man, do u prefer skiing or snowboarding

[Bob the Coder]

As for my own personal preference, I haven't decided yet. Snowboarding is FUN. I get bored pretty quickly on skis. I'm a very, very solid intermediate skier and can hit any slope that I have access to that doesn't contain jumps/moguls (I'm 37, so no thanks). Even still, I get bored.

Snowboarding is FUN. I get more excitement out of practicing C-turning and S-turning on a green circle than I do out of skiing any slope. Of course that could just boil down to the fact that snowboarding is still very new to me, whereas skiing is very much 'been there done that.' But I don't think that's the case. There's just a flowing excitement and freedom attached to snowboarding that I don't ever recall experiencing on skis.

Snowboarding can be BRUTAL. Anyone who says that falling on a snowboard isn't any worse (or even better) than falling on skis is talking out of their ass. Yeah, there is a "correct" way to fall on a snowboard, but it's still far more punishing than falling every wrong way possible on skis. Unless your bindings are locked down, falling on skis is a trivial event 9 times out of 10. If you have any speed whatsoever, every non-washout fall on a snowboard is going to lick you to some degree. It's just simple physics. If you catch an edge, your board stops NOW while your brainbucket doesn't. You then get lawn-darted or slammed toward whichever edge caught.

Making matters worse, there is a significant margin of error allowance on skis that just isn't there on a board. You can brainfart on skis. You cannot brainfart on a snowboard.

All of those things considered, I still choose to snowboard instead of ski, at least for the time being.

 

[rcpratt]

I finally got everything for my (first) new board

Massive pics inc.

 

[JM Aggie08]

For some reason I find the fact that the title is prefaced with 'man' absolutely hilarious.

 

[Ruptga]

I've gone skiing quite a bit over the years, and I don't recall ever seeing 'sliders' traversing anything other than the green circles. So if you're encountering snowboarders sliding straight down the entire hill (or skiers who are just /\'ing the whole way down), maybe you're on the wrong hill?

My point was that snowboarders are often on the wrong hill. It's the cooler of the two styles, so a lot of people jump straight into it without having a clue what they're doing or what their limits are, and since they're just out there for the cool experience they don't give any thought to how much they suck or are screwing up the snow. It's not a problem with the style - it's the people the style disproportionately attracts, posers.

 

[Bob the Coder]

I finally got everything for my (first) new board

Massive pics inc.

snip

Congrats! I just picked up a K2 Standard (excellent n00b board by all accounts) along with Ride Capo's.

I really considered the Flows, but was scared away by all the tales of setup troubles with rear-entry bindings (cue the rear entry jokes). In hindsight I kinda wish I went with the Flows.

 

[Bob the Coder]

My point was that snowboarders are often on the wrong hill.

I know, and my point was I just don't see that happening. My anecdotal experience vs yours, I guess. It's all good.

 

[NetWareHead]

Background: Ive skied since I was 6 years old. Mid thirties now and can ski almost any trail. I ski most mountains in New England. Favorites: Okemo, Killington, Loon, Sugarloaf, Sunday River. I prefer predictable packed powder and going fast (think Downhill skiing in the Olympics vs slower Slalom and Super Slalom events.) Im beginning to learn how to ski in glades and tree runs and do take an occasional jump here and there; just no inverted aerials or anything ridiculously crazy.

Skiing I feel is easier to pick up. If you have roller/ice skating experience then skiing will come naturally. I like the feeling of two independent legs. I like being able to set the DIN pressure on your bindings to a level that is comfortable for me. Snowboards do not have binding release so your feet are hard-strapped into that board in a fall. At least there is a chance to save your legs/knees if your skis pop off in a fall. I find it more intuitive to go down a mountain facing forward than sideways. I find it easier to slalom around obstacles/trees and have the ability to choose either left/right vs a snowboard you are facing one way already so I would think you are going to be pre-disposed more to turning in the way you are facing vs the other direction. People who have never skied already have practiced since they began walking, skills that will serve them well in skiing. Independent legs motion, and leaning on the inside of a curve (for instance when running along a curved potion of a track and leaning towards the inside); all skills usable in skiing.

Personally I like to go fast as possible and make long sweeping carving turns with the edges of my skis digging deep trenches and my hip almost touching the snow. Ive seen some fast snowboarders but IMO the fastest on the mountain are usually the skiers. If you like moguls, thats skier territory; its so rare to find a snowboarders in the mogul/bump field.

