[Closed] Ski or Snowboard

Ski, because it is..........

Well that's helpful 🙁

BOTH. Which is best depends entirely on snow conditions.

for a beginner......skiing, less time on your ass

Snowboarders think they are cool, skiers know they are are cool.

Actually, you can make the choice fairly simply by asking yourself 1 question: Do you enjoy down sitting in the middle of the piste just over the brow of a hill where you can't be seen? If yes then snowboard, if no then ski.

Cue standard ski v's snowboard stereotypes.

Why would you want to choose one above the other. This sort of question is about as tedious as road biking over mountain biking. People will have preferences, but neither is better than the other.

Snowboard just feels a lot more natural, but ski's best for a total novice.

Seems to be a lot more to concentrate on with skiing. I can't cope and thus fall over in a tangle of long pointed objects.

Snowboarding is easier and feels more natural. Thus, I have more fun.

If you need to ask then the 'cool' factor doesn't matter.

Personally, I think snowboarding is more fun.

And Lunge, I've never sat in the middle of the piste just over the brow of a hill and neither have any of my snowboarding chums.

Diane, if you like to stand in the middle of the piste and then glide off to one side without warning directly in front of people without looking up hill to check, then ski.

Cue standard ski v's snowboard stereotypes.

Give both a try and see for yourself. I'd echo the above that different conditions do favour one or the other.

Iain

Skinig if you want to look like this

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

yea.. skiers are cool 😆

Snowboarding: purely because I prefer to have both feet attached to the same thing. Attatching them to two seperate slidey things seems like a recipe for twisted knees and groin strains to me 🙂

Also I get to sit down more when snowboarding.

Snowboard just feels a lot more natural, but ski's best for a total novice.

I would have thought that if a complete novice went for 1 weeks holiday they would be doing more by the end of the week if they boarded...... but the learning curve is fairly steep.
Snow conditions make big difference to learning to snowboard. If it's icy then you could spend quite some time wondering why you bothered.

If you've ever skateboarded, wakeboarded, surfed or windsurfed (short board) before, then snowboarding will come easily.

Snowboarding: purely because I prefer to have both feet attached to the same thing. Attatching them to two seperate slidey things seems like a recipe for twisted knees and groin strains to me

Absolutely.

I went for snowboarding, the only time I have been on a snowy holiday.

As alluded to above, the though of having to control two long sticks strapped to my feet seemed like a recipe for disaster.
I used to skateboard a bit when I was a kid (nothing rad, just round the local park) and 2 feet on the same board just seemed like the way forward.

McHamish, touche!

Do whichever the rest of your group unless you have a particular drawn to one of the other.

Both are great fun, there is nothing better than the first turns in some fresh powder under a blue sky.

You think so?

I would have thought that if a complete novice went for 1 weeks holiday they would be doing more by the end of the week if they boarded...... but the learning curve is fairly steep.
Snow conditions make big difference to learning to snowboard. If it's icy then you could spend quite some time wondering why you bothered.

If you've ever skateboarded, wakeboarded, surfed or windsurfed (short board) before, then snowboarding will come easily.

Deffo. after a couple of ski lessons you will be able to get down just about anything, even ice. Not so with a snowboard imho.
Best idea would be to have a crack at both and see what works for you.

I love the "boarding is more natural" chat..... going sideways is mote natural than going forwards - really??
And as for only having 1 thing on your feet - born with your feet joined? One of the reasons young kids do better at skiing is that they its more natural due to being able to stand normally.

I do both, so would say just go for whichever you think will be more fun

Yeah, I said it [b]felt[/b] more natural. Ie. For me. Cos it does.

Snowboard, because that's all I've ever done, but wish I could ski. One of these days I'll get to it.

Its only when you ride with really good skiers you see how much faster they can go and how much more aggressive some of the lines they can take are.

One of the guys I ride with regularly (he's a skier, former ski instructor) raced each other down Off Beat at Fort Bill, which was complete to the car park. It was interesting to see who coped better with various sections. He won, obv. - able to keep much more of his speed through tight corners.

I am a fairly proficient snowboarder and have just started to learn to ski.

So far skiing seems 'easier' to pick up but then again maybe it's an unrealistic judgement due to my snowboarding experience helping.

