 Poster: A snowHead
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I've been boarding for 5 years, but have decided to give skiing a try. Off to Switzerland end of next week and have ski hire and lessons booked. I'm leaving my board at home so it doesn't tempt me to give up!
So, what should I expect? Are any boarding skills transferrable to skiing, or should I expect a week of constant falling over and pain?
Any tips appreciated!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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You should expect run over the end of snowboards in the queue for the lift and if possible take everyones eye out with your ski poles.
You may also want to call your kids Tarquin.
(PS I am a snowboarder and was very tempted to learn to ski last year due to the rubbish conditions, wish I had now too!)
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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 found the change-over pretty straightforward to be honest. You already know how an edge works in the snow. You know you need to get your weight forward to make a turn. Some things are different (and a little counter-intuitive) but if you're taking lessons then you'll get through these pretty easily.
I still have no idea what the fecking sticks are for though.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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The two main things that translate are balance and edge control.
Compared to boarding, basic skiing is a walk in the park. Getting good is another matter.
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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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| Quote: |
I still have no idea what the fecking sticks are for though.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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It will be crap, you will beg for your board back
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Compared to boarding it's easy, that's why more people ski
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Yeah, easy to learn the basics of skiing but pushing through to looking and being good take some time. Don't expect to fall over too much, it's no where near as tough as the first week on a board!
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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 was a fairly crap skier when I started boarding and marginally better when I took up skiing again so I guess it must do something. It certainly helps you get used to the idea of having less than perfect edge grip at times.
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My wife has started skiing after many years boarding, she has progressed really fast as she already has experience of all the types of runs, snow conditions, etc. so doesn't have the in-built fear that most beginners have. Get some lessons though, otherwise you'll end up skiing like me
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Oh, and she hasn't got to grips with the fecking stick thingys either 
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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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If you have a fridge near you (casteford/snozone etc) you could always take a few pre trip lessons
i learnt to snowboard AFTER skiing so i cant give any specific advice, but I found learning the 2nd discipline easier than the first
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You know it makes sense.
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pape100, I agree!
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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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We don't want people converting to Mod go back to your leathers.
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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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joebh123, you've never worn snowboard boots, have you? 
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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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After a decade on-board, I also have to learn to ski this year to assist with Sideways_Jnr next season...
Fancy the learn-to-ski-inna-day thing at Hemel, don't want to waste real mountain time on a redundant technique now do we. Question is, how tight to I have to wear my pants during the lesson, I assume VERY, as i'm just learning, before moving up to EXTREMELY.
Oh, and from my experience, the stick-things are for scratching up the topsheets of peoples boards in lift queues, or flailing about with on cat-tracks to prevent people overtaking.
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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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The sticks are for popping the heel bindings of French teenagers who push in front of you in the lift queue. 
Other than that, I would add "icy pistes" to pape100's list of things that are better with skis.
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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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pape100,welcome to SH. Great first post
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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One use for the feckin sticks is giving snowboarders a tow across the flat bits.... 
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pam w, ok, point of order y'honour. I have NEVER been effectively towed by a skier. They offer a pole to hold onto, and then can't move themselves, because they're on the flat too and can't pole along effectively with 1 stick and the weight of 2 people. Oh they'll TRY to help, sure, and I appreciate it but it doens't work... and they get all huffy if you accidently pull their baskets off.
Now, if i've run out of momentum and been becalmed on the flats, i'll boot-pack it, and offer to tow skiers, and I've managed to tow 3 at once before now (admittedly 2 of 3 were little kids) you hold front binding heel, skier holds rear.
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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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Richard_Sideways, I get Mrs Paulio to 'pull me along the flat bits' quite often.
If the towing skier can 'skate' well rather than pole, and not all skiers can, you can get a good slingshot along the flat. Very useful.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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paulio, yep, I do this with my boarder friends (when they're not to proud to take assistance). I'm not sure why skating isn't more widely taught. It's extremely useful on flats/uphill, less tiring than poling, looks approx 300% better than polling and and a great balance exercise.
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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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It's also not all that hard. I just figured it out for myself one day. None of my other skiing friends can do it. They always arrive at chairlifts several minutes after me, knackered, with arms like Popeye.
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paulio, you're a lucky boy!
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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
If the towing skier can 'skate' well rather than pole, and not all skiers can, you can get a good slingshot along the flat. Very useful.
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I'm not a bad skater on skis, but wouldn't want to have to tow anybody too far. Usually it's on one particular flat bit where, with a slingshot, they can then sort if for themselves.
I board a bit, so I count myself as a neutral here. But there is simply no argument about the boots. I have no problem walking for some distance, carrying a board under my arm.
However, XC boots are even better. I can drive in my XC boots, but not in my snowboard boots, because of lack of ankle movement.
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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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I prefer my ski boots to my snowboarding boots.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| admin wrote: |
| He spent 2 days looking much more 'evolved' than usual.... |
For a small fee, I could be persuaded to post the video....
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| stevomcd wrote: |
| .......You already know how an edge works... |
So side-slipping should be easy to master. Turning on skis would be another thing entirely.
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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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The 'knowing how an edge works' thing is a definite advantage (speaking as someone who went the other way, learning to board after already being a semi-competent skier).
You know
1) weight towards the nose, not towards the tail.
2) tilt the equipment so that the edge sits at an angle with the ground, don't run it completely flat.
3) apply your weight progressively, don't just stamp on it.
4) let the edge do what it's designed to do, don't force it and kick it round except in some kind of an emergency.
all that sort of stuff. It's a definite, significant, advantage to understand some of the physics of it all.
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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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To add to the list of things that will help learning to ski:
1. You hopefully wont be scared of the mountain, or steeper slopes a little out of your ski comfort zone
2. You can read the terrain and know about differant types of snow
3. You will understand how chair lifts or tows work
4. You have the balance thing sorted and get what an edge does when you apply pressure
Speaking as someone who can board and ski, skiing is a lot less messing around, its quicker and skis are so much better on pistes, ice, moguls and touring.
Having said that 2 foot of fresh powder, I would always grab the board.
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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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adie, [quote]
Having said that 2 foot of fresh powder, I would always grab the board.
Is that because snowboarding is easier and you need good technique on skis?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Cynic, haha, exactly. The "plateau" is relatively easy to get to on a SB. It's quite tricky to tell the difference between a 3 week snowboarder and a 3 year one unless they start pulling tricks. my SB mates openly admit that's one of the attractions. Skiing on the other hand, never ending learning curve.
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When we were at uni and all the boys were snowboarding and all the girls were skiing, if it got to a long, flat bit, the boarders took their boards off and walked, pulling the skiers along by their ski poles (presumably hoping this would increase chances of pulling later on). Those were the days...
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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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Dr John, that depends how seriously you take it. I'm on about my 4th week of boarding I should think, and I feel like I'm at the start of a longish curve still. Yeah I can 'get down anything', just like I can on skis, but that doesn't feel like the zenith of my achievements yet!
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Dr John, If you devote the time to learn the techniques, you can get through the plateau stages as surely as you can in in skiing.
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