 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I board, my brother skis.
Definatly harder initially (1st day) on boards, but after 2-3 days you should be turning on all blues and most reds... Most skiers don't go on reds in the first week.
I managed my first turns on steep blacks at the end of my second week.
You don't need to be sitting on your backside, get some flow bindings. I stop for a rest on my knees (wear knee pads), or just balance somewhere flattish, but rarely sit on my backside.
Flats! ... thats what skiers have poles for? so they can tow boarders... TBH after 3-4 days you will be on reds... not many flat reds 
Skiers do seem to be able to hack it down a hill at stupid speeds. Im not really sure they are are in control tho.
Boarders seem to find more interesting things to do on the way down than break the sound barrier. Im always looking for bumps and cut throughs. There are also flatland tricks on boards (butters etc).
I certainly wish i had another two edges on icey bits. Skiers seem to breeze icy runs.
Lifts are a pain for boarders, you will fall over at the end of lifts ALL the time the first week you are out. You will get it tho. Best to stick to the modern lifts that slow down at the end and stick to the outside seat, so the lift doesn't come round and wack you.
Age is not relevant, I started boarding at 38.
As much as I respect skiers... there is on thing that boarding has that they cannot deny... Style.
Boarding just looks cool, feels cool, and ... well IS cool.
Tux
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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rayscoops, I hope you're around next time I fall on my skis! We have a flat section to the top of our home run - I have sometimes been able to give a boarder a tow, when I am on skis. We are doing our best to spread goodwill and understanding, it seems! From my own experience it is often apparently "little", slow speed, falls on skis which do the most damage. The times when I have gone flying, skis everywhere, sliding miles down the slope, I have not hurt myself. Beginners on skis can hurt themselves very badly - one friend put himself out of action for the whole week last year, on day 1, in a private lesson! Awkward twisting fall in lumpy snow, usual thing, did his knee. Beginners on boards are unlikely to do themselves great damage - with the exception of breaking wrists, I suppose. You do need quickly to learn to fall without putting your wrists in jeopardy.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| rayscoops wrote: |
| Board is best ... If you have any doubts just go to the Bendzeknees section and read all the silly arguments about basic skiing techniques,skiers can not agree even what to do with the poles |
Amen to that! While it wouldn't put me off ever skiing, it does mean that if I can only be good at one thing it has to be boarding. I want to have fun, not argue about technical minutiae. Having said that, I reckon there's much good to say about skiing, and many skiers are lovely and helpful, even to us piste-blocking, pants-round-the-ankles-wearing boarders 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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tubbs, After reading Palegilt's neurosis about his ever shrivelling testicular function one must wonder if he'll ever pass puberty without his dick inverting. Though I think we should all be more tolerant of his affliction . . . it is rare to be approaching 30 and yet to experience any perceivable level of maturity.
He's actually and physiologically incorrect about the human body. We are capable of repair and to a considerable extent muscle training and (colloquially expressed) growth up until the age of about 80. It does vary with genetic traits, but on the whole it is possible to retain 80% of corpuscular flexibility and strength till that age . . . though that does require you to maintain constant high level of activity throughout your life.
That does mean that you may in your latter years, approach . . . with sensibility . . . an intensively active sport . . . just don't expect to perform as a teenager or recover from your efforts as quickly. Though after 3 or 4 weeks of continual exercise you will find a marked improvement.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Masque, Well said. I may disagree with your point re ski/board speed, but wholeheartedly endorse your view of BlancOr's afflictions. 
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As a recent returnee to skiing (after 10 years of boarding) I can say that skiing is physically easier, less faff on lifts, faster, more comfortable in icy conditions and with my Scott Missions I feel no particular disadvantage in powder (and I used to use a 180 Rad Air Tanker board which floated reasonably well).
With boarding it certainly used to be easier to reach an intermediate level for energetic learners but I would have thought skiing would be not too bad with modern short skis.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
| If he takes up boarding, within days he can be sideslipping down the hill, looking atleast halfcool and in control. |
Well apart from the fact that a boarder sideslipping down a slope just says to me that they can't board (and looks about as far from "halfcool" as a basball cap worn sideways) I would suggest trying both and concentrate on having "FUN" rather than how "cool" it may or may not look.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Well thanks for all your comments TBH it seems clear both have their pros & cons - maybe I am lucky enough to have the problem as to which to do - I plan to spend at least 4 - 6 weeks in CA each year let alone European resorts so I should be able to pick up both in time.
