Do I need a wide snowboard?
To avoid toe drag and heel drag, riders with larger feet may want to consider a wide snowboard. And to accommodate larger feet (and larger snowboard boot sizes), Burton manufactures select snowboards in a “wide” size option. But as with most things snowboarding, there are some tradeoffs when it comes to wide snowboards vs. regular width snowboards so it is important that riders understand when and why to go wide.
Wide Snowboard Considerations
While many snowboard shoppers focus on the length of the board during the purchase process, width is an essential factor that needs to be considered. If a board is too narrow, your snowboard boots will hang over the edges (this is called toe drag and heel drag) and prevent you from getting up on your edges while carving. On the other hand, if a snowboard is too wide, you may not be able to flex it properly across the waist (this is called the torsional flex) and it can feel sluggish and heavy while riding.
How to Get the Right Snowboard Width
To get the right snowboard width, it is important that you match the width of your board to the footprint of your snowboard boots.
In general, snowboards increase in width as they increase in length. This assumes that larger riders also need wider snowboards because they have larger feet. And while this may be an accurate assumption, there are a few exceptions.
Who doesn’t need a wide snowboard?
Riders with a snowboard boot size that is smaller than a men’s US size 9 / women’s US size 10 likely do not need a wide snowboard.
Who might need a wide snowboard?
Riders with a snowboard boot size that is a men’s US size 11 – men’s US size 12 / women’s US size 13 – women's US size 14 may want to go with a wider snowboard. As snowboard width is related to length, it’s important to understand that this recommendation mostly comes down to personal preference. For example, if you wear a size 12 boot and prefer 160cm all mountain snowboards then you will probably have plenty of width at that length, but if you prefer 151cm park snowboards then you will likely benefit from a wide model that can provide additional coverage.
Who definitely needs a wide snowboard?
Riders with a snowboard boot size that is larger than a men’s US size 12 will almost certainly need a wide snowboard for the best performance.
Wide Snowboard vs. Regular Width Snowboard
Wide snowboards maintain the same geometry and ride characteristics as regular width snowboards, so rest assured that the larger-footed shredders aren’t missing out on anything by purchasing a “wide” model. In fact, a wide board will feel the same to you as a regular width board feels to someone in size 8 boots.
