 Poster: A snowHead
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Hey...
I've heard of quite a few skiers turned snowboarders but not so many the other way. So, can anyway enlighten me on the transition of skier to boarder? I was thinking of trying boarding myself. Any hints? Thanks.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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1. Get wrist guards. Wrist injuries are very common for begginers at boarding - you will be falling forwards and backwards alot, and will probably try to stop yourself with your wrists. Other protective equiptment is not a bad idea, but wrist guards are key (then helmet, then bum protector).
2. Plan on only having a 2-3 hour first day. Snowboarding is very tiring at first.
3. Get a lesson.
4. Try to never let the edge pointing downhill touch the snow. You always want to be on the edge pointing uphill (once you learn to carve, this changes a bit, but at the beggining, any engaging of the downhill edge will send you hard and fast into the snow).
That's about all I can think of for tips. Snowboarding is a bit hard the first couple of times, but after that it's really easy to pick up, and tons of fun  If you're going to go once, force yourself to go at least 3 times.
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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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Where are you going to learn,Dry Slope or Snowdome?
Definately wrist guards as Ponder said,but i'd say a decent pair of impact shorts or butt pad.If helmets are available at the slope use there's as its gonna get a tad expensive just learn.
At least wristguards could be used again for Roller Blading if u didn't take to Snowboarding.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Based on my single lesson experience I would emphasise the need for a padded ar$e! If you're going to lessons at Castelford, then you'll get a rental helmet included in the price (although I have to say they are pretty repulsive objects).
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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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I would definatly recommend ar*se protection!
I skied for about 5 years and got a bit bored (no pun intended), and got totally into boarding. I think its the freedom of it....no poles etc. I picked it up after 1 morning and was linking turns on day 2 with the odd wipeout. I think it does depend on how quickly one picks it up, as i learnt to board with a skier of similar ability but he didnt pick it up too quick so subsiquently went back to skiing the following day!
Have fun learning!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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All good advice so far. I have made the transition to boarder after many years of skiing. A couple of key learnings are:
Patience - don't expect to be able to board down the same runs you ski on day two. It is VERY different.
Learn when conditons are in your favour ie NOT when it is icy as this will give you a bad experience . You will be falling alot as you learn so powder and soft snow is advised when learning (wear the protective gear talked about above - especially helmet)
Decide on how good you really want to be and at what level and stick with it. I made the mistake of "playing" with it for a few seasons with the odd day here and there. When the going got tough I went back to skiing. This year I decided that if I was to really improve I had to perservere. I boarded all season all trips through ice, powder, moguls.. you name it. As a result I am confident on all runs and in all conditions and am now at the level that I wanted to be.
Stick with it...have lessons... and enjoy. I can now say I prefer my board to my skis! 
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Be aggresive dont get too disheartened when you keep falling set your self targets on what you want to achieve every day and work bloody hard to do it . Seems harsh but the first three days on a board is horrible so dont expect to enjoy it too much but the rewards there after are great, once you start linking turns you will love it especially on fresh snow.
Dont have long lessons do an hour each morning then spend the afternoon perfecting what you have been taught, then next morning you will be ready too progress. Good luck
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I'd second
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Learn when conditons are in your favour ie NOT when it is icy as this will give you a bad experience . You will be falling alot as you learn so powder and soft snow is advised when learning (wear the protective gear talked about above - especially helmet)
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That's what I figured and what I did. Didn't then feel the need for padded posterior at all. Only one fall which made me feel could have done with helmet, wrist guard, neck brace etc.
Keep weight on leading leg, and when learning to turn, point your leading hand and look further round than you want to turn. Watch out for catching an edge and falling spectacularly on your face when barely schussing on a flat!
Most skiers find it much easier to learn than skiing. Steep learning curve with lots more falls than learning to ski but after 1-3 days, it's all good 
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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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I am an Intermediate skier of 5 years and I am currently learning to snowboard on a dry slope. My son says that I have more armour than a chieftan tank...but believe me you need it! I am having lessons on the snowflex slope so I wear wrist guards and knee pads, but when I go on the other older style slope I wear bum pads as well. I'm hoping to go to the snowdome soon as everyone says it's much easier on snow. Good Luck! 
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Best thing I bought was my wrist guards( as a beginer) fell over so many times and always put my wrist down first although my coccyx took a fair few bashings. My other bit of advice would be as AD said and be aggressive, dont be afraid to fall as you are less likey too with this attitude!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Just be fearless and expect to tumble a lot. And if you can, persuade some boarders to try skiing at the same time. It tends to settle the old argument over which is easier...
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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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2 things are vital
1) Lessons. The most importnat lesson is how to fall properly. Believe me you will fall a lot so you need to minimise the cumlative pain. If you survive 4 days you have cracked it!
2) Protective gear. Wrist guards are OK but most on the market are not really up to the job. Far better to buy proper quality knee pads. I learned with roller blade knee pads. On rollerblades you are taught to drive your knees into the tramac when you fall. The pads save you and your hands dhould be folded against your chest to prevent breakages. The same applies to snowboarding. Make sure you land knees first and keep yopur arems folded on your chest. Avoid the tempation to put your hands down and you'll be able to threo away the wrsit guards. Impact shorts are essential to protect your bum - it hurts! but they also make it nice and warm sitting on the snow - same goes for the knee pads when kneeling. As a beginner you'll do a lot of sitting and kneeling so get some pads!!!