Skiing does have its disadvantages. The gear I've found costs wayyyy more than comparable snowboarding gear. My fiance bought snowboard boots and the most expensive boot in the shop was high 400s. Advanced level ski boots cost 700+ and professional racer level boots are 1200 or higher. The ski boots are big clunky robot boots that are not comfortable at all. it sucks to go to the bathroom and navigate in a stall with knee high boots that lock your ankles in place. Expensive ski boots are much stiffer and putting them on/off is a painful, audible experience. They do make comfortable ski boots for those not interested in ripping performance. Snowboard boots are a dream as far as comfort goes and feel like big oversized sneakers.

As far as injuries go; skiers injure their knees primarily, second shoulder and third hips. Snowboarders suffer shoulder/elbow/wrist injuries primarily and a close second are facial/head injuries.

Somebody made some good points about edges and how snowboarders seem to catch them alot more than skiers in the learning process. Pretty much agree with this. I tried snowboarding a few times and it is the worst I have ever hurt myself trying a new activity. Catching edges constantly and falling every few feet. Its pretty brutal until you learn it.

 

[NetWareHead]

I've never snowboarded but I love skiing. Snowboarders piss me off when they sit 6 across in the middle of the slope so it's not a fraternity I'd ever want to join. I can't deny I've whacked a couple on my way by with my ski pole when they're in a particularly stupid place to stop (e.g. just beyond the crest of a hill).

:thumbsdown:

I hate this shit too and they always find the worst possible spot to hang out in. I collided with one jerk snowboarder and cut him pretty good (accidentally with my edges) because I ran over his hand with my skis. He was mad because I also sliced through his "new jacket" and got his blood on it. WTF this is not a couch, its the fucking trail! Go hang out in the lodge if you want to sit down. Of all the places to sit down on a trail you pick a blind spot under crest of a hill. :thumbsdown:

 

[monkeydelmagico]

Like both, tough to choose. As I get older (mid 40's) I tend to get injured less using skis.

 

[Puppies04]

I see all the replies here but which particular man were you addressing the question too?

 

[Bob the Coder]

:thumbsdown:

I hate this shit too and they always find the worst possible spot to hang out in. I collided with one jerk snowboarder and cut him pretty good (accidentally with my edges) because I ran over his hand with my skis. He was mad because I also sliced through his "new jacket" and got his blood on it. WTF this is not a couch, its the fucking trail! Go hang out in the lodge if you want to sit down. Of all the places to sit down on a trail you pick a blind spot under crest of a hill. :thumbsdown:

Now this behavior is definitely dominated by boarders. I think it's caused by the nature of the board itself: it's pretty tough to just stop and stand there without sitting down or taking a knee, whereas on skis it's pretty straightforward. On skis, it's more comfortable to stand. On a board, it's more comfortable to sit (and it takes more effort to get going again). I'm definitely not excusing them: they need to remember that they're not in the fucking lodge and that others would like to use the whole slope, not just the strip they've left open.

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

 

[Ns1]

Now this behavior is definitely dominated by boarders. I think it's caused by the nature of the board itself: it's pretty tough to just stop and stand there without sitting down or taking a knee, whereas on skis it's pretty straightforward. On skis, it's more comfortable to stand. On a board, it's more comfortable to sit (and it takes more effort to get going again). I'm definitely not excusing them: they need to remember that they're not in the fucking lodge and that others would like to use the whole slope, not just the strip they've left open.

in other words, snowboarders are little bitches who like to sit down all the time

 

[TheVrolok]

in other words, snowboarders are little bitches who like to sit down all the time

http://i.imgur.com/qsJtQHq.jpg


Honestly, I don't have a problem with boarders sitting, but for fuck's sake do it on the outside of the slope (if near a turn) and in view from uphill. 3-4 boarders sitting side by side in the middle of the fucking slope? Or on the inside of an obscured turned? Fucking morans.

 

[Kaido]

Snowboarding. Never figured out skiis (snow or water). Wakeboarding is doable.

 

[rcpratt]

Congrats! I just picked up a K2 Standard (excellent n00b board by all accounts) along with Ride Capo's.

