# how to tell if your stance is too wide?



## seant46

Sounds alright to me based on your height. 

I'm 6' and my stance is 23".


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## Fizzlicious

Think you should be good. I'm 5'5" and rock the exact same stance without problems.

As far as comfort goes, when it gets too wide there's that "off" feeling where you can't even ride since it feels like you're spreading your cheeks. But that's just my $0.02


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## arsenic0

Whatevers comfortable...i have about a 21" stance usually and am 5'6

If you feel your legs or knee's hurting more than usual your probably too wide...as said above you'll know...


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## Bubalouie

I have read somewhere that ideal is to ride a stance that is slightly (1-2 in) wider than your shoulders. This is just a guide, as whatever feels most comfortable is your best bet. Another thing to keep in mind is that almost all boards are designed to be ridden at a certain stance width. If the board is the correct length for you, then the stance at the reccomended mouting points would be the best stance to start with to get the manufacturers designed handling from the board.

--buba


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## mrpez

just to make sure...do you measure the width of your stance from the middle of each binding or from the inside edge?


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## arsenic0

Middle....


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## Guest

I'm 5'5 and I rock a 23 1/2 inch stance.
As others said, it just depends on preference.
Look at Chris Bradshaw vs Jed Anderson. One likes it wide, the other likes it super close, they're both pretty sick in their own ways though.


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## avenged1985

I'm around 5'4 and i got about a 22 inch stance. Its all preference. depends on what feels the best.


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## McLovin'

I'm 5'11 and have my stance set at 21" which is the narrowest or closest stance I can set on my 161cm board, But it still feels a bit too wide! Bindings are set at +18 / -9 degrees and I havent been able to try it out on the mountain yet, just how it feels set up at home. 

Am I just a short legged freak or what!? I figured at 5'11 and 81kgs a 161cm board would be ideal. Sucks if I have to buy a shorter board...


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## Guest

Im 5'8 with a 24" stance


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## McLovin'

McLovin' said:


> I'm 5'11 and have my stance set at 21" which is the narrowest or closest stance I can set on my 161cm board, But it still feels a bit too wide! Bindings are set at +18 / -9 degrees and I havent been able to try it out on the mountain yet, just how it feels set up at home.
> 
> Am I just a short legged freak or what!? I figured at 5'11 and 81kgs a 161cm board would be ideal. Sucks if I have to buy a shorter board...


Anyone????????


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## ETM

161 is probably on the large side for you unless you love the groomers and bombing big runs which we dont have a lot of in Australia lol. But your stance of 21" shouldnt feel too bad. Im 6"3 and run 22.5"stance. 
What board and bindings do you have?


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## gsrrr

preference. widen your stance, take a few runs, widen it more, take a few more runs. doesnt feel good? take it back a bit. you are set.

same goes for angles


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## McLovin'

Thanks for the response ETM.

The board is a Salomon Prospect and bindings are Burton Customs (L). Using Burton Ruler boots (10.5) if that makes any difference.

I'm just fiddling with it now and starting to think maybe duck stance isnt for me. Dropped the back foot angle down to zero and its feeling a bit better. I always thought duck was more common but reading more through this site looks like it isnt.


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## McLovin'

gsrrr said:


> preference. widen your stance, take a few runs, widen it more, take a few more runs. doesnt feel good? take it back a bit. you are set.
> 
> same goes for angles


Yeah i guess its hard to tell at home. Just want to be set to go when i get up the mountain.


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## ETM

I started out feeling like my stance was good at +12 -3 on the carpet but it evolved into +18 -15 and I am perfectly comfortable like that.
ps I rode those bindings last year and they are rubbish, anything will feel uncomfortable with those things


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## linvillegorge

A wide stance doesn't bother me riding groomers or bowls, but get in some trees or moguls and if you're too wide, you'll notice that you're just having to work way too hard. It's like you're having to fight the board to manuever.


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## QReuCk

McLovin' said:


> I'm 5'11 and have my stance set at 21" which is the narrowest or closest stance I can set on my 161cm board, But it still feels a bit too wide! Bindings are set at +18 / -9 degrees and I havent been able to try it out on the mountain yet, just how it feels set up at home.
> 
> Am I just a short legged freak or what!? I figured at 5'11 and 81kgs a 161cm board would be ideal. Sucks if I have to buy a shorter board...


With 81 kg, a 161 should be just fine for freeriding with a bit of freestyle in it.
I'm also 5'11, but lighter than you. One of my board is a 156 Prospect ltd 156 and I use it for anything other than really dip powder and/or hard carving. I also have a Rossignol Storm 162 which I use for the powder/groomers carving days.
On the prospect I often rock a 23,5 stance with +15 -15 angles. On the rossi I am at 23 with +18 -9.
My bet: you may not be shorter-legged than me but you probably tend to ride a bit too much stiff-legged and/or with bindings set with spoilers not parallel to edges and a bit too much forward lean.
Large duck stances usually require to ride low with not too much lean if any and spoilers as parallel to the edge as possible. At least that would explain why you feel more comfortable with the exact same stance width and a 0 angle (once your riding position and your binding tune is made so the spoilers are not in the way when board is flat, a duck should enable riding a wider stance than flat angles).


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## McLovin'

All good advice there fellas, thanks. I'm gona stick with the zero degree back foot, it just feels much better. Hopefully it won't affect my switch riding too much. End of the day i'll just have to experiment a bit on the mountain to know for sure.


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## douglasgrant

Hi all. 

I just switched to a new wide 162 board. I am about 5'10" and my stance is width is about 23" -15 and -8. 

I am feeling a little bit of weird on the back leg and the knee. I cant tell if its because my stance is too wide or the -8 or just the getting used to new board. 

Also, I am positioned slightly more to back of the board. There is 21" between cnter of front binding and front of board and there is 19" between center of back binding and back of board. 

Any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I am an older guy so I dont do jumps or anything. I just mostly carve.


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## Martyc

If your board is directional Douglas, then it may have a set back reference position, so it will be different tip to tail.


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## Martyc

I'm 5' 11" with a 24" (ish) stance works well with how my knees flex, I'm 52 and have restrictive movement in my joints, so a closer stance works but it's not as comfy.


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## douglasgrant

Martyc said:


> If your board is directional Douglas, then it may have a set back reference position, so it will be different tip to tail.


No. Its not directional. My one old was. This one is bidirectional.


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## chomps1211

If your knee is hurting? You're stance is probably too wide! I was having some pain in the knee of my rear leg after widening my stance last season. I tried adding some DIY canting to my bindings to lesson any strain to my knee. It seems to have helped, although I did this later in the season. So, until I can do some more riding with that new configuration? I'm still uncertain if the problem is fixed entirely!


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## StAntonRider

Check out Ryan Knaptons new vid.


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## Martyc

Sorry Chomps do you mean me? My knees don't hurt mate, I just need a wider stance so I can get the range of movement I need.


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## chomps1211

Martyc said:


> Sorry Chomps do you mean me? My knees don't hurt mate, I just need a wider stance so I can get the range of movement I need.


Whups,..! No. I was responding to douglas grants claim to his knee feeling weird. (....also, I didn't notice I was replying to a revived zombie thread!)  :laugh:


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## Martyc

Lol , neither did I !


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## speedjason

StAntonRider said:


> Check out Ryan Knaptons new vid.


Exactly!


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