What Is a Wider Snowboard Good For?

We may earn commissions for purchases made through links on our site. Learn more on our about us page.

Though snowboarding is considered an extreme sport, to be effective at it, the rider needs to be both comfortable and safe. The only way to do this is to have the right size snowboard. By finding this, you’ll be able to have better balance and catch the edgeless.

This means, especially if you’re a beginner, you want to find a board that has good response, is easy to maneuver, and is stable. That may mean that you need a wider board.

Along with the benefits of a wider board, if you have a larger foot, you will need it because you want to not have your feet hanging over the edge of the board. This could cause a lot of issues with your balance.

But that’s one of the many things a wider snowboard is good for. So if you’re trying to decide the width of the board you should purchase, make sure you keep reading because we’re going to go over some key information that may play into your decision-making process.

 

Why Would You Want a Wider Snowboard?

With the plethora of options available regarding snowboards, you may be wondering why you would want a wider board. After all, we’re sure you’ve heard that they are harder to maneuver (which we will talk about later in this article).

Even though that may be partially true, there are tons of reasons why you may want to go with a wider board. But the biggest of those has to do with something called toe drag.

If you have a foot that’s bigger than a size 11, then most standard boards will be a little too narrow, and your feet will drape over the side.

This can cause balance issues, among other problems. On the other hand, the wider board allows for your feet to be housed properly on the board and gives the rider a more stable ride.

 

Can Anyone Ride a Wide Snowboard?

Anyone can choose to purchase a wide snowboard, but there are significant disadvantages. A smaller foot will give you more space and may make it more difficult to turn and maneuver because of the heaviness of the board.

So ideally, those going to go with a wider board are individuals with a size ten or above boot size. That being said, if you’re someone who’s more into park riding, the toe drag issue may not be an issue, and you may want to move away from the wider board.

But a wider board isn’t necessary for those doing mountain or free riding and have a larger boot.

 

Do Pro Snowboarders Use Wider Snowboards?

Wider boards are necessary for individuals with larger feet or those requiring larger boots. That means that everybody from beginners to professionals may need to invest in a wider board.

There are several pros that have this foot issue and have opted to go with a wider board.

Choosing a wider board is not about skill level, but it is all about the rider’s build. That being said, for women riders, this size of the board is typically not advised, no matter your skill level.

 

Are Wide Snowboards Harder to Turn?

With the extra width comes more weight, which will naturally make it harder to maneuver. To have a good turn on a board, the border has to move its body in the direction they intend to go.

This shift of weight transfers it from one side of the board to the other. This means that the board has to cover a larger area when dealing with a wider board. And that is why wider boards are harder to turn.

 

Can a Snowboard Be Too Wide?

The answer is yes because to get a perfect snowboard, you must look at a few key factors. Maybe one of the biggest ones is your waist width. This is critical in order to make sure that you are getting the board that’s going to perform the best for you.

If when doing this, you get a board that is too wide, you’re going to have difficulty maneuvering it. You may also find that you have reduced speed, and that will hinder your overall enjoyment of the ride.

This is especially important for those that have bigger feet because you want to avoid toe drag or heel cupping.

So making sure that you get the right waist width is key. If you don’t and are riding too wide of a board, you’re going to be putting yourself at risk of injury and affecting your overall ride.

 

Final Thoughts on What Is a Wider Snowboard Good For? 

White snowboards have their place. Specifically, they are key for those that have a size ten boot and above. Those with the smaller foot should just stick with the standard more narrow design.

If you have the right width of the board, you’re going to improve your performance and reduce the risk of injury because of better stability.

So we hope that we have answered any of your questions about a wider board and have made your decision-making process a little easier.