Flat Length vs Tip-to-Tip: Which Measurement Should You Design To?
If you have ever compared board specs from different brands, you have seen two length numbers that do not match. LindzCAD lets you switch between them — here is what each means and when to use it.
Flat length (developed length)
This is the arc length of the base material from tail tip to nose tip before the press introduces rocker, camber, and tip rise. It is the number most ski and snowboard manufacturers use on hang tags and spec sheets.
Tip-to-tip (straight tape)
Measure in a straight line from the physical nose tip to the tail tip after the board is finished. Because it ignores curve, tip-to-tip is usually slightly shorter than the stated flat length for the same board.
In LindzCAD
Open Board Shape → Length and choose FLAT or TIP TO TIP. In flat mode, the main length slider controls developed length and LindzCAD solves wheelbase to hold that target as rocker changes.
When a customer sends a tip-to-tip dimension, switch modes before entering their numbers — mixing modes is the most common source of “my board came out short” confusion in garage builds.