Snowboard Binding Setup
October 26th, 2007 by pyrat
I recently replaced my snowboard setup. I was very happy with my previous setup but it got nicked so I have had to put together something new.
Note: I am going to describe how I setup snowboarding bindings, this is opinionated and I will not cover all snowboarding styles and corresponding setups.
All-mountain Freestyle is how Nitro describe it and I quite like the term. Basically, it involves hitting all sorts all over the mountain. Its not just a freeride setup as your not just carving or powder riding and often want a bit of the fakie fun.
You qualify for this type of riding if you:
- Spend time in the park.
- Spend glorious hours riding in glistening, deep powder bowls.
- Look of anything which you can hit on the way down. Its a playground duuuude!
- Ride fast and straight.
- Turn sometimes; normally on steeps or to stop.
Elements of snowboard stance.
- Stance width
- Binding angles
- Placement (centered / back)
- Forward Lean
- Heel and Toe Drag
Stance Width
This is down to personal preference; but I recommend going as wide as you can. This gives great control in the air, looks sweet, is stable at speed and landings are easier. Dont take the piss like the pure freestyle boys and girls. A good guide is to start at a centered stance for the board (middle of each binding rail) and then increase as you ride more. A starting point of shoulder width then going a bit wider is a good plan. But do it slowly, dont start as a beginner with a massively wide super duck stance. Tone it down a bit if you are a beginner.
Binding Angles
Its all about the duck stance really, if you want to spend some time riding / landing fakie, or any time in the air. Slightly more in the direction of travel and a difference of about 30 degrees is good. I ride +21 -9 and might go up to +21, -11 this season but you have to make sure you knees can take it.
Placement
Set the bindings back if it snows? Dont bother unless you are spending a day of riding 30cm+ of fresh. If you are riding is shallower stuff or for not that long then centered is fine for most things. Often the centered stance of a board is designed such that it is set slightly back anyway. (Unless you have a twin)
Forward Lean
Dont go crazy with this one, but its good to ‘go mean and huv a bit o lean’ as it means that you:
- Have less downtime between edge switching and feel more connected to the board.
- Your legs are more bent, initially this is a bit tiring to get used to, especially on Peak to Creek at Whistler but after your legs get used to it, you wont go back. It feels natural, stable and powerful.
Heel and Toe Drag
This should be at a minimum and the drag should be equal on both sides. It is possible to sometimes be placed wrongly by wearing bindings that are too large or too small for your boots. Make sure that you are sized correctly for both your board and binding size.
In the worse case if you have a pair of binding that are not friends with you boots you can move the bindings forward and back by rotating the base places to make sure your boots are centered on the board.
Finally
Play about with your stance. Remember its your stance not what is hot and generally thought to be hip. Get your own setup dialled and your snowboarding will be much more enjoyable. Also remember what you stance is if you change boards etc!
Hope this helps anyone wondering, leave comments please.
October 27th, 2007 at 1:07 am
Good, nae, great post … you’re a nerd at everything!
November 18th, 2007 at 9:15 pm
Thanks for the tips.. I got a new board but forgot to remember my setup on my first board that I’ve had forever, I finally have some good gear and will play with it to find the best setup for myself. I also ride exactly as the list you described above.
November 25th, 2007 at 9:15 pm
i’m a beginer and was wondering what the best stance angles should be?? Currently my setup is a 25, 15 …..according to snowboard canada magazine. should i alter it?
November 26th, 2007 at 8:40 am
Is that +25, -15?
It seems pretty extreme for a beginner. I would recommend +20, -2 but remember its down to personal preference and depends on the type of riding you want to do.
November 27th, 2007 at 12:59 am
thx…
i’ve since changed the angles to +21 and -6.
It feels good now, but i’ll still have to see if it feels right on the hill.
December 9th, 2007 at 11:21 pm
What was your stance angles when you started riding?
December 10th, 2007 at 11:20 am
I started riding in 1999 and had angles of +20 and +3
December 20th, 2007 at 12:50 am
What angle(s) should I work towards as i progress in my abilities?
December 20th, 2007 at 10:58 am
Depends on your mechanics and the type of riding you will be doing. I would recommend you increase difference in angles very slightly and if it feel uncomfortable dont bother. Basically find something you like. +15, -15 is a good freestyle setup. +21, -9 is good for all round.
December 23rd, 2007 at 6:44 am
thx a ton…
I’m heading up to Silver Star B.C.
And am totally jacked to ride!
Have a good season and christmas
December 23rd, 2007 at 1:46 pm
cool site, man. It´s my first season and I learnt how to snowboard in 2 days from my girlfriend and on my 3rd day an hour from an instructor. My first 2 days I figured out I like a centered stance and wide, and experimented from +30 to +21/
9 to -15 and settled at +21/15. I am doing linked turns by the end of 3 days and a bit of fakey, and after a week I can keep up with my girl with 6years snowboarding. I think dialing in with your own stance has got a lot to do with my apparent fast learning curve.December 27th, 2007 at 5:32 pm
I agree Jyn….. i messed around with my stance angles for a week. I then had a three hour lesson, and by the end of it i was able to do linked turns and a bit of fakie as you mentioned. All in just one day.
December 30th, 2007 at 4:26 pm
I’m changin’ my bindings at least 10 times everytime i’m riding… now it’s about +31/-13 but my feet overhang and i never feel confortable about that. feet size of 12.. and the board is quite norrow. can you help ?
January 3rd, 2008 at 10:47 pm
hello. i have just got a new board and i have set my front binding +21 and the back at -18. is that to duck? can i injure my knees?
January 13th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
I’ve been riding for years with a constant dull pain on the outside lower part of my forward leg. Any suggestions on stance alterations? I ride with a 18 -14 setup now.
January 13th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
Steve: I had similar problems with my Burton Cartels this season. My solution was to change boots and alter the highbacks slighty.
2 things you could try:
1. Increase stance width
2. Increase forward and decrease back to like 21, -11 ?
Let me know how it goes
Cheers,
Alastair
January 16th, 2008 at 5:52 am
Thanks for the tip. I made the adjustment and it feels a lot better. I have cartels too and that played a part because my driver x boots had a broken lace and last time i rode i had to use my old cruddy boots and they don’t fit as well.
January 25th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
I have never snowboarded a day in my life I just got an entire brand new setup of everything I can wakeboard awesome as well as skateboard awesome I feel I will be good I wish to ride in the park when I get the hang of it but I need to know what degrees to place my bindings any reccomendations?
January 25th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
I would go for centered (place teh binding middle of each rail. Then angles of say +15, -6 to start with.
Then I would recommend as you get better (like after 3 days) changing about a bit. Maybe more duck if you like the freesyle or increase your front angle if you want to ride the piste more!
Have fun.
December 9th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Hi, great article thanks.
I have been riding indoor for 10 months, I now do a bit of fakey and trying to learn some Ariel tricks FS 180, BS 180, 360, rails.
Problem is, changed my stance to a “freestyle” stance from the standard setup of about 20/0 they do at the hire place to 15 /-15.
This feels OK I suppose, but I now have left lateral knee pain after an hour. Have a holiday booked and I intend to spend a lot longer than that on the slopes!
I am going to change it to a slightly less balanced 15/-10 or 20/-7.
Was wondering if this going to have much of an affect of riding switch?
December 9th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Hi Tim,
If your getting pain a change should definitely be on the cards.
I recommend trying both of those stances out. Maybe the second one first and see which one works out for you.
It depends on how much you plan to ride switch. But its totally fine to ride switch 20/0 also.
Cheers,
Alastair