There's a right board for riders at each level, as well as versatile boards that can accommodate a variety of riders. (All photos courtesy of CWB Board Co.)

There's a right board for riders at each level, as well as versatile boards that can accommodate a variety of riders. (All photos courtesy of CWB Board Co.)



Picking the right board can be really confusing these days with such a variety of boards from true beginner to the Pro Model setups, but choosing the right board for your needs can be simplified by simply answering a few key questions you should be asking yourself.

Author Zane Schwenk (shown here) suggests finding a board based on your weight and riding ability.

Author Zane Schwenk (shown here) suggests finding a board based on your weight and riding ability.



Price will dictate many decisions on your board purchase and you are the only one who can set that limit, so figure out where your max limit for a board and boots might be. Also, prepare to have to go 10 percent higher if you think you might want a little more out of your board set up.

The size of the board is the biggest question, and it can easily be figured out by asking one simple question: Who is going to use this board the most? For some it will be only the buyer himself or herself, but for others it might be the entire family. With that example I use the logical approach to fitting the rider(s) to the right board.

Family of Four

Dad 200 pounds
Mom 140 pounds
Son 155 pounds
Daughter 120 pounds

Who is going to use the board the most? In this case, likely the son and daughter, but Mom might be riding some and Dad is certainly the X Factor so when looking for a board I would look at the 135cm ball park, as a 141 would be too big for the kids and Mom, and a 130cm would be too small for the father and son so logic points to the 135 right.

Use this as a common guide, most boards vary by 5-6 cm per size—that's roughly 2 inches—so when this sizing chart is off by 1 cm it really is not a big deal.

Basic Sizing

119 cm for kids under 100 pounds
125 cm for kids and pre teens at 90-125 pounds
131 cm for teens and smaller adults 110-145 pounds
135 cm for riders 135-175 pounds
141 cm for riders 165-215 pounds
144 cm for riders 200+ pounds

Noticing that there are overlapping weight sizes for the board sizes you can factor in ability and height to help figure out the right board. If you are 165 pounds you could be on a 135 or 141 but if you are almost 6' tall you need to go with the bigger board.

Comfort is critical in selecting boots, such at these from CWB Board Co.

Comfort is critical in selecting boots, such at these from CWB Board Co.



Boots are a comfort thing, be sure to check them out and if possible try them on. Some very important thing to consider are the level of riding you are going to be at. If you are a beginner then you can get in some decent boots for less than $179 or so. If you are a bit more aggressive you'll be at a $189-249 price range. If you are going to try to ride pro then you are looking at $279-349 or so.

This CWB board was designed specifically with needs and size range of children in mind.

This CWB board was designed specifically with needs and size range of children in mind.



In the intermediate range the possibilities are pretty vast. Most of the bindings offer a multitude of sizes to fit all of your friends, so figure out if you want this to be a community setup or your own. In some cases buying two sets of boots works too, they fit on the board equally as well and that covers the entire boat. In multi size boots look for relief areas in the toe piece to help the boot fit better on various sized feet, as well as the widely used lacing system with standard wheel locks. Some companies are now making womens, kids and even XXL bindings for the size 14, 15, 16, so shop around.