# Wide board for a size 8.5 boot?



## SnowDragon (Apr 23, 2012)

I couldn't find the thread that discussed riders using wide snowboards even with smaller size boots.

Timmytard brought this up last year and I didn't understand why someone would ride a wide board if they didn't need one.
He mentioned that The Chairman also rides wide boards, and several other members have mentioned that they have moved to wide boards. Ryan Knapton rides REALLY wide boards AFAIK.

I'm asking because I bought a Smokin Jetson late last year to use in pow.
Didn't really get a chance to use it this year. Took it to Mammoth with my regular board in case there was pow to ride.
There wasn't, but I tried it on the last day I was there.
Took me one run to get used to the width, but after that, I loved it!
I'm now considering getting a wide of my daily driver (Endeavor Clout) for next season for my regular riding.

So, what is the rationale for riding a wide board when one doesn't need to?


----------



## t21 (Dec 29, 2010)

Carving:wink: well it was the reason for me to buy one (2016 Rome Garage Rocker 160MW)for $200. I have ridden it 3x now and it is fun to ride. The waist width is 265 and the inserts were 270. I wear sz.9 with angles 18/-15 centered. I still have some boot overhang but no big deal. Love carving with this board though i have to dig down a bit so i can get that edge to dig deeper and its a workout but fun. I'm a bit dissapointed when pressing/buttering this board uz i have a hard time doing it but i'll keep trying. Quick edges to edges is just slightly slower but it is wide so....:embarrased1: I had the chance to take it to about a foot of snow and it floated well,not bad for a true twin centered stanced setup,i was impressed! :grin: 

btw, it is also an addition to my quiver lol!


----------



## deagol (Mar 26, 2014)

GreyDragon said:


> I couldn't find the thread that discussed riders using wide snowboards even with smaller size boots.
> 
> Timmytard brought this up last year and I didn't understand why someone would ride a wide board of they didn't need one.
> He mentioned that The Chairman also rides wide boards, and several other members have mentioned that they have moved to wide boards. Ryan Knapton rides REALLY wide boards AFAIK.
> ...


I am a half size smaller than you (size 8) and am a wide board convert. 
Reason #1: no toe drag
Reason #2: great float in pow for any given length. 
Reason #3: just tested a little bit today: pond skimming. 


This was my impression of riding a wide board for the first time:


----------



## Phedder (Sep 13, 2014)

As far as I see it, if you're a decent snowboarder with good technique and you enjoy carving aggressively and easier float, then a wide board should definitely be a consideration. I understand some don't want to give up the nimbleness, but in my experience you really don't lose much, and any that is lost can be made up for with smart board choice. My Super 8 is 266mm waist, Custom X 261mm. Comparably, the Super 8 is incredibly fast edge to edge and super easy to drive torsionally.

I'm actually jealous of you guys with smaller boots, pretty sure next time I need to replace mine I'll be trying to squeeze down to a 9.5 with an aggressive toe cap for the heat molding hah. Every mm counts...


----------



## dave785 (Jan 21, 2016)

My favorite thing about it is the stability on jumps and the stability while flatbasing. When you're on a wide board, you know exactly where the edges are. I actually think wide boards are easier to ride.

But the downside - in bad snow you will slow down much faster. And in powder, you'll stay on top of the snow but you won't go as fast.


----------



## txb0115 (Sep 20, 2015)

Size 9.5 and I ride 26.0 waist boards, I won't go narrrower. I've been hooked on that width for the better part of a decade... Only time it is a negative is in super warm slush conditions, but not an issue for me because I rarely ride those conditions. In pow it rules, better float, less getting stuck in the flats... If you want your wide board to turn quick you just put the stiffest fucking bindings you can get on it and it will turn just as quick as a narrower board with mid-flex bindings on it...


----------



## t21 (Dec 29, 2010)

txb0115 said:


> Size 9.5 and I ride 26.0 waist boards, I won't go narrrower. I've been hooked on that width for the better part of a decade... Only time it is a negative is in super warm slush conditions, but not an issue for me because I rarely ride those conditions. In pow it rules, better float, less getting stuck in the flats... If you want your wide board to turn quick you just put the stiffest fucking bindings you can get on it and it will turn just as quick as a narrower board with mid-flex bindings on it...





dave785 said:


> My favorite thing about it is the stability on jumps and the stability while flatbasing. When you're on a wide board, you know exactly where the edges are. I actually think wide boards are easier to ride.
> 
> But the downside - in bad snow you will slow down much faster. And in powder, you'll stay on top of the snow but you won't go as fast.


this^ landing on jumps were stable and flatbasing was easier on them. Last night i had to change my bindings from mid flex Flow fuse to Stiff Ass NX2-AT and rode it this morning,what a difference on responsiveness. As i mentioned earlier on my post,the edge to edge was a bit slower(though i only rode for two hours today),but it was better with my stiffer bindings. Im sure the more time i ride it the better it will be.


