First time on the slopes - ski or snowboard?

[RagingBITCH]

First timer on the slopes in February - Breckenridge. We will be there a week but will only ski/board for 4 days. I have a good athletic base - lift weights and run 6 times a week, so I'm not too concerned about endurance.

I've been hearing people say for first timers that skiing is the way to go, and then others saying snowboard. Boarding is supposedly harder to pickup but a lot more of a rush. Skiing, after a day's lesson, should be something I can do the other 3 days. (We already bought a voucher for lessons)

So for those in the know - ski or board?

 

[mmntech]

Snow tubing! So much fun.

 

[Wyndru]

I've never skiied, but I've heard from most that it's easier to learn. With snowboarding, half of the time your back is facing downslope, where as skiing you are always facing forward. I hear most have an issue with snowboarding because of that.

I learned skateboarding and snowboarding at the same time so it was easier for me, and I already knew which stance to ride and was comfortable riding sideways.

 

[Gothgar]

I went snowboarding my first time on a Mt.

They are both fun, but skiing is way better, its so much faster.

 

[blackdogdeek]

ski

skiing is much easier to pick up a decent amount of skill in the beginning. snowboarding is much harder to pick up a decent amount of skill in the beginning.

 

[LookBehindYou]

Snowboard. Prepare to be on your ass quite a bit. Still very fun though.

 

[rcpratt]

Boarding is harder but far more fun. If you're athletic you'll pick it up fine, though. Prepare to be sore from Day 2 and on.

 

[spidey07]

Skiing will be easier. It takes many days to "get it" on a snow board and even longer to be really comfortable. More important you'll want decent pants, jacket and other ski clothing so it's enjoyable.

A one on one lesson would be best, I taught many women how to ski that had never before hand and by lunch time they were comfortable enough to get around.

Skiing is easy, new snowboarders spend most of the time on their ass.

<-- been snowboarding since 1987

 

[bigrash]

Tried both and hated both. Fell way too many times and was in so much pain. Loved snow-tubing though.

 

[blackdogdeek]

OP are you going with people who already ski or snowboard? or are you all first-timers or some other mix?

 

[Harrod]

I'd go with Skiing as well, a snow board would be an ok idea, if you were going to spend more time up there than 4 days, and really wanted to learn.

 

[HendrixFan]

If you are an avid skateboarder then snowboarding will be easier to pick up. Otherwise stick with skiing.

I go skiing each winter and there are always people in my group that are first timers. Like spidey said, most of them are good to go by lunchtime the first day. The trick for learning at an older age is to be fearless. Too many adults tense up and refuse to just go with it. Kids learn to ski so well because they simply go along with it.

 

[MotionMan]

I can't believe that no one has pointed out that skiing is way easier to learn and that, when learning snowboarding, you spend most of your time on your ass.

Odd.

MotionMan

 

[Capt Caveman]

Actually, I found snowboarding much easier to pick-up. Only one edge to worry about.

 

[consolibyte]

Skiing will be easier to pick up, so will probably be more fun for the later 3 days.

Try snow boarding another time when you have more time.

 

[spidey07]

Actually, I found snowboarding much easier to pick-up. Only one edge to worry about.

Yes, and for a beginner it will be the one that makes them fall constantly.

 

[slightlyhuman]

skiing is boring. snowboarded 5 different times. of course i wakeboard a lot so i may be biased. skiing for your first time is probably best unless you plan on going more than once. snowboarding takes a lot longer but once learned there's nothing like s curves all the way down mellow blues.

fresh pow on a board> skiing any day.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Yes, and for a beginner it will be the one that makes them fall constantly.

And of course, on ski's you never fall, especially as a beginner.

To make things easier when learning to snowboard, I wore rollerblading wristguards and just fell on my hands instead of my butt when I had to.

 

[Wyndru]

And of course, on ski's you never fall, especially as a beginner.

I've been with people learning both, and a ton of snowboarding beginners catch that back edge every time and fall on their asses/backs all the way down. With skiing they tend to fall less because it's usually just a leg giving out, not your whole body at once. If they do fall it's just on their side in a sliding position. In my experience with beginners they pick up skiing much quicker (unless they have already done a sport with the same stance as snowboarding).

 

[KeithTalent]

Snowboarding, way easier and more fun than skiing.

KT

 

[blackdogdeek]

And of course, on ski's you never fall, especially as a beginner.

to be fair, you can snowplow on skis all the way down a trail and only use the same inside edges on both skis. in fact, when you snowplow you should ONLY be using the inside edges on both skis. it wouldn't be much fun to use a single snowboard edge all the way down a trail though i have seen beginners doing it.

 

[alkemyst]

sledding is the best!

 

[ViviTheMage]

I ski'd for years, snowboarded for the last 2 seasons now ... I would say snowboard.

If you suck though, just ski, it's a lot esaier.

 

[Anubis]

if you can skateboard or surf snowboarding will be easier

if you cant then skiing will be

 

[NetWareHead]

Do you have any skateboarding or surfing experience? if so, those skills and balance needed will carry over to boarding. If you have roller blading or skating ( or ice skating) experience, you will pick up skiing faster.

In my experiences (seeing first timers try either, as well as myself trying both activities), skiing seems to be easier to pick up and snowboarding is much harder to balance. I know that I was falling every five feet and it took me forever to get down a mountain. I also couldn't master turning easily with snowboarding and as always catching my edges and face planting.

Additionally, in learning how to board, I was getting way more banged up and injured all over my body from falling. Learning how to snowboard was easily one of the most angering and frustrating experiences of my life. I had never been so hurt and bruised up in my life.

It all comes down to personal preference. I personally don't like how snowboarding requires you to unstrap a foot every time you encounter flat terrain. I like to use poles when I ski and even relatively flat terrain can be managed by pushing yourself along with poles. Good luck with whatever you end up choosing.