My lady vastly prefers skiing....

for a beginner......[s]skiing[/s] snowboarding, less time [s]on your ass[/s] flailing down the hill with your legs going in opposite directions

I'd disagree with comment about kids - I reckon they do better at skiing as it's much easier to stop in a controlled manner on ski's (snowplough) than it is on a board. My three can all ski, only one can board and he much prefers it, but is a lot less in control than he is with ski's.

I'm crap at both 🙂

SBZ +1 although I think if I'd boarded before I skied then I may not have tried skiing. Boarding for me is more rewarding when you can 'surf' the snow and I'm not into rails/jumps etc. Ski's are better in steeps, bumps, trees or when it gets technical.

Fluffy or good snow, no long flat sections ,good lift system ie. few pomas = board
Everything else = ski

If you can decide which is better from these two videos, you are better than me. Very sad that neither of them are around anymore 😥

snowboarding is better if you want a broken wrist, or coccyx, leaving you with permanent nerve damage (IME)

skiing is better for ripping off your knee ligaments.

(from watching friends spend a year of their life going through re-construction surgery and re-habilitation)

thats cheerful ^^

I like skiing despite loving surfing and skating, I find skiing more fun, less hassle, you can schuss longer and faster so there's none of the one legged shuffle to get you to the next lift.

Skiing for me - used to snowboard however the skis are much more versatile - any slope from ice to powder to moguls to ones with flat spots is good.

Its also more technical IMO you can look pretty proficient on a snowboard after a week, skis take longer.

Snowboarding incredible in deep powder - skiing is great as well in powder but a bit more difficult.

My gf is austrian - most of her friends are going back to skiing for its versatility.

Sledge.

No difference for a first timer on either ski or board as both have a pretty steep learning curve and you will fall over heaps on both and ache like never before. The only advantage with skis is on flat spots other than that evenly matched, it’s an age old argument board or ski which is better blah blah blah ignore all of it and just do what you feel comfortable with.

depends on the slope really, and what mood you're in

big wide slopes I think suit snowboards

narrow and with flat sections suits skis

oh, and snowboard boots are generally comfier, plus it's impossible to do the splits

both are excellent fun though

You have to love the Ski types who can't help but have a dig at the snowboarders and vice versa.

Where is the love?

I have tried both but ended up snowboarding. It does feel more natural for some of us. Just the same as you will have one foot you put forward when you stand up on your bike (I know there are people who don't mind)

When you were a kid and slid on the ice in the play ground was it sideways or forward?

The thing about finding something that feels natural is it is hard to understand how other might find the complete opposite true?

Don't worry about what anyone thinks and just have a go at what you take a shine to more. If you don't like it swap. You may hate both?

Both are a good way to have fun in the snow.

If you choose snowboarding, within your first week you'll be standing up and going down the nursery slopes. Which is the same for skiing.

Yes, your bum will hurt with snowboarding as you'll fall on it a lot.

Your thighs will ache with both skiing and snowboarding.

Either way you'll have fun and you'll ache somewhere.

Some people have said that skiing is more versatile...i've snowboarding for a while and I haven't come across anything I can't get down in a long while....from double black off piste in the states to ice covered slopes in Europe.

If you keep it up you'll become competent with either skiing or snowboarding.

One recommendation though...do lessons in Blighty before you go on holiday, then you'll have the basics mastered before you go.

Snow plough is misery and something i have never used when skiing.

By the time I'd learned to ski, I'd invested too much time and energy to try snowboarding - maybee one day I should.

Anyhow, I got into mtbing as a surrogate for skiing. Marriage, mortgage and kids meant no skiing between 1995 and 2008 🙁 🙁 🙁

BUT the reason I took to mtb was that I found it to be very similar to skiing - balance, attacking stance, feeling the grip / getting the edges to bite, whether they be ski edges or edge knobblies on the bike...

... in other words, I'd imagine that an mtber would take to skiing quite readily.

Am I the only one who [i]feels[/i] these similarities

For some reason I never fancied skiing when I was younger, always wanted to try snowboarding though.

I've now been snowboarding for about 9 years, I would echo the coments above that it is relatively easy to pick up the basics, so you'll be up on your own fairly quickly. I can't comment on how skiing would differ, as I've not tried it yet, but, I would like to, and will probably try to get some lessons in the next year so can give it a go next winter.

