Snowboard or Ski?

Snowboard or Ski?

Snowboarding and skiing are very similar.  Both sports are downhill snow sports that can provide hours of fun.  The level of difficulty is subjective to which sport you are attempting.  Some of the differences between snowboarding and skiing are:

Knees: Skiing is very tough on your knees. Knee injuries are very common when skiing. You rarely see knee injuries when snowboarding. The pressure points are not the same.

Wrists: Snowboarders see many wrist injuries. This is because snowboarders do not have poles to help them balance. Often they catch themselves with their hands. You should always wear wrist protection when you are snowboarding.

The Stop Position: This is a major difference between the two sports. It is much harder to remain still and stopped on a snowboard. Snowboarders have to apply pressure to the edge of their board all the time to remain stopped. Skiers have poles to assist them in remaining still. It takes a great deal of energy for a snowboarder to remain stopped.

Flats: Flats are easy for skiers to traverse. Again, they have their poles to assist them. The flat is the snowboarder’s worse enemy. They grind to a halt and eventually have to un-strap and walk it. Flats are an advantage to the skier.

Deep Snow: Deep soft snow is the snowboards best friend. Snowboarders love fresh powder. Skiers often enjoy harder, bumpier conditions. Skiers love the icy, bumpy conditions. Snowboarders love to shred fresh powder. Most skiers love fresh powder also, but it is easier on the snowboard.

Getting Up: Once you fall it can be easier for the snowboarder to get up right and boarding again. This is not true at first. It will take some time before are proficient at getting up on your snowboard. Once you are you will be back up and snowboarding again in a flash. It takes much longer for skiers to get themselves up and back on their skis.

There are many winter enthusiasts that are both skiers and snowboarders. You should know this takes some skill and there is a learning curve between the two sports. Don’t expect to just jump off your skis and onto a snowboard and make it down the mountain. You will eat some snow before you get to the bottom. You can learn to do both. Boarders can transfer to skiing much easier. If you go from skis to snowboarding you will want to do some reading and maybe take some lessons.

You will find that it will not take you as long to learn though. Many of the principals are the same. You can learn to ski and snowboard.

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