or female is roughly 140 to 165 cm. Longer snowboards offer more flotation, while smaller snowboards are well-suited to beginners or riders who desire greater maneuver- ability and reduced swing weight (i.e., the weight of the nose and tail in proportion to the weight of the entire deck). Another important consideration is effective edge length, i.e., the portion of a snowboard’s metal edge that touches the snow as the rider is standing on the board on a flat surface. Some snowboards have either longer or shorter noses and/or tails, which influence the effective edge length.
Most manufacturers recommend board sizes based on a rider’s weight, as snowboards are rated to hold a certain range of weight. If the rider’s weight is at the lighter end of the listed range, the board will normally feel stiffer and longer. If the rider’s weight is on the heavier side of the range, it will feel more flexible and maneuverable. Each board is different – check out recommendations for each model and size.
SIDECUT Sidecut refers to the hourglass shape of a snowboard when viewed from above, with the curvature determined by the width at the widest part of the nose, the narrowest point at the middle (waist), and the widest part of the tail. Tilted on its edge, a snowboard with more sidecut will make a more tightly carved turn than a snowboard with less sidecut.
SIDECUT RADIUS
Sidecut radius is the radius, in meters, of an imaginary circle traced from the sidecut of a flat snowboard. Tis measurement is a good gauge of how tight a turn the snowboard can make while on edge. Te smaller the sidecut radius, the tighter a carved turn the snowboard can make.
Most snowboards have a 7- to 9-meter (or 20- to 22- foot) turn radius. (Tis is not to say this is the only turn size the board can make, it’s just the size turn it is most ideally designed for.) Te length of the snowboard has bearing on stability as a factor of its sidecut and sidecut radius; shorter boards with a smaller sidecut radius are generally more stable at slower speeds, whereas longer boards with a larger sidecut radius are more stable at high speeds. Contemporary snowboards also feature variations in the sidecut shape. Tese indentations and protrusions are intended to provide more bite for harder conditions.
WAIST WIDTH
Waist width, measured in millimeters, is the width of the snowboard at its narrowest point, which is typically between the bindings. It determines how quickly or slowly a snowboard tilts from edge to edge. Narrower snowboards can initiate turns more quickly. Te wider the snowboard waist, the better the snowboard will float in soft snow or crud (settling snow that’s cut up), however it will be bit slower tilting from edge to edge.
In addition to the performance characteristics, mid-wide and wide boards are available to accommodate riders with bigger feet, typically size 10 or above for men and women. Waist widths of 250 to 265mm underfoot are generally considered to be mid-wide or wide. Te extra width reduces toe and heel drag when the board is tilted onto its edges. Note that as the waist width increases, edge and direction change occur more
34 AASI SNOWBOARD TECHNICAL MANUAL
TheSnowPros.org
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