I first started skiing in Europe when I was 3. Raced all over... Austria, Switz, Italy...
Fast forward to when I was 14... I figured I would try snowboarding... I never went back to skis.
12 years later I'm still stoked about riding. Was on the club team at the Univ. of Oregon, rode a total of 43 days one year (
)! Could have been a Snowboard Patrolman at the local mountain, but I was really too busy with my classes to be out there 4-5 days a week. Bottomline, you can do some things on a board that skiiers can't do and the true is same the other way around.
Learning curve for someone his age... I'd say 2-3 days. After 3 days he should be (with proper instruction) stringing turns together and staying off his behind. My brother picked it up in ONE day. It was incredible. So results definitely vary.
One more thing to keep in mind... There are more injuries involved in snowboarding... the good thing is that the injuries are less severe than ski related injuries. Boarders break/sprain their wrist, two plankers destroy/twist knees.
Rent him a setup, let him try it out. Get him one or two private lessons and see what happens. Just make sure he wears a helmet!
Equipment for an intermediate/advanced rider typically runs as follows:
Board $400-600
Boots $200-400
Bindings $200-300
Clothes <
>
A few tips to first time snowboarders:
1) Don't fall on your hands, fall on your forearms. Why? B/c you don't want to break your wrist.
2) Best excercise to learn how to turn. Go down the hill making 360 degree circles over and over. Learn to do this clockwise and then counter clockwise. It'll teach you how to transition your weight to initiate a turn.
3) When getting off the lift... LEAN FORWARD. =)
Good luck, have fun, and be safe.