# What binding angles?



## gera229 (Dec 5, 2008)

For a beginner/ all mountain free rider what is the best setup for bindings? For angles which way is negative and which is positive (since my bindings don't show numbers). I am 5' 11" and I feel like I want the bindings centered but how far apart should they be?


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## anti-bling (Apr 21, 2010)

There is no "best" set up. Its entirely dependent on you. 

An all-round stance is usually slightly wider than your shoulders, and if you are a beginner, i suggest about a -3 back foot and +15 or 20 on the front. Positive in this case means 'pointing towards the front tip of the board"

try something like that at first, and then as you get more comfortable, try changing the angles and stance width around and see what feels comfortable.


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## MistahTaki (Apr 24, 2010)

gera229 said:


> For a beginner/ all mountain free rider what is the best setup for bindings? For angles which way is negative and which is positive (since my bindings don't show numbers). I am 5' 11" and I feel like I want the bindings centered but how far apart should they be?


-15/+15 would be good for you.


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## MistahTaki (Apr 24, 2010)

oh, whoops i thought you said "all mountain freestyle". is your board twin tip? do you ever ride switch?


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## gera229 (Dec 5, 2008)

What do you mean by switch ride? Im a left foot front rider or in other words a normal rider.


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## Qball (Jun 22, 2010)

gera229 said:


> What do you mean by switch ride? Im a left foot front rider or in other words a normal rider.


Switch is the opposite of what you naturally ride. In your case switch would be right foot forward.


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## gera229 (Dec 5, 2008)

Im guessing since Im a beginner its not something I would do. Unless its a good thing to learn or sometimes when I turn 180 accidentally. Otherwise how would I set my bindings to start with?


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## anti-bling (Apr 21, 2010)

If you were to ride switch lots, you would have your bindings at almost identical angles, like +15, -15. But you are not, you are going to ride forwards most of the time, thats why i recommended -3 and + 15~21.


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## Extremo (Nov 6, 2008)

I say learn to ride with a slight duck stance. I'd recommend starting with 15/-9 then you can slightly change them each time out to see what your preference is


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## ev13wt (Nov 22, 2010)

Extremo said:


> I say learn to ride with a slight duck stance. I'd recommend starting with 15/-9 then you can slightly change them each time out to see what your preference is


I agree this is a good starting point.



Let me try and help you as well. Angle diagram: Print it out and have fun. 0° is measured from heel to toe. So a deviation of that "foot across the board" "|" angle 0° would be, slanted like a \ a positive angle, and / a negative angle.

Regular rider: 
\ is a positive angle on the front foot - / is the same negative angle on the back foot. ***\*****/***
| is a 0° angle. Many beginners start out close to this. It would look like: ***\****|***

Try wearing socks and running and the sliding across a hardwood floor skate board style sideways, duh... . When you come to a stop, see what angles your feet are. Adjust bindings to that, its your natural posture.

For every 2 hours you ride regular, to 30 minutes fakie. You will thank me later. Many people can ride "well" regular, but when they try fakie they almost start over again. So practce both direction now! It will also help your overall skill to improve much faster.


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## gera229 (Dec 5, 2008)

Very useful information. So based on how beginner start one binding is set at 0 degrees, and you say it's not a good set up that way. And yeah I have a skateboard so I will check that out.


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## Extremo (Nov 6, 2008)

gera229 said:


> Very useful information. So based on how beginner start one binding is set at 0 degrees, and you say it's not a good set up that way. And yeah I have a skateboard so I will check that out.


I wouldn't start at 0...at least start at -3 on the back binding. But I'd say -9 just because as a beginner you'll be going backwards a lot. Falling leaf patterns and so on.


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## gera229 (Dec 5, 2008)

Going backwards is something that just happens?


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## J.Schaef (Sep 13, 2009)

gera229 said:


> Going backwards is something that just happens?




Yes, when doing the falling leaf, you end up riding switch sometimes.

I ride +15/-9, I usually set people up who are starting out this way as well. 

It is a very good general starting point.


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## ev13wt (Nov 22, 2010)

gera229 said:


> Going backwards is something that just happens?


Its not like you are gonna be going down the mountain in a straight line. Check up utube for some beginner vid lessons to get a general idea. 

Have fun!


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## gera229 (Dec 5, 2008)

I've been snowboarding before, when I went backwards I thought I was doing something wrong. If it's a common thing (possibly with advanced snowboarders too) then I will start getting used to it and then turn back to normal position by a 180.

Otherwise I measured my snowboard binding distance apart from the middle of the bindings from the inner side like this \ \-------/ / and it was 41cm apart or about 1.33 inches. And the bindings are screwed in center of the board in the holes that are in the middle between others like this
::: : : ::: (this is what the holes look like). There are 16 on each side. Bindings are screwed in the center ones.


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## anti-bling (Apr 21, 2010)

I don't usually like to say it, but i' an instructor, and from teaching for 8 years, this is what i think is best.

You should learn the basics of turning and navigating easy and medium-difficulty slopes before learning to ride switch. When you get more advanced, i totally recommend learning switch riding, it will help your all-round stance and balance. But at first, i say just concentrate on learning how to go one way.

And to help that, i say keep you bindings slightly pointed towards that front. Stand naturally in the middle of your board, with your feet just over shoulder-width apart. Then place the bindings where your feet were and lightly screw them in. Leave the loose enough that you can shift the angles.

Now, stand again in the bindings, and see what feels comfortable. I suggest a natural stance, with your back foot slightly ducked, about -3 to -9 degrees, and your front foot somewhere between +15 to +24. But this is up to you, and what feels comfy.

Ride it, and then readjust if it feels weird. 

As you progress, get older, ride different boards and different conditions, your stance will change. Its not something you have to choose for life, so just see what works for you.


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## eschen515 (Aug 30, 2009)

so i was just glancing at this and i think im confused on the angles as well..i thought it worked like a number line neagative is to the left and positive is right. (-1,0,+1,+2) i ride regular.


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## gera229 (Dec 5, 2008)

eschen515 said:


> so i was just glancing at this and i think im confused on the angles as well..i thought it worked like a number line neagative is to the left and positive is right. (-1,0,+1,+2) i ride regular.


Angles are based on the unit circle and positive and negative are different from a number line.


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## eschen515 (Aug 30, 2009)

well my front foot is pointed to the nose of the board at 15 and back foot is pointed to the nose at 3 is that normal?


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