Internet battles have been waged, and friendships have been lost over that last question.
Sumo or conventional stance should not be a polarizing or controversial choice. It is first based on your structure. Torso length, femur length, and arm length all come into play. A longer femur with a shorter torso may find conventional to their liking. A shorter torso with a longer femur may find sumo to their liking. Those with shorter arms may find sumo a better choice, while longer arms might lean towards conventional. Those with an overall average build can go with either.
But this does not mean you should be locked into only one stance. There will be one stance you prefer and where you can pull the most weight, but why make it your only stance?
What if you got stronger in both?
Approaching his 50th birthday, Mark Valenti, StrongFirst Certified Team Leader, decided to find out. He set a goal of achieving a 3x bodyweight deadlift in both stances.
For most, the goal of a 3x bodyweight deadlift is a strength milestone they are happy to achieve in one stance, but it is rarely achieved in both. | 
