The binding angle refers to how the binding sits on the snowboard. These angles appear on a disc. Proper positioning the angle is essential for a successful ride. Angles that are too large or too small can make a stance uncomfortable or lead to a fall. You can easily adjust angles to fit your needs with a screwdriver.
Alpine Stance
Alpine stance angles are binding angles often used on racing boards. These boards are very narrow, making smaller angles impossible. Front and rear angles are set according to the width of the board and are generally between +70 and +35 degrees. The front and rear angles should be within 5 degrees of each other to allow for more control during short turns.
Forward Stance
The forward stance is the most common position that snowboarders use. Like the alpine stance, both the front and rear angles are positive. Angles are much smaller in a forward stance than in an alpine stance. Freestyle and free ride boards are wider than racing boards, allowing for smaller angles. Front and rear angles can vary, although the difference between the two should be fewer than 21 degrees.
Duck Stance
A duck stance is a snowboard binding position in which the front and rear angles are different. The front binding angle is positive, while the back angle is negative. This stance is appropriately named the duck stance because it causes your toes to point in opposite directions, similar to a duck's feet. A 100 percent mirror duck stance is a front angle set at +15 degrees and a back angle set at -15 degrees. A more laid-back duck stance has a front angle of +18 degrees and a back angle of -6 degrees. This stance allows the body to align with the snowboard, which provides for more stability.
Overhang
Overhang of the toes or heels occurs when your boots hang over the edge of the snowboard. This can cause you to fall, especially when carving. To correct overhang, adjust the stance angles of your bindings. Use greater angles with larger boots. Wider boards are available for people with boots too large to fit on a snowboard without overhang.
Choosing Your Stance
Before setting stance angles, snowboarders must determine if they have a regular stance or a goofy stance. These two stance styles differ in the foot that takes the lead position. Boarders who lead with their left foot going down the mountain are regular, while those who lead with their right foot are goofy. Boarders can determine this easily if they participate in other sports such as wake boarding or surfing. They generally will lead with the same foot. Boarders can determine their style on the first day they learn to snowboard.
Member Comments