Long time skier who wants to try Snowboarding

[rocks860]

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[witch hobble]

Do it! Don't let these killjoys get in your head.

my advice: wait to try it on a nice soft spring day. Prepare to fall a lot. Do not "bring your skis just in case"......too easy to back out......you gotta commit.

surf's up bro

 

[crank]

I have been a skiers since I was 5. I learned to board around age 40. Turning 60 this winter and I mostly ski, but I do board a day or so each season. It adds challenge and interest to small hills that would be boring on skis. I am way slower on a board so I never do when skiing with good skiers.

I used to board a lot more when mu son was little and I would take him to local hills like Mohawk, in CT. He is a skier and once he got fast and adventurous on skis I want back to 2 planks.

 

[Big Game]

There's plenty of good tips already mentioned. You can do a ton of mental prep before hand. So I would add the power of visualization. See yourself as a good snowboarder, taking the initiative. You can practice in your living room. Stand up in the boxer's stance as previously mentioned. Now getting a little lower. Close your eyes. You are headed down a moderate slope. Feel how everything works. When you catch yourself making mistakes that's when you know your visualization is working. Now impose your will.

 

[56fish]

Do it! Don't let these killjoys get in your head.

my advice: wait to try it on a nice soft spring day. Prepare to fall a lot. Do not "bring your skis just in case"......too easy to back out......you gotta commit.

surf's up bro

A lot of folks in this thread tried it, took a beating and, gave up. Always easier doing something you know - be it equipment, technique, terrain, etc....Lessons rule. Watch a few YouTube vids. Commit, catch-on, never go back!

Poles are for hiking, hard boots - 'nuf said, 2 long planks.....Come on! :beer:

 

[becca m]

yup - a LOT of great advice here!!!! LESSONS!!! As an older newbie, I was put in a beginner class of 3 students. Next 2 classes I took I was the only "older" student so I had private instruction despite paying the paltry group lesson rate. It was a great deal and I had some great instructors (at Gunstock). First 3 days needed a LOT of ibuprofen. I still ski occasionally. I think some people are wired for it... some aren't - what if you're wired for it but you never try it??????? It's AMAZING to hit that surfy feeling!!!! Don't let people convince you otherwise!!!!

 

[octopus]

get a flat or rocker board, cuts the catching an edge way down.

 

[KD7000]

Why would you ever do that? There is nothing you can do on a snowboard that can't be done on skis, but there is much that you can do on skis that cannot be done on a board.

I always felt like snowboarding is for people who never properly learned how to ski....it is a major step backwards.

Meh. It may not be your thing, but it's hardly a step backwards. It's a super fun alternative way to slide down the hill.

Also, keep in mind- back in ye olden days when I first learned to board, skis were still rocking ~65mm waists. So having all that width under you in a decent amount of fresh snow was absolutely fucking magical feeling. Just sooooo different than skis. Granted, now you can strap two super-wide waterskis to your feet and gain back that magic.

All that being said, I'm not sure an advanced adult skier is really the best target for learning to snowboard. You'll potentially take some hard falls and feel like you'll never be as good as you are on skis, which can be frustrating. But give it a shot; if you stick with it, all the fun comes after the first few days.

 

[NYDB]

get a flat or rocker board, cuts the catching an edge way down.

This, this, a thousand times this. Tougher to control off the lift, but otherwise the best beginner choice

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[fcksummer]

Commit to doing atleast 3 days or don't bother. You'll be linking turns decently on day 3 and it makes it all worth it.

 

[TheArchitect]

My son and I went yesterday, which was my first time in maybe 6 years and his first ever. He's a natural and was linking turns after 2 hours. That said, he doesn't want to do it ever again. He had a couple of nasty falls and just wanted his skis back.

