why height = board length?

[Tim W]

I may have missed something along the way. I recently spoke with a reputable board manufacture sales person. During a discussion about board length he cared most about my height. Other than when you are a beginner how in the world does height equate to board length? I definitely understand how weight may relate to board length, but height? Thanks.

[Donek]

I may have missed something along the way. I recently spoke with a reputable board manufacture sales person. During a discussion about board length he cared most about my height. Other than when you are a beginner how in the world does height equate to board length? I definitely understand how weight may relate to board length, but height? Thanks.

Definitely the crutch used by most sales people. Height plays a role in the amount of leverage one can apply to a board, but the rule breaks down as soon as the rider does not conform to an average build. The most important aspect of board sizing, in my opinion, is shoe size. Second to that is weight, riding style, experience level, the mountain typically visited and somewhere down at the bottom comes in height.

[Buell]

What Sean said.

I have seen tall guys really leverage a board that a shorter person of the same weight could not accomplish.

For better riders, personal preference is a lot of the factor of board length. A bigger board makes bigger turns, often at higher speeds. That is probably beyond the grasp of many snowboard sales people who generally talk to beginner or intermediate skidders.

[Bobby Buggs]

Just to prove this even more wrong, I have seen dudes 5 feet 4 kill it on 188 Burners and Tanker 200s.

[snowboardfast]

You also have to remember that most soft boot decks are getting shorter to make them better for riding the park and terrain features as that is the emphasis being pushed by the snowboard magazines and companies now. I looked at a magazine recently and resorts were given good reviews mostly by how good the park is. I think that is funny because how many snowboarders are hard core park riders? I never wanted to do that kind of riding and I think it is funny that the magazines automatically assume that everyone should be doing so. Getting a board that you like is not hard if you work with the smaller companies like Donek that will make whatever you want and can help you out with making that decision.

[valsam]

I think that the mountain you usually ride at is the the most important aspect of board sizing ,if there are huge and wide runs without many people on them then you can do with a long board but if the runs are narrow and crowded then a shorter board is the only way, I'm 6,4 feet tall 250 pounds and ride a 1,67 board!

I use to ride a 1,85 and my shortest board was 1,71 but even the 1,71 felt a little bit big for the runs i mostly go to (15 years hardbooting)!

If i ordered a new custom board now i would get a 1,67-1,69, 21,5-22 waist (mondo 31) ,metal (cause all of you say that they are better then carbon-glass) 11-13scr(if it is possible) and constructed somehow that it would be stable at mach speeds but also be extemecarveble at mid-low speeds(does such a board exist or maybe be made?)!

[NMU Alpine Boarder]

The height thing is actually the #1 problem I have with customers when selling to the masses... It's usually the one concept that the feel that they need to argue with me on... They are stuck on sizing the board to some point on their face...

Even after I explain my starting situation on a board, (being a 5'9", 120'lb kid who was put on a 159cm softy board... Thing was HORRIBLE to ride and almost made me quit...) customers still seem to want to ignore weight being a part of the equation... Even more so if the one of the parties involved is someone who skis...

Then again, the people that seem to latch onto the height thing and refuse to let go are also the ones that want to go with their shoe size or bigger with boots as well

[carvedog]

I may have missed something along the way. I recently spoke with a reputable board manufacture sales person. During a discussion about board length he cared most about my height.

There are no reputable board manufacture sales person.

[Donek]

There are no reputable board manufacture sales person.

That's a bit broad. I don't suppose I'd really consider myself a sales person, although I handle almost every order personally and do my best to tailor each board to the individuals needs.

[carvedog]

That's a bit broad. I don't suppose I'd really consider myself a sales person, although I handle almost every order personally and do my best to tailor each board to the individuals needs.

you don't fit into that category by any sense of the word.

[Dave Winters]

You also have to remember that most soft boot decks are getting shorter to make them better for riding the park and terrain features as that is the emphasis being pushed by the snowboard magazines and companies now. I looked at a magazine recently and resorts were given good reviews mostly by how good the park is. I think that is funny because how many snowboarders are hard core park riders? I never wanted to do that kind of riding and I think it is funny that the magazines automatically assume that everyone should be doing so. Getting a board that you like is not hard if you work with the smaller companies like Donek that will make whatever you want and can help you out with making that decision.

So true. Went into a snowboard shop the other day, thought I'd see what the new decks were. I went right to the longest board in the rack and it was a 168!

And it was the only one that size...

[Tscherno-Bill]

The Track i usually ride is the the most important aspect to select the SCR. The Lenght is the second step...

If I want to ride my 35m-SCR Board, I know that it's possible only in the morning-hours!

[RooX]

So true. Went into a snowboard shop the other day, thought I'd see what the new decks were. I went right to the longest board in the rack and it was a 168!

