8 tips for snowboarding in powder

Riding powder. It’s what we dream about – and most of us live for. Think of it as a delicious mix between surfing and floating through clouds. It’s heaven on earth and 100% worth experiencing. Why do you think so many riders ‘Yew!’ repeatedly on a pow day? It’s because they can’t contain their glee! 

But how do you float rather than fall? And why are you stacking it instead of laying smooth tracks? As if you didn’t know by now, Dope Mag’s here to help you level up on the mountain! So, check out our eight tips for how to snowboard in powder.

Oh, and what better way to show off your new skills than with a new style? Dive into our collection of pow-ready snowboard pants and snowboarding jackets. There’s nothing better than fresh tracks, threads, and techniques, right?

How to ride powder

1. Choose the right board

Different boards are built for different terrain. So, if you’re regularly laying freshies, expand your quiver and get yourself a powder board. These boards are designed with deep snow in mind and help you perform better in the white gold!

Powder boards are typically a tapered directional shape (where the nose is wider and longer than the tail) with a rockered or 3-D nose profile to help lift the board out of the snow. This boosts ‘float’ (the ease with which the board naturally rises to the top of the snow) so you stay on top of the snow (possibly the most important thing on deep days!). Powder boards also help avoid the horrific back leg burn and maintain speed. Yep, the right board basically does 90% of the work for you to enjoy the ride.

2. Find your balance

Ah, balance. Without it, you’ll face-plant more frequently than you would after a heavy après session. Luckily, it’s relatively easy to rectify. All you need to do is shift your weight back a bit. You want around 60-70% of your weight on your back foot to keep the nose up and your board floating! Of course, it depends on which board you have. For example, as we’ve just mentioned, powder boards are designed for the deep stuff, so you can often have more equal weight. Keep your body loose and relaxed, too. That way, your body absorbs any dips without rag-dolling.

We get it: riding deep snow makes you think you have to lean way back to avoid a nose dive. But, by doing that, you’re actually throwing your balance off and tiring your legs out. The key is slightly shifting your hips and bending your back knee to add extra weight to your rear foot. Don’t forget to stay super low. This maintains speed and balance (the ultimate combo).

3. Change your stance

If you suffer from the dreaded back leg burn, tweak your stance to a setback one. This means moving your front and rear foot nearer the tail by an inch or so. That way, the nose becomes longer than the tail. A setback stance reduces the surface area of the tail, helping to sink the back of the board, raising the nose out of the snow. The result? You’ll have an easier time putting your weight on your back foot. And what do ya know? Snowboarding in powder is suddenly easier!

You can also try closing in your back foot angle, so it’s more like +18/-6 rather than being completely duckfooted. That’s all down to preference, though! For example, Elena Hight rides +18/0 degrees. Still suffering from the back leg burn? Perfecting your technique in soft snow can be tough on the body! So, add squats to your pre-season workout routine to prep your legs for the pow ahead!

4. Make open turns

Making open turns guarantees a smoother ride. An open turn is a loose, ‘surfy’ turn straight down the slope (as opposed to across it). Finish your turns by traveling across the hill instead, and you’ll slow down or catch an edge – and hear your crew chuckling below as you faceplant. 

So, how do you make an open turn? Center your weight between your feet when initiating a turn. Lean over your toeside or heelside edge and flex your legs, hips, and ankles in the direction you want to go. However, resist the temptation to lean too far into the turn – you’ll only become off-centered and eat snow again. Instead, focus on the fall line (the straightest line down the run) and follow an imaginary sequence of short, smooth, loose ‘S’ shapes. The best way to see if you’ve nailed your turns? Well, first, it’ll feel amazing. But, second, look back at your tracks. Are they smooth? Or more like jagged ‘Z’ shapes across the hill? If they’re the latter, give it another shot. If they’re smooth-as, give yourself a high-five! 

5. Ease off your edges

Okay, we totally understand the urge to get on your edges and carve hard on groomers. However, in powder, the focus is on subtle movements. Cut really aggressively or dig your edges into fresh stuff, and the nose can sink. This means you’ll lose speed and eat snow. Again. 

Instead, snowboarding in powder is about riding with less edge angle. This helps keep a flatter base, so the board keeps on top of the snow. Our top tip? Use your ankles! Slowly rock them from toe to heel as if you’re rolling a ball underneath the arch of your foot. We’ve heard a few riders liken this technique to surfing – and we agree! Small movements make big waves when laying tracks. 

6. Maintain speed

Speed is your friend, best buddy, and part of the crew when laying freshies. That’s because a buildup of snow naturally creates friction and slows you down. So, ride faster than usual to avoid sinking. As powder flattens a slope’s surface and squashes your speed, you can shred steeper stuff than you typically would, too. Riding fast is particularly important when spotting an upcoming long, flat runout. Lose momentum here, and the snow acts as glue, grinding you to a halt and leaving you with a long walk out of there!

It’s also handy to maintain your pace before turning. As mentioned, we want to make loose, open, surfy turns down the fall line. These get you into a smooth rhythm, making you less likely to sink or catch an edge and eat snow. And trust us – after digging yourself out of soft snow a few times, you’ll soon learn to ride fast instead of descending into the deep! If you have to slow down to avoid a cliff, boulder, or natural obstacle, use a closed turn across the slope. 

7. Understand the terrain

You should always assess a powder run – especially if riding off-piste. That means considering the avalanche risk, going with a crew, and having your safety equipment. You should also assess your run for dangerous obstacles, such as tree stumps, tree wells, rocks, and cliffs. 

It helps to make sure your run is steep enough to ride out. There’s nothing worse than choosing a line, realizing the amount of fresh snow on top has flattened the run too much to gain speed, coming to a halt, and having to unstrap and hike through waist-deep pow. *Facepalm*. You want to try to stay as high as possible on your chosen terrain, too. This applies to traversing across a powder field, scoping out your tree run, or charging out a gully – the higher you are, the better, as you’re less likely to become stuck on a flat runout. And remember, speed is your buddy. If you see a flat area ahead, point your board straight down the fall line, and lock and load! 

8. Have fun

We totally get that learning new techniques can be daunting. And trust us – you’re gonna fall! You’re gonna get frustrated! But practice makes perfect! Even Jeremy Jones, Travis Rice, Elena Hight, and Victor de Le Rue had to dial their skills somehow. At the end of the day, though, it’s all about having fun, not overthinking things, and embracing the euphoria of fresh powder. 

Besides, once it clicks, you’ll wonder how you’ve ever lived without that joyous feeling. Honestly, there’s nothing like riding powder, and it’s hard to get enough of it. And once you’re used to this new terrain, your skills will fly! You can slash, spray rooster trails, and float through snorkel-needing depths. 

Wrapping up 

Can’t wait to try out these new techniques? Pining for your next powder sesh? Us, too! Until then, prep for winter with squats galore and watch videos of the pros ripping through the good stuff. Then, when it’s pow time (better than Christmas, IMO), don’t forget to get up early and score those first lifts. 

Let us know how you’re progressing in pow! We love hearing about your ski trips and skills in the Dope Snow Community Facebook Group! So, join today – and keep your eyes peeled for exclusive collection previews. 

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