----------



## Black_dragon (Mar 19, 2014)

dave785 said:


> My favorite thing about it is the stability on jumps and the stability while flatbasing. When you're on a wide board, you know exactly where the edges are. I actually think wide boards are easier to ride.
> 
> But the downside - in bad snow you will slow down much faster. And in powder, you'll stay on top of the snow but you won't go as fast.


again this^^

and i ride a 2017 Ride 159W wildlife with size 10 boot for boots overhang a litte on normal board
and carving. And i absolutely freaking love it i would't go back !
in the first when i switch from normal board to a wide i notice the edge transition is a different feeling
but once you get used to it you forget it !


----------



## jerry gnarcia (Feb 11, 2017)

All kinds of madness in this thread, wide boards are shit unless you're only using them in powder. No idea where you get the idea that flatbasing is easier (was it hard to begin with?). You just lose a ton of leverage and agility having to lean so far to get the board on edge.


----------



## Phedder (Sep 13, 2014)

jerry gnarcia said:


> All kinds of madness in this thread, wide boards are shit unless you're only using them in powder. No idea where you get the idea that flatbasing is easier (was it hard to begin with?). You just lose a ton of leverage and agility having to lean so far to get the board on edge.


I'm pretty sure that everyone commenting positively on this thread has come from riding regular boards, and has also said they wouldn't go back. There's no right or wrong, only preference. My preference is by far for wide boards, and I spend a lot of time in some pretty tight trees. Doesn't hinder me at all.


----------



## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

do these boots make my waist width look big?


----------



## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

snowklinger said:


> do these boots make my waist width look big?


Does a wide board make _you_ look slim...?


----------



## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

neni said:


> Does a wide board make _you_ look slim...?


id't have to be pretty damn wide....


----------



## 16gkid (Dec 5, 2012)

Another wide board convert here, riding a Donek Incline with a 29cm waist. The board is the shit, if I had it built with some taper, I wouldnt even need my powder board. This board will bring your carving skills way up, easy to focus on carving when you have no worries of booting out. Full camber profile, never had a board ride groomers so well. Great in powder as long as its steep, lack of steepness will slow you down badly. Not bad in the trees with fresh powder, but once its tracked out, forget it, its too wide. I cant see myself riding anything besides this and my Charlie slasher for the forseeable future. Went from decent carving to laying down and dragging arms and legs:grin:. Also compared to other brands premier board, the price is great!


----------



## timmytard (Mar 19, 2009)

Centering your boots is very important.

You can't just throw your bindings on a wide board, without doing some adjustments.

If you do, it'll suck.
You have to slide your bindings closer to the toe side edge to center it.

After a while it's something you don't even think about, you just know where they go.

And being able to put your board that far on edge, let's you stop on the steepest of terrain.
I like that part. Lol

TT


----------



## dave785 (Jan 21, 2016)

jerry gnarcia said:


> All kinds of madness in this thread, wide boards are shit unless you're only using them in powder. No idea where you get the idea that flatbasing is easier (was it hard to begin with?). You just lose a ton of leverage and agility having to lean so far to get the board on edge.


It stands to reason that if it's harder to get the board on edge then that's because it's more stable when it's flat... you can't say that it's harder to tilt over without recognizing that that just means it's more stable when not tilted over.


I like narrow boards for some things... bad conditions, choppy conditions, dirty snow, etc.. but if I wanted a really narrow board then I'd just throw on my skis >


----------



## redlude97 (Jan 9, 2008)

size 8 with a 260 WW for my daily driver. Never boot out, but it is substantially more work to get up on edge. Having some taper helps with edge to edge transition especially if the board it camber or RCR.


----------



## Phedder (Sep 13, 2014)

timmytard said:


> C
> And being able to put your board that far on edge, let's you stop on the steepest of terrain.
> I like that part. Lol


Yep! I was very thankful for that fact a few days back. I'd been eyeing up a cliff from the chair and figuring out how to get to it, 8-10 foot drop with a good pitched run out. When I finally got to where I _thought_ I needed to be, and peered over the edge, I was above a 30-35ft drop to almost flat... Had to traverse a bit further and then unstrap and climb back up to get out. Not fun, puckered me up a lil...


----------



## timmytard (Mar 19, 2009)

Phedder said:


> Yep! I was very thankful for that fact a few days back. I'd been eyeing up a cliff from the chair and figuring out how to get to it, 8-10 foot drop with a good pitched run out. When I finally got to where I _thought_ I needed to be, and peered over the edge, I was above a 30-35ft drop to almost flat... Had to traverse a bit further and then unstrap and climb back up to get out. Not fun, puckered me up a lil...