BLOODY RECESSION.

NO skiing on the cards for this winter 🙁

my sentiments exactly McHamish,

all this talk of skis are better here and boards are better for these conditions makes me laugh, once your are at a decent level on either all terrain is there to be slashed / carved it’s all about technique.

Lessons before you go will be a revelation as you will know what to expect when you finally get on the mountain.

telemarkers know that neither skiers nor snowboarders are cool.

Skiing if just sticking to the Piste, Snowboard when the powder is about or going off in the Helicopter.

aracer - Member
telemarkers know that neither skiers nor snowboarders are cool.

They are just mountain gods!!! Especially in the powder!!!

Thanks all - very informative

Ahh, telemarkers - singlespeeders of the snow!

Lycra or baggies? not really a choice in my opinion. Had the same choice 5 yr back, opted for snowboarding which I have never regretted for a minute.Skiing can always go on the retirement to do list ,well thats what I think.Either way choose one and go and enjoy some of the best holidays you will ever have.

i learnt to snowboard in a day yesterday in MK, at 1st it was difficult but by the end of the day i was so the main slope holding my own, where as the skiers on the ski in a day course seemed to struggle, spend loads of time on there backside and getting in each others way and crashing in to the button lift!!

well worth it!!!

I learned to snowboard in 1991 when skis were awkward, narrow and straight (much like most skiers of the time). Modern skis make learning much easier so there's not really much difference anymore. I grew up surfing so it made more sense too.

I learned (taught myself) to ski during a particularly snow-starved season and carried on skiing instead of snowboarding the following season, as it allows more control and more speed. It also meant not cocking about with snowshoes when I was off-piste. I also prefer the over-tweaked style of grabs on skis.

Ignore people who tell you one is better than the other. Just have a think about whether you're more comfortable going sideways or forward-facing.

Skis are more versatile for sure. The main impracticality of snowboards are that you have to look, plan, go faster and pump downslopes to get across flats, whereas with skis you can be lazy and skate flats once you have the technique dialled.

I think skis can turn a bit faster to. Despite being good at slalom turns on a snowboard, I cannot turn fast enough to ride mogul slopes in the way that skiers do.

At the end of the day, a snowboard is just big mono ski. And I prefer snowboarding.

I've always been a resonably confident skier and was reluctant to try snowboarding on a holiday as I didn't want to waste a week learning when I knew I could be enjoying my skiing - so went on a snowboard in a day course. Been a few times since and feel quite confident ahead of my holiday in Jan.

I know it'll be a different kettle of fish on piste to the fairly regular slopes of Tamworth and Castleford but I'm buzzing for it.

In terms of the difference - really difficult to say over all as I know I'll get frustrated not being able to ski along flat bits, but the idea of taking off my board and walking seems like a bit of an adventure in itself - a chance to enjoy the environment 🙂

The thing I notice about snowboarding rather than skiing is snowboarding seems to require a lot more flow to it. Getting the flow going and maintaining it is what I've been focusing on, where as on skis you have a lot of control and the you can ski without the need for flow (That makes no sense but I know what I mean) A bit like the difference between walking and dancing.

I really love snowboarding - you can get down any slope with a little bit of training, so you never feel out of your comfort zone, and when you get it right it feels fantastic. But I'm no good at it, and falling at speed on a board really hurts - I tend to fall forwards, and fly down the mountain, onto my ribs.

I also loathe the irritating attitude of [b]some[/b] skiers - smug, selfish and dull with the predictability of their attitude to anyone that is different or not as good as them.

Having said this, I'm skiing this year, to see if it hurts less...

I do not what you mean Bushwacked. But it's dead hard to explain.

in a light hearted follow up to my early 'pragmatic' comment:

skiing is good for going really fast.

snowboarding is good for spinning off things.

skiing is good if it's icy.

snowboarding is good if it's really snowy.

definitely learn both if you can.

I really love snowboarding - you can get down any slope with a little bit of training

i got down 'the swiss wall' in my first week on a snowboard.

i crashed a lot, and probably cried a fair bit, but yep, got down it.

(i was 22, i thought i was bullet-proof)

I'd love to see you getting down the Swiss Wall or the Courchevel Couloirs (let alone Corbet's Couloir) with "a little bit of training"!

