Thanks for the question. Where do you ride primarily? I ask because East Coast tends to have firmer snow on average and a board that is too wide for you (250+) is going to be slower edge-to-edge and require move action and strength to get up on to edge (and hold carve). That will mean fatigue and, as you mentioned, loss of overall control.Width is more important than length. Keep that in mind. Is a 150 board OK for you? Sure, but keep in mind the width as the major determining factor. Everyone have their own preference and the calculator is designed to be an accurate guide. For me, I have a 9.5 boot size and ride a 247 to 249 width (about 1/4 inch hang on heel and toe side) and that is spot on for me. At a 159 all-mountain length, it is SO difficult to find a board that “narrow” or so they say.I notice a lot of guys today riding sticks that are t
Thanks for the question. Where do you ride primarily? I ask because East Coast tends to have firmer snow on average and a board that is too wide for you (250+) is going to be slower edge-to-edge and require move action and strength to get up on to edge (and hold carve). That will mean fatigue and, as you mentioned, loss of overall control.Width is more important than length. Keep that in mind. Is a 150 board OK for you? Sure, but keep in mind the width as the major determining factor. Everyone have their own preference and the calculator is designed to be an accurate guide. For me, I have a 9.5 boot size and ride a 247 to 249 width (about 1/4 inch hang on heel and toe side) and that is spot on for me. At a 159 all-mountain length, it is SO difficult to find a board that “narrow” or so they say.I notice a lot of guys today riding sticks that are too wide for them. Now, if that were their natural preference then that would be fine, but fact is that manufacturers today are making the boards too darn wide (Lib_Tech, Ride, Atomic, etc…). Why? They want to accommodate as many riders as possible per model they make. In their minds, making boards that are on the wider side “fits” more riders therefore their product is “qualified” to a larger market segment. More money for them — see.Do not be fooled or “told” what to do and what size to ride — just because a manufacturer pushes it, all the cool kids are riding it, or even some chart or calc says it. But do be smart, understand the physics of it and go for what is going to be the most fun for YOU.