Having balls bigger than my eyes, I've had to do that too.

It sucks.

But if it's bad enough for me to turn around.
Yup, I definitely don't want to be getting boot out and being forced to take it.


TT


----------



## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

Interesting thread. Ever since I got my first "regular" width board(s),... each season I found myself riding my wide Arbor less & less! I didn't ride it at all this past season. :sad:

Then, near the end of this season I got a chance to ride 3 different wide decks. I've come to the conclusion that most of _my_ problems with my wide board feeling like "too much work to get on edge" has been due to ill fitting, and too soft boots. 

At the beginning of the season, I bought a new pair of 32 Binary Boas in a half size smaller than I've been wearing. (...size 10, down from 10.5.). Wow! What a difference!

I rode the new NS InstaGator and Maverix as well as @sabatoa's 157X Funslinger. All wide boards. Not one of them felt sluggish to me. 

Granted both the I/G & Maverix have quite a bit of taper, but Sab's Funslinger is a true twin. Plus his bindings were so big the ratchets bottomed out on me before I got them anywhere near as tight as I would have liked. Even so,.. it was still a fun & lively ride. (...neither my toes or heel had *any* overhang whatsoever!! :blink:

Based on this new revelation,... I will _definitely_ be breaking out my 163W Arbor next season to see how she handles with these stiffer boots. I might even throw a pair of the GenesisX ankle straps on my old Cartels to see if I get even better edge response. :grin:

Being my very first snowboard, I'm quite attached to it. I always liked that board and I've missed riding it. Be nice to get some more time on the Ol' girl again!!  :grin:


----------



## dave785 (Jan 21, 2016)

chomps1211 said:


> Interesting thread. Ever since I got my first "regular" width board(s),... each season I found myself riding my wide Arbor less & less! I didn't ride it at all this past season. :sad:
> 
> Then, near the end of this season I got a chance to ride 3 different wide decks. I've come to the conclusion that most of _my_ problems with my wide board feeling like "too much work to get on edge" has been due to ill fitting, and too soft boots.
> 
> ...


Arbor's griptech bumps stick out right at the binding inserts and nowhere else. Because of that, it's the one brand that I don't have a desire to ride wide on.


----------



## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

dave785 said:


> Arbor's griptech bumps stick out right at the binding inserts and nowhere else. Because of that, it's the one brand that I don't have a desire to ride wide on.


My board is a 2010-'11 Roundhouse. Last year that it was a full camber board & _before_ they added "griptech!"


----------



## SnowDragon (Apr 23, 2012)

After reading all the comments in this thread, I'm intrigued enough to try the wide version of my Endeavor Clout next year.

The difference between my Smokin Jetson and the 158W of the Clout is that the effective edge jumps from 107 cm to 118 cm. The waist width is essentially the same (26.2 vs. 26.1 cm).
Any thoughts that I may not like the wide in the longer effective edge?


----------



## BoonDoc (Jan 17, 2018)

Would you guys see any issue riding a Nitro Magnum with 27.4cm waist with size 9.5 boots? I bought this board when I thought I was a size 13 boot, but with the help of Wired Sports I found I'm 9.5 wide. I'm wondering if I should sell this board for a narrower one or just ride this. Groomers only.


----------



## timmytard (Mar 19, 2009)

BoonDoc said:


> Would you guys see any issue riding a Nitro Magnum with 27.4cm waist with size 9.5 boots? I bought this board when I thought I was a size 13 boot, but with the help of Wired Sports I found I'm 9.5 wide. I'm wondering if I should sell this board for a narrower one or just ride this. Groomers only.


Oh yeah dude.
Definitely ride that board.

Just make sure you slide the whole bindings a little more toe side edge.

If you don't, you won't like it.

If it's set up right now for a size 13 boot?
You can't just hop on it and ride away.

You need to set it up properly for your boot size.

Groomers only?
No no you got a wide ass powder board now.>


TT


----------



## BoonDoc (Jan 17, 2018)

Powder would be great but I live in PA and we only have hard packed icy groomed trails. So does that change your opinion at all? Also I’m just learning and this is my first board.


----------



## robotfood99 (Mar 19, 2016)

BoonDoc said:


> Powder would be great but I live in PA and we only have hard packed icy groomed trails. So does that change your opinion at all? Also I’m just learning and this is my first board.




I wear size 8(260mm) boots and have no issues riding 265mm w/w boards. You’ll be fine.


----------



## Anais (Aug 14, 2016)

Would you guys see any issue of riding a 255mm board with a boot size 6.5 (23.5cm)?


----------

