from skis to snowboard
December 13, 2005
Hello, I'm thinking about making the "switcheroo" from skis to snowboard this year. I'm not sure if I want to spend my time and energy learning how to snowboard...
A little about me:
I'm 31 years old and picked up skiing 3 years ago...I picked it up pretty fast...I'm mostly a blue square skier with occasionally some diamond runs..
I go skiing about 3-4 times a year locally....
However...I dont have my own skis so I usually rent...I'm not sure if I want to spend $$$ for snowboarding...I know I'm very vague here, but is snowboarding easy to "pick up" and learn?
I would love to buy my own skis but it is sooo costly (2nd baby on the way). The way I see it snowboarding probably just as fun and cheaper to own...
Let me know your thoughts...thanks
btw....I do have a "6 year old K2 skis" in my storage....I just need boots for them.... if anyone have a used size 29 (men's 11) boots to sell then give me a holler...
thanks
lloyd
this thread will go back and fourth forever about the difficulty or ease and to be honest if you did a quick search of old threads you'd dredge up tons of discussion on it. Anyway here is the condensed version, and it's solely my opinion so take it how you want.
Here is how I would approach it. Go to Whitetail, Liberty or Roundtop this weekend or while they still run the $19 special for lift ticket lesson and rental and take a board lesson. If by the end of the day you can stand up and ride more than 30 feet without falling then you have a shot of making the switch. If by the end of the day you are not feeling it then let it go. I've seen people struggle with it for a week and never get it and I've seen people get the hang in a day. Sounds like you pick this stuff up fast so if you are managing by the end of the day then keep at it. Snowboarding, when it clicks, has a very quick learning curve. But what will happen is you will pick up a lot then plateau. Pick up more then plateau. Snowboarding is a lot more subtle than people give it credit for. Switching from edge to edge is the first and one of the trickier things to master. You have to convince your brain that the moment of instability between edges is normal. When you start to carve you have to convinve your brain again to trust your edge to pull you through but when you get to that point it's all worth it.
My husband made the switch from skis to snowboard about 10 years ago, because he was so much faster than me on skis. Although he is a confident skier, the first day on the board was really humbling - he had to go back to baby slopes and really hurt his wrist on some ice. (Advice: wear wrist guards.) Although the learning curve was steeper than he had thought, he now prefers boarding, especially in the mid-Atlantic. If we go out west or the the Alps, he'll probably ski again, but around here he has more fun on the board.
Also, if you want to pick up a pair of skis (or a board, or boots, for that matter) you can get really reasonable prices at Extreme Allsport in Chantilly. Both new and used.(extremeallsport.com) Overall, I'm not sure boarding is really cheaper than skiing, in either case, it depends on how much you want to spend, how often you think you're going to use the equipment, and what level of quality you really need.
major thanks Kennedy and Alice...
I think I'll head up to Liberty and take advantage of that $19 beginners offer....
If anyone have anymore input about making the switch, please give me some input...
thanks
Don't forget the painkillers. Not kidding. You will fall and fall and....
I would have to agree with Alice and Kennedy. You can give it a try for next to nothing with that $19 offer!
-Warren-
Quote:
My husband made the switch from skis to snowboard about 10 years ago, because he was so much faster than me on skis. Although he is a confident skier, the first day on the board was really humbling - he had to go back to baby slopes and really hurt his wrist on some ice. (Advice: wear wrist guards.) Although the learning curve was steeper than he had thought, he now prefers boarding, especially in the mid-Atlantic. If we go out west or the the Alps, he'll probably ski again, but around here he has more fun on the board.
Also, if you want to pick up a pair of skis (or a board, or boots, for that matter) you can get really reasonable prices at Extreme Allsport in Chantilly. Both new and used.(extremeallsport.com) Overall, I'm not sure boarding is really cheaper than skiing, in either case, it depends on how much you want to spend, how often you think you're going to use the equipment, and what level of quality you really need.
There's lots of good advice here, particularly about wrist guards. A very high percentage of snowboarders injure their wrists when they first start, usually when falling backwards. After hurting my wrist the first day I learned to fall on my forearms.
As far as the steepness of the learning curve, it can be very steep but it depends on a few things. One of the biggest is accepting the fact that you'll fall and not being afraid of it. If you've ever spent time on a skateboard (or surfboard I hear) it'll help too.
Lastly, you don't have to spend a lot to get into the sport. A beginner isn't going to know the difference between a $200 and a $600 board (in fact the $200 board would probably be easier to ride). I just got a Gnu board for my birthday. Not sure how well it rides but it was rated highly for intermediates and didn't cost too much. The only thing that you may notice is the difference between the cheap step-in setups rented as some resorts and a nicer strap-in setup. After I decided I liked the sport I bought my own boots and found a local shop that would let me rent a variety of boards, usually cheaper than the resorts cheapo boards too.
I've helped friends get a solid package put together of board, boots and bindings for less than $300. The best thing to do is get a mediocre board and bindings because you won't know for your first few seasons anyway, but get good boots. Do not scrimp on the boots. Don't buy them because they are on sale or because of one brand or another. Look for a pair that is really comfortable. Every year you can upgrade something like new bindings one year, new board a year or two after that. Before you know it you have a really nice set up. If you feel you're going to fall dont fight it instead try to roll with it a little and resist the urge to throw your hands out, broken wirsts lie down that path.
my cents,
as one who was an alpine skier for 5 years, then snowboarder for 15 years and counting, and now a telemarker for the last 3.
you must weight the front foot heavily, unlike surfing.
that moment between edges that someone mentioned earlier is key. it really should be minimized or eliminated. snowboards, like shaped skis, have to be on an edge to be in control
wear wrist guards your first 3-4 times, expect a sore butt, sore arms, and whiplash.
like others said, most folks do progress faster on boards than on skis. I certainly did, and when I finally tried skiing again after boarding awhile, I was a much better skier than before.
have fun, it's a blast!
You're riding stance will come with time. Start out balanced 50/50 with knees bent and supple. Everything you do is connected to your head. Where you look is where you go as your head leads your shoulders leads you hips leads your knees. Keep your arms parrallel to the board, your front hand is your direction hand, where you point you will go, your back hand is balance. After a while these will go away and you will rely more on just subtly pointing a shoulder into a turn. as mentioned previously a board relies on being on edge to turn, at least for the most part. As you progress you'll learn how to comfortably run a board flat at speed and still be in control. But all of this is pretty advanced, get that first lesson and work from there. If you go at it by the end of the season you could be comfortably tackling blues.
thanks yall....
Schedule is cleared for the 23rd....a date with ski Liberty for the "$19 snowboard lesson/rental offer"
