Which is better snowboard or ski?

• Answer:

  I think both deserve respect in there own right (despite what the stigma is towards each other out on the slopes. ). I snowboard- love it. Absolutely addicted to it. But I don't think it's better then skiing- it's better for ME then skiing (which I've done too). Skiing is a completely different disipline then boarding. So comparing them is a tough thing to do. So you should ask yourself what you want to do. If you are looking to just go out for a day and rent, then skiing might be the way to go. Skiing, in my opinion, is easier to learn fundamentally; that is staying up, being stable and getting from the top of the hill to bottom. It takes much more then just that to master it. Snowboarding is harder to learn because it's motions aren't as intuitive to your body's instinct reactions. Catching edges and pulling inadvertant wheelies (where you lean back on your board causing the front to come up) are constant beginer errors that result in a lot more time on the ground. So if it's for a day- rent some skis and have fun. If you ar elooking for more of an investment of time- go with the board (and a lesson). Now here are some comparisons through the eyes of a boarder: I like that my board stays attached to my feet when I fall. That being said, I like to go hard and fast, so falling with a large plank attached to your feet can result in some very sore wrecks. Where are skis come off, sparing your body a little bit more. The one pro to the board is that you don't have to hike back up hill for your gear after having a "yard sale" style wipe out. Those responses that a board is hard to get off the lift isn't completely true. It goes back to that boarding takes longer to learn, but I've seen (and had to avoid) just as many new skiers laying in piles at the top of the lift as I have new boarders. Once you learn (in either discipline) dismounting off the lift is just as easy. The pro to skis is that you are sitting straght with your skis facing in the same direction as you are moving. Just stand up and slide. The con is that with a board you have to hang off sort of sideways and time your dismount to getting off the seat and your foot on the stomp pad, then steer off. Not impossible, but takes practice. Skis are more adaptive to conditional changes. Where I'm at in the midwest, you get a lot of man made and icey conditions. Skis will hands down whoop my boards *** in icey conditions no matter how sharp my edge is. It's just plain physics. They have two sharp edges making contacting with the ground with my one. And If it's wet, I have more surface area sticking to the ground then skis do. Therefore they cut through wet, heavy stuff with ease. And because of their surface contact differences skis will always be faster (this is why NASTAR racing gives boarders a handicap against skiers. and not that you can't get faster boards and some will be fatser then skis, but in the bigger picture for your fast board there will be a faster ski). Someone commented that boarders are always wet because of falling or sitting on the snow to put their bindings on and that a good skier can spend the day with out getting wet. First that isn't 100%. 1) I can spend an entire day carving with out falling. Actually, if i'm not falling, I'm not pushing my limits (be it on the slopes, off kickers or in the park). 2) True most boarders sit to strap their bindings on. You don't HAVE to do this. With either the options of bidnings out there (such as the Flow style that I have) or balance, you don't HAVE to sit down to strap in. A good number of boarders can strap in with traditional bindings while moving or standing. My buddy is one of these guys. and 3) If you have a good pair of quality ski/snowboard pants they'll be water resistant. If you are getting wet you either A) have poor quality pants, B) it's too warm out or C) it's raining. So why do I board? I find a certain joy in the carving aspect found in the nature of board. Sort of like surfing or skateboarding. I like the flexibility and pop that my board offers to jump and maneuver onthe slopes. I feel comfortable in the position of my body. I prefer the softer boot and bind set up then the hard all in one form of a ski boot. I enjoy hitting the park and the confidence my board affords me in stability and flexibility while hitting boxes or sticking landings. I love bombing the runs (even if it's not as fast as skis, it's still fast!). I love the style of the ride (not the style of your clothing- who cares really?). And I do find snowboarding, personally, to be more difficult then skiing. So I like the challenge. Then after I master one thing, I like the increased challenge of pushing myself more. Now this is where the skiers will jump in and say that skiing is hard too. I agree. It's a discipline to be mastered (actually I think those skiers in the terrain park have it more difficult). I'm merely talking about MY choice, MY opinion compared to MY experience on skis. Now which ever you choose here are a couple of tips: 1) Don't wear jeans out on the slopes. Get a good pair of snowpants. Hell, even a cheap $10 pair of snow pants are better then jeans! (this includes denim jackets. 2) Don't bash yours skis or board (esp rentals) into the persons gear in front of you. While you may not give a rat's *** about your $40 rental gear, those of us who buy (no matter how hard we ride) invested our hard earned $ into our equipment. We want it to last and take good care it. You bashing into it or running over it doesn't help. And if you do, have the common courtesy to apollogize! (sorry a little bit of a rant there). 3) A helmet is always a good idea. Coming from a guy who's taken a hard hit with the head to the ground and was very lucky to walk away from; trust me. And since then I've had harder wrecks that would have been a lot worse had it not been for my helmet! Ps: I want to comment on the person who said that boarders (and a few skiers) are always sitting around on the slopes. I agree- what they hell is up with that? As a boarder, I want you to move too! Get out of the way. Put the cell phone away (and cigarette) and wait utnil you're off the trail. And don't sit on the landing areas under kickers!