And it was the only one that size...

Got you beat. Just dropped into one of our larger snowboard retailers and was told that "no one makes boards over 166 anymore. There is no need as the new materials make a short board better at speed and powder and really just plain anything over a longer board"

when i asked what a longer length board with these new materials and shapes might ride like, he just repeated that there was no need at all for them.

[Rob Stevens]

Unfortunately. there's not a whole lot to be gotten from a trip to your local SBS.

Most people on here will know what they want and should buy over the interweb.

My last straw was being told the same as above. "Rocker makes length obsolete!"

"Pants" as my English friends say.

[Flywalker]

If i ordered a new custom board now i would get a 1,67-1,69, 21,5-22 waist (mondo 31) ,metal (cause all of you say that they are better then carbon-glass) 11-13scr(if it is possible) and constructed somehow that it would be stable at mach speeds but also be extemecarveble at mid-low speeds(does such a board exist or maybe be made?)!

Sounds an awful lot like a 169 wide Prior FLC!

[Tim W]

I just wanted to say thanks for all the input. This confirms what I thought. Enjoy winter!

[BlueB]

Height/discipline = board length

Weight/riding style = board flex

Boot size/binding angles = board width

[b0ardski]

Height/discipline = board length

Weight/riding style = board flex

Boot size/binding angles = board width

+1

I do think the 1st two are intertwined.

[Michelle]

There are no reputable board manufacture sales person.

Careful! I know where you sleep at the SES!!!

I am not a board manufacturer (thankfully! - I feel for those guys!) but I do sell boards all day long and try to give my honest opinion (even though some people may not want to hear it! LOL).

[carvedog]

Got you beat. Just dropped into one of our larger snowboard retailers and was told that "no one makes boards over 166 anymore. There is no need as the new materials make a short board better at speed and powder and really just plain anything over a longer board"

when i asked what a longer length board with these new materials and shapes might ride like, he just repeated that there was no need at all for them.

See.....this is the kind of thing that I am talking about.

Definitely not the custom board manufacturers. I wish I could buy three from everyone - that's why I keep playing the lottery.

Careful! I know where you sleep at the SES!!!

I am not a board manufacturer (thankfully! - I feel for those guys!) but I do sell boards all day long and try to give my honest opinion (even though some people may not want to hear it! LOL).

Ok, Ok maybe I was a bit harsh. What I hate is the salesperson (in any field)

who think they know what you want or need.

Like the tire store I went to and asked for 6 ply tires for my Explorer, the guy started to do a whiz-bang-that's-not-what-you-need-these-are-on-sale blah, blah, blah, blah. I asked for the manager. He realized instantly he f'ed up. "Well normally you get a better ride with a 4ply, and we don't recommend 6 ply for paved roads........".

Do you wish to sell me tires or not? Then get someone who has the ability to listen. Please?

Same in a camera store. I was asking about slow shutter flash sync capabilities and the finitely small brain of the dude behind the counter kept arguing with me about it being not recommended to go below 1/60th of a second.

I finally had to resort to: Can you answer this technical question about the capabilities of this unit and possibly make a sale? Or do you wish to stroke yourself some more about how you think I should be using this camera?

He got the manager.

I gave up on "regular" snowboard shops long ago. When meeting clients to help get gear, I have heard some very loquacious babble speak though.

[Michelle]

What I hate is the salesperson (in any field)

who think they know what you want or need.

Oh Carvedog.....you need to go in there with the iron fist!

Maybe you should've said "used car salesman" but sounds like that was the previous occupation of your tire guy :)

[RideGuy]

Height/discipline = board length

Weight/riding style = board flex

Boot size/binding angles = board width

I agree with this somewhat. But unfortunately that's not the way they make boards (unless your getting a custom). Most manufactures specify the length of the board by the weight of the rider.

[queequeg]

Oh Carvedog.....you need to go in there with the iron fist!

Maybe you should've said "used car salesman" but sounds like that was the previous occupation of your tire guy :)

There's a big sports store in Manhattan that has a department for pretty much everything. I avoid the place like the plague but they are handy. On a recent visit I had to go through their ski/snowboard section and there was a whole gaggle of people trying on boots, and had to aggressively tamp down the instinct to warn them that the salespeople were little more than overpaid dilettantes, and that if it feels comfortable in the shop it is in all probability way too big etc, and that they should be doing shell tests etc, etc, etc ... I cringe every time I walk through that place and see some poor bastard spending $400-$700 on a pair of boots that are likely to be totally inappropriate for him/her. There have actually been moments where upon overhearing a sales associate's terrible advice to a customer, I had to but in and disagree despite looking like a total a$$ for not minding my own business.