Got your snowboard, got your snowboard bindings. How to set the correct snowboard stance or how to adapt your snowboard stance to your stile of riding. Changing the stance angles, width or setback can make a lot of difference.

SNOWBOARD STANCE

How to set the correct snowboard stance or how to adapt your snowboard stance to your stile of riding? Changing the stance angles, stance width or stance setback can make a lot of difference, but there is no right or wrong snowboard stance as long as you stay within the limits. What feels best probably works best!

How to set your snowboard stance?

There are three basic measurements you need to decide on when you are playing with your snowboard stance:

• stance setback
• stance width
• stance angles

Stance setback and stance width are usually set when you mount your bindings and then you leave them as they are, but you can play with your stance angles to find out what feels best for you.

Snowboard Stance Setback

What is snowboard stance setback (offset)? Stance setback is the distance that tells us how far back the centre between the bindings is from the centre of the snowboard (actually from the effective edge centre of the snowboard, nose and tail can be different length, but do not influence the effective edge centre of the snowboard).

Snowboard inserts are two metal inserts integrated into the snowboard. Inserts have several holes, which are used for mounting your bindings onto the snowboard. When you mount your bindings you need to know if the inserts already have some setback put in. That means they are not centred in the middle of the snowboard but set a little towards the tail of the snowboard. In this case – even if you put your bindings in the centre holes, they will be a little closer to the tail of the snowboard. Insert setback is very common and the amount of setback is related to the type of snowboard (freeride, freestyle…).

Why stance setback?

Stance setback puts the weight of the snowboarder towards the back of the snowboard, so the snowboard nose sticks more out of the snow. That is a very good idea in deep powder, not so useful in the park. That is the reason that freeride boards have inserts setback and 100% freestyle snowboards do not.

What stance setback to use?

If you are asking this you should put your bindings in the centre holes. Since the insert setback is already integrated into the snowboard you will be just fine. Only if you have some special needs like – you are going to ride really deep and soft powder, then mess with the setback and put your bindings one hole towards the snowboards tail. If you are changing your setback – setback should never be negative and bindings should never be centred forward on the board.

Stance Setback chart

• zero stance setback or centred stance – snowboard turns easily and you will have a good board control
• default holes are normally set backward for about 1 inch (or 25mm) – snowboard will behave as if it has a shorter and stiffer tail, you can make more aggressive turns, ollie higher, and float more easily in the powder
• more setback, up to 2 inch setback (50mm) – to ride deep powder in a more relaxed stance without worrying about a nosedive into the deep snow (if you set your bindings too far backwards, snowboard will be harder to turn).

Snowboard Stance Width

What is snowboard stance width? Stance width is the distance between the centres of both bindings. Stance width is simply how far apart are your feet when you are strapped in. Stance width depends mostly on your height. The width should be roughly equal to the distance from the middle of your kneecap to the ground, or about 1 inch (2.5 cm) more than the width of your shoulders. If you have chosen the right board for your length, then you shouldn’t worry much about the stance width as it should be about the same as distance between the default holes on the board. If you are not an expert snowboarder just let it be.

Why different snowboard stance width?

Snowboard stance width effects your board control and you can feel even small differences in the stance width:

• Wider stance – more stability, harder turn transitions (used more by freestyle snowboarders)
• Narrow stance – less stability, easier turn transitions (used more by freeride snowboarders)

Snowboard Stance Width Chart

For some reference use these numbers:

Stance angles

Snowboard Stance Type: Regular or Goofy?

What is regular and goofy snowboard stance? If you do not already know, now is the final time to find out what your stance type is. Are you goofy or are you regular. The difference between the two is which leg is in front. If you put your left foot in front when you go downhill, you are regular and if it is your right foot you are goofy. Most of the snowboarders are regular. Using the right stance type makes it much easier to learn snowboarding.

You can know your stance from skateboarding, wakeboarding, surfing etc. or you can try sliding in your socks over smooth surface. The foot you put in front normally corresponds with your stance. The last and most sure test of your stance type is the first day of snowboarding. You will be able to tell the difference right away – try it both ways and you will feel the difference!

