3 Factors to Consider In Order to Pick the Ideal Snowboard

If you’re looking to get out of the rental snowboard game and buy your first snowboard, great! This means you’ve decided that snowboarding is something you enjoy doing regularly enough to invest a couple of hundred bucks into it. For the first-time snowboard gear buyers, the number of choices you’ll need to make to pick the best snowboard may make you a bit overwhelmed. However, rest assured that whichever snowboard you pick will make riding much sweeter than when you were riding the board from the rental shop. Besides, when in doubt, you can just get the sickest looking board and be content with it.

When shopping for a snowboard at a snowboard gear store, you’ll have to consider a few different factors in order to get the ideal ride that fits your size and riding style.

Length

The length of the snowboard is one of the key factors you will need to consider. Your size and weight will determine how long the ideal snowboard for you is. When you stand next to the board, it should go up right to your chin. Furthermore, you need to consider the type of snowboarding you plan on doing. Most freeriding snowboards are long, as they provide better speed and stability. On the other hand, freestyle snowboards are smaller, so that you can maneuver and spin in the park.

Width

Deciding on the ideal width of the board is easier than deciding the length. The board should be wide enough that your snowboard boots hang just over the edges, but not so much as to touch the snow when the snowboard is on edge. By extending the heels and toes slightly over the edges of the board, you’ll be able to apply leverage to the board and regulate pressure using your ankles.

Shape

The shape is the last thing you need to consider in order to buy the ideal snowboard. The most common shapes of snowboards are directional, true twin, and asymmetrical.

• Directional snowboards are ideal for all-mountain and freeriding, as they’re designed to be ridden in one direction. They’re generally stiffer in the tail and softer in the nose to provide stability when you’re carving at high-speed.
• True twin shape snowboards are symmetrical and they have an identical tail and tip flex pattern and measurements. The bindings are mounted at the center, and these boards are ideal for freestyle and park riding.
• Asymmetrical snowboards are becoming increasingly more popular, and the idea behind their shape is that your body isn’t symmetrical, so your board shouldn’t be either. These boards generally feature a shorter heel side and a longer toe side which can make riding much easier.