Skiing vs snowboarding - which is easier to learn
 

I'm looking to try one of these as I'd like to experience this whole going the mountain thing...Both look fun enough, not sure which one to try while doing my best not to injure myself.

FWIW, I can rollerskate & ice skate ok, haven't been on a skateboard in years (more of a biking person).

Being a snowboard instructor 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 :D

I'll add, snowboarding takes less leg strength, but generally you fall harder, than when on skis.

with snowboarding alot of people think that it isn't as gracefull as skiing and for the most part 90% of boarders are park rats with no style but i will say there are a few of us that can carve just as well as skiers or even out carve skiers.

Now that's just crazy talk.

Skiers have two (longer) edges. Even the Olympic snowboarders carve relatively pathetic. . . .chatter chatter. . skid skid . .

Having grown up in Vermont I've been skiing my entire life.....I say go with snowboarding, It's way more cool.

But you have to learn how to wear baggy britches and oversized coats. ...I think they double as padding . .. or maybe for the parachute effect.

Now with skiing there is nothing like staring down a line with moguls the size of VW Bugs, and then just shredding the sucker.... or skiing along the tree line because there isn't any snow on the trail in mid-June.

If I only had those knees again.

I have never skied (skid?) and have always snow boarded. I just didnt like the idea on my legs going in two different directions when I wiped out. I went to the top of the mountain, and I learned how to snow board by the time I got to the bottom. Get a helmet.

they dont ride alpine boards and hard boots i do ;) not claiming to be an olympic athelete but you dont see carving much anymore because everything is about park and since all manufacturers follow the trend they dont produce alpine snowboards anymore....

Having done both skiing may be easier to get down the hill.
Snowboarding has a painful learning curve. Once you get it it's worth it. There is nothing like carving through knee high powder.

Yeh, baggy camo pants and knarley hoodies, be sure to duct tape your gloves, even if they don't need it, way more cool, the chicks dig it.

Skis first.
Didn't know they had skiing in Florida.;)

Still have my old Burton PJ -- if you're interested. :D

I never got into the park bonking scene -- always enjoyed carving - and it's not always chatter-chatter -- skid-skid: remember, those olympians are typically running on black diamounds and dealing with a lot more ice than most mountains have, even on the east coast!

Oh, and yes - staying on the edge of the trail near the treeline works best for boarders too -- 'cause that's where all the skiers push the good snow! ;)

I did skiiing and then switched to boarding. As stated above -- skiing is easier to to learn the basics -- with boarding, expect to spend the first day or so on our butt.

I got so well at snowboarding that I broke my front (left) leg in several places at Stratton -- which, incidentally has a wonderful medical clinic.

Hmm - maybe I should bust out my Asym air -- would help shed a few pounds this winter...

-Z-man.

I've never understood why the snowboarding GS competitions are always 4 boarders in the gates at the same time. It seems more like a roller derby. I would think you could get better times going solo and get faster runs. The first guy out definately has the upper hand.

hey zman send me a pm with a price and a pic and we might be able to work ou a deal

Concur with 924slover. I too instruct and would recommend starting on skis, then try snowboarding once you get the hang of it. Much easier to go from skis to snowboard vice the other way around. Skiing is easier to learn, much harder to perfect. But perfection is not the name of the game for you right now - getting on the snow and having a good time is - go for the twin boards.

Skiing is easier to learn as many have said on this thread. If you want to find out for yourself, you might want to rent a snowboard after a day or two of skiing. A few years ago I went on a ski trip and decided it was too much of a pain to fly with my skies, so, I rented skies for a couple days and the rental shop let me swap the skies for a snowboard.

I would recommend a helmet, especially for snowboarding. They comfortable and warm. You can really hit hard if the board catches an edge.

gary

yep, a helmet is a must. the initial learning curve on a board is harder, but the rewards are greater. i taught a couple of friends to board last year. in three days we were doing the intermediate runs together. you just have to remember that short of hard carving, boarding is mainly a controlled slide. i taught them by having them slide sideways all the way down the bunny run, one edge per run. then i had them start stringing slides together.

i'll be at brighton tomorrow. and tuesday.

right from the beginning skiing is easier. getting off a chairlift on a snowboard is much much more difficult!!

