Snowboard Stance: A Complete Adjustment Guide
Got your snowboard, got your snowboard bindings, now what? Learn 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. Also – I suggest you also read the article about mounting your bindings. There are a few useful tips there will also help you fine tune your stance. OK, now for those annoying details.
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
Setback and width are usually set when you mount your bindings and then you usually leave them alone. You can and should play a bit more with your stance angles to find out what feels best for you.
Stance width, angles and setback shown on a snowboard. Setback and angles are a bit exaggerated to be more visible.
Setback
What is snowboard stance setback (offset)?
Stance setback is the distance that tells us how far back the center between the bindings is from the center of the snowboard (actually from the effective edge center of the snowboard, nose and tail can be different length, but do not influence the effective edge center of the snowboard).
Are the inserts always in the middles of your board?
Snowboard inserts are two metal pieces integrated into the snowboard that 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 centered in the middle of the snowboard but set a little towards the tail. In this case – even if you put your bindings in the center 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?
Standing a bit more towards the back of the snowboard puts more weight on the tail and keeps the nose out of snow. That is a very good idea in deep powder, not so useful in the park. This is why 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 center 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 (bindings should never be moved towards the nose)!
Stance Setback: What Works Where?
- zero stance setback or centered 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).
Width
What is snowboard stance width?
It is the distance between the centers of both bindings and it simply tells you how far apart are your feet when you are strapped in. It 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.
What Works Where?
It effects your board control and you can feel even small changes that you make to your 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:
| height (m) | height (feet) | width (inch) |
|---|---|---|
| < 1.54 | < 5’1″ | 17-18 |
| 1.56 – 1.62 | 5’2″ – 5’4″ | 18-19 |
| 1.65 – 1.72 | 5’5″ – 5’8″ | 19-20 |
| 1.75 – 1.82 | 5’9″ – 6′ | 20-21 |
| > 1.82 | > 6′ | 22-23 |
Stance angles
Am I 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 goes 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 but that doesn’t mean you are too. Using the right stance type makes it much easier to learn snowboarding.
How Do I Know If I Am Goofy Or Regular?
If you skateboard, wakeboar, surf etc… then you already know your stance, just use the same one for snowboarding. If not – there are a few tests to discover your stance orientation:
- try sliding in your socks over smooth surface, the foot you put in front normally corresponds with your stance,
- borrow a skateboard and try which foot feels better,
- stand on the floor like you are snowboarding and put left foot forward and then right foot forward – imagine that you are riding, what feels better?
- the last and most sure test of your stance type is the first day of snowboarding – try it both ways and you will feel the difference!
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 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.
Every snowboard binding that you buy allows you to set and change your angles.
When we are talking about stance angles they are usually described with two numbers: +24°/+9° for instance. 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 the rear angle should also be bigger and vice versa. Do not make a really big angle difference between both bindings because it will make you stand in an unnatural position and you can damage your knees. The goal is to always put your body and knees in a natural position. Rear angle should never be larger than the front angle! Depending on the angles you have a ref typical stances:
- Alpine stance
- Forward stance
- Duck stance
Alpine Stance
This is a setup used for alpine (or race, or carve) snowboards. These snowboards are so narrow that small stance angles are impossible since 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
This 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. Angles can be smaller because the regular snowboards (freeride and freestyle snowboards) are much wider than race snowboards. Typical angles can vary between +40° and +15° degrees for the front binding and between +30° and 0° degrees for the rear binding.
A general rule is tat you should keep the difference between the front and rear angle under 21° degrees. Some typical 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 how to snowboard).
Duck stance
This 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 freestyle and 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. Typical setups :
- 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.
Toe overhang
Toe (or heel) overhang happens when your snowboard boots hang over the snowboard or better – over the snowboards edge. This 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 only happen 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 centered 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.
On the other hand – if your feet are not too big DON’T get a wide snowboard. If your toes and/or heels don’t reach all the way to the edge you will have trouble putting your board on the edge in snowboarding will be really weird and difficult. The same can happen if your stance angles are too big. This is not a common problem since most people don’t want big angles but still – if the 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
I’ve said it at the beginning – 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.
Oh, one more really important rule.
No Friends On Powder Day Rule
No friends on powder day
This is a very important rule.
DON’T EVER NEVER NEVER EVER ADJUST YOUR STANCE BEFORE THE FIRST POWDER RUN OF THE DAY WHILE YOUR FRIENDS ARE WAITING!
It’s been snowing whole day and most of the night. You wake up to bluebird skies, grab a bite and run to the mountains. Even though you woke up really early you are surprisingly not the only one with this idea (huh?). To be the first at the top of the hill and draw a line over virgin fresh fluffy powder. You use your elbows to push yourself to the front of the line. Lift opens and you are on the first chair up the mountain. You get off, strap in as quickly as possible and…”Hey, can you wait for me? I just have to adjust my stance for powder…“. It’s your best friend.
Or should I say your ex best friend.
You smile, inhale, and drop in :).
Set you stance at home!
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ok i just bought a new Never Summer 159 and burton c60 bindings. im setting at mirrored duck stance but every time i strap in the bindings and go down the mountain i get my left ankle about an inch from the ankle bone itself and goes up about 2-3 inches up the tendon that runs along the ankle how do i relive that problem. is it the stance is too wide or is it heel lift form the dc judge boots that i have
I wear a size 11.5 boot and the toe seems to overhang the board. Am I correct to assume I should adjust the stance angle so there is no overhang?
You need a wide board dude. Angle’s got nothing to do with it.
nah you need to have some amount of overhang in order to properly pressure the edges and initiate turns/etc. Unless your feet are literally impeding your ability to ride, you should be OK. You could widen the stance a tiny bit, or widen the angles a bit if it is a minor problem. But it’s unlikely that you’re dragging a trench in the snow with your toes unless you’re laying the sickest, deepest carves, ever (in which case you probably wouldn’t be asking this question).
At 11.5 you’re nudging in to “wide” board territory but it is by no means an absolute necessity I know people who wear 12 and ride regular width boards and my size 11s are OK even on relatively narrow (249mm waist) boards for most purposes.
Hey i just hit the mountain today and after a few trips down the slopes my left foot is killing me, right now im at something like +15/0 and when i get to the bottom of the slope the front left part of my leading foot (left foot)is killing me. Im about 6′ and 190 lbs. it feels like in fighting the left foot too much.
My right foot isnt really in any pain but i think im putting too much weight on my left foot.
Any suggestions on angles weather it be something more of a forward stance or try switching to a duck stance?
what is the good stance for newbie? Your suggestion 30/15 is way too fast I think. I am a newbie but I find this number is hard to adapt.
i have used the wrong foot all along , i mean according to this text , i am a regular rider ,
but i have used my right foot as the leader,
what is your suggestion guys ,
should i change it ,, ?
You recommend for fwd stance +21, +6 or +30, +15 setting and write that angle difference must be at least 21.
Concerning Duck stance there is also wrong information.
Under! It says to keep it under 21 degrees. It was a bit confusing sequence of words…fixed now, hope it’s clearer…
Thanks 3g, it is OK now.
@anonymous: try duckstance
@avid: it’s all about what feels right. Change your stance, try it, if it feels better keep it if not go back to your old stance. There is no right or wrong here…just what feels better.