SETTING UP YOUR SNOWBOARD

Aug 02, 2013

Setting up your snowboard

We get a lot of people coming into the shop bringing it in for a service. Or basically anytime they need to take their bindings off. Who have no idea how to set their board up or have had a friend do it. And in some cases mess their snowboard up. This will help walk you through how to set your board up with your bindings. To get a good stance and also how to sort out your bindings for a perfect fit with your boot.

Regular or Goofy

There really is no benefit between regular or goofy despite what the name might suggest. Regular is left foot forwards Goofy is right foot forwards. You want to lead with your dominant leg although again its different for everyone. I know a guy who wakeboards goofy and snowboards regular. When I was first starting out one of my friends got me face away from him and pushed me, I put my right leg forward first to stop myself stacking it so we worked out I was goofy and its worked out pretty well. A lot of people when learning will try and chop and change. It’s best to just stick with it.

Setting up boards is super easy and not remotely scary when looking at your board there will be three different ways in which you can stick your bindings to your snowboard.

Stance Width

Setting up your stance is super easy. Put both feet near the centre of the board and move them outwards until you feel comfy, remember that you will need to be in a bending knee position like you were snowboarding and hopefully you’ll be doing it all day, so you want make sure your comfy and you feel like you could hold this position for a short while. Once you found the sweet spot get your bindings on the board as close as possible to those positions.

Angles

When it comes to what angles to put your bindings, everyone’s different. I like mine straight duck -15 +15 which is great if you have a twin tip board and want to try going switch. A buddy of mine rides with both of his facing forward. There is no right or wrong stance it is whatever works best for you and helps you have the most fun.� If you set them up and you’re aching in a specific point after a few runs like a real deep burning on the outside or inside of your legs play around with them. Its not set in stone and super easy to change just undo the screws enough to let the binding rotate around the disk. Most hills will have a bench with screw drivers tied to it for this very purpose. Or if your riding in a dome, go to the board hire desk they usually have an ultimate set of tools.

Service

We get a lot of people coming to get their boards serviced where you can tell they have been doing their bindings too tight. Its easy to see when servicing because when you look at the bottom of the board you can see where the screws have been pulled up and created dimples on the underside of the board. You definitely do not need your screws this tight. Sure you want them tight enough so they don’t come off but that’s it, any more than that and you risk damaging your board by pulling an insert.

Setting the binding to your boot

Once the bindings are on, its important to make sure they are set up just right for your boot. If your bindings have a toe cap then you want this to be covering the toe obviously. Make sure its centred and when tightening it again do not over tighten it as the way that the ratchets work they will need to tighten slightly in order to come undone. The straps are there to hold your foot down not cut the circulation off to your feet. Same with the ankle strap make sure it’s over where it needs to go. If you buy your stuff from a shop they should offer to help you do this but if you do end up changing your boots it’s easy to make the adjustments necessary. Lastly the high back, this is the bit at the rear of the binding that will support your calf. You want this running along the back of your boot, so adjust as necessary. It’s usually connected via two screws at the sides and a clip at the very back to adjust the angle. More angle will force you to bend your knees more which will help your riding as it will get you in the proper stance.

Have fun playing with your board and go shred!

Enjoy

S2AS Team Rider Ian Mosby