Skiing and snowboarding through powder is the dream of everyone who has ever stepped on a ski slope.
After all, there’s a reason we call soft and forgiving powder “hero snow.” It just feels so good that your confidence (and the amount of fun you’re having) skyrocket in powder.
However, you won’t get to enjoy the powder for too long if your ski or snowboard stance isn’t adjusted for powder snow. That’s why the ASO Mammoth team has put together a quick guide on how to improve your powder stance for skiing and snowboarding. Read all about it below, then visit the ASO Mammoth shop for the best ski and snowboard rentals in Mammoth Lakes!
Snowboard Powder Stance Tips:
Set Your Bindings Back
One of the main ways powder snow can wear you down or even cause you to crash is by burying your nose while you’re riding through it.
The sudden deceleration or even complete stop caused by your snowboard’s nose digging into powder is extremely common, so many snowboarders will counteract it by leaning on their back leg while in powder.
However, the more you rely on your back leg, the quicker it will tire out. Save your back leg some pain in powder by setting both your bindings back and closer to the tail of your board than you would normally. Start by moving both back one hole further than you usually would, or about 1- 2 inches.
See how comfortable you are with your bindings set back, then adjust from there.
Set Your Back Foot In
Another great way to give yourself more control for powder turns is by setting your back foot angled in slightly further than you usually would.
You don’t want to throw off your stance and make riding uncomfortable, but if you experiment by moving your back foot in (or angled toward the toe edge of your board) a few degrees you’ll have better control of your edge.
Ski Powder Stance Tips:
Keep Your Stance Narrow
If you’re skiing on groomed runs then your natural stance will be wide. However, once you enter powder snow you will want to keep your skis closer together to provide a more stable and consistent base of support.
Increase the Area of Your Skis, Use Your Edges Less
Regular skiing often means starting turns with your downhill ski, but if you put too much weight on one ski in powder you’ll sink or stop on that one and keep moving on the other. You can prevent sinking into powder on skis by keeping your stance narrow, spreading your weight out over your entire ski with a centered posture, and using your edges less.
On hardpack snow or ice, your edges are crucial to making turns. In powder there is nothing for them to grip, so you must use your entire ski to drive through your turn and complete it before making the next one.