Have you ever tried to switch from skis to a board or v-v?

[bobbutts]

If you've skied or boarded for several years and then tried to switch, I'd like to hear how it went.

Two of my girls went from skis to a board and didn't like it. A middle age-friend switched from skis to a board and never went back.

I've toyed with trying it, with these great learn-to-ski/board packages, but I'm afraid to give up days in good snow. Maybe I should try this during the holidays...

Thoughts?

I learned to board at Wachusett ~15 years ago.. Skiing there was boring, and I had friends going there to learn to board, so it was more fun to struggle with them vs. wait at the bottom for 10 mins each time or ditch them.

The first couple times are pretty brutal until you learn not to let your downhill edge dig in and drive you into the ground. Once you get past that the learning curve is really fast and fun.

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

tried boarding last year while at smuggs, we had free lesson with our package, so the mrs and i gave it a go on our last day...picked it up quickly, didnt hate it, didnt love it...will probably never do it again...picked up Tele'ing and find it hard to click the heel back in...tele is great, esp with the kids....

 

[snafu]

I started out skiing back in the early 80s, never took a lesson but steadily progressed but never got as good as I wanted to be. My first time on a real mountain with a snowboard was at Sundown night skiing back in the early nineties - let me tell you night skiing with frigid temps and boilerplate and learning to snowboard is not a good mix. I got my a$$ kicked all night long. But I stayed with it and I progressed rather fast after that. Probably due to skateboarding all the time back then, just more comfortable going sideways.

That being said I will probably at some point rent some skis next time I go with my skiing friends to Killington. I hate playing catch-up on all the catwalks there, and I don't go enough to be familiar with the terrain, knowing when to keep my speed up for upcoming flats etc.

What most people say about learning to ride/ski is true, at least for me - skiing is easier on the body while learning, but harder to master, while snowboarding will hurt and frustrate you the first couple times, but once you get the progression feels faster.

A bit OT - One good story I read long ago about a kid learning to snowboard - he would always have a big cookie in his pocket for a snack everyday when he was out on the mountain. When he was learning to ride that cookie would end up being a pocketful of crumbs at the end of the day, smashed up from all the falling he did. This ended up being his gage as to how he was progressing - every day the cookie would survive a bit more intact, until one day he saw it was in one piece at the end of the day. Then he knew he had gotten to a certain point.

Now just think of your body as the cookie in this story and you get the point.

 

[jrmagic]

I've always thought about givng boarding a shot but anytime the conditions are right with either powder or soft snow, I can't bear to give up the day skiing so I guess it will never happen. My older son tried a board for a couple of days a year or so ago and got himself to a point that he could make it down the greens and ever some blues without taking a digger but he then gave it up and hasn't asked to switch again.

 

[AdironRider]

Boarding is tough to switch to as its much harder the first 5 days or so compared to someone's first 5 days on skis ever.

But once you link a couple turns in a row together, snowboarders progress much faster than skiers. You can become an expert rider quicker if you ask me.

Dont bother with a lesson for snowboarding. Its all learning balance on an edge. Once you get that feel, and instructor wont make you any better on a snowboard. I feel the exact opposite for skiers. Instruction can be crucial to getting over the intermediate hump.

 

[gmcunni]

tried it @ sugarbush almost 20 years ago. finally linked some turns together on the bunny slope and figured i was good to go.. HA.. i was so bruised and battered after 1 run i decided it wasn't worth giving up the precious few ski days i got each year to learn something new.

 

[marcski]

Good thread, Bill.

Lifelong skier here...Dad started me at 3. Skied weekends and vacations growing up. Then after school and during grad school I Rented a house for years with a bunch of college buddies in my 20's. Upon hitting 30's the house became a bit...skanky, (we rented the same house for 8 seasons, built in 1832 if iirc).and our respective gf/wives became umm....sensitive to the weekend accommodations, so we rented a few condos with a couple of other couples (nothing will ever beat the original ski house, 7 guys.....mayhem!)

So, anyway, I was skiing with the wife a lot more... Well, let me correct that. I was waiting a lot more for my wife on the hill and I had these god awful san marco race boots that had the fit of a cinder block. One of the other guys in the condo was a boarder, I was like that looks cool. Mt. Snow had a deal for $99: 3 days rental and lessons. I had a pass already it was a no brainer. First lesson was great. Walk up side of the bunny slope and with just the front foot strapped in showed you how to stop both to the toe and heel sides. Which essentially teaches you to get off a chair. By the middle of the 2nd lesson I was bored and the instructor agreed and I just rode out of the lesson.

I found, that after skiing for so long I was able to balance quite easily. I understood getting an edge, the fallline, counterbalancing gravity and the mountain, etc. I used the rental for day 3. Took a hard fall on a flat trail thought I was going to throw up but didn't....day 4 I borrowed my buddy's board and boots and with the stiffer board as opposed to a softer beginner rental one I had a breakthrough day. By day 5 I had my own setup. I got 16 days in on the board that winter. By the end of the winter, I was waiting for my wife while on the board.

I boarded exclusively the next few years, got quite good. I would ride bumps, tight lines on the sides of trails and trees.

Then, we took a trip out west. I was only skiing on that trip for some reason, even though we were based in park city for the week. But I had an epiphany while at Alta. When we got home I got a new pair of ski boots, custom footbed and haven't boarded since, other than in the backyard sledding hill.

IMHO, I find skiing much more dynamic. It is faster to me. These days with my fatter skis, I feel as though I surf the snow on skis. I also think boarding has a far shorter learning curve.