Getting down is easy! Doing it while remaining upright is the tricky bit.

yeah you can get down anything after a week....... on your backside though 🙂

Getting down with flow and style now that takes a hell of a lot more than just a week, it's like people talking about carving after a week when in reality after a week all your doing is sliding the board round . It's the same when people refer to pow it's not pow unless it's either waist deep or bottomless now that is real pow and a whole other technique 😀

I'd love to see you getting down the Swiss Wall or the Courchevel Couloirs (let alone Corbet's Couloir) with "a little bit of training"!

Not sure what you're getting at!!! Been down both no problem.

The Swiss Wall was a laugh...moguls taller than i was! Although they meant some impressive jumps on the way down - i just had to pick my landing before hand!

Other people within my group didn't want to go down it...cowards.

But then I do laugh in the face of danger, tweak the nose of terror, and make the impossible, possible.

it's not pow unless it's either waist deep or bottomless now that is real pow and a whole other technique

The Courcheval couloirs aren't really hard at all once you are in them, I just hate the ridge across to get to them!

Not sure what you're getting at!!!

I've not done any of those on a board - wasn't there when I was anywhere near good enough (though TBH I'd still much rather ski than board on big moguls anyway). Not done Corbet's at all, and I don't think that was solely because I was on a board only week in JH!

A few guys I know have done Corbet's a few times and they reckoned it wasn't too bad as long as there was decent snow and not ice on the jump in. Like most of these things it is the mental side which is difficult to overcome. The ugly sister couloir nearest the gondola in Courcheval for instance has the added -ve of being in full view of the 'crowd' and the fact it is quite steep before the rock outcrop/sheer drop, which you can't see past from the top.

I have seen way too many people doing dodgy snowploughs down the ridge just so they can say they've 'done' the Grande Couloir. No point, you may as well just slide down on your arse!

Well admittedly I did jump the smaller moguls towards the bottom of the Swiss Wall when it starts to flatten out a bit...I may be a god as you say, but i'm not stupid. 8)

Maybe you'd struggle a bit to get down it without crapping yourself if you're a beginner, but then it does have loads of warning signs at the top to suggest that you might want to think twice.

Not done Corbetts...never been to Jacksons Hole...don't think i will now I'm married and the misses doesn't like the cold.

i'm so RAD to the power of GNAR that i can snowboard down the windscreen of a ford transit.

i win.

Where is the 'Swiss wall' ?

at the back of the gym next the blue mats and girly weights

Sounds like my sort of place

The Swiss Wall, Avoriaz/Les Crozets
[img] [/img]

The moguls made by all the skiers make it pretty rubbish for snowboarding.

Usually caused by tentative boarders who se swa sown slope before falling and breaking there wrists lol
p.s
looks a piece of p*ss that slope 🙂

I am also dyslexic !

Q. What's the worst part about being a skier?
A. Telling your parents that you're gay.

Swiss wall looks nothing special.

It looks worse from the top when you're looking at a mogul the size of my ego.

To be honest once you've got past the first few metres it isn't anything special.

How do they compare to say the back corries at nevis range?

Is that really 'the swiss wall' as it looks nothing like the 'wall' I did at Avoriaz about 15 years ago which was a very nasty and uncomfortable mix of ridged steps and icy moguls.

This looks a little more like it
[img] [/img][img] http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRQX5NObvRKY2fatjo-yHnu83nNMJwgc80mqghq66XzV1pnSYqU [/img]

I snowplowed down the wall in winter 1992. I was thin and fit. It was good. If it's powdery anyone can do it...

The snow conditions are the key. When I did it we watched several people falling then picking up speed and bouncing off the moguls all the way to the bottom, some of them 100m +.

Focuses the mind a bit!

Those photos are of the same place.

Woody, that is the same slope!

can't think why you'd want to go anywhere near that on a snowboard...

You're all forgetting the most important bits:

No.1:
Snowboard boots - comfy and you can walk on them all day
Ski boots - you'll want to chop your feet off unless you spend a fortune on having your boots shaped.

No2:
Try carrying a board, then try carrying skis, poles, with boots up and down an icy slope. Try that sober - then try after 6 pints. Then you'll know which is easier

Either way - wear a helmet