Age is hardly a factor IMO so I will ignore those comments - but thanks for them anyway! I will try not to dress like an 18 year old Whitegold, but I will never be a loser!
Anyway thanks to you all for making the effort to reply - all very useful.
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Interesting to note not a lot of the obvious skiier's have bothered to reply, seems very much from my readings that Boarders are quickly jumping on to promote it.
That aside, I chose skiing when I started - no idea why - perhaps I didn't know much about it and didn't like the similarity to skateboarding (yes I know they're not the same but they're both 1 board).
My girlfriend wants to try Boarding - thats fine, happy for her to - personally, the better I get at skiing, and the more I conversely enjoy it, the less appeal Boarding has to me. Right now, I've little desire to do it - but I'll try it at some point.
Reason being, I started skiing, enjoy it, and don't want to spend my time as a beginner again. (my 1 ski trip a year is precious!).
If you've time to do both, definately do - in some ways wish I had, but I'm happy skiing - so not really bothered. You'll soon learn which you think you'll enjoy more, forgetting all the pros and cons for either - its irrelavent, its whatever you enjoy that counts.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
Interesting to note not a lot of the obvious skiier's have bothered to reply, seems very much from my readings that Boarders are quickly jumping on to promote it.
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Let's face it. As much fun skiing is, learning takes a while and we all know people who gave up after a couple days (or even a couple of YEARS!) struggling on skis.
Boarders, on the other hand, don't have that perception. They either know people who board, or people who never tried. Boarding is still a relatively young sport... And when you look at a REALLY good boarder, you know he's having fun, AND you have to admit he look REALLY COOL!
I bet a large number of skiers are secretly wondering maybe they ought to try boarding!!! 
(I know I did. And I tried. I can now say I made an informed decision to stay with skiing. But I would encourage a new learner to try BOTH to decide for himself.)
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| tubbs wrote: |
| My boarding mate is interested to learn to ski - I think he will be doing some lessons at Crabbe before we go. |
Convince yor mate not to have too many ski lessons, and learn to ski together. It's much more fun having mates who are a similar level to yourself, and you cna laugh at each others wipe outs. If you go with boarding, he'll be doing all the laughing 
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Elizabeth B wrote: |
| tubbs wrote: |
| My boarding mate is interested to learn to ski - I think he will be doing some lessons at Crabbe before we go. |
Convince yor mate not to have too many ski lessons, and learn to ski together. It's much more fun having mates who are a similar level to yourself, and you cna laugh at each others wipe outs. If you go with boarding, he'll be doing all the laughing |
Don't think so. An experienced boarder will still have a huge advantage when learning to ski. tubbs will still be the only one who's falling constantly while his mate having all the laugh. Worse, he lose his excuse of being the ONLY beginer...
In fact, it's quite easy to learn to ski once you've boarded extensively. You would simply use the one edge of the ski each time: the inside edge of your outside leg in the turn...PERFECT! How many skiers spend years yet still not getting that part rigth?
Having gone from skiing to boarding briefly, I was forced to deal with having only one edge instead of two. That helped me focus on how the whole idea of "edgy" planks work on snow, by it one plank or two. Without the distraction of two planks and two poles, one either learn or fall. No crutches, no false balance by standing on the inside leg...
Coming back to skis, I found liberation! Haven gotten a better "feel" for balancing on one single edge using only body positioning, it's so much more powerful to now have TWO edges!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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tubbs, at some point I'd definitely make sure you've tried both.
I spent my first 3 years on skis then tried boarding and have spent the next 3 yrs boarding.
I like the idea of being able to swap between the 2 if/when I choose.
I'm far from an expert at either, but DO have fun doing both.
One piece of advice though, do spend a significant time focussed on one before switching.
Had a boarding "taster" session during my 3rd ski trip and this put me right off the idea. A 3 hour lesson at MK snowdome changed that.