Just some random thoughts on the subject. Sorry for my blueberry ramble.

 

[dmc]

Learning to snowboard is frustrating to people that think since they are good skiers then they will become good snowboarders.. No awesome skier wants to looks stupid flailing around on a deck and those that believe in a limited number of good ski days will never switch and "lose" a day...

My advice to most of the characters on this web site is to not even try.. You won't like it after the first 10 minutes.. And it takes a bit more then that to learn enough to enjoy.

 

[campgottagopee]

Learning to snowboard is frustrating to people that think since they are good skiers then they will become good snowboarders.. No awesome skier wants to looks stupid flailing around on a deck and those that believe in a limited number of good ski days will never switch and "lose" a day...

My advice to most of the characters on this web site is to not even try.. You won't like it after the first 10 minutes.. And it takes a bit more then that to learn enough to enjoy.

No, for exactly that reason---I don't want to put the time in to become "good"---I'd rather just enjoy my 2 planks.

 

[dmc]

No, for exactly that reason---I don't want to put the time in to become "good"---I'd rather just enjoy my 2 planks.

And that is why I recommend you don't try...

 

[gorgonzola]

if i were to tell anyone NOT to try it for any reason, it would be for the hellacious wipeouts! per my earlier post i grew up skiing skating surfing and neanderthal boarding (old skate decks and early prototypes) so my learning curve was real quick. too quick maybe, high speed crashes on hard snow at speed hurt (for days) like no other physical abuse i have ever endured... you fall like a frickin tree on those things

 

[dmc]

you fall like a frickin tree on those things

Until you get good... I fall less on a deck then skis... And my falls are a lot less painful and intense..

 

[SkiDork]

I've tried snowboarding 3 times. The first time was excrutiating. I didn't try it again for like 5 years. By the 3rd time I was able to make it down snowshed without falling. I actually liked it and if I can pick up some gear cheap I may do some more of it this season.

 

[billski]

Until you get good... I fall less on a deck then skis... And my falls are a lot less painful and intense..

The first two things I learned on skis was how to stop and how to fall. Key to my success. I get the idea of how to stop on a board. What's the best way(s) to fall on a board?

 

[campgottagopee]

if i were to tell anyone NOT to try it for any reason, it would be for the hellacious wipeouts! per my earlier post i grew up skiing skating surfing and neanderthal boarding (old skate decks and early prototypes) so my learning curve was real quick. too quick maybe, high speed crashes on hard snow at speed hurt (for days) like no other physical abuse i have ever endured... you fall like a frickin tree on those things

That's cause your an old bastard!!!!

The fall I took the last day of the season last year STILL hurts,,,sux gettin old.

 

[Glenn]

One thing about having done both....I'm certainly less inclined to get into/participate a "what is better" debate. To me, it doesn't matter how you get down the mountain, as long as your enjoying it. Both have their ups and downs.

 

[dmc]

The first two things I learned on skis was how to stop and how to fall. Key to my success. I get the idea of how to stop on a board. What's the best way(s) to fall on a board?

Slide out - don't just drop and use your arms/wrists.

 

[RENO]

Started skiing in 96. I was mostly an intermediate skier. In 2000 figured I'd try snowboarding since I wasn't that great at skiing yet so it wouldn't be a big deal to try something new. Went by myself to Blue Mountain PA. Lesson was useless. Instructor was a young kid who wasn't very good at teaching. It was me and a little 12 year old kid getting lessons together. Got more out of a video I bought. It is a way simpler technique than skiing. There's a reason why there's not 500 different videos on how to snowboard like skiing and thousands of articles on how to carve. Spent the morning on the learning slope and then by the afternoon I was doing laps on Lazy Mile and Paradise. Couldn't stand the handle tow in the learning area! Sure I got a few bumps and bruises. I figured I would so I wore kneepads, elbow pads, butt pads, wristguards and a helmet! :lol: Once I was able to link a few turns in the morning I was off and running. I was able to snowboard stuff by the end of that season that I couldn't do on skis. After the first few days I was just wearing wristguards and helmet. Still do. I did both for a few years (ski in the morning/Snowboard in the afternoon), but switched completely to snowboarding 5 years ago. Just don't have the time to do both and I feel sooooo much more comfortable on a snowboard. Much more natural movement. Every year I say I will give skiing another shot and try on my ski boots in the Fall and then they go back in the closet. I just can't get used to wearing them again. I love my snowboard boots! For bindings, I used K2 Clickers the first year (HORRIBLE!), then strap bindings and for the last several years I've been on Flows which are great for me...

- Your first 2-3 days should be midweek with nice soft snow. Don't go on a Saturday or holiday. Too busy. I went on a Wednesday...
- Stay away from a place that has a rope tow/handle tow/etc... on their learning trails. They suck for snowboarding!!!!! Much better learning on a lift...
- Wear padding, wristguards and helmet...

 

[RENO]

One thing about having done both....I'm certainly less inclined to get into/participate a "what is better" debate. To me, it doesn't matter how you get down the mountain, as long as your enjoying it. Both have their ups and downs.

Agree 100%!

 

[dmc]

One thing about having done both....I'm certainly less inclined to get into/participate a "what is better" debate. To me, it doesn't matter how you get down the mountain, as long as your enjoying it. Both have their ups and downs.

Exactly...
And I take crap from people no matter if I'm riding... Skiing... or telemarking... haha...