So you’re ready to get yourself some snowboard gear and want to know how to set up your snowboard bindings. Luckily, it’s a relatively easy process that won’t take too long, even for total beginners. In this article I’ll cover the five steps to properly setting up your snowboard bindings, everything from making sure you buy compatible bindings for your snowboard all the way to actually mounting the bindings on the board. Let’s do it!

Step One: Purchase Snowboard Bindings

The first step to setting up snowboarding bindings is to ensure whatever snowboard bindings you purchase are compatible with the board you plan to put them on. While almost any binding can be mounted on any snowboard (provided both were manufactured in the last decade or so), there are a couple of exceptions so it’s important to understand the different types of binding mount patterns on a board and how that can affect which bindings you choose to purchase. The binding mount pattern is located at the binding insert pack on a snowboard and can come in three different formations:

1. 4x4: The 4x4 pattern was the most commonly used binding mounting pattern for many years, and it’s as simple as it sounds. The inserts for the binding hardware are spaced 4cms away from each other both lengthwise and widthwise. This mounting pattern requires four pieces of hardware. Binding discs that are 4x4 compatible OR 4x2 compatible will work with a board with a 4x4 mounting pattern.
2. 4x2: The 4x2 pattern is just like the 4x4 mounting pattern, but it adds an extra insert every 2cms lengthwise, giving a rider more setup options for how wide they want their stance to be. This mountain pattern requires four pieces of hardware. Binding discs that are 4x2 compatible OR 4x4 compatible will work with a board with a 4x2 mounting pattern.
3. Channel: The channel system is a binding mounting pattern used by Burton snowboards as well as Signal snowboards and Endeavor snowboards. This channel mounting system looks like a narrow strip or a “channel” that runs along the board. The purpose of the channel system is to give riders even more flexibility in adjusting their stance width and binding angles to their exact preferences. It’s important to note that only binding discs that are “channel compatible” will work with a Burton board that has the channel system mounting pattern.

To keep it simple, so long as the bindings and board you have picked out are not from Burton, Signal, or Endeavor, they should be compatible. However, if you are planning on getting a Burton board or just want to double-check that you are getting bindings that are compatible with your board, you can always message a snowboard gear expert here on Curated to get an easy answer!

Step Two: Acquire the Necessary Tools

You’ll need a Phillips head screwdriver. Yep, that’s really it. All the hardware to mount the bindings to the board will come with the binding purchase, so as long as you own a screwdriver, you’re ready to spearhead this project in the comfort of your own home. If you don’t have a Phillips head screwdriver, I can almost guarantee any rental shop at a ski resort does and will let you borrow it if you ask (I say as someone who works in a rental shop and is asked to loan somebody a screwdriver multiple times a week).

A tape measure can also come in handy for determining your stance width, which I’ll discuss below, but that Phillips head screwdriver is the only tool that’s absolutely necessary to getting the bindings on the board and ready to shred.

Step Three: Determine Your Stance Width

Your snowboard stance width is simply the distance the bindings are apart from each other — specifically, the distance from the center of one binding’s disc to the center of the other binding’s disc. It’s important not to neglect this step, as an improper stance width can majorly affect your balance and ability to control your board.

Your stance is primarily determined by your height, and assuming you’ve purchased a board that is the right size for you, you’ll simply look for that board’s “reference points.” There are markings on or near the insert packs of the board that will show you approximately where the bindings should be mounted, and it’s a great place to start for making sure you mount your bindings an appropriate distance from one another.

While I will say you should always try to keep each binding (specifically, the center of a binding’s disc) within one inch of the board’s reference points, it does come down to personal preference. Adjusting your stance to narrower or wider than the recommended reference points is an option! A narrower stance will keep the hips in and allow you to make quicker turns by shifting your weight faster. A wider stance will make you bend more at the knees for extra balance and stability. Play around with it and find what suits you!

If you didn’t buy a board that’s an appropriate size for you, or you simply don’t want to rely on the reference points, you can also determine your approximate stance width on your own. Simply take a tape measure and measure the distance from your heel to the inside of your kneecap. Once you’ve got your stance width number (inches or centimeters works fine), you will then place your bindings on your board and measure the distance between the center of each binding’s disc to the other.

Don’t sweat if it’s a fraction of an inch/centimeter off from your measured stance width. What’s more important is trying to achieve symmetry between the binding insert packs. That is, aim to place each binding so that it aligns with inserts in the middle of the board’s insert packs This is a common mistake a lot of beginners can make and why it’s best to just follow the reference points on a board if possible.

Step Four: Determine Your Binding Angles

Once you’ve got your bindings and have determined approximately where to place them on the board, it’s time to determine the angle of your bindings. This of course requires you to know your stance, aka which foot you lead with. If you don’t already know, perform this quick test: Stand up and let yourself fall forward. Whatever foot you step out with first to stop yourself is likely your lead foot. Just don’t overthink it. Now that we have that information, let’s move on to determining your binding angles.

Binding angles aren’t an exact science, and there are many schools of thought on how you should set them. You could dedicate an entire article to different ideas, but since this is likely your first time setting up a board, let’s keep it simple.

• Front Foot: The binding angle of your front foot can realistically sit anywhere between +6 and +24 degrees depending on your height, ability level, and preferred style of riding. I know there’s a lot of choice in that, so if you’re feeling overwhelmed, just start with +12 as a safe bet no matter your height, ability level, or any other factors.
• Back Foot: Just like your front foot, the binding angle of your back foot can realistically sit anywhere between -15 and +9 degrees depending on your height, ability level, and preferred style of riding. However, for most riders I’d recommend not going with a positive angle for your back foot, as that’s only applicable for very specific riding styles. If you want a safe bet to start off with, go for -9 for your back foot!

While I wish I could get everyone the exact binding angles that are absolutely perfect for them, I just can’t. There are too many factors involved, including plain old personal preference. Tinker around with your binding angles but don’t oversweat it. Unless you’re doing something drastically wrong, small changes in your angles aren’t going to affect your ride much at all. Don’t forget you can always consult with a Snowboarding Expert about the right binding angles for the new setup you just bought on Curated, and they can give you more personalized advice!

Step Five: Mount the Bindings

After all the prep work of making sure you get the right bindings, assembling your tools, and determining the right width and angles, you’ve finally reached the most important part: mounting your bindings. Simply put the bindings on the boards, line up the holes in the binding disc with the inserts on the snowboard, and insert the bolts that are included with your bindings. You can hand-tighten them to begin and then use a screwdriver to get them nice and snug. Just tighten the bolts until they’re about flush with the binding disc and can’t easily turn anymore, no need to crank it down super tight. I would avoid using power to tighten the hardware, as this can accidentally strip the head of the bolts, and then they will be stuck in the board (I learned this the hard way).

The most important part of setting up bindings is making sure they aren’t set up backwards, as this is very easy to do. To set up the bindings correctly, make sure that the ladders of the bindings (the grooved strips of plastic) are on the outside of the board and that the straps are on the insides (and face each other when unstrapped). This can be tricky to wrap your head around, so check out the image below if you need a visual!

Now You’re Set up

While it may sound like a lot to get your bindings set up, I have full confidence in you! Remember, there’s little you could do to actually damage your board or bindings in the setup process, so there’s no harm in learning how to do it yourself. If you’re just reading this article preemptively and still need to buy some bindings (or any other snowboard gear), Curated is the place to do it. You can connect with a gear expert like myself, get personalized gear recommendations, and get all kitted and fitted in just a few minutes!