(Sorry!) Ski or snowboard?

Right. Looking to book a ski holiday to the Alps end of Feb beginning of March.
But cant for the life of me decide whether to board or ski. I have done a day of each in Germany when I was in Munich last march. Skiing I got snow plough turns. Boarding I was just about linking turns whilst still falling over a lot.

Head says skiing as I will be able to get down more of the runs earlier, and may make more sue of the holiday. But I have always had a bit of a craving to learn boarding.

Anyone else been in the same situation? What did you go for?

IMO you will get to go quicker sooner on a board. If that’s your bag then get yourself a Lib Tech quick smart DOOD and slay some pow.

Do you need to decide now?

Why not just see what happens when you arrive. As a novice at both, riding will be easier than skiing if there’s been lots of fresh snow and skiing will be easier if it’s icier. Hire a board for a couple of days and see how you get on. If you’re not having fun, swap for some skis.

It’s hard when you’re only away for one week a year, but I’d say pick what you’re weakest at, you’ll be glad you did next year 🙂

most places ive hired ski / boards from are happy to swap kit over.

personally I think skiing’s easier and hurts hell of a lot less when you get it wrong

did skiing for a week when i was 8 and loved it, but then learnt to snowboard and haven’t gone back to skiing!!

skiing is way easier to pick up but snowboarding shoudl only take about 3 days to get the hang of linking turns and fall over less and is waay more fun than skiing

i woudln’t mind trying skiing again though, as the last few times i’ve been the snow has been crap and we’ve stuck to the piste (whcih is pretty boring on a board) if its powder all week then defintley board, but if its icy and you are on piste then i’d ski – plus you can go much faster on skis

Whatever you choose get yourself to a snowdome before the holiday and get a few hours in when you’re not paying through the nose for it.

Snowboarding, done by all the old people trying to cling on to being cool
Skiing, just pure orsumnezz

As any fule kno.

CaptainFlashheart, pictured recently:

Everyone learns differently.
Skiing hurts more if you fall cos you can snap things, but you fall less than snowboarding. Snowboarding falls are just bruises.
There’s one place snowboarding loses out to skiing. Flat stuff.
They’re both brilliant – choose what you think looks coolest 🙂
( I refer you to the above picture 😉 )

That’s not a onesie. Do try and keep up, Graham! 😉

Snowboarding falls are just bruises.

Hmmmm, my medical history would suggest otherwise 🙂

Snowboarding falls are just bruises.

But if it’s icy they’ll be damn big ones. After my first week on a snowboard the WHOLE of my right ar$e cheek was a solid black/purple/yellow lump but then it was Bulgaria and it was real icy.

Can’t comment on skis really as I’ve never done it but I think the received wisdom is that if you’re only ever going to do piste and it’s only to be once a year, ski. If you want to get off piste and have some fun with it you’re better off boarding as you’ll get to do it quicker.

Right enough Flashy. Here you go:

Meanwhile in the snowboard world:

Rock on!

I’ve been snowboarding for close to 20 years. My wife started at the same time and turned to skiing a few years ago, she reckons skiing is far easier.
I’ve never skied so I can’t comment, but what I do know is that when learning to snowboard you will take a bit of a beating.
If your prepared for that, give the snowboarding a try, if not, ski.
But……… My best advice is to get some good quality lessons as bad habits are picked up at an early stage and are very difficult to reverse. The second worst riders you see are self taught, the worst have been taught by second worst!

If your prepared for that, give the snowboarding a try

It’s much easier to be prepared these days:

http://www.absolute-snow.co.uk/S/IMPACT_SHORTS_Crash_Pants_Bum_Pads_Padded_SNOWBOARD_PROTECTION-%28303%29.aspx?sort=1&ViewType=GridView&ItemsPerPage=36

(young uns don’t know they are born.. mumble grumble..)

I’ve been snowboarding for close to 20 years. My wife started at the same time and turned to skiing a few years ago, she reckons skiing is far easier.
I’ve never skied so I can’t comment, but what I do know is that when learning to snowboard you will take a bit of a beating.

Hmmm, that’s interesting. I’ve snowboarded for 18 years and skied for 12. I’d say skiing is easier to get to grips with the very basic stuff and you need snowboarding to “click”, which can take a couple of days for some people.

However, I think it’s easier to be “advanced” on a snowboard than skis. Maybe that’s just me though. I can ride better than I can ski.

Flashy nails it.

As a rule of thumb.

Skining is easier to learn but harder to master.
Snowboarding is harder to learn but easier to master.

As someone who likes touring/backcountry (or skiing uphill as one of my colleagues put it) it’s skiing all the way!

I don’t think she ever got to to the “click” bit!!!

Hmmmm, my medical history would suggest otherwise

I meant the learning to ride kind!

As above with my ex, snowboarded from the same time as me, didn’t progress so switched to skiing. Remains average at that, but doesn’t fall as much 🙂

Proper first world problem 🙂

I skied as a kid but snowboard now. I’d probably like to ski again at some point but it seems like a waste of time on snow when I could be snowboarding as I’d have to re-learn everything.

