Skiing vs snowboarding - which is easier to learn

[Tim Hancock]

Originally Posted by axl911

I don't understand the appeal of skis over snowboard. Skis looked so much more graceful, but it seemed there is so much more control and maneuverability with the snowboards.

I can ski much more difficult terrain at higher speeds in complete control compared to nearly any snowboarder. I love skiing moguls and enjoy spending as much time in them as my aging legs will allow. I have never ever seen even one snowboarder who could navigate bumps anywhere close to the speed that my 40 + yr old legs can. I have only rarely seen any snowboarder ski the same kind steep icy terrain I can ski with relative ease.

No doubt folks who snowboard enjoy it, but I am confident that anyone posting here that was at one time a good/excellant skier would agree that they can "SKI" much faster over more difficult terrain.

[island911]

Originally Posted by Tim Hancock

...

No doubt folks who snowboard enjoy it, but I am confident that anyone posting here that was at one time a good/excellant skier would agree that they can "SKI" much faster over more difficult terrain.

the exception is some of the PNWet 'powder' snow (read: freshly mixed cement). ..that terrain is sometimes easier on a big single board. Otherwise, spot on.

[craigster59]

Start with cross country skiing and telemarking. Everything after that will be easy.

[gtc]

I could never get the hang of snowboarding. Like skateboarding, wakeboarding, etc., going sideways just doesn't come naturally to me. When I got on a pair of skis a couple of years ago, it was a revelation... i was faster on skis after one day than I had even been on a snowboard.
YMMV. Try both.

[Captain Ahab Jr]

It took me 3 days to learn to snow board self taught from by the 'School of Hard Knocks'.

1st day felt like I had been run over repeatably by a large truck
2nd day felt like I had been repeatably run over by a smaller car
3rd day I decided boarding was for me and I would never go back to skiing

Fast forward to last year (I was 41yrs old) and I'm living near some mountains, my only ski experience was 4 days which was 17yrs ago. All my friends ski so I thought I would try again, did about 6 days in total and every run they were waiting at the bottom for me.

Nearly last day of the season so I thought I would try a snowboard again, again my only experience was 4 days which was 17yrs ago. Wow what a difference I was off and keeping up with my friends, now no longer the last man down the mountain.

For me skiing is more coordination than balance and snowboarding is more balance than coordination.

[rattlsnak]

Originally Posted by 924slover

i can say that skiing is easiest to learn the basics and get on the hill but its harder to fine tune... whereas snowboarding is absolutely miserable to learn the basics and get on the hill it gets easier to fine tune your riding.......if you want to get on the hill quick learn to ski if you want to be in pain and struggle for a while learn to snowboard

Exactly.. At the time, I had been skiing for 20+ years, was on Ski Patrol for 5+ years, am a decent waterskier and skateboard all the time. Then a few years after that, (15+ years ago) I tried snowboarding. I have NEVER been in so much pain trying to "get" something in my entire life. Of course technology/equipment has come a long way since i first tried it, but out of four of us trying it, only one of us could go more than a few hundred yards at a time without wiping out by the end of the day. And by wiping out, i mean like major faceplants, etc.. i actually think i could do it a little better now, as i understand it a little better, but i dont see myself trying it again anytime soon.
Its a natural tendency to want to lean back as you pick up too much speed, but that is the exact wrong thing to do on a SB. Your front foot is the pivot point with your back foot being the "rudder" so to speak. Once I figured that out, it became a little easier, but man i was black and blue for days after that.!

[bgyglfr]

I have to agree that Skis are faster. But snowboarding is so much more fun. I started off skiing when I was 17 or so. I did it for a few years. Once I strapped on the snowboard, I never skiid again.

Let's bring it back to something we are a little more familiar with. There are many lower cost sports cars on the market that are faster and handle better than a 911. But would you trade yours for one?

[nynor]

Originally Posted by Spede

The fact that they don't give beginning skiers helmets says something.

yep. it says that they don't care about their heads.

[island911]

Originally Posted by bgyglfr

I have to agree that Skis are faster. But snowboarding is so much more fun. I started off skiing when I was 17 or so. I did it for a few years. Once I strapped on the snowboard, I never skiid again.

Let's bring it back to something we are a little more familiar with. There are many lower cost sports cars on the market that are faster and handle better than a 911. But would you trade yours for one?

Really? . . you are comparing a snowboard to a 911?

hmmm. . . maybe going from a racing kart to an old 911 is similar to going from skis to a board. ...kind of.

Skis are so much quicker to turn on packed snow. ...and turn with much more force.

[nynor]

Originally Posted by island911

Really? . . you are comparing a snowboard to a 911?

hmmm. . . maybe going from a racing kart to an old 911 is similar to going from skis to a board. ...kind of.

Skis are so much quicker to turn on packed snow. ...and turn with much more force.

try this on skis:

[island911]

Nice vid. Nice board carving. Perfect snow pack.

Tho' on skis (on that same pack) the turns could be not only tighter radius, but also much quicker in between turns. ...and of course, be carrying more speed.

[island911]

fwiw, a quick search of some doofus doing the same type of carving on ski's, on a less steep slope and less optimal snow pack.



same guy messn round again

[nynor]

oh, ok. you win.

bottom line. do what you want and have fun doing it.

[island911]

I Win!?!

. .and here I was ready to offer a compromise....



in the bumps

[nynor]

monoski. ghey. but, yeah, you win. its a silly argument to begin with. there is nothing for me to lose by conceding.

[rattlsnak]

Plake is THE man...! He could ski that course on 2x4s and still make it look easy!

[bgyglfr]

Originally Posted by island911

Really? . . you are comparing a snowboard to a 911?

hmmm. . . maybe going from a racing kart to an old 911 is similar to going from skis to a board. ...kind of.

Skis are so much quicker to turn on packed snow. ...and turn with much more force.

My point was not to say that snowboards are in any way faster. My point is that a snowboard can be a lot of fun, even if they aren't as fast. There's something about leaning in and carving. I boarded at A-Basin once and the mountain got 38" of snow while we were there. You get off the lift and there are no tracks. Virgin snow every run. That was incredible. Don't get me wrong, I am sure it could have been just as incredible on skis. I happened to be on a snowboard.

[AFC-911]

To an outsider going faster and carving doesn't really mean anything to me.

This is what looks fun to me & it seems as if both skis & snowboards are plenty capable of fun. (not that I'll be able to pull any of this off anytime soon)

[mjohnson]

Moving on snow is moving on snow.

Good skiers are good carvers are good boarders are good carvers are good monoskiers (??!?).

It's all fun until the slope stops. Then you need snowshoes or freeheel skis. Snowshoes require other crap and freeheel skis need nothing. Therefore logic clearly shows that freeheel/Telemark skiers are the king of the hill.

As long as the snow is good.

As long as there's good weed (?).

As long as the alpine skiers will wait for the slow hippies.

As long as you don't submit to the corporatist paradigm of speed over soul.

As long as ya'll will wait for me? I've almost got my heel piece engaged... Hey, hold that lift... I'll be there in a sec...

(while skis beat for moving over snow, if I was only riding a lift and could do neither starting out -- I'd snowboard) (I tele, and I'm ashamed for what I just said...)

[Tim Hancock]

I worked at a ski shop in college mounting new bindings and tuning skis. My bases and edges of my skis were/are always perfect. I cringe every time I see terrain park guys skidding on man made obstacles. I like hitting the jumps in terrain parks and can still make myself do a helicopter, but I never subject my skis to the non snow covered stuff.