I really considered the Flows, but was scared away by all the tales of setup troubles with rear-entry bindings (cue the rear entry jokes). In hindsight I kinda wish I went with the Flows.

Well.

Took my board out for the first time on Saturday. About an hour before we were ready to wrap up, my toe strap on my right binding just sheared right off while I was strapping on.

Guess I'll be getting something OTHER than these Flows. What a joke.

 

[Bob the Coder]

Well.

Took my board out for the first time on Saturday. About an hour before we were ready to wrap up, my toe strap on my right binding just sheared right off while I was strapping on.

Guess I'll be getting something OTHER than these Flows. What a joke.

Aww man what a bummer. If it makes you feel better, the red anodizing is flaking off my Capos

Are you going to get step-ins or just traditional? If the latter, I really do like the Capos. I've also heard really good things about the K2 Formulas which are a little cheaper. I was going for the Formulas until I was able to snag the Capos in a season clearance sale.

 

[rcpratt]

I'm going to go traditional. To be honest I was already thinking that the step-in idea was better than the execution even before they broke.

 

[Bob the Coder]

I'm going to go traditional. To be honest I was already thinking that the step-in idea was better than the execution even before they broke.

If you don't have a good local shop, call mine - Aspen Ski and Board. I'm sure they'll ship to you and I got all my stuff for 50% off because it's end of season. If you want a place with a better online presence, try The House.

 

[Scarpozzi]

I skied when I was younger, but switched to snowboarding around 2001. (it was cooler and I had a binding issue when I was skiing once that left me wrecked...the equipment failure angered me enough to switch)

I fell a lot in the beginning because I learned on ice. Knees and backside....back of the head took a beating, but I wear a helmet most of the time. I actually boarded a few years and went out to Utah with a friend of mine from work. She was just learning and didn't have a helmet, so I gave her mine for the week and maybe fell twice. I don't take a lot of risks, but felt confident enough with my equipment and the conditions to not need one.

The key to snowboarding is to learn the limits of your board's edge in certain conditions (how you turn and stop) and to learn how to fall. If you want to hot dog and do jumps, etc...that's great. For me, I'm too big/tall and in my 30s now....so my window of opportunity has passed. If I caught any air, I'd probably never land it. I stick to carving and picking up crazy speed on my 173.

 

[Bob the Coder]

I skied when I was younger, but switched to snowboarding around 2001. (it was cooler and I had a binding issue when I was skiing once that left me wrecked...the equipment failure angered me enough to switch)

I fell a lot in the beginning because I learned on ice. Knees and backside....back of the head took a beating, but I wear a helmet most of the time. I actually boarded a few years and went out to Utah with a friend of mine from work. She was just learning and didn't have a helmet, so I gave her mine for the week and maybe fell twice. I don't take a lot of risks, but felt confident enough with my equipment and the conditions to not need one.

The key to snowboarding is to learn the limits of your board's edge in certain conditions (how you turn and stop) and to learn how to fall. If you want to hot dog and do jumps, etc...that's great. For me, I'm too big/tall and in my 30s now....so my window of opportunity has passed. If I caught any air, I'd probably never land it. I stick to carving and picking up crazy speed on my 173.

Yep. I've actually been out 3 times since I last posted in this thread (before today), and I'm already doing really tight S-turns and controlling my speed well. I can now ride any blue square at my resort. It's really amazing how quickly you can pick things up once you get past the initial "holy fuck my feet are strapped to a plank" fears.

In those 3 trips, I never caught an edge. I do still have the occasional washout (because like you said, need to figure out the board's limits), but falls from washouts are nothing. It was tough because one day was ice, another was packed powder, and the other was fresh powder. It was actually pretty challenging adapting.

Proper stance is everything. Get used to keeping at least 50% weight over the front foot (a problem I had early on, because you naturally want to lean away from the "problem"), use your front knee/shoulder to help with edge pressure, trust your equipment to do what it was designed to do.

So much fun.

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

sorry to hear about the flows. from what i hear the higher end flows are pretty solid. the lower end flows have quality issues. a friend of mine actually cracked his highback about a month ago. that was only his second trip to the slopes.

 

[rcpratt]

They were NX2's...not top of the line, but certainly not bottom.

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

They were NX2's...not top of the line, but certainly not bottom.

ah might have just gotten a bad toe strap.