Long time skier who wants to try Snowboarding

[Abominable]

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.

No doubt you can wreck it snowboarding.

I'd still argue that, if you could factor out all the other variables (age, recklessness, etc.) snowboarding is safer from a major injury standpoint.

This is purely my opinion based on the fact that you don't have two legs going in opposite directions. I suppose you could make an argument that the "ejection" feature of skis is a mitigating factor, but I think being firmly attached to the board is a positive.

 

[albert a ripper]

Well, ironically I agree that snowboarding is not as hard on the body as skiing. I say ironically because I shattered my collar bone while snowboarding. That being said, skiing is super rough on the knees. As stated above, when you biff on skis one foot can go one way as the other decides to take a different direction. I have a cousin that decided to switch from snowboarding to skiing and wrecked her knee that first season. I've done some serious rag dolls and since my feet were firmly attached to the board, no catastrophic twisting action. I feel that once you learn to go down on a snowboard, the typical fall on groomed trails are pretty tame.

 

[albert a ripper]

I have a theory that snowboarding will trend downwards over the years.

I somewhat agree, but with a slight change. I think it will trend downwards as a portion of the total ski/snowboard participation. Skiing has make a "come back" in the last decade or 2, due mainly to improved technology that has made skiing relatively easy. My grandfather would have hated seeing the technique of the average skier now a days. None the less, skiing is easier now compared to how it was with straight/flat skies. So, people that probably couldn't have skied 30 years ago can make it top to bottom and enjoy the mountain with the rest of us, bringing up total participation. Not the same for snowboarding. Tech had advanced over the years, but you still need it to "click" with you to enjoy yourself. For those that it doesn't, they'll usually go to skis. An unfortunate consequence of this is that there is more and more people on the mountain that probably don't belong there, doing things that are beyond their abilities.

Although kids learning today are usually put on skis first, and making the change to snowboarding is rough/painful, it was the same back then. But now, we have families with parents on snowboards, so its more motivation to do as your dad or mom. This is the main reason I don't see snowboarding fizzle out like some people predict.

 

[becca m]

hahaha - I don't see it fizzling out either, but, i am the oldest female rider I've ever seen :0

However, it can get tiring on the lead leg, especially on the steeps and bumps - all the more reason to practice switch.

I like how simple it is - no super-techy bindings - you are just stuck to the board. I love how alpine and tele skiing used to be simple but now they're crazy-techno.

I love the surfing feeling of "pedaling" (twisting) the board along the curved edge of the trails.... things have to be pretty icy for me to pick up my skis.

 

[albert a ripper]

lol, I agree. When its icy I too miss the second set of edges. I've been working on my switch game more a couple seasons, for the exact reason you mentioned. I was at a powder day at wildcat, it was empty and nothing was groomed. But I couldn't do it past noon, my leg had nothing left. I went home with so much untracked powder left on the mountain, it was so painful. From there I knew I needed to learn switch and spread the load out. Its also helping me enjoy everyday riding/trails. I prefer my toe edge and now those trails that seemed to be endless heel turns are much more fun.

 

[albert a ripper]

And, I've seen many "older" female riders over the past few years. My wife always points them out. Last season we were at Loon and Mary Rand was there with her parents, her mom was killing it. We once talked to a lady that wouldn't give her age (she had to be in her late 60's), she had picked up snowboarding in her late 50's. It was impressive.

 

[boston_e]

I don't know if I agree with the 3 days thing. I personally found that knowing how to ski carried over to snowboarding. The first hour was brutal without question, by the end of the day I was pretty comfortable on groomed greens and blues. I switched over for the better part of 2 seasons and along the way I got pretty equally proficient on either. (I surf and wakeboard as well so maybe that also carried over.)

Ultimately switched back to skiing, well, because it is way cooler. ;-);-)

 

[albert a ripper]

experience in standing sideways definitely helps. skateboarding, wakeboarding, ect.

 

[Old Duderino]

- 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

Plus you have the skiers body to help break your fall when you wipe out on a snowboard.

 

[mikec142]

Hey guys,

Great replies to my "theory". Just a couple of general responses:

1. Someone said that snowboarders don't sit down to clip in anymore. I'm gonna have to dispute that claim as I routinely slalom through seated snowboarders in the general area around the tops of lifts.

2. Someone said that skiing falls are rougher than snowboard falls and that snowboarders don't tear ACL's. I have a friend whose kid tried snowboarding and on her first fall broke both wrists! That's rough.

Carry on.

 

[gladerider]

Hey guys,

Great replies to my "theory". Just a couple of general responses:

1. Someone said that snowboarders don't sit down to clip in anymore. I'm gonna have to dispute that claim as I routinely slalom through seated snowboarders in the general area around the tops of lifts.

2. Someone said that skiing falls are rougher than snowboard falls and that snowboarders don't tear ACL's. I have a friend whose kid tried snowboarding and on her first fall broke both wrists! That's rough.

Carry on.

1- true i still clip in on my a$$;
2- yes ski falls are rougher and yes, some people mess up their wrists when they are NOOBIES and have never heard anyone tearing ACL snowboarding.

and i ride/ski 65/35 my time so i know what skiing falls are like.

carry on.

 

[HD333]

I switched from skiing to snowboarding about 15 years ago. I was somehow able to link turns on day 1, skateboarding as a kid definitely helped, also having skied for 20 years beforehand I understood the concept of using edges. I tend to think if you don't "get it" by day 3 it is likely you never will.

Took a few lessons early on to get carving down and never looked back, well I do TRY to ski 2/3 times a season.

I will say that for me falls come faster and harder on a board compared to skis.

I never sit down to clip in anymore unless I am on a downslope or somewhere where o can't balance.

I have to say the feeling you get riding a board in powder or carving a nice big rut is soooo much better than any feeling I have ever had on skis. Plus the boots are more comfortable.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Abominable]

1. Someone said that snowboarders don't sit down to clip in anymore. I'm gonna have to dispute that claim as I routinely slalom through seated snowboarders in the general area around the tops of lifts.

You must be skiing the bunny hills.





(just messing with you)

 

[j law]

Buy wrist guards.... you will fall a lot!


Sent from my iPhone usin

 

[albert a ripper]

When strapping in, "build a shelf" in the snow using your board by jamming your strapped in heal into the snow a few times. Then bend over and strap in. Being old, I found getting up from the sitting position 15-20 times a day sucks hard. Plus your butt stays drier. Only gapers sit to strap in.

 

[albert a ripper]

At :35 he slightly makes a shelf. Dig that heal in deep enough and stay perpendicular to the trail, viola.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uP9vENwCH14

 

[kcharris22]

Prepare to fall down... a lot!