What Length Snowboard Should I Get?

Choosing the right length snowboard is essential to guarantee a satisfactory experience on the snow since your ability to turn, jump, and stay stable will depend on it. If you are starting in the world of snowboarding and you don’t know what length board to choose, this article offers you some tips to make it easier for you.

The important things to consider while choosing your snowboard are your riding style, your favorite terrain, and your skill level in determining the length, width, stiffness, and other characteristics of the board. The easiest way to measure the ideal length of your board is by using its height. Once you’ve decided on the length, match the width to your foot size and stiffness to your weight to get the perfect board for you.

It is necessary to keep in mind that you will need some measurements depending on the type of board you are looking for and the style of snowboard you practice. Each rider has different preferences when it comes to descending through the snow, and there is nothing better than knowing yourself to be correct in choosing the length of the snowboard. It is a much personal preference, especially when it comes to the length.

However, it would be best if you always keep the following factors in mind to finish deciding and choose the most suitable board length for you: your weight, your style and your height.

The First Element to Take into Account: Your Level of Experience as a Snowboarder

There are snowboards designed for every skill level, each of them is made specifically for the needs of each person. It is necessary to honestly evaluate your ability to choose the snowboard that offers you the most pleasant sliding experience and allows you to advance quickly in learning. If you are starting, we advise you to use a long snowboard because this size offers more stability, grip and braking capacity. If you already master the art, go for a small snowboard that is much more manageable and invites you to move in a faster and more varied way.

Right Length of the Snowboard

Your snowboard length will vary depending on your weight and the type of snowboarding style you practice. Formerly, to measure the size of the board, one had to stand up, and if the board reached the top of the chin, its size was correct. While this is a quick way to choose, we do not advise it as you can go wrong with it. The essential factor to consider is your weight.

If you are mainly going to practice freeride, you should opt for a slightly longer snowboard to gain more stability and speed. If you’re looking for a freestyle snowboard, consider smaller sizes that will be easier to turn and maneuver in the middle.

The length of the board is measured in centimeters, from the tail to the nose of the board, or end to end. There is no regulation on measurement that stipulates that companies must measure along the curvature of the nose and tail of the boards. However, the discrepancies due to different measurement styles are not significant.

The length is not a trivial matter. If the manufacturer provides us with this data, it is precisely to facilitate and help us choose our snowboard. But many times, we do not know how to get the most out of this information, or we simply do not understand what each data on the technical sheet refers to.

Below is an explanation of these specifications to help you understand.

Overall Length

The total length is the maximum length of the table (in cm) measured from the nose (tip) to the tail (tail of the board). This is one of the most common measurements since usually, depending on the weight and riding style, a greater or lesser length is chosen (longer to more weight to increase buoyancy).

Contact Length (Running Length)

As its name suggests, the contact length is the length of the board that would be in direct contact with it on a surface. That is, the length of the board that would be in contact with the snow. It is determined by measuring the distance between the point of support of the nose with the surface and the point of support of the tail, thus excluding the part that rises from the ground of both the tip and the tail. Boards with a shorter contact length tend to be easier when it comes to getting the desired stroke, but at the cost of sacrificing turning stability (especially at higher speeds).

How to Choose the Right Length of the Snowboard

The following factor is based on applying a popular mathematical formula:

If the difference between your height and your weight is over 100, you must subtract 15% from your height to know the right size of the snowboard.

For example:

If your height is 175 cm and your weight is 70 kg, (175-70) =105; being above 100 we must calculate 15% of 175.

175 x15 / 100 = 26.25

175 – 26.25 = 148.75

148.75 cm would be the length of your snowboard.

If the difference between your height and your weight is below 100, you must subtract 12% from your height to find the size of the snowboard that corresponds to you.

We will take the same height as above:

If we measure 175 cm and weigh 80 kg (175-70) = 95, being below 100, we must calculate 12% of 175.

175 x12 / 100 = 21

175 – 21 = 154

154 cm would be the height of your snowboard.

If mathematics is not your thing, below is a table where the main brands have established recommended standard snowboard measurements in relation to your height and weight to help you choose the right length.

Height and Weight Chart

It is a good guide to establish a measurement that serves as a reference, but keep in mind that you will have to adjust this length slightly depending on your style (freeride or freestyle) and your level if you are a beginner (subtracting from 3 to 5 cm).

Our Final Thoughts

Now that you know that in addition to the measurements of your snowboard, there are other factors that will give you one experience or another on the snow. We recommend that you let the specialists advise you if you still have doubts. Remember that in addition to your weight, your height and the size of your foot, it is important that you take into account your snowboarding style.