Whichever you do make sure you have fun, and good luck.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Because it's so much easier to board the offpiste (the board is a better tool for this) that 0.5 metre of fresh is often tracked out in a lift run or two. My best days on the mountain are when I've earned my turns, when I've reached a peak without just using lifts and then ridden down through various conditions (inc fresh powder). For this I use a pair of planks.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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JonO_1001, what you said.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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tubbs, do what your friends are going to do.
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fads come and go, skiing lives forever
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tubbs, I learned to ski at the age of 46, so it's never too late to learn. Last year I tried boarding for the first time, but I really dislike being sideways on to where I'm going and particularly dislike all the fiddling with bindings, bouncing around to try and get started etc. I suspect that gets better when you get better at boarding, but for me skiing has been the way!
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Hmm its a hard one. I can both ski and board but prefer to ski. I spend most of my free time wakeboarding (yes even in the winter, was out yesterday) but even though I really love board sports I'm not a big fan of snowboarding unless its deep off piste powder.
I'd say skiing is easier and less tiring. Keeping a snowboard on its edge all day is seriously hard work and i find when forced to do it I end up knackered and catching an edge. When tired on skis I can just slump forward in my boots and let gravity do its job.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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JonO_1001, It's a bit like deciding whether to be str8, gay or bi. Skiing, obviously, is the str8 option
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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red 27, Well I suppose boarders are better looking and more stylish!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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saxabar, Only to other boarders!
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You know it makes sense.
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| abc wrote: |
In fact, it's quite easy to learn to ski once you've boarded extensively. You would simply use the one edge of the ski each time: the inside edge of your outside leg in the turn...PERFECT! How many skiers spend years yet still not getting that part rigth?
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Yes I also found when coming back to skiing I was much better than before. I just treat the outside ski as a snowboard The carving I learned on a board just happens on skis as well.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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DB, It's what's underneath that counts
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
It's what's underneath that counts
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Yes..SNOW!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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red 27, Hmm ... so I started str8, tried gay, and now I guess I'm bi ... maybe it's just a mid-life crisis!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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JonO_1001, you're not the first to switch to switch buses mid-journey Jono - are you Elton John in disguise? - or maybe a Tory MP? I guess I left out Telemark-ers - I think they're Necrophiliacs 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| tubbs wrote: |
| Age is hardly a factor IMO so I will ignore those comments - but thanks for them anyway! I will try not to dress like an 18 year old Whitegold, but I will never be a loser! |
Age is a huge factor.
At 37, knocking on 40, your abililty to learn a new sport is vastly impaired.
You are not a teenager anymore, even if you feel like one.
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Cor blimey Whitegold, you've got a degree in negativity haven't you?! Age only becomes a barrier if you let it. If people without all their limbs can learn to ski then I'm damn sure a 37 year old can learn to board!
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Whitegold wrote,
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At 37, knocking on 40, your abililty to learn a new sport is vastly impaired.
You are not a teenager anymore, even if you feel like one.
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You wouldn't see James Bond on a board. It's got to be skis for the more mature man.
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| Tim Sawyer wrote: |
Whitegold wrote,
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At 37, knocking on 40, your abililty to learn a new sport is vastly impaired.
You are not a teenager anymore, even if you feel like one.
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You wouldn't see James Bond on a board. It's got to be skis for the more mature man. |
Yeah, but JB learnt to ski when he was young.
Old men who start skiing late just look sad, with skis, poles and arms flying everywhere as they try to plow down the hill toward loserville.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Whitegold, You have an unhealthy obsession with what other people look like! I would imagine a psychotherapist would have a field day with you!
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Tell you what Whitegold - once I have been I will post an honest opinion of how I get on, looks like skiing will be the priority to try first.
You are wildly generalizing but thats OK, this is a forum after all and you are entitled to your opinion.
Luckily enough I don't give a toss what anybody thinks of me, if I need to learn something it all comes down to application - I might look stupid to start with but hey it is the end result that matters. I instruct people of all ages in another sport and age generally is irrelevant - listening tends to be very important, I have seen "impaired" 20 year olds as well as "impaired" 40 year olds - the ones who improve the best comes down to listening and practice ultimately - sure natural ability can be a massive help but give me a person who wants to succeed any day, you will get the most from them, which also means they enjoy it!
And as for not being a teenager anymore - GOOD! I was unfit and skint!!
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FAQ
Many female skiers look sexy, female boarders often look like blokes.