it becomes hard to carve at the edges. Those with large feet should buy wider boards. Also try to adjust your feet so it fits in properly. As a general rule, heavily built people will need wider boards than slightly built individuals.

Flexibility

Besides the snowboard sizes, you’ve got to consider the flexibility of the board. The torsional flex refers to the flexibility along its width. The greater the torsional flex, the easier you can make twists and turns.

The longitudinal flex denotes the flexibility from the tip to the end. The higher the longitudinal flex, the easier it will be to flex from the tip to the end.

If you prefer freestyle riding, you’ll want a more flexible board so you can control the board more. Free riding or free carving will require stiffer boards to maintain grip at faster speeds.

Suggested Snowboard Sizes

For a rider who weighs 70 lbs the length for a free ride board should be 134 cm and 129 cm for freestyle. For 100 lbs, it’s 145 cm for free ride boards and 138 for freestyle. For 120 lbs, it is 149 (free ride) and 144 cm (freestyle).

For 150 lbs it’s 158 and 153 cm. Those who weigh 170 should go for a free ride board 162 cm or a freestyle board 157 cm. Those who are over 200 lbs should go for 163 cm (free ride) and 160 (freestyle).
Note: those with a shoe size of 12 ought to get the double wide board.

Other Factors to Consider

The base is the bottom of the board. Given a choice between sintered and extruded bases, go for the former. It is stronger and lasts longer. The camber is used to determine how easily a board spins.

Go for those with a springy camber, as it offers more control. The sidecut radius also helps the board turn more easily. The smaller the radius, the less effort it’ll take to turn around.

As you can tell, picking the right snowboard sizes requires more than just which fits. You’ve got to consider the other aspects too. This will ensure you get the most out of your snow boarding experience.