Can’t Find Your Snowboard Stance on the Mountain? Here’s What to Do
You’ve bought the right gear. You’ve driven to your favorite mountain. You drop into your first run with your eyes on a line that will take you straight into a powder field.
Then, you fall because you can’t comfortably find your balance on your board.
There’s nothing worse than being on the snow at a place like Mammoth Mountain and having your gear fail you, but sometimes gear failures can be fixed with a few quick adjustments that save your day. If all your gear is working but you can’t snowboard comfortably because your stance isn’t right then we have the guide to fix it below.
Check it out before you get to the mountain or stop by the ASO Mammoth shop for the best ski and snowboard gear and rentals in Mammoth Lakes!
Carry a Screwdriver
Whether it’s a loose screw on your binding or a stance that’s not lining up with your gear, a screwdriver that matches your bindings is essential for snowboarders.
Although there are often tool stations around ski mountains, having a screwdriver or multi-tool on your person means you can fix your gear no matter where you are. Having the tools to fix or adjust your gear is especially important if you like to ride off-piste or in the backcountry.
Find a Tool Station Near a Lift
Don’t have a screwdriver on you to fix your gear or adjust your stance?
There’s typically at least one tool station with a flat surface and several different tools available to work on your ski and snowboard gear at a ski mountain. Repair stations are most often found at the bottom or top of popular lifts and areas at a mountain.
For example, you’ll find tool stations at each of the base lodges at Mammoth Mountain as well as at high traffic areas around the mountain like the summit, McCoy’s, and other popular lifts.
Know the Difference in Stances
The stance you set your bindings to on your snowboard determines how comfortable you are while riding and which type of riding is best for you.
The basics you need to know are positive (+) and negative (-) stances. If the front edges of your bindings are facing the toe edge of your board at a perfect 90-degree angle, then the angle of your bindings are 0.
You can tell the exact angle of your stance by looking at the numbers surrounding the disk under the base plate of your binding, but what you need to understand is the positive/negative concept.
If you angle your binding toward the nose of your board, then it is positively angled. If you angle it towards the tail, then it is negatively angled.
The reason why the angle matters is that the typical stance for snowboarders is having your front bindings angled + and your back binding at 0 or -. Having your back binding angled at 0 gives you greater control of your edges, but if you angle it slightly negative then you will have a much easier time riding switch.
Adjust and Be Patient
Each snowboarder’s ideal stance will be unique to them, so you’ll need to start with a basic stance like a + 0 stance or + – stance and adjust from there.
Finding your stance takes time and can be determined by what type of your riding you’re doing. Once you can adjust your stance quickly and comfortably, take the time to tinker with it between runs until you find the perfect setting for you!