board length

Thought i would throw this out there as it always seems to stir up some great debates

whilst i was in hotham on the weekend a number of mates were shocked that i was riding a long board - a 161. They thought i should be riding something more in the mid 150s. Now i am 6ft and 100kgs and love freeriding. It actually started to become a little tiresome after a while - especially when the ski instructor friend of mine tried to tell me i was riding too long a board. Whereas a number of other crew have suggested that the 161 could even be a bit short due to my weight.

I know it all comes down to personal preference - and i love riding a 161. So much so that my 163 Pantera should be arriving tommorrow or Monday (bought mainly for o/s conditions but also on nice groomed days here). I ride powerfully and really like driving my turns. I also felt that my 161 timeless was a little unstable at speed for me. I don’t know if it was the board or the length/weight ratio that was having that effect for me though.

This is not to say that i am not willing to try a smaller board - i’ll give anything a go. What are all your thoughts?

Dude I am 69kg and until last year my freeride board was a 161! In fact the last 5-6 years, all my freeride boards were 161! In the trees, powder, freeride, terrain park, no worries.

I have gone down to a 157 but only because there were no 161’s left of the board I was after! To be honest the 157 doesn’t “feel” as good as the 161….

If you are a half decent rider, then a 161 will be fine for a 100kg dude like yourself

There are many factors to consider when choosing board length.
I’d say that the type of snow you are riding and your experience level are quite important, but height (and sometimes weight) seems to be what most people use to determine board length.

When you assume a tall person, you assume long legs, but this may not be true and a longer board might not be what is needed. But a longer board would usually mean that the length is between the bindings first. If the rider’s stance is “Athletic” and appropriate for them then the a longer board might mean that the length is at the tips of the board after the appropriate length is between the bindings.

This conversation could indeed go on and on but what it comes down to is rider preference. The challenge is when the rider doesnt know what they prefer. and a simple rule of chin height is a good starting place and then shorter for freestyle and longer for pow…. usually..
Do check out this very informative article that answers many questions.
https://www.boardworld.com.au/content/category/board-selection/

For every person there is a range of board sizes they can comfortablly ride. Riding a board on either end of the scale has advantages and disadvantages. A board on the smaller side will be fun, playful, easily manouverable, easier to place pressure on the nose and tail of the board, easier to spin etc… but you sacrifice stabilty. A board on the larger side will be fast, stable, powerful, while giving more float in powder.. but you sacrifice manouverability.

161 for your weight is fine, almost ideal as a versitile size. It would be good for you to demo a range of board sizes so you can feel the advatages and disadvantages of various sizes and flexes.