How to size a snowboard for kids

The most reliable way to size a snowboard for kids is to look up the manufacturer’s chart for the exact kids’ or youth model you are considering. Kids’ boards are built differently from adult boards, with their own lengths, widths and flex, and each model’s chart links a length to a recommended rider weight range.

Avoid length formulas based on height or age. They ignore how a particular board is built, and they differ from one source to the next. Burton’s parent’s guide to kids’ snowboards says that height can give a ballpark, but recommends sticking with weight and boot size.

1. Pick a board made for children, ideally one described as suitable for your child’s level.
2. Find its official size chart on the manufacturer’s website or product page.
3. Find the length where your child’s current weight fits within the recommended range.
4. Check the width against their boot size (see below).

The process is the same for boys’ and girls’ boards and for youth models: some brands make separate girls’ or youth ranges with their own charts, so use the chart that belongs to the board. For a general explanation of how size charts work, see our adult sizing walkthrough.

How to measure a child for a snowboard

You need two measurements: weight and boot size. Weigh your child in the clothes they usually ride in, and use the same unit as the chart. If they sit between two lengths, the model’s description or a shop can help you decide, usually with their ability in mind.

How to size kids’ snowboard boots

Boots matter more than almost anything else for a young rider. Boots that are too big make it hard to control the board, and boots that hurt end the day early. Have your child’s feet measured, ideally in a shop, then check the brand’s kids’ boot chart and try the boots on with the socks they will ride in. Fit them to your child’s feet now rather than buying several sizes up. Our boot fit checks explain what a good fit feels like.

Some kids’ boots are designed to allow for growth. Burton’s kids’ guide, for example, says boots with its Room-To-Grow footbeds can accommodate larger feet, “up to one full size larger by removing the primary footbed.” Features like this vary by brand and model, so check the product description.

Then check the board’s width. Once the bindings are set up, the boots should not hang so far over the edges that the toes or heels drag in the snow during turns. Burton makes the same point in its kids’ guide.

Match bindings to the boots

Kids’ bindings come in their own size ranges. Burton’s size charts list separate kids’ binding sizes by boot size. Check that the child’s boots fall within the binding’s range. See our binding sizing guide.

If your child has never snowboarded before, stick to the length the model’s chart recommends for their weight. Burton’s guide gives the same advice, and suggests that only riders who are already confident might go a little longer for stability at speed, or a little shorter for easier turning.

Flex matters too. Kids’ beginner boards are usually soft, which makes them easier to turn at low speed. Stiffer boards suit stronger, more experienced young riders. If a board feels too stiff or too long, a beginner will find it hard to turn and stop, and that can make learning frustrating.

The best way to learn is with a qualified instructor in a lesson designed for children. See teaching kids to snowboard and finding snowboard lessons.

Children grow quickly, so it is worth thinking about how often your child will ride before you buy.

• Renting suits first trips and children who ride only a few days a season. Rental staff can size the board and boots and swap them if something does not fit. See snowboard rental costs for what affects the price.
• Seasonal or junior rental schemes, where shops offer them, let you keep equipment for a season and may allow exchanges as your child grows. Ask local shops what they offer.
• Buying new makes sense for children who ride often and can use a board for more than one season. Our guide to picking a board type, shape and flex applies to kids’ boards too.
• Buying used can be good value because kids’ boards often outgrow their riders before they wear out. Check the board carefully. See how to buy a used snowboard.

It is tempting to buy a board to grow into. For beginners, that usually makes learning harder, because a board that is too long for their weight is harder to turn and control. Burton’s guide notes that only experienced young riders who can handle it should size up, and that kids’ feet grow quickly, so allow for changes over the next season or two when choosing boots and bindings.

Before each season, and after a growth spurt, check:

• Your child’s weight against the board’s chart range.
• Their boot fit, especially toe room and heel hold.
• That their boots still fit the binding size range and sit centrally.
• Stance width and binding position, which may need adjusting as they grow. See changing stance width and angles.

When the board no longer fits, pass it on to a younger rider, sell it or donate it. Our guide to reusing and recycling snowboard equipment has ideas.