You’ve rented enough gear to know what you like and what you don’t.
You’ve done your research and purchased the perfect setup. There’s a storm forecasted for Mammoth Mountain and you’ve taken the day off so you can break your new gear in on a day you’ll never forget.
The only thing left is to set your bindings up on your board. Easy enough, right?
Setting the bindings on your board takes technical know-how that you can’t gain from watching videos or reading breakdowns, even if you’ve ridden for years. Setting your bindings is difficult on its own, but if you do it wrong your perfect day is going to be spent on the ground as you try to control your board while fighting toe drag.
Thanks to everything that can go wrong when setting your bindings, the team at ASO Mammoth has decided to write out some quick tips to help you enjoy your gear and everything Mammoth Mountain has to offer.
Go to Your Local Shop
Shops like ASO Mammoth are the perfect places to get a hands-on tutorial on how to set snowboard bindings, especially if it’s the shop you bought your gear from as they are already familiar with every detail of your setup.
The technicians at ASO Mammoth are setting riders of all different sizes and skill levels on boards every day, so there is no one better to learn from during their downtime. Not only will having a local shop technician show you the ropes help you avoid losing time on the mountain making last second adjustments, it will also help you avoid getting called out for having your bindings on backwards. (It really does happen.)
Measure Out Your Stance Width
There are a few different suggestions for how to figure out how far apart your bindings should be. One popular guideline is that your stance width should match your shoulder width. Another is that your stance should be as wide as the distance from your knee to your foot.
Whether you prescribe to one method or use some combination of the two, try your stance out before you make any decisions to make sure you’re comfortable and will be for the entire day.
Err on the Side of Being Tail-Heavy
When you’re setting your bindings on the board, you may be tempted to put them directly in the middle. While the effect may not be as noticeable on groomed runs, if you ride through any powder you will immediately notice the drag as the front of your board dips lower into the snow.
How far back you set your bindings is up to you, but no one rides switch all the time so for the sake of comfortable riding set your bindings further back and adjust based on the feel from there.
Check for Toe Drag When You’re Done
When you’re making minor adjustments to the angle of your binding or trying to find the perfect stance width, it’s easy to lose track of how close your bindings are getting to the edge of the board.
That’s why you should always check to see if any part of the front of your bindings are hanging off the board. You should also put your boots in the bindings once you’ve set your stance so you can see how far the toe of your boot extends.
Go to Your Local Shop
Once again, your local shop technicians are setting bindings up every day. We’ve seen everything you can imagine, so there’s no reason to worry about asking plenty of questions on how to set up your bindings or about your snowboarding gear in general.
At ASO Mammoth we love getting to know the Mammoth community, so whether you’re a local or visiting town for the first time and need ski or snowboard rentals, stop by the shop on your way up the mountain!