Stance angles

What are stance angles? Stance angle is the angle at which the snowboard binding is mounted on to the snowboard. If the snowboard binding is totally perpendicular to the snowboard length the the stance angle is zero. If the front of the binding (your toes) is angled towards the nose of the snowboard, you have a positive stance angle and if the front of the binding (your toes) is angled towards the tail of the snowboard, you have a negative stance angle.

Each snowboard binding can have (actually they always do or should) different stance angle. The angles are normally written like +24°/+9°. That would mean that the front binding is set at 24 degrees (positive stance angle) and the back binding is set at 9 degrees (also positive stance angle). Stance angles should be always in sync. If the front angle is bigger then also the rear angle should be bigger and vice versa. Do not make a really big angle difference between both bindings. The goal is to always put your body and knees in a natural position. Rear angle should never be larger than the front angle (your knees will not be thankful)! Depending on the angles you could say stance angles are:

• Alpine stance
  
• Forward stance
• Duck stance

Alpine Stance

What is alpine stance? Alpine stance is a setup used for alpine (or race, or carve) snowboards. These snowboards are so narrow that small stance angles are impossible as your feet will quickly overhang your snowboard and you will wipe out. Front and rear angles are anywhere between +70° and +35° degrees and are usually set by the width of the snowboard. These angles together with hard boots allow you to carve aggressively. For better control in short turns, the difference between the front- and rear angle should be at least 5°.

Forward stance

What is forward stance? Forward stance is the usual stance used by most of snowboarders. Both snowboard bindings have positive stance angles but they are much smaller than with alpine stance. Stance angles can be smaller because the regular snowboards (freeride and freestyle snowboards) are much wider that race snowboards. Stance angles can vary between +40° and +15° degrees for the front binding and between +30° and 0° degrees for the rear binding. Keep the difference between the front and rear angle under 21° degrees. Some stance angles setups:

• Stance angles: +21° on the front and +6° on the rear – this is a common all-mountain setup,
• Stance angles: +30° on the front and +15° on the rear – this is common setup if you are more carving oriented rider or if you are just starting out (stance for learning snowboarding).

Duck stance

What is duck stance? Duck stance is a stance where the front binding angle is positive and the back binding angle is negative. This stance makes your toes face different directions like Donald ducks feet. Duckstance gives you more stability as your body is aligned with the snowboard and is useful for riding halfpipe. With duck stance, the front angle is anywhere between 30° and 0° degrees while the rear angle is negative, between -1° and -20°. Keep the angles apart by at least 10 degrees. Duckstance angles setup:

• Stance angles: +18° on the front and -6° on the rear – this is more laid back duckstance
• Stance angles: +15° on the front and -15° on the rear – this is 100% (mirror) duckstance.

Stance angles and toe overhang

What is toe overhang? Toe (or heel) overhang is when your snowboard boots hang over the snowboard or better – over the snowboards edge. Toe overhang must be avoided, because if your boot overhangs the edge it will come in the contact with the snow when you turn frontside. Your boot will cause the snowboard edge to loose contact with the snow and you will fall on your face. If your overhang is really small this will happen only with deep carving turns, but it is still a bad idea. To get rid of the overhang you must adjust your stance angles. With the boot centred in a binding, rotate the binding until the boot toe and heel are directly over the edge of the board with no overhang. The larger your snowboard boot is, the greater angle you should use. If your feet are really big you should consider buying a wider snowboard. There are special WIDE snowboard models, that are (duh!) wider than regular snowboards and are made for people with big feet.

Most snowboarders do not want big stance angles so this is not a common problem but still – If the stance angles are to big the boots are inside the edges and you will not be able to put enough pressure on the snowboard.

Choosing your stance angle

As ewe said – there is no right or wrong snowboard stance (if you stick to the limits mentioned above). Start with a commonly used stance, bring a screwdriver with you and play with your angles. What feels right usually works.

Related posts:

1. SNOWBOARD BINDING MOUNTING INSTRUCTIONS
2. SNOWBOARD STOMP PAD
3. HOW TO BUY A SNOWBOARD