 Poster: A snowHead
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As a skier, i have been secretly fancying a go at Snowboarding for a while now. However, gear hire in resorts is expensive (specially if you only want it for a day or so, have never done it before and will just spend most of the time on your bum) and none of my boarding friends are anyway near the same size boot as me, so borrowing equipment was never an option.
Then, last week I totalled up my Tesco clubcard vouchers and couldn't find anything i wanted to spend them on - until i spotted a post in "The Piste" that XScape in Leeds were now accepting them.
So, this morning, I booked myself and my partner onto an 8 hour "Learn to SnowBoard in a day" course.
Now, I know that it's highly unlikely I'll be able to snowboard after 8 hours - but I am hoping that it will be enough to a) get an idea of whether or not i like it and b) get me to a level where I could consider switching to the dark side for one of next year's ski trips.
I thought I'd celebrate this momentous occasion (something i swore i would never do!) by making my first post in the "snowBoarding" forum on SnowHeads!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| magic_hat wrote: |
| Now, I know that it's highly unlikely I'll be able to snowboard after 8 hours - but I am hoping that it will be enough to a) get an idea of whether or not i like it and b) get me to a level where I could consider switching to the dark side for one of next year's ski trips. |
I could link turns, just about, after a learn-in-a-day course, as could sig. other. Being a skier gives you a leg-up as you're already not scared of lifts, not scared of slopes, sort of know what the snowboard's edges are meant to do, and so on. I wrote about it here:
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=1017096
You'll fall over a lot.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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magic_hat, good on ya! you'll always be welcome here - if you don't like it, atleast you tried it out.
all i can suggest is that you both borrow a pair of impact shorts off your mates. they're handy for keeping your @rse warm when sitting down to catch your breath after you've fallen over a few times 
let us know how you get on.
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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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magic_hat, Great news!
keep us updated how you get on
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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welcome to the club
just watch the faceplants!
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Enjoy! I second the bumpads if you can possibly borrow some.
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It was knees for me mainly, not bums. Although I did manage an absolute coccyx-shatterer one time that made me nearly "do something".
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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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Cheers all for the helpful / positive replies!
I'm really looking forward to it and am quite encouraged by the responses from both paulio and RPF - if i can make it to linked turns by the end of the 8 hours I'll be pretty pleased.
It's at the beginning of July - I'll post an update when I'm done.
PS: paulio, Interesting Trip Report! Cheers!
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magic_hat, let us know how it goes. But you don't have to switch. Do both, then you'll have the right tools for any snow conditions!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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you will definately be able to link turns.
if you get Ian or Dec as instructors and you have any natural ability at all you will be linking turns after about 4 hours.
if your fit enough to last the 8 hours you will be riding from the top of the slope by the end of it. probably nearer 6 hours into it.
MIni
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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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sherlock235, firebug, paulio, I agree on the padding. I hammered knees and coxyx. Not during lesson but on subsequent trips. I found it hard to turn on to my toe edge for a while (left foot forward) and repetedly landed on the same part of my right knee. A soft pair of pads took the sting out of it till I got the hang of it. I think you have to use a helmet during the lesson if you have one bring it if not they have them there. I know it saved me from a few bumps too.
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magic hat
there is a good chance you will learn loads and will be able to snowboard after 8 hours,esp you coming from ski`s onto a board
get wrist protectors,soft protection shorts that protect
make sure if you buy a snowboard it has a flat base,apart from boot fit being important,i cant stress how much a flat base will help you get reasonable at snowboarding
and magic hat,a hat is a must,if you like your life
i am just about to take ski lessons,looking forward to it
Last edited by So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much  on Tue 9-06-09 14:52; edited 1 time in total
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You know it makes sense.
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| mini.mansell wrote: |
you will definately be able to link turns.
if you have any natural ability at all you will be linking turns after about 4 hours. |
So there's your challenge, magic_hat.
4 hours tops, or you're officially a LOSER.
Make sure you let us know!
(And like pam_w says, switching from one discipline to the other, and leaving one behind, in either direction, is daft. Do both. It's what all the cool kids do). Quite honestly anyone who only does one or the other, is a LOSER.
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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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Testicles.
I'd forgotten about my poor testicles.
You might land on your testicles a lot.
I did.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Unless you're a girl.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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in which case you can land on somebody else's
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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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Hell hath no fury...
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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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paulio,
pam w, paulio, I think that's my ultimate - to be decent at both. My partner wants to be an awesome skier and take it to as advanced a level as possible, I'd quite like to be a competant skier and boarder and switch between the two as the mood/conditions/company dictates.
mini.mansell, Cheers. Hopefully fit enough to last 8 hours - we shall see!
RPF, snowtheway2go, Have a helmet (ever since knocking myself unconscious on an almost flat blue slope whilst travelling at less than about 5mph) - will take it along.
Cheers All!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Resurrecting an old thread to post a sort of trip report!
