Skiing vs snowboarding: the age-old question. Both of them utilize the laws of physics to gracefully glide along the beautiful natural phenomenon that is snow, but each discipline is unique and can result in a vastly different experience.
So, should you ski, or should you snowboard?
[adinserter block=”3″]
Skiing vs Snowboarding? Which will come out Victorious
A major influence on which sport many people choose to undertake is just how much time they intend to dedicate to it.
If theoretically, you rarely visit the snow but have decided to make a weekend trip, skiing might be your best bet. Why might you ask?
Quite simply, skiing is easy to learn in a shorter period of time.
If you envision skiing vs snowboarding, you’ll see why.
Skiing is a little more natural; you have your legs apart and have a much greater range of motion in your league.
If you start to tumble, you can lift a leg, lean your body, or do whatever you have to do to regain your balance.
[adinserter block=”3″]
In contrast, on a snowboard, your legs are basically tied into a specific position. Imagine you start to tip forwards with your legs strapped into a snowboard – you ain’t staying upright, and you will end up with a face fall of powder.
Another factor which makes skiing a little more natural, and easier to learn, is the fact that you face the direction you are going.
Just like walking, running, driving, or whatever it may be, your body and your head are looking directly towards the next spot you will reach.
On a snowboard, you’re going down the mountain sideways. You lose an element of peripheral vision and balance, and as a result, it’s easier to fall.
So that’s all pretty straightforward. Skiing is easier to learn than snowboarding. The problem with this for beginner skiers is that when they try to advance, often they’ve developed some bad habits that they were able to get away with on the more gentle slopes.
[adinserter block=”3″]
Try to transfer your skills onto a black run, and see what happens when you attempt to slow down with your tried and true ‘pizza’ method. The results won’t be pretty.
With snowboarding, once you get past the initial difficulties and inevitable bruises, you’ll find that you progress pretty rapidly.
Getting the hang of moving and turning while staying upright isn’t easy, but once you can do it you’ll notice the skills are pretty transferable to actual runs, and from then on it’s largely about learning to gain more speed and do jumps and tricks.
Many beginners are afraid of this concept, because there’s not an equally simple way to stop as in skiing, and if you fall you’re likely to do so pretty ungracefully. Gathering pace can actually make the discipline easier though, as the reduced contact between the board and the snow reduces friction and makes it easier to turn.
[adinserter block=”3″]
With all that in mind, there’s a pretty simple summary which is generally applied to the two sports; skiing is easier to learn and harder to master, while snowboarding is harder to learn and easier to master.
If you have a couple of weeks on the slopes, think it’ll be the last time you ever go to the snow, and want to become as good as humanly possible at one of the two disciplines, give snowboarding a try. You’ll probably be better after two weeks of hardcore practice than you would be at skiing. If you have just a few days though, try skiing.
If you decide to continue pursuing snowboarding afterwards make sure to learn how to get the correct snowboard sizing and binding. A few simple adjustments to your gear could make a huge difference in the way you snowboard.
Another factor which swings in the favor of snowboarding is that if you ever want to go off piste, you’ll find the transition much more painless as a snowboarder than as a skier.
[adinserter block=”3″]
For those who don’t know, going off piste means leaving the safety of the manicured, firm ski runs, and exploring the more untouched, powdery regions of a mountain.
On skis, this transition can be really difficult, and the technical requirements are hugely different. Snowboards are much easier.
All the time you’ve spent falling on your face and your arse, slowly sliding your way down gentle slopes, and getting in people’s way will be for nothing, as you’ll pretty much be able to utilize the same skills and techniques off-piste.
Don’t take this to mean it’s easy though; off-piste snowboarding still demands you to take care. The transition on a snowboard, though, will be much easier than on skis.
[adinserter block=”3″]
Alternatively, you could be like many and try to learn how to ski and snowboard.
Pretty often, people try out snow sports intending to do just that – try it out – and invariably end up falling in love with the snow.
If this is you, learn to do both. Most likely you’ll end up having a favourite, or one that you’re significantly better at, but being able to ski and snowboard allows you to switch it up from day-to-day, and practice the discipline you feel like when you wake up in the morning.
Regardless of which you choose, you’ll have a good time.
[adinserter block=”3″]
There’s nothing quite like the feeling of gliding down a beautiful snow-capped mountain, whether it be on ski’s or on a snowboard. Learning both inevitably results in a few tumbles and a few bruises, but it’s well and truly worth it.
What are your thoughts on Skiing vs Snowboarding? Which one of the two do you prefer? Let us know in the comments below and as always make sure to share this page on Facebook and Twitter.
Skiing vs Snowboarding Feature image: telegraph.co.uk and snowskool.com
