Why I am not too keen on many snowboarders

Also, whats with asking this member about Niederau, it has absolutely no relevance to this thread.

Ok, so maybe the initial post was not particularly well written, and suggests a provocative question, but its an interesting point raised. Personally, putting banter aside between skiers and boarders (which for the record I believe there is no longer and issues at all between skiers and boarders) I have spent time on the slopes with boarders, and often think about having a go myself, but as I have got to a good level of skiing, I realise that learning to board would be difficult and possibly painful, and I dont want to go back to being a beginner.
I dont think people take up boarding having been skiers necessarily, the vast majority of boarders I know or have met and talked with all took it up from scratch without having ever skied.

idkwia wrote: I also notice lots of guys on snowboards whereas their wife/girlfriend is on skis which must be for the reasons stated here.

Midlife crisis, probably also learning the guitar and looking to get a motorbike.

I think you are wrong in your assumptions though, decent boarders achieve their level by also working hard and just as much practice as skiers.
Im not a fan of boarding in general but do admire the ones that can do it well.

For the record, if i went to niederau i would certainly wear a helmet.

If it takes years to become a very good skier but it only takes a few weeks to become a very good snowboarder, does that mean snowboarders are better than skiers? :shock:

Jimbobilini wrote:If it takes years to become a very good skier but it only takes a few weeks to become a very good snowboarder

I suppose that depends on how you define 'very good'.

Maybe in hindsight I didn't make myself very clear so I will try to do so now.
I am certain that overall snowboarding is significantly easier than skiing with the exception of the first few days. Nothing wrong with that at all but I think it is for this reason that quite a lot of snowboarders switched from skiing. I think it would be hard to get them to admit it but I wonder if anyone else thinks the same.
(I do intend to become good at snowboarding but I know I would never give up skiing because it is just so damn great. I fully accept that when I do get good at boarding I will be more qualified to post this suggestion and maybe I will change my mind but I doubt it).

So, I have 23 weeks of snowboarding and 17 weeks of skiing under my belt. Some elements of snowboarding are easier than skiing but some elements of skiing are easier than snowboarding. I find powder on a snowboard easier but I find bumps are easier on skis.

idkwia wrote:Maybe in hindsight I didn't make myself very clear so I will try to do so now.
I am certain that overall snowboarding is significantly easier than skiing with the exception of the first few days. Nothing wrong with that at all but I think it is for this reason that quite a lot of snowboarders switched from skiing. I think it would be hard to get them to admit it but I wonder if anyone else thinks the same.
(I do intend to become good at snowboarding but I know I would never give up skiing because it is just so damn great. I fully accept that when I do get good at boarding I will be more qualified to post this suggestion and maybe I will change my mind but I doubt it).

My view is that in the first instance skiers and boarders simply follow their own hearts, I doubt many people turn up at the mountain without a desire to either ski or board.
If people want to ski they will ski and if people want to board they will board. Im not sure that budding skiers will adopt a different discipline just because they may struggle in the early days.
I wanted to ski. I never had this idea that i wanted to slide down the mountain and if skis didn't work for me then a board would do.

I know what you are saying but i don't think it is true at all. If anything i would suggest that people switch as boarding seems to promote a more laid back and fun lifestyle. They all wanna be dudes in comfy boots and high five all day.

Jimbobilini wrote:So, I have 23 weeks of snowboarding and 17 weeks of skiing under my belt. Some elements of snowboarding are easier than skiing but some elements of skiing are easier than snowboarding. I find powder on a snowboard easier but I find bumps are easier on skis.

Finally a sensible and logical response, thanks Jimbolini. In addition to what you said I would have thought that schussing is easier on skis as well.
With regards to deep snow it also makes sense that a board is easier and interesting that you confirm this which emphasises the point I am making because to ski well off piste can take a long time whereas with a snowboard it happens much quicker.
I also think that steep and difficult terrain would be easier on a board because the whole board will turn as one whereas a tentative turn on skis might leave one behind. In addition a natural part of boarding is to skid which is essential for steep and difficult slopes but with skis this is not such a natural movement.
And the biggest point of all is body position. A board lends itself very well to a natural body position particularly in the ankles whereas 90% of skiers have stiff and fixed ankles making improvement beyond a certain level impossible.
So I agree with your fundamental point but feel that there are more technical elements that are more difficult on skis rather than the other way round and hence making skiing more difficult overall.
For someone prepared to stick it out I also believe that skiing offers the greater reward due mainly to its larger range of versatility in all terrain.
Do you have any preference for either or do you continue to do both?