Skiing vs snowboarding - which is easier to learn

[rvanderpyl]

I have skiied for 30 years, and snowboarded for 10. I first decided to try snowboarding because I was bored with skiing, I had progressed to a level where the only thrill usually involved something potentially fatal. Snowboarding offered a completely new experience with a new learning curve.

What I found was that I was able to make turns and navigate a green run after one evening, within a year I could handle pretty much any blue run, and in a couple of years black runs and trees were fine as well. In comparision it took a decade to get to that level in skiing, however, skiis at that time, were long and skinny, and had no sidecut. With todays shaped and wider skis, I would say that the progression level is about the same.

The biggest issue I find with beginning snowboarders, vs skiiers, is that a snowboarder can get down a run that is far steeper than a skiier can given the same level of experience. The reason, a snowboarder just side slips the whole thing, or cakespreads as we call it. I can't count the number of steep chutes I have seen wiped clean of snow by someone who didn't make a single turn on their way down, but then brags they snowboarded it. A skier can sideslipe as well, but it is actually a difficult manuever to learn since they can't do it facing where they are going, very few will deliberatly set out down a slope that that is the only way they can navigate it.


In any case. If I lived where I would be on man made, groomed or hard snow most of the time, I would take up skiing, those two planks might be a little more unwieldy, but having two edges to turn, and stop with is a definite advantage. If you live where the snow is usually soft, try snowboarding.

Something else to think about, is that it is far more difficult to get around on snowboard if you have to traverse, or keep up your speed. On skis you can just start walking if you run out of momentum, on a board, you need to unstrap and hike.

[scottmandue]

OK you guys have sold me...

I'll be the guy sitting on my balcony with a hot chocolate watching you all trying to kill yourself on a snowy hill side.
So which is better in hot chocolate... scotch or rum?

[nynor]

irish cream. definitely. it has only one edge and slides down your throat better.