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'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"!
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.
The holy grail - I've only had that 4 or 5 times in Europe but I would class 'powder days' as any new snow where you don't bottom out on the hard base below when you turn.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!!!
That people who aren't gods like you (though I'm guessing that either you've done a little bit more than "a little training" or your real name is Stuart Baggs) might struggle to get down those without hurting themselves with only "a little training". Though I note you say "both" - does that mean you've not done Corbet's (ought to suit you if you're jumping head high moguls)?
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
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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
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[/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
I know it's the same place, it just didn't look anything like I remembered it, or as steep in the first pic!
Trying to find a decent video of it but they are all pants!
Edit:Not great but gives an idea
If it's powdery anyone can do it...
If it's powdery enough that you can snowplough down it doesn't really count!
Nice bump skiing. I can hear you wheezing 🙂
Oooo can't wait 😀 Think i will do the Ski thing (As 2 hrs tuition a day is included) and i can do it a bit (Can't stop though he he - Kongsberg was interesting)
And will try for a bit of boarding tuition too - will let you know how i get on 🙂
