Snowboarding or Skiing?!

TheDean

TheDean

TheDean

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So,

There are a group of us heading off for a skiing/snowboarding holiday next easter and I need some help deciding which camp I'm in.
I did do some skateboarding when I was a lot younger, but I'm older and fatter now!
I think everyone else will be skiing, but I have no idea what the deal is with snowboarders - Are they outcast to different areas?!
Which is easier to learn? I feel I would suit snowboarding better personally, but obviously would be open to ideas from you all.

I'm not going to be doing any mental tricks or anything, but am wanting to get my 2nd hand gear sorted off flea-bay after Chrimbo when people come back from trips.

Cheers,

TheDean
 
I'm rubbish at both, but have done more skiing. I'd imagine snowboarding is easier to learn. I've no idea though, so please feel free to disregard this post. In fact I'm not sure why I posted it. I've just got nothing much else to do as I'm leaving in about 2 minutes. Boredom, I think, is the real reason I decided to post in this thread. It's definitely the reason I entered the thread, and now I feel some weird, driving compulsion to write down everything I'm thinking. My heartbeat has in fact quickened, I wonder if that's because I'm excited about the league match tonight (Badminton), or, some other slightly more worrying reason that I'm getting excited about posting in a thread about snowboarding or skiing; of which I have little experience.

I'm going home now. Good evening everyone.
 
Skiing is probably easier to learn. With snowboarding be prepared to spend a lot of time on your arse when your learning. With skiing you can get going within a couple of hours. When we went with school (we were all beginners) all the snowboarders spent the majority of their time fannying around near the bottom of the mountain even towards the end of the week, whilst we were skiiing freely all the way down. Obviously depends how quickly you learn though.

I'm dying to go skiing again, been 8 years since I last went :(.
 
I found it easier to learn the basics of skiing that I did snowboarding. I also find skiing generally more fun than snowboarding, but obviously that is just a personal opinion!
 
Snowboarding is without doubt the easier of the 2 to pickup - After 3 days of pain and discomfort (sore sore arse!) I could board at speed doen the slopes, turn etc. I'd say that is pretty average. Skiing takes a bit longer ti get *** handg of I think. Anyway boadring is much more fun, (I have been skiing since 13).
 
Well, Just because you Skateboarded, don't think any of the skills will really cross-over to Snowboarding. I used to skateboard loads, but when I went snowboarding, it was so different.
I would say Snowboarding is easier to pick up the basics, but after that, skiing is easier to get better at.

As for areas, unless you are going seriously off-piste, wouldn't really make a difference, I've been in mixed groups before, and no one had any trouble following each other.

I would say just go for what you want and concentrate on that. Read up on it, maybe get a few hours in on a Dry Slope or Indoor snow dome before you go, or even before you buy anything, just so you can get a feel of different equipment before you are committed to it. And once you do get some equipment, go to a snow dome to try it out(don't go to a dry slope though on your new stuff, easily can damage your stuff.)

What ever you do though, I'm sure you will have a great time, just wish I could go more lol :D.
 
Snowbarding has an easier learning curve than skiing but skiing is easier to pick up from my experience.
I recommend you ski, I like snowboarding a lot, but I think you should try skiing first as it will make life so much easier going up tows/drag lifts!
 
We had some laughs on the lifts when we went. On the chair lifts for two people, my mate couldn't get off fast enough and the thing knocked him over and then proceeded to whack him on the head when it went over him.

Then on the button drag life thingy, we was about half way up and for some reason I just lost my balance and fell off, cue everyone coming past laughing at me. I had to sit in the middle of the slope for about 20 minutes by myself waiting for everyone to come down :( Held on for dear life the next time I went on it :p
 
Ghosteh said:
Well, Just because you Skateboarded, don't think any of the skills will really cross-over to Snowboarding.
Click to expand...

'Fraid I couldn't disagree more.

I've found most board sports skills transfer very well from one to the other. I skateboarded for about 5 years before snowboarding and found it very easy to pick up, likewise for wakeboarding and surfing.
 
I'm a boarder and I'm told by those that can do both that snowboarding is harder to start than skiing but easier to master.

Do what you think you will enjoy most. You will be able to board alongside your fellow skiers.
 
Snowboarding IMO is easier to learn generally, it may take a little longer to get on your feet but after that it's usually said to be easier.The days of snowboarders being forced into a certain small area are way behind, all the slopes and parks are open to both so you don't need to worry about that.

Don't worry about the 'coolness' factor either, there are way too many people that believe snowboarding is much cooler than skiing, (usually the idiots :D). And remember that skiiers can use the park just as much as boarders, skiing doesn't preclude you from tricks and jumps.

Having said that I would suggest that you learn to ski if everyone else in your group is skiing, that way you should be in the same class as one or two of your friends (assuming they are beginners as well) and you will find it easier to ski together (again assuming there are a few beginners).

What sort of second hand gear are you talking about? If you are thinking about buying skis/board/boots my advice is don't. Hire them out for at least your first trip, you may not like it for one (doubtful!) and two, hire things are probably going to be better for you to begin with than your own stuff (not to mention cheaper). Clothing wise it doesn't matter if you haven't made your mind up when you buy jackets etc. They are all the same. :p
 
I found snowboarding easier to learn and it meant that I progressed quicker (skied from about 6-12, snowboarded 12-now) and aside from one shot on snowblades I've not touched skis again because I find it infinitely more rewarding to snowboard. I do now have a pair of snowblades so no doubt I'll go on them again sometime but if time is limited then snowboarding is always the way I'd go.

I can't say for certain which one you will find easier because everyone is different but for me snowboard led to quicker progression. :)
 
Ive done my fair share of both and snowboarding is definitely the harder to learn quickly, but easier to master.

If your totally new i wouldnt do snowboarding. Boarding is much better when you can do 3 days of learning before in order to get all the sitting on your arse out of the way before you hit a mountain.
 
As I was brought up in Sweden I was sorta born on ski's and skiid from the age of 4 to 13, and then went on to snowboarding :)

Skiing will be easier and for if you have never done it before I can assure you that you will have a much more enjoyable time learning to ski rather than snowboard. On the flipside, I find snowboarding more fun, but as mentioned earlier you will be spending the first couple of days on ** backside wondering what just happened as you flipped backwards :p

When it comes to aquiring the gear necessary I would say rent. Equipment is expensive and the stuff that is available at most places will do for a first timer :)

Hope this has helped and I hope you have a good time ;)
 
Once you know how to slow down/stop and go into fall line on a snowboard its fairly easy from then on (apart from linking turns).

Its all about weight placement on the board ;)
 
which do you like the look of more? I'm sure you have a preference one way or the other, They will both be hard to start with.

If you are close to a snowdome or artificial slope then why not give each a try.
 
I think if you want to do it for a long time, take up skiing because when you get to 30/40 years old snowboarding may be a bit hard and you don't see many older boarders, but with skiing people of all ages do it. I wouldn't like to start skiing lessons at 40 and be put in a group with 4 year olds :p.

I have snowboarded for 2 years now however and have loved it, but I'm a youngun :)
 
if the rest are skiing then ski, if not do whichever you want.
i think you will gain more general slope skills by skiing though.
 
leaskovski said:
Skiing! We dont need anymore of "those" types on our slopes! ;)
Click to expand...

Couldn't agree more.

Fed up of the snowboarders carving up the pistes and sitting right in the middle.

If everyone else is skiing, you may as well ski. That way you'll be able to watch the others and hopefully they'll be able to offer some advice. It also means you will be in the same boat when it comes to getting on/off lifts, as it always looks twice as hard on a snowboard.
 
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