Unfortunately the issue of the right setup doesn’t get enough attention.
And binding angles are one of those setup things that can make a big difference. Too often snowboarders just stick to what they started out with – which is often just the angles that were given to you by an instructor or the angles that were set from the hire shop.
The shame about this is that there might well be a “setup sweet spot” just waiting for you that would be more suited to your style and physical characteristics.
Things Change
Even if the angles you were given from the hire shop or the instructor were right for you at the time, things change. As you become a more advanced rider you might find that different angles will really help you to perform.
If you are still a beginner then I recommend that you check out my post on beginner binding angles.
All Mountain Binding Angles
Whilst I definitely encourage you to experiment with your angles and find what feels the best for you, you need some kind of a starting point to work from.
This post is for all-mountain riders and such is the versatility of the all-mountain rider, there are a wide range of starting points to work from.
So in order to narrow it down a bit more – so that you’re not trying a different angle setup every day of the season! – I have split this into recommended binding angles for 3 different styles of all-mountain riding:
- All-Mountain-Freestyle;
- All-Mountain; and
- Aggressive All Mountain
All-Mountain-Freestyle Binding Angles
If you like your riding more casual/playful or if you like to ride a lot of freestyle (without being purely freestyle) then you are probably best categorized as a freestyle-all-mountaineer.
For freestyle-all-mountaineers I would suggest starting out with some kind of a slight duck stance.
Freestylers often (but not always) ride with some kind of duck stance (be it a mirrored duck stance or a slight duck stance).
A duck stance basically means any stance where the back binding is on a negative angle.
You may also want a forward stance so I’ll give an example of a forward stance to start with below too.
I would suggest staring with one of the following and then making slight adjustments to see what feels best for you.
E.g. if you start with slight duck +15/-3 then try +18/-3 – if you preferred +15/-3 then maybe try +15/-6 or +15/+3 and so on until you find your preferred stance.
Slight Duck +18/-3
Slight Duck +18/-6
Slight Duck +18/-9
Slight Duck +15/-3
Slight Duck +15/-6
Slight Duck +15/-9
Forward Stance +18/+3
Forward Stance +15/+3
All-Mountain Binding Angles
For all-mountain riding – somewhere in the middle of aggressive all-mountain riding and freestyle-all-mountain riding – I would suggest the following binding angles as a starting point.
Forward Stance +18/+3
Forward Stance +15/+3
Slight Duck +18/-3
Slight Duck +15/-3
Again these are starting points and I definitely recommend that you experiment to find the stance that you like the best.
Aggressive-All-Mountain Binding Angles
I would definitely ride with some kind of forward stance if you like your riding fast and steep.
That’s not to say you can’t use some kind of a duck stance but I wouldn’t personally do it. Of course, as always, experiment to find what’s best for you but I would recommend one of the following as a starting point.
Forward Stance +18/+3
Forward Stance +18/+6
Forward Stance +21/+3
Forward Stance +21/+6
Forward Stance +15/+3
Over to You
O.k. now it’s time to start experimenting. Pick a starting point that you think is appropriate for you and ride that stance for a bit.
Then switch to something quite different and see which one you preferred.
Then experiment with something closer to the one you preferred and continue until you find the angles that feel the best for you.
Thanks for reading and I hope you’ve found this post helpful for finding your binding angle sweet spot.
Related: Binding Angles for Freestyle
Related: Binding Angles for Beginners
So I’ve been riding for over two decades – always duck – this last season I got a carving board, and found the slight forward stance to help. Although, I’m missing riding switch, and I am wondering if you’ve got any thoughts on the stability of Forward vs duck stance when trying to stomp landings and do carving in the variable terrain.
Hi Trevor
Thanks for your message.
I find a forward stance is better for carving – and if you look at like slalom riding, they have some pretty insane forward stances. But personally I find I can carve fine with a duck stance – and like to have that ability to ride switch. Though I will go to a more forward stance now and then, when I want to have a pure carving day and on particular boards.
I think the same is true when carving in variable terrain – a forward stance helps. I’ve never really thought about it for stomping landings and whether there would be a big difference there or not.
Hi,
So good to find a review about this, thanks! I usually ride all mountain freeride / grommers but I will love to hit jumps but at the time I am heading the jump I feel like loosing control, same on catwalks when the board is flat. I really dont know wich stance should I go with, now I use 14/-10 anD I also feel a lot of pain in the side of the front foot especially on catwalks. What is your recommendation ? Thanks!!
Hi Ignacio
I know this isn’t the easy answer – but I really think the best thing to do with binding angles is to experiment. Everyone’s body’s have different preferences – so, whilst there are some angles that are typically preferred for different styles of riding, there are preferences based on what your body likes best.
In terms of control when approaching jumps, that’s likely down to your board more than you’re binding angles I would say.
In terms of binding angles, I would experiment – maybe start by switching to something more like +18/-6 and see how that feels – if you prefer that, or if it eases the pain in your foot on cat tracks, then you could experiment with something similar – maybe even trying something like +21/+3 or something like that. But if you preferred your old +14/-10 over something like the +18/-6, then you could try something more like +15/-15 or something to see how that feels.
Hope this makes sense for you
In the All-Mountain Binding Angles section,
the Slight Duck +15/-3 picture looks incorrect. It looks the pic is showing a +15/+3 Forward Stance.
Hi JW
Thanks for your message.
The images are just their to try to illustrate and may not be that accurate. I did use the image and rotate it 3 degrees, but it must just be how it looks. 3 degrees is a very slight angle. But thanks for pointing it out.