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paulmc A lot of what you say makes sense. I am learning to snowboard and I am having problems with my heel-2-toe turn and consequently I am falling backwards down the slope - so no chance of landing on my knees! I keep getting whiplash in my kneck & my wrists, thumbs and shoulders have taken a battering. 
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You know it makes sense.
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Jules S, heel to toe and you're going on to your back down the slope! Ouch  Can you give a bit more description of what happens? It sounds a bit as though you're not moving your centre of mass to the front of the board and you're bending at your waist rather than your knees. this keeps your mass over the board centreline and so so there's no pressure going into your toes to get your inside edge engaged in the snow. Talk us through your turn.
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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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Sometimes I try to make the turn before I've got fully straight, and whilst I am going straight I do have a tendancy to lean back. Because I have fallen badly in this turn I am now frightened and so not committing myself to making the turn - in short I bottle out! This is on dry slope by the way! 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Hmm, sounds like your just chicken then, ehh 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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Jules S, i'm not experienced enough to help (bend knees and get onto your toes quickly as you come round - you already know you have to have weight forwards) but i am enough to sympathise. Hats off to you. You've got to be pretty hard to fall backwards down a dry slope heelside and keep going back. Time for the heavy duty Kevlar stuff.
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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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body armour, neck brace - you'll look like robocop but with less chance of needing his bionic rebuild!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Jules S, yup, 'big stones' (metaphorically) for going back and trying again on the bristles, bet you've had some impressive bruises You've pretty much said it yourself, you're tense and scared (been there, got the scars). It's just time, practice and lessons that'll get you through it, though I might be tempted to wait till I could ride on something softer, even the white sand at Xscape has to be better than the brush though I’ve heard Snowflex is pretty good.
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Jules S, what part of the country are you in? If you can manage a trip to a snowdome, you'll find things easier on "the real stuff"
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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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Elizabeth B Southcoast I'm afraid, but hoping to go to Tamworth in June. Would like to learn the basics before going on hol - don't want to make too much of and idiot of myself on the lifts and paths etc. It takes me over an hour to get to the snowflex slope. I'm hoping to get to snowdome once a month to keep up my 'skills' 
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Jules S, Your nearest is xscape in milton keynes and it's better than tamworth.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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slikedges We go up Tamworth way to stay with friends, so it is more convenient whilst we're up there. Didn't realise that xscape was better though, so will definately give that a try sometime.
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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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Jules S, top respect for the dedication that you are showing. I am not sure that I would have the determination to stick with it on snowflex/dendex. If you start to get disheartened, just remember that it will be much easier on snow and so don't be tempted to stray from the path to righteousness!
I suspect that once you have been to Tamworth you will decide that less is more and just stick to a few lessons there. A different instructor will have a slightly different approach and might unlock any problems with your technique and so it could be beneficial from that aspect as well.
Best of luck.
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Tony I intend to stay on the path, so no worries there - whether I reach my destination or not is another matter! My Instructor is really good, I can link 2 turns when he is there but struggle when I'm on my own. I know what to do and how to do it, but fear blocks the logic. I had problems when learning to ski 5 years ago but I'm fairly confident on skis now, so I've just got to persevere - if my aging body will let me!
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You know it makes sense.
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Another couple tips:
1) Find somewhere open, point your board downhill, and just go without turning for a while. Basically just get used to being at higher speeds on a board.
2) Start your turns earlier. When learning, people often stay on one edge for too long, and sort of get locked in to that edge, unable to turn onto the other one (for me, when I was learning I had trouble going heel to toe). Even though at first you think you'll fall/catch an edge, just try to put turns in on a more regular basis, as in every 2-5 seconds or so.
3) Get your weight forward/downhill. I'm sure you've heard this a million times, but it makes a huge difference. Try sticking your leading hand out. When you're scared, the instinct is to lean back, but this causes you to lose control, so don't do it.
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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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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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ponder, Are you Canadian or just a lucky Brit on a long holiday/working  We are hoping to go to Banff/Panorama 2006/2007 have you tried either of these resorts?
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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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Just got back from boarding at MK snowdome - was surprised how much could still do - it really is like riding a bike even after first 5 days on holiday in March! Advice given was v. helpful. Progress was made as I made myself have more control of position and when to turn... by weaving in and out of the pylons down the middle of the slope!
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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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I find that after Half an hour i find my feet and can pick up where i left off. but always in the first 5 mins its like ive never boarded before.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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IncogSkiSno, yeah, I'm Canadian. I spend september - april at University on the west coast in Vancouver, and may - august in Toronto. Can't help you with the resorts unfortunately, as the only places I've boarded on the west coast of Canada are some local Vancouver mountains, and Whistler (I get really cheap seasons passes to Whistler, so it's not really worth it for me to go anywhere else).
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ponder, 
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FAQ
Thanks for that... Jim? 
You are so right, I do know what I have to do, I just have to go for it! What did you mean by "time for the heavy duty Kevlar stuff" 