It was about a month ago now, but still burned into my memory (and the bruises on my backside)...
Started the day fairly early, with an intro to our instructor and his assistant (actually a guy doing some shadowing as part of his own qualification but who turned out to be fantastic and way more helpful/useful than our actual instructor who was a) hungover b) disinterested and c)kept disappearing).
After an explanation about edges and bindings, we chose a foot to put forward, strapped our front foot in and did some walking/sliding around.
Note to self: Never again get irritated with snowboarders flapping around and struggling to get from a to b in a straight line on the flat.
Up to the top of the hill, we learnt to slide on the heel edge (straight down), the toe edge (straight down) and then both in a zig zag down.
Break for lunch (horrid, horrid food. Don't ever eat in the XScape cafeteria).
Next up - turns. Toeside turns and heelside turns (not linked. One at a time).
Onto the drag lift and up to half way mark. Learnt to link the turns and practised this for a while before going to the top of the slope and practising from there.
Got signed off and went home.
What i neglected to mention above was that 5 minutes into the lesson, I fell backwards, put my hand out to stop myself and bent my thumb backwards - no working thumb for the rest of the session.
Oh and about an hour into the session, I fell hard on my backside and damaged my coccyx. Was in agony for the rest of the session.
Note to self: When snowboarder friends fall, it doesn't half knock the wind out of your sails. Never again get irritated with them when they don't get straight up and carry on.
Another note to self: When you are a snowboard beginner, turning when tired and/or the slope is busy can be quite daunting and scary. Never again get irritated with beginner snowboarder friends who slide all the way down a slope slowly on the heel edge.
I spent three hours the next morning in the local A&E having xrays and checks - probable broken coccyx and damaged thumb ligaments.
However, i still had a great time. I can now link my turns from top to bottom of the slope which was my aim before i started. I'll defintately give boarding another go - i'd very much like to build on what i learnt and be able to hold my own in a resort on blues/reds.
Having said that, it's a damn painful business this boarding!
Tell you what though - it gave me a great insight into what it's like for a boarder, and (as a skier) I learnt a lot about why they do the things they do. I'll never get annoyed on the slopes again!
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| magic_hat wrote: |
Note to self: Never again get irritated with snowboarders flapping around and struggling to get from a to b in a straight line on the flat.
Note to self: When snowboarder friends fall, it doesn't half knock the wind out of your sails. Never again get irritated with them when they don't get straight up and carry on.
I learnt a lot about why they do the things they do. I'll never get annoyed on the slopes again! |
Bing!
Exactly the same here.
A 'stupid snowboarder sat in the middle of the piste like an idiot, god I hate snowboarders" is actually someone in crippling pain, unable to breathe, worried sick wondering whether their spine is actually protruding from their bumhole, all bloodied and splintered.
All skiers should be made to do a day's snowboarding, and vice versa. The slopes would be hundreds of percent safer and more civil if this were rigidly enforced, I'm certain of it.
This thread was my favourite on this topic: http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=47623
Nice report, thanks for posting that. Don't give up on it!
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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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A bit of strategically placed padding goes along way. Helmet, Impact shorts, knee pads and wrist guards have all paid for themselves now and I've only boarded in Tamworth.
I will do it for real this season when not skiing. As I'm servicing and transporting the brothers board I might as well test it for him too 
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brilliant - respect 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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good man the magic hat. just keep at it, it sounds like you picked it up relatively quickly so given a day or two on real slopes you should be cruising the blues (much quicker to reach that level than skiing and therefore what you expect).
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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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| Quote: |
All skiers should be made to do a day's snowboarding, and vice versa. The slopes would be hundreds of percent safer and more civil if this were rigidly enforced, I'm certain of it.
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Totally agree - my No. 1 solution for skier/boarder harmony on the slopes too!!!
magic_hat,
Well done mate, keep it up though, it gets easier!
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Although all this peace and love between skiers and snowboarders can sometimes go disastrously wrong. In Feb I was on a board for a change, and ahead of me a skier had taken a tumble, one of his skis had released, and it was sat some 50m or so up-slope of him. I swooshed over and cried "don't worry mate, I'll get it for you". I picked it up and rode toward him, like a true hero - a shining example of skier-boarder diplomatic relations. I got within about a couple of metres of him and with a smiling "there you go mate" I tossed the ski towards him, which he failed to catch, and which then sped off on its own down the hill and out of sight.
"Sorry", was as much as I could muster, and I rode off into the sunset, leaving the stricken skier behind me, clumsily making his way down on his arse, like a dog with worms.
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You know it makes sense.
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the 1st international hug a skier day 22nd Jan 2010
the divide between boarders and skiers
it should`nt be there!
about educating people i think,and some good manners on the hill from both boarders and skiers
There's been a lotta talk about this next event....maybe, maybe too much talk. This event is not a rebel event, this event is Hug a skier Friday..Hug a skier Friday...
