The purpose of this study was to define a method for the validation of a numerical model representing a snowboard structure undergoing the conditions of a carved turn. A static load bench was developed to expose a snowboard to in-situ conditions. The deformed shape of the structure was measured with the use of retro-reflective markers, whose positions in space were tracked by six cameras and determined by triangulation. The experimental set-up was idealized in a finite element model, representing the composite structure and the loading environment. The model was validated by comparing the measured and computed displacement fields. The congruence between the two deformed surfaces was expressed by statistical means and constitutes the target function for optimization frameworks. Additionally, the contact pressure at the ground interface was experimentally assessed with the use of pressure measurement tape and compared with the numerical predictions.