I don’t know about you girls, but this year I am in the market for a new snowboard. I’ve been truly faithful to my board for the last 5 years, quite the lifetime it seems for a snowboard. Since I’ve had the same board for so long, I really want to make sure my next one is just as good, if not better, and can provide the same enjoyment and reliability of my last. Since it has been such a long time since I have really looked at snowboards, with the intention to buy one for myself, I want to make sure that I’m really getting something that will not only fit my needs on the mountain, but will be the right board for my body and style of riding.

So I went into my local shop to get the low down on the new 2009 board line up. The best thing you can do is actually go into a shop to see what they have. If you’re not a seasoned professional, the staff can definitely answer all the questions you may have, and believe me, the more educated you are about your equipment, the safer and happier you will be when you are using it.

My major concern when looking at new boards was the size. I am 5′8″ tall, and have ridden boards ranging between 147cm to my current board now, which is a 156 cm men’s board. Although I’m completely comfortable on a longer, wider men’s board, I really want to make the transition back over to a woman’s board. Back in the day the difference in men’s and woman’s boards were really limited to the aesthetics, but really minor variations as to the overall construction of the board itself. Today, woman’s boards are specifically engineered and shaped to be adapting for woman riders and their styles.

After talking to my shop and doing some research I found that the sizing of the board is what matters most. Sure, they have boards that say they are better for big mountain, park, and whatever other terrain your itching to conquer, but without a solid foundation and understanding of what you are strapped into, fulfilling your winter goals on the mountain can be a difficult feat. Here is a quick chart to break down what size board you should be aiming to get when you are out looking for a new shred stick this season:

The average snowboarder rides boards that are 85% - 92% of their height. The formula to live by is simple: Rider Height (inches) x 2.54 x 0.88 = Suggested Board Length (cm).

Rider Height - Board Length
4′0″ (48″) - 103 - 112cm
4′2″ (50″) - 107 - 116cm
4′4″ (52″) - 112 - 121cm
4′6″ (54″) - 116 - 126cm
4′8″ (56″) - 120 - 130cm
4′10″ (58″) - 125 - 135cm
5′0″ (60″) - 129 - 140cm
5′2″ (62″) - 133 - 144cm
5′4″ (64″) - 138 - 149cm
5′6″ (66″) - 142 -154cm
5′8″ (68″) - 146 -158cm
5′10″ (70″) - 151- 163cm
6′0″ (72″) - 155-168cm
6′2″+ (74″) - 159cm - 172cm

Your height (inches) x 2.54 x 0.88 = Suggested Board Length

After you determine your perfect board length, you need to be sure the board width is right for you too. Board width is one of the most important elements in addition to the overall length when it comes to selecting the right board. The following chart is used to gauge the relationship between your boot size and board.

Women’s Boot Size - Board Width (at base)
Up to 6 - Up to 24 cm Narrow
6.5 to 11 - 24-25.5 cm Regular

I know getting on a new woman’s board will not only help aid me in my maneuverability but help me ease into the park with the versatility and freedom that I did not have on my older and bigger board. I hope with these few little insights into the basics of board shopping you will have great luck out there when looking for your new board addition for this upcoming season. Keep a look out on Factivegrl for 2009 board reviews and email if you have any questions related to buying a board.

Tags: Snowboarding