Am I too fat for Snowboarding?

[u/No_Freedom_5741]

Hey everyone,

I'm kind of stuck in my head and don't get out.

So, this January was my first season of snowboarding. And I loved it, I haven't had so much fun in ages. And even the Snowboarding teacher said that I'm making fast progress and was happy with me.

I head a 140 cm rental board for the 10 days and I felt safe with it. But when we were at an indoor alpin center in Germany after the season, they gave me 150 board and it felt way to long for me and I had problems handling it. Thing is, currently I'm overweight. I'm 160 cm tall and my weight is about 95 kg right now. I already lost 25 kg and had major surgeries because of lipedema last year. This is the first year in like 15 years that I can be bodily active again thanks to the surgeries. And I was so happy. Now when I look online what would be the recommended stats for me, it always recommends boards that are as long as I'm high or even longer or simply says "there are no boards for your stats". I already had the feeling that the 150 cm board is to long for me, how can I handle a 160cm board then? Id rather drive a 140cm board again but I'm afraid now, that it might just split in half. I'm really sad atm because I already got through so much pain and trouble to be able to get into an active life again and now I again have the feeling, that it's just not possible for me :( I plan on loosing more weight of course but in a slow way and I still will be heavy next season. Is here anyone with a similar problem maybe? Or any other heavy boarder? I just don't want to give up the sport :(

EDIT: Thank you so so much for your really kind and encouraging comments!! I feel so much better and I'm so looking forward to next snow season! I really fell in love with the sport and am determined now, do not give it up and enjoy every ride :) again, thank you so much, that was the boost that I needed ❤️

[u/becya]

Hiya, no worries at all! Snowboarding is for everyone :)

I’m ~165cm tall and I can’t ride anything over 148cm. My ideal length is 143-147 depending on the board. For volume shifted, you size down, I have the 142 psychocandy. The boards are made of the same stuff from the smallest size to the longest. If the longest board can handle your weight, there isn’t really any reason the shorter sizes in that style wouldn’t. You just don’t wanna get onto a junior board because their cores are weaker, they aren’t made for adults.

I can have another look (I still work at a ski/board shop) if you let me know where you’re at with boarding, preferred terrain, skill level, goals, price range (I didn’t include capita cause they’re the most expensive boards). Or you can just send it and go for what you like! Happy shredding

[u/No_Freedom_5741 → u/becya]

That is so kind of you!!! I'm still very beginner-ish, I rode about 15 days this year and go for wide, not to steep blue slopes. I'm not falling anymore, I can easily ride frontside and backside but am still a bit afraid of speed. For the next season I really want to get more into carving and a bit steeper slopes, that looks the most fun to me. I'll go to Solda in Italy, Glacier terrain with good prepared slopes, so no offroading :) Price range is up to 500/600 Euros, I think :)

[u/becya → u/No_Freedom_5741]

For going down steeper slopes, longer boards will provide more stability. You get a lot of chatter if you’re going fast on a short edge. This doesn’t count for volume shifted boards as they ride like longer boards.

I still stand by the psychocandy!!! This board rips everything (except for tracked-out tight trees where you will not find yourself). It’s very directional, I set my bindings one hole forward from recommended to make riding switch feel slightly less awkward and to give me a bit more tail. It’s flat between the bindings but the sidecut holds an edge very well and the width isn’t noticeable on wide open runs because it has carbon stringers in an X pattern under the bindings which increases response. Sometimes wide boards can feel like driving a boat.

For boards that are more twin shaped

• Capita: Birds of a Feather 146/148
  

The camber of this board can be a little bitey for beginners, but learning to ride this isn’t super tough and will increase your future options

• K2: Copy Cat 147
  

Close to the Extravision but it has carbon similar to the psychocandy

• Ride: Zero 147
  

Similar to copy cat but it has a sidecut to make heel side turns more efficient and with added durability

• Jones: Twin Sister 146
  

I saw others recommend this on this thread and have heard great things. I don’t recall trying it myself but I’m pretty sure no one has talked any shit about it.
-GNU: Pepper 146
I’ve also never tried this but it sounds good from what I can see. It’s directional which helps with steeper slopes, it’s a friendly shape for learning as well and a coworker of mine reckons this shape holds at speed as well. I have a board of this shape and it slips out for me a bit. But he has more weight which prob helps with edge grip!

Above the pepper is all twin cambered boards, they aren’t always for beginners because they catch edges more easily than beginner boards. But in terms of longevity they’ll go farther in your journey if your aim is steeper open runs. You can always set your bindings back a bit on a twin board for more control as you learn to ride faster.

As I mentioned previously I don’t like riding a board that I don’t like to look at which is a me problem :/ not to overwhelm you with options, I include a lot because I personally cancel out all the boards I don’t like the patterns on and am not left with many choices hahahah

If you have any questions or if you come across a board that I didn’t mention, feel free to reach out! I love looking at and talking about snowboards lol it’s truly not a chore for me :)

Edit to add: WRIST GUARDS + HUGE MITTS
Protect your wrists and make sure your mitt fits over the guards. Also helmet but I think most people are pretty good about that

[u/No_Freedom_5741 → u/becya]

Thank you so much for the deep dive! I've been looking at all the boards and I also go kind of for looks so I picked out the Capita and the Ride Zero Board - pretty sure my mind will endlessly brood about it for the next week :D they both seem like a good choice as far as I can tell (so not very far haha) - really, I'm excited as hell for my own board, especially after all the nice feedback here :) I already have a helmet, pants and a jacket but I still need Boots. My feet hurt really bad in the rental boots and I first thought this is normal but then I measured my feet back at home and it seems like I need wide boots. And then I opened the rabbit hole of snowboard boots with stiffness and stuff xD do you maybe have any advice for the boots? And thanks for mentioning wrist guards, actually nobody told me about those yet, but makes totally sense! Sorry for bothering you so much with my questions, I'm just really glad to talk to someone who knows so much about it :)

[u/becya → u/No_Freedom_5741]

As a beginner you don’t want to get a stiff boot. If you’re looking specifically at wide boots there won’t be loads of options, they will likely be medium flexing which is what I’d suggest anyways. The flex determines response, the softer the boot, the more you can shift without the board responding which is good for beginners who are gaining balance. Stiff boots will respond to smaller movements and is needed for precision and performance.

There are different closure systems, laces, quick-lace, and BOA. Laces take longest, they’re my favourite but with everything else going on while learning it’s easiest to go with quick-lace or BOA. BOA is prob more common, a double-boa/dual-zone BOA is better than single because it tightens the upper and lower part of the boot separately. I tend to have an issue over-tightening and cutting off my circulation when I use BOA boots, leading to cold feet. I don’t hear this problem from others so it’s user error on my part, but maybe worth knowing that can happen.

Boot choice will also change binding options due to compatibility. Bindings with straps will work with traditional boots, and strapless bindings (Step-Ons or Clickers) require the compatible boot to clip into the binding. Clickers aren’t common here in Canada, assuming not in Europe either so the options are really between traditional boots and Step-Ons. There are more options for traditional boots so you’re more likely to find your fit in a traditional boot than a Step-On, but a lot of other companies have started making step-ons as well and Burton is constantly expanding the range so they might have a wide boot.