You know deep down which you would rather do, so do that. I’m a standing sideways kinda guy. If you do pick snowboarding though, don’t call it boarding 😉

The following are generalisations:
Skiing is faster, but there’s times when snowboarding is too fast for me “fuuuuuu…”
Skiing you have more control (two edges vs one)
Snowboarding allows you to ride powder sooner
Common snowboarding injuries are broken wrists, cocksys (sp?!), face plants. Expect to fall a lot when learning to snowboard.
Common ski injuries are buggered up knee ligaments (ACL is very common)
Skiing seems easier to learn the basics and get down the hill, but harder to master
Snowboarding basics are quite tricky but once done, you can get pretty good, pretty quickly. e.g. Carving is an easy unlock.
Snowboarding seems to have more fun easy-unlock tricks to play around with (butters, prezels, 180s, reverts, tail blocks, etc) which are great fun, skiing has some, but they look a mess with poles and sticks everywhere.
Lifts are crap for snowboarders.
Snowboarding is a pain in flat resorts, if you are good you can bomb through the flats, you will deffo piss people off doing that. The flats are usually blues and greens, it’s a loose-loose situation.

And the most important reason to snowboard:
Methods

I’d probably just do what everyone else is doing. I’ve gone mainly with snowboarders but there’s often been skiers in the group too – it’s all good. Whatever you do you’ll have a blast.

Cheers guys.

I needed to decide fairly sharpish as I was going to book some lessons for when I am out there, but needed to know which lessons to book. Works out cheaper if I just add the lessons onto the package.

I have thought about doing some days at snowdome first. worth it?

Still at a loss for which to go for though.

I have thought about doing some days at snowdome first. worth it?

Yes. Especially if you can go when it is quiet and get some one on one tuition.

>> I have thought about doing some days at snowdome first. worth it?

Hell yeah – I’d totally make sure which ever I did I was as good as I could be before heading out. I would hate to be on the mountain but not be able to explore the whole area or go on guided off piste because I couldn’t hack it. When I know I’m going I’ve usually been to the fridge every week for a few months before, not everyone does it, but you’ll get a lot more out of your holiday if you do (granted I go to freestlye nights, if you aren’t into that you can get bored of 120m of slope and poma lifts)

Still at a loss for which to go for though.

Let me see if I can help persuade you a little more.

This is a top skier;

This is a top snowboardist

We all know which the ladies will like more…

😉

It’s a trick…. Shaun white is significantly richer, so women probably prefer him.

Travis is arguably a better “complete” rider though. Shaun just slays the pipe, grabs boot, etc

Shaun white is significantly richer

I wouldn’t be so sure…!

OK, how about Jon Olsson then?
Rockstar looks, and the lifestyle to go with it!

Another win for skiers! 😀

*shrugs* Never heard of him 🙂

Are you going with friends? Are they skiing or boarding? If you’re new to it I’d do whatever they’re doing. If they are skiing and you’re learning to board then it’s going to be a frustrating time. Also depends on where you’re going. Some places are far more suited to skiing if you’re starting out. If you’re new to boarding then places with long narrow flatish bits that connect runs together can be a total PITA and your mates on skis will get bored waiting for you.

Frodo +1 for rules of thumb. I’m a skier.

I think it should also depend a bit on what you want to do once you’ve learnt and how much time you’re going to commit over the next few years.

If you are planning on heading into the backcountry / side country then skiing is far easier outside of a resort compared to split-boarding.

If this is a once every so often skiing might be easier to get to the point where you can cruise the reds / blues.

Why does Flashy keep posting pictures of “sexy” guys to persuade you…?

Chanelle Sladics

Tara Dakides – two-time X Games gold medalist

Aimee Fuller – British Olympic hopeful in Slopestyle

Having learnt both I would say skiing is considerably easier to get going from scratch. (Both take time to get very good at.)

I’d also say the gap in terms of what you can do on the two is narrower than ever. Piste, Park, Powder – both disciplines are good at all three these days.

Pick the one you like more.

Graham, I assumed the OP was a chap, and was therefore showing how orsumz he’d look as a skiist.

*chinny reckon* 😉

What are you going to aspire to in the future? Are you a trail centre type dude or do you like going travelling in the hills under your own steam?

As Frodo said, if you like travelling, skis are the way to go….

The back country snowboarding options are a lot harder: snow shoe up first carrying your board then the shoes; a “split decision” type board or hike up in your boots carrying your board. Not great.

And hey, even Scotland can have good ski touring 😉

Snowboarding, done by all the old people trying to cling on to being cool
Skiing, just pure orsumnezz

There’s actually a large element of truth in this.

Snowboarding is a fad for people of my generation. (40s)
Snowboarding is for people who generally aren’t very sporty.
Skiing is much more the thing if you’re into mountains/ sport etc.
Skiing is for rich people (sauf Ecosse).
Snowboarding is for normal people.

Snowboarding is a fad for people of my generation. (40s)
Snowboarding is for people who generally aren’t very sporty.
Skiing is much more the thing if you’re into mountains/ sport etc.
Skiing is for rich people (sauf Ecosse).
Snowboarding is for normal people.

mwahahaha…aaaaah brilliant. Such snobbery/elitism.

I learnt to snowboard when I was 14. I’m 32. Still got my generics 90s board in my garage!

Have tried both and friends have tried both. General consensus is that skiing is great fun most of the time, however for those days when fresh snow arrives then a board will be so much more fun than skiing can ever dream of being. The instructors I know who do both generally ski when the piste is hard packed, but when powder arrives then out come the snowboards and the real playtime begins.

thegeneralist – most accurate user name ever 😉

+1 for giving both a try and seeing what you like doing. I agree both are very accessible these days and you are most likely to be guided by what your mates are doing. (I often holiday in a mixed group of skiers and snowboarders without any bother)

the generalist, are you embarrassed about your lack of knowledge of snowsports? 🙂