Skiing is the sport of kings.... Snowboarding is for non-conformist types and teenagers railing against the machine.

Both are fun..... I will stick with skiing.

snowboarders always have the better drugs..

Which is why, with my hip, I started snowboarding!

I have skied all my life and enjoy it. Still do.

When we started taking the kids skiing about 11 years ago, they both wanted to learn to snow board, which I though was great.

So I learned as well. I was in my early 40's at the time. I have come to prefer snowboarding. A few observations:

- Take lessons. Don't just launch off on your own regardless of the ski/SB decision.
- SB'ing is much easier on my back and knees. Since my left leg and foot are deformed from an accident in college, I really like the soft boots as well.
- Getting on and off the chair is harder SB'ing than skiing. Enjoy.
- It took me a 1/2 day to get to where I was enjoying SB'ing. You will fall a lot in the beginning and your wrists will hurt. Really good gloves are a must.
- Since I surfed as a kid and kayak still, I found SB'ing really satisfying...learn to stay and edge and always manage your time in between edge work. I had a few yard sales once I got up to speed and stayed neutral on the board too long. Stupid wrecks.

Learn both.

a rule you should apply..
go as fast as your willing to go splat..
and best you lay down before meeting stuff that won't move..

Rika

I taught both skiing and 'boarding for several seasons, and hands down, I found snowboarding was the easier of the two to learn.
There are only (2) edges to worry about instead of (4) and less likelihood of getting all crossed up

If going for the first time--dress warmly--obviously, but keep in mind that 'boarders spend alot of time on their rears buckling in/out, resting, etc. and if you can go when the snow is lighter and not a wet sloppy mess--if your soaked you won't have any fun.

watch your wrists. If falling try and land on your forearms--the most common injury is broken wrists from straight-arming while trying to break a fall.

Take a lesson and be vocal. Don't rely on your buddy that has been boarding to teach you--inevitably you will end up at the top of a slope(after struggiling with getting on/off the lift) with no ability to control your speed and will hate it. I have seen lots of folks walking down slopes carrying their boards because they didn't spend enough time on the flat or training area learing how to slow down, stop, and turn.
When taking the lesson provide your instructor with feedback, if you are cold, intimidated by the terrain or what is being taught, something hurts--let it be known.

Let the instructor inspect your gear--this was the first thing I did with every class--yopu would be surprised how many people had gear that wasn't right for them, or set up incorrectly--the 5 minutes it takes to make sure everything is right is worth the comfort for the rest of the day.(I once had a student show up for a ski lesson with their boots on the wrong feet--talk about painful.)

Have fun--this is recreation after all--and if the lesson is good--tip your instructor, trust me, they don't make anything and any tip is greatly appreciated.

Depends what age you are, the true non-conformist teen/early 20's, skis...since almost all teens do the board thing. If you want true non-conformity, do what I have done for the last 25 years, telemark. Admittedly the knees at this age are not quite as able as they once were. I will throw my support behind the "skiing is much easier to get up and running" camp, I've been there and supported many learners over the years (boarders and skiers) (I used to be a ski patroler) , and you have to be EXTRA patient when dealing with a new boarder.... you sure don't get many runs in, over a day. Snow plow turns enable a newbie to control speed and direction with much ease.....comparatively. Have fun

That is boarder-cross not GS

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

off topic..but i found ICE skating to be the most difficult thing to do on the planet..i learned to ride a unicycle easier..

Good post. Lots of good info there though I'm not a boarder. I did grow up on skateboards and will still ride one now and then at age 65. I would think a skateboarder would have an "edge" in the learning curve.

Right or wrong?

Used to do both, ice skating way before the unicycle. I took a year to be good at the uni.

