I was asked a question from a beginner ride about, “what’s the easiest way to know where to mount your bindings?”
Here is the easiest method I can share. Just use this calculator tool
Use the Stance Width & Angle Finder Recommendations Tool
Snowboard Stance Calculator
Snowboard Binding Angle Finder
So What Should My Snowboard Stance Be?
The easiest method I know of to mount your bindings and get your angles in their correct placement is this.
I can’t give you the right answer because there isn’t one. Instead, I can give you the best place to start so you can find what works for you.
Your snowboard stance width and angle mounting position are both preferences and will vary greatly between riders.
So here is what I recommend to begin with.
What Should My Snowboard Stance Width Be Set to?
For your stance, let’s get two measurements.
- First, we will need the measurement for your shoulder width. Get a friend to help you measure from the outer edge of one of your shoulders to the other. Those two measurements will give you your range.
- Next, we will need the size of your leg from the floor to your knee, so get a friend to help you measure from the floor (bottom of your boot) to the top of your knee.
Use the calculator above to help you estimate your stance’s width.
What Should My Snowboard Binding Angles Be Set to?
For your binding’s angles, begin by trying a popular stance, such as a +15° positive position for your front foot and a -15° negative angle for your back foot. This is a slightly duck-footed stance that isn’t too aggressive, and you can fine-tune your degrees until they are comfortable for you.
One way to gauge your angles is to jump up as high as you can without your board, land with a planted (knees bent) stance, and look at the natural angles of your feet to see how your body likes to land.
Use the binding angle finder above for a great starting point.
Here are the most popular angles, too.
The Most Popular Binding Angle Combinations
The below charts show the preferred binding angles from a snowboarding stance survey conducted across 5,729 riders.
Popular Front Foot Angles
| Front Foot Angle | Popularity (Out of 5729) |
|---|---|
| + 13° to +15° | 39.70% |
| + 16° to +18° | 21.60% |
| + 10° to +12° | 12.80% |
| + 19° to +21° | 10.50% |
| + 22° to +24° | 4.00% |
| + 7° to +9° | 3.80% |
| + 25° to +27° | 3% |
| + 4° to +6° | 1.90% |
| + 28° to +30° | 1.20% |
| + 0° to +3° | 1% |
| Greater than +30° | 0.50% |
Popular Back Foot Angles
| Back Foot Angle | Popularity (Out of 5729) |
|---|---|
| – 13° to -15° | 12.50% |
| – 7° to -9° | 10.90% |
| – 10° to -12° | 10.60% |
| – 4° to -6° | 10.60% |
| 0° | 9.40% |
| – 1° to -3° | 8% |
| +4 to +6° | 6.90% |
| +10 to +12° | 6.50% |
| +1 to +3° | 6.20% |
| +7 to +9° | 5.90% |
| +16 to +15° | 5% |
| +13 to +12° | 4.10% |
| – 16° to -18° | 1.20% |
| +19 to +18° | 0.90% |
| +25 to +27° | 0.50% |
| – 19° to -21° | 0.50% |
| Others | 0.30% |
Source: Jones Snowboards Global Stance Survey
Based on this data, the most common binding angle setup for snowboarders is to have a front foot angle between +13° and +18° (it was used by 61.3% of surveyed riders) and a back foot angle between -9° and -15° (it was used by 34% of surveyed riders).
What Snowboard Binding Angles Are the Best to Use?
Because everyone’s body type, individual preferences, and riding style vary, there is no one-size-fits-all answer for the optimal binding angle to use. However, the best starting point for many beginner snowboarders is to use the recommended binding angles of +13° to +15° for your front foot -9° to -15° for your back foot.
In other words, to find the best snowboard binding angles for your specific needs, you should consider your riding style and experiment with different settings. Here’s a general breakdown of popular angles for different riding styles:
Popular Snowboard Binding Angle Combinations By Style
| Style | Front Foot Angle | Back Foot Angle |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | +15° | 0° |
| All-Mountain | +3° to +18° | -3° to -18° |
| Freestyle/Park | +8° to +15° | -8° to -15° |
| High-Performance | +21° | +5° |
Here are the most common snowboard binding angles by riding style:
- For beginners, a stable stance when learning to carve, try +15° for your front foot and 0° for your back foot.
- For all-mountain riding, try between +3° to +18° for your front foot and between -3° to -18° for your back foot.
- For freestyle or park riding, try between + 8° to +15° for your front foot and – 8° to -15°for your back foot.
- For high-performance carving or freeriding, try a position where your bindings face in the same direction, such as +21° for the front foot and +5° for the backfoot.
Should I Ride with a Duck Stance?
While it is all preference, there is a good chance you might want to use a duck stance.
According to a recent snowboarding stance survey from Jones Snowboards, 54% of snowboarders prefer to use a duck stance when they ride.
So What is a Duck Stance?
A duck stance means they stand with their backfoot angle pointing more towards their tail and their front foot angle more towards their nose. The result is a stance that resembles your feet pitched outward, similar to how a duck would stand. The benefit to a duck stance is that your hips are open to ride in either direction with your regular or switch foot forward.
What Are My Binding Angles?
I’m actually in the minority where I like to have a wide stance with my binding angles very close to 0 degrees for both of my feet. I ride my best when my angles are between 3 positive on my front foot and 3 degrees negative on my back foot.
Conclusion: Perfecting Your Stance
So, to close this question out, binding mounting and your snowboard stance are all your preference. Every single one of us has a different body type and stands (and lands) a little differently. Because of this, you really have to begin by experimenting and bringing a screwdriver along to adjust your stance as you go until you find a stance that work
Steve Weber is the passionate snowboarder, skateboarder, and author behind Board of the World. He understands that most gear reviews focus on having the perfect snow conditions, but his testing methodology is different. Living in Pennsylvania, Steve describes exactly how a board performs when the conditions aren’t perfect. His reviews cover performance on ice, hardpack, and flat-out brick conditions. In other words, he reviews boards for the conditions that East Coast riders actually face.
Bringing 27 years of East Coast snowboarding and 21 years of skateboarding experience, Steve is a 42-year-old intermediate park rider. His recommendations are informed by decades of battling icy conditions, ensuring every review accounts for the board’s performance on the roughest of terrain.
For the last five years, Steve has poured his passion into writing in-depth, unbiased reviews that help riders make informed decisions about the gear they’ll use. He also works part-time at a snowboard shop in Northeastern Pennsylvania, which gives him a direct line to learning about the new gear tech months in advance. When he’s not writing reviews, Steve is often found riding at Montage Mountain and testing out new boards.
Steve’s goal with Board of the World is simple: to help every reader find the right gear so they can have fun outside from the first time they use it.