New and confused!

I think 156 is too short and would stick to the tried and true chin to nose area for board length. I am 5’11” and @ least a bag of sand heavier, and a 160 splitboard is my shortest ridden. It’s really fun but I do not rely on it for float in powder. When you add your clothing and backpack weight plus your height, I think you will want a freeride-style board around 160 to maintain float in slower sections and be capable of handling steeper sections.

I second what Buell said, shorter boards are fine for denser coastal snow, Deeper and drier Wasatch type and BC snow you’ll need width. I have two girls in my family with size 9 and 10 womens who both ride men’s boards because 24.5 cm doesn’t cut it for Women’s 9 and 10 for width, especially in Utah. Make sure you have ample width first. At 5’11” you have plenty of leverage for a board in the low 160s. Don’t fear a 165 if you are in Utah or interior BC or see a lot of great quality deep snow.

I rode a 160 Khyber as my primary board in Utah and really liked it (more float in Utah snow and almost always riding good powder). When I started spending winters in the Eastern Sierra, I found it was not very good in the wind affected snow / mixed conditions that you often get even on a powder day. It just did not like variable conditions. It could make a good powder day board when you know that is all you will be riding.

I rode a 158 Solution for a bit and now ride a 158 Milligram on the west coast. For the west coast, make sure your board can handle any condition first. Then add a powder board for the deep days.

i’m 6ft 200lbs and float all day on a 156 Jones Hovercraft

FWIW: I’m the same height (5’11”), similar weight (~155) and ride a 162cm Jones (mostly in interior BC).

I’d second the point about gear adding to your weight. Might be worth doing a back-of-the-envelope calculation just to see how much it can be.

Don’t forget slope angles. Consider that typically after a big snow the avy danger rises and by extension its prudent to ride lower angle terrain. The problem is a lot of new unsettled snow on low angle terrain can result in a miserable day of skooching along in a trench. I tend to ride larger boards and I still experience this a couple times per season. On the other hand if you only ride steeps or compacted snow, I don’t believe length or surface area makes much difference in the ability to happily descend a slope.

Above all, have a great first season

Cheers!

NK,
I’m guessing you have size 11 feet or so, if that is the case and you ride a lot of low angle pow, there is still a real and discernible amount of float and speed you could add from riding a wider board. There aren’t a lot of larger and wider Hovercraft type splits out there though.

I’m 6’1. 190 something usually. Years ago I switched from a 26 to a 27.5 width and the difference in low angle speed through turns was very noticeable. I ride a 187 x 27.5 which with the tail cut would be like a 175-177 in the hovercraft format probably. In some snow conditions, a board like that can feel nimble and make turns when other riders are just trying to stay going.

I’m done with board making for the year, but if you are interested in a custom next year keep me in mind. I have an excellent formula for low angle, good snow, tree riding boards.