Me, I had fun. I have a love/hate relationship with snowboarding. I love that surfing sensation of linking a bunch of turns together but I hate, really really hate, catching the edge and feeling pain like I never have in 35 years of skiing. I'm going to power through the learning curve though, because I don't like failing at something I really want to accomplish. Also, I'm an idiot

 

[gladerider]

agree with a lot of advices here.

i have skiied for over 17 years before switching about 12 years ago. i was in my mid 30's. my knees thank me for it over the years.
here you go:
1- get a helmet
2- learn how to fall (watch a few youtube vid)
3- watch falling leaf vid on youtube (visualizing is powerful)

of course add other basic things to this like getting a lesson, pick a pow day to try etc....

 

[albert a ripper]

I grew up skiing, changed over to snowboarding 5-6 years ago. Will never go back. With that said, if your not prepared to "loose" a season or two due to the learning process, don't bother. You won't be enjoying the mountain the way your used at the beginning. It'll be very frustrating to see your friends and family having fun in epic conditions as you struggle to stay upright. Once it clicks though, I personally found it to be a much more rewarding activity.

As for learning process advise: Punch the ground when you fall. Make a fist and try and pound the ground like you would pound the desk at work. It transfers the impact evenly down your arm down to your elbow. Falling happens much quicker on a snowboard, you usually don't see it coming. So this is tough to train yourself to do, but it'll save your wrists if you can. Keep your knees bent, like way more bent that you think you should. Start your turns with your shoulders.


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[albert a ripper]

Also, get some basketball or volleyball knee pads.


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[Big Game]

Punch the ground when you fall. Make a fist and try and pound the ground like you would pound the desk at work. It transfers the impact evenly down your arm down to your elbow. Falling happens much quicker on a snowboard, you usually don't see it coming. So this is tough to train yourself to do, but it'll save your wrists if you can.
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Damn fine advice. It will save your thumbs too.

 

[gladerider]

one more tip.

i would start my learing at a mountain with the burton LTR (Learn To Ride) program. The LTR program boards are specially de-tuned to minimize you catching an edge. catching an edge, typically a toe side, forces the back of your head to the ground. an experience you don't want to repeat. (thus, my first advice above)
de-tuned edges lower this probability. once you start linking turns and learn to command your board, you really don't want a de-tuned edge, but it helps in the beginning. also, getting a right board fit helps minimize your pain.
good luck.

 

[mikec142]

I have a theory that snowboarding will trend downwards over the years. Here are my reasons:

1. The initial popularity started in the late 80's early 90's. Feel free to correct me. Those people are now in their late 40's/early 50's. The idea of sitting down on your ass after every lift ride to buckle back isn't that appealing as we age.

2. Twin tip skis have made the tricks that snowboarders used to own available to skiers.

3. Snowboards falls are rough. As we age it becomes tougher and tougher.

 

[benski]

I have a theory that snowboarding will trend downwards over the years. Here are my reasons:

1. The initial popularity started in the late 80's early 90's. Feel free to correct me. Those people are now in their late 40's/early 50's. The idea of sitting down on your ass after every lift ride to buckle back isn't that appealing as we age.

2. Twin tip skis have made the tricks that snowboarders used to own available to skiers.

3. Snowboards falls are rough. As we age it becomes tougher and tougher.

Didn't the first shaped skis come out in the early 90's?

 

[Abominable]

1. The initial popularity started in the late 80's early 90's. Feel free to correct me. Those people are now in their late 40's/early 50's. The idea of sitting down on your ass after every lift ride to buckle back isn't that appealing as we age.

- no one sits down to do this anymore

2. Twin tip skis have made the tricks that snowboarders used to own available to skiers.

- agree that skiing has become "cool" again

3. Snowboards falls are rough. As we age it becomes tougher and tougher.

- maybe tougher to start a new sport at an advanced age, but I think snowboarding falls are generally easier on the body than ski crashes. I've never heard of a snowboarder that tore an ACL

 

[TheArchitect]

- maybe tougher to start a new sport at an advanced age, but I think snowboarding falls are generally easier on the body than ski crashes. I've never heard of a snowboarder that tore an ACL

Man, I don't know about this. I've had a handful of falls that were more painful than anything I ever experienced skiing. I was sure I dislocated my shoulder years ago when I caught my heel edge and slammed into the slope backwards.