You'll have much more control and maneuverability on skis. This will be an asset as you encounter groups of snowboarders sitting on their butts while playing with their iPods and/or phones. They seem to do this quite a bit and will usually plop down right in the middle of a run or very near a lift's drop off point.

Whichever you choose, have fun and be safe.

Yep :D

Boarder cross. Thanks James.

Skateboarding didn't help me much but a friend who could skateboard a whole lot better than me took to snowboarding first run down.

I snowboard now, but going back to skis as I am sending my 5 yo to skiing lessons. Kinda hard to keep near a little skier when I am on a snowboard.

wrong . .kind of. Skaters generally go in thinking that a snowboard will turn at least somewhat like a skateboard. Once you accept that a snowboard only provides a (somewhat) controlled slide then maybe skating skills help. After that you have to learn how to twist (not rock) the board to get it to carve a turn. ...sort of.:cool:

Thanks for the info guys! I will definitely take some lessons before heading up the mountain.

At this point, I'm tempted to go with skis as I don't want to spend too much time on my ass! That said, I would still like to try snowboarding...This will probably be a last minute decision as to which I'll decide to go with.

On your first day, you have a much better chance of getting hurt on a snowboard.

With skis, esp. short beginner skis at relatively slow speeds, you are able to get much more controlled falls. This makes the learning process a lot easier and safer.

With both feet strapped to a snowboard, you have a lot less control when you fall. Esp. when you fall backwards. You can't really fall straight backwards on skis, but you do it all the time when learning to snowboard, and it's a very awkward fall.

If you just want to experience the mountain thing, I'd say, for an adult (esp. one from FL, lol), go with skis at first.

take lessons..
what ever you do..
if you go with ski's..
you will do so within a few hrs..
then it's just..
how fast /how steep..

Rika

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.

Clothing is different for snowboard than skis. SB pants are like overalls. SB gloves are different, longer. I wore ski pants and at the end of the day, it was loaded with snow and ice. Same goes for the gloves.

You must have a helmet. Catch a heel edge and your head will smack the ground backward hard enough to give you concussion. Wrist injury is common. I actually use a roller blade wrist guard worn outside the gloves. It would also get knee guards since you can smack them pretty hard very often when learning how to SB.

If you decide to try skiing instead--here are some tips.

Once again--dress for the weather--water proof/repellent pants and jacket--layered with thermals of some type--a jacket with vents is best as you can easily work up a sweat during a lesson. Only one pair of (good) moisture-wicking socks--some people tend to wear 2 pair of socks--this makes your feet uniformally larger--which is not how ski boots are fit, and they also tend to make your feet sweat as they don't breath.

Good gloves, hat, and goggles(they are worth buying--even your first time out)

Make sure your ski boots fit correctly--they should be firm, but not painfully tight. You should be able to wiggle your toes--your heel should NOT slide up and down. Use the adjustment buckles and take your time--ski boot/foot pain is one of the biggest contributers to people not enjoying their first time out.

Make certain that whomever youa re renting your skiis from knows it is your first time--they should be able to provide you with the correct length skiis and poles.

Prior to your lesson--if you can--take some time to familiarize yourself with your equipment--walking on flat ground in your boots, properly carrying your skis and poles--not the cross-armed, everything is in a pile--method. Practice putting your skis on and taking them off on a level flat area .
Always check under your boots prior to clicking in for snow buildup--if there are chunks of snow stuck to your boot bottoms, you will not be fully engaged in your bindings.
You should practice walking/skating around (on the flat) with one ski in so you get a feeling of how it slides and how it makes your foot feel with the additonal length of the ski. Then do the other ski.
After that, your instructor should take you through everything else you need to know from a staright-run, to stopping, speed control, and turning right and left. If ou take a standard beginner 1-hour lesson--all of these basics should be covered.

Depending upon which resort you are visitng all of your lesson time may take place in a beginner area without getting on a lift--if this happens, stay and practice after the lesson untill you are comfortable doing everything, and when the time does come to take the lift--tell the operator that it is your first time--if it isn't a detachable chair, they will usually slow it down and help you.

Ans, once again--remember to have fun!