Fun fact!
Researchers have concluded that as we evolve, we develop larger and larger body sizes. Better prosperity, greater consumption of food (and therefore more use of chemical products to grow that food) are the main reasons. So it is not surprising that the average shoe size has also increased.
And we notice that in winter sports! “In the past” you often saw a Medium being sold for men, but it is increasingly a Large. This is also the case with the female gender: Medium has become the old Small in Europe.
Wide snowboard
Obviously this has an impact your snowboard. For example, the length of an EU42 is +-26 cm, but with an EU45 this suddenly increases to 29 cm!
If you want to put your foot across the board for directional boarding, you will immediately understand that this can be a problem. The tip of your foot, or heel, will plow through snow like a real anchor when carving. Consequence? A painful fall!
When shopping for a new snowboard you have probably seen a lot of technical terms such as “profile”, “flex”, “waist width” or “under foot width”. There is a good chance that you have seen the letter “W” or “WW”? The explanation of that letter is quite simple: Wide or Double Wide!
This means that the average waist width is greater than 26cm: ideal for people with large feet.
To be clear: waist width is the absolute center of your board, so right between your bindings. And no, there is no industry standard or agreement when it will be called a “wide”. Each brand has its own rules for this. For example, a board with a waist width between 250 and 260mm is sometimes called “Mid Wide” to close the gap between normal and wide boards. A good reader will have remembered that EU42 is about 26cm. “Mid Wide is therefore mainly intended to complete a brand's offering from a marketing perspective.
To be sure that a snowboard is suitable for you, it is important not only to look at the print. Read the specifications and check if this works for you! Of course, your “common sense” also knows that the waist width will become wider as your snowboard length increases.
Who benefits from a wide?
The most logical answer is a person who is taller than average. Because this one often has a large shoe size (44+)!
Tip! At Wax'n Board we have our special one Wide series, in all board lengths, because not only adults have a larger shoe size...
On the other hand, body weight usually also increases with height. Of course there is also the combo “small” + “big feet” + “high body weight”. For these riders we also suggest that they definitely take a wide. Because a greater weight means a need for more “float” on snow. That's exactly why powder boards are usually made wide: to float on top of snow!
Overhang
“Overhang” is when your tip or heel sticks out too far over your board. A little bit of overhang is not a problem for most users. But for someone with a larger size, and quite a bit of overhang on a normal board, this situation is not desirable. When carving you hit the snow. Resulting in uncontrolled movements or a fall! Not exactly motivating for novice snowboarders, for example.
You can usually correct a little overhang by adjusting your “stance” or “stance width”. For example, if your foot is perpendicular to the snowboard, a small adjustment of 3 degrees can do wonders. Of course, you cannot solve everything without experiencing physical complaints. And then the Wide snowboard is really a must!
If you're struggling with the question of when to take a wide, I have bad news. There is no industry standard. It often occurs in men from size 44 or one Large binding. Women suffer from this less often (with a few exceptions). From our experience we can advise you to look carefully at your snowboard: mount your bindings in the desired position. Then strap an empty boat into the bindings and place the board flat against the wall. Take a few steps back and see if both tip and heel protrude equally and of course: how much!
Advantages of a Wide snowboard
- Powder snow! If you want to plow through a thick carpet of fresh snow, float is important!
Powder boards often do not have a Wide designation but are usually “extremely” wide (26cm +). - Speed. A wider surface provides more surface contact and therefore more stability. This results in higher speeds because you don't have to worry about the terrain.
- Freestylers also have advantages if they like to make jumps. Due to the width & stability, the “take-off” plus “landing” of a jump is much calmer and therefore more comfortable.
Disadvantages of a Wide snowboard
- Weight. For example, a wider board contains more wood. This increases the weight of your snowboard.
Tip! There is the term “volume shift”, which works on a wider but shorter snowboard. Ideal for freestyle, and a lower board weight. - More difficult to turn. The wider board initially gives you the feeling as if you are sailing a boat. The experience improves the more kilometers you drive, but you cannot ignore the fact that cornering will remain a little more difficult at low speeds. More difficult is not impossible but a habit!
Your preference
As a beginner you should absolutely not worry about the width of your board. During the first rides you will almost never immediately lean so far over your edges that you will notice this. If you are just starting out with this fun hobby, it is better to first gain experience with different snowboards.
Short - long, camber - rocker, hard - soft,... once you know your style and preference, you are ready for your first purchase and the stress of choosing (wide or not) comes to the fore. Your experience will give you (unconscious) hints so that you know whether the Wide is necessary or not.
However, if you have any doubts, you can of course do so advice Ask us when purchasing your new snowboard. We are happy to help you!