Just curious if anyone has an angle that works well for bad knees? I had meniscus surgery on front knee years ago, and the back one does get sore. Now I just ride groomers at an easy pace and take breaks when necessary. I’m thinking +15/+3 as I want my knees to face in the direction I’m going and I don’t ride switch.
Hi Freddy
Thanks for your comment.
I’m not sure what the best angles are for bad knees – but if anyone who has knee issues have found something that works for them, would be awesome if you could chime in – I would be interested to know also.
Nate…My right knee is screaming after an aggressive day, meniscus surgery years ago. I find that (i ride regular) that a -15 makes my knee less painful. Just sayin’.
Hey Gil
Thanks for your input. Good to know. Definitely different for everyone, but if you’ve got knee issues, then definitely best angles are those which are easiest on your knees, for sure.
Hey Nate
I have been thinking a little about angles lately, i were once at this snowboard camp in Canada for a couple of months with daily snowboard Instructors/Coaches, and they were Riding +18 / -15, and +21 / -15, so i tried it and i kinda loved it and have been riding it ever since, but i have no idea if there is something more recommended for my riding style.
The thing is that i love being in the park, jib, jump, butter, but i really love all mountain / freestyle riding too, and i love going fast and aggressive in steep terrains, and back country and everything, so i kinda fill in all of the snowboard categories.. But considering that i really love park/and freestyle a more duck stance is a must for me, but is there something else that you would suggest me to try?
Do you know why my coaches were riding 18 / -15 , 21/ -15 ? Because when i think about it i forgot to ask them about why they chose that stance.
Thanks in advance!
Cheers
Hi Kevin
If it feels right then 18/-15 or 21/-15 is all good. I’m guessing that’s just where they tried and decided they liked it and stuck with it.
You could try moving to something like +15/-15 if you wanted – or even +18/-12 and see what something like that felt like – but if you still prefer 18/-15 or 21/-15, then there’s no reason why not to use those stances.
Hope this helps
Setting up my bindings, seems like when I’m looking at setting my back binding at 0 from a visual setting, I look at the actual sweltering on the binding it says it’s in a positive stance? Is this due to a mind trick or might the bings actually be off? Does this make since?
Not sweltering, setting, auto spelling on iPhones are funny at times.
Hi Kiki
Thought that might have been a auto spell!
I would say it’s a mind trick. Pretty unlikely the bindings would be off. I do find that as well – that a +0 can look like it’s angling slightly forward. My guess is that it has something to do with the way the base plate is shaped but maybe also caused by the fact that the front binding is on an angle – or the side-cut of the board. Not sure – but I definitely get that too – so it’s very unlikely to be the binding, IMO.
Hi Nate,
I’m back asking you questions on other topics. I’m getting my new (first owned!) board set up and have to pick my starting binding angles. I’m a middle intermediate, something like 4.5 on the number list you have on the site. I don’t really do any freestyle at this point, don’t really ride switch, pretty much stick to groomers, and would like to head from linked turns to true carving. I’m going to be having a lot of new variables: new board, new bindings, new boots. As a result, I’m probably going to want to stick with my initial binding angles for a bit before experimenting.
I’m thinking I’m beyond your beginner 15/0, and I’m leaning to 18/3 or 15/3. With that background, my questions:
1. Would you have a preference on picking one of those forward stances to start?
2. Any reason I should consider the slight duck instead (say 15/-3)?
Lastly, I got the Rome Tour, and the default is 21″ and 20 mm setback, which I understand to mean that Rome thinks it rides best that way. I might narrow it slightly because I’m probably more natural at 20″, but I was planning to keep the 20 mm setback. Just want to check that I’m understanding the information right.
There’s real excitement in finally getting a board and setting everything up myself, but in my years of hires I never paid attention to any of these things, so it’s a lot of new information to process and decisions to make. I’m also hopeful it will be a great revelation on the slopes because I’ve realized how often I’ve rented equipment that probably wasn’t a good fit.
Thanks!
Hey Michael
Thanks for your questions and awesome to hear you have your first board!
For you I would start out with +18/+3. From there I would try something of a duck stance but keep the front angle at +18 so you have a constant. So after riding +18/+3 for a while I would try +18/-6 or +18/-9. Something with enough of a negative back binding angle that you really notice the difference – but keeping with the same front binding angle.
Then see which you prefer. If you prefer the duck stance then experiment with different duck stances. If you prefer the forward stance then experiment with different forward stances. That’s how I would go about it. A lot of riders who don’t ride freestyle use a duck stance even if it is less common so don’t write off a duck stance because you might prefer it. But yeah I would start with the +18/+3.
Your spot on with your thinking for stance width and setback. You should stick with the setback that the board is designed for – this is where the board will ride at its best. And you should ride with the stance that is most comfortable for you.
All the best with your new deck! Let me know how you like it
Just curious, why isn’t a back binding angle of greater than -9 recommended?
Thanks Nate.
Hi John
Personally for all-mountain riding I wouldn’t go more than -9 on the back binding. The only reason for this is that for all mountain riding I would prefer a more directional stance to help with riding steeper faster terrain. That’s not to say that you can’t go with a larger minus angle on your back foot but normally that would be reserved for more freestyle type riding – in my opinion.
But in saying that there aren’t any hard and fast rules with binding angles. You could even use a mirrored duck stance for all mountain riding if you found that the most comfortable for you – but that wouldn’t be the norm.
Hope this answers your question.