A hug is a form of physical intimacy that usually involves closing or holding the arms around another person or group of persons. The hug is one of the most common human signs of love and affection, along with kissing. Unlike some other forms of physical intimacy, it is practiced publicly and privately without stigma in many countries, religions and cultures, within families, and also across age and gender lines.
Sometimes, hugs are a romantic exchange. Hugs may also be exchanged as a sign of support and comfort. A hug can be a demonstration of affection and emotional warmth, sometimes arising out of joy or happiness at meeting someone.
Brief in most cases, it is used to show many levels of affection. It is not particular to human beings alone, as there are many species of animals that engage in similar exchanges of warmth.
Hugging has been proven to have health benefits. One study has shown that hugs increase levels of oxytocin, and reduce blood pressure.
At Sno-Age Ltd we dont believe there should be obstacles to enjoying snowsports, that is why we support DSUK (Disability Snowsports UK) feature both skiing and snowboarding and have members ranging from 18-66, we like to have fun and not spoil anybody else's fun, that is why we created hug a skier day, put it in your diary and let us know what you will be doing on the 22nd January "hug a skier day" we will be on the slopes around Kaprun then partying at the Baumbar at the foot of the Maiskogel, all are welcome.
So forget about being a rebel and hug a skier/boarder and lol
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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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If you can get Zoe Gillings to indulge in a lingering sapphic embrace with Chemmy, I'm so there.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Mmmmmmmmmmm
an idea?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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magic_hat,
well done...
Unfortunately, it sounds like you still got to experience a good toe edge catch and a "poper" face plant... or knee plant on ice.... apart from that it looks like everything was covered! 
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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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i have had on of those BAAAD faceplants! and the back of the head plant 30 seconds before that,double wammy
8 months to get back on a board
confidence was shattered,but getting some bottle back now
i am going to try skiing this year lol,still want to do a lot of boarding though
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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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magic_hat, the scary thing is that no matter what tumble you take on day one, there is something worse to come on days 2 - 5, and then 5 - 10, and then 10 - 20, and then 20 - 40, after that you tend not to do so much falling ......... unless you start doing rollers/park etc, in which case it all starts over again
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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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rayscoops, dont forget the random edge catch just as you think you've got it all dialled in. They still happen no matter how good you are.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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magic_hat wrote:
| Quote: |
Note to self: Never again get irritated with snowboarders flapping around and struggling to get from a to b in a straight line on the flat.
Note to self: When snowboarder friends fall, it doesn't half knock the wind out of your sails. Never again get irritated with them when they don't get straight up and carry on.
Another note to self: When you are a snowboard beginner, turning when tired and/or the slope is busy can be quite daunting and scary. Never again get irritated with beginner snowboarder friends who slide all the way down a slope slowly on the heel edge. |
Heh, that's about the best summary of life as a beginner snowboarder I think I've ever seen . 100% spot on....
Jonny luv plums wrote:
| Quote: |
| dont forget the random edge catch just as you think you've got it all dialled in. They still happen no matter how good you are. |
... and likewise!
Hope you recovered speedily, magic_hat, and stick at it because when you finally get to do your first drop off the side of the mountain, surfing at speed down through thick powder (to finally rejoin the track and await your skier friends to catch you up from the confinement of their pisted jail;-), I promise you that those painful early days will have been more than worth it!
I did my first day of skiing last weekend (here in the Pyrenees before the random early November snow melted as quickly as it arrived) and my god, going along the flat is sooo easy facing forward with poles! (As a beginner snowboarder, there are bad things, there are really bad things, and there are flats.)
I tried to teach myself to parallel turn with 50% success, but when I found myself unable to control my speed I just rode it out to the flats instead of deliberately falling, because of course speed and slope no longer terrify you when you're already experienced on the mountain.... which has got to be a fairly dangerous combination :-/. I imagine the same applies to the ski-to-snowboard crossover too; be careful!
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I am an Intermediate standard Skier and Monoskier who wants to learn Snowboarding.
I am comfortable on 'Reds' with both styles so i wonder how difficult my transition to riding a Snowboard will be?
I would like to be able to add the Snowboard to my quiver of Snow sliding styles.
Btw,
I have always worn a helmet on the slopes after a bad knock i got years ago
and i have noticed an increase in helmets worn by recreational Skiers in every resort i go to.
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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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As a Monoskier i avoid Draglifts and Poma Tows whenever possible, although i just had to ride the top button at Nevis Range in order to ski the awsome Back Corries.
I guess using these type of lifts is quite tricky for budding Snowboarders too which must take a bit of getting used to and a lot of practice.
I have got Les Arc and Cervinia in mind for trips this season
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cc_7up, I don't see the point in wasting your time on drag lifts when you're starting to board unless you absolutely have to. Once you get better and your balance improves you will be able to deal with them without much practice and without falling off three times out of four, so you might as well leave it until later.
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FAQ
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