[poll] Riding and Skiing...A merge in Culture?

With the growing population of snowboarding over the last fifteen years or so, snowboarders and skiers have certainly had their tensions. Skiers argue that boarders are ruining their mountains and seem to generalize riders as hooligans blazing down the trails irresponsibly. On the otherhand, riders definitely have their fare share of biases towards skiers. Recently though, we can see the merging of the two cultures through media, competitions, and approaches to the sports. Even magazines like Ski Press (www.skipressmag.com) have been providing input for riders concerning upcoming events, new equipment, and the latest styles. I feel that this will be benificial to both industries, and more importantly it will create a bond between all mountain lovers. What do you think?

Already I think is becoming the same. I know young guys who used to board and now just ski (twin-tips), and some friends do both. See skis in the park is cool too now, and some boarders doing high mountain to.

Its good,
Freddie

Maybe we can do away with the terms Skiing and Boarding pretty soon? ;) I find myself just talking in terms of going "riding" nowadays - and I haven't put foot on a board for nearly ten years I think! Some of our best days out are with mixed groups of boarders and skiers.

I think there's more of a tension between hooligans (on skis or boards) who ride recklessly / selfishly / stupidly and the rest of us nowadays. I have no issue with boarders in general - I enjoy riding with them and watching them in the park.

There's no reason for separate cultures - the mountain's big enough for all of us. Why go tribal and try to pretend we're different when we're all out on the same snow under the same sun? Whatever you wanna ride - let's just enjoy the mountains!

We have a large ammount of boarders and skiers that come into our shops and they are all just looking for the same good quality items that will keep them nice and dry on the slopes as well as looking cool. At this moment a lot of snowboarders know what labels they want to be seen in were as a skier will pick any brand as long as it looks nice and does the job it is supposed to. It has been a long time since we have been asked for a nice white all in one but we do still get asked a lot for salopetes(i think that is how u spell it.)
It is getting rearlly hard now to spot the difference between both when u are just in the bar now. As long as everyone is getting that rush on the mountain it shouldn't matter how u get down the mountain. long live winter sports. :) :) :)

i have been sking since about the age of 4 every year till i was 18, with ski groups and clubs and none of them had a problem with boarders or so it seemed,
then i tried snowboarding at the age of 15 they never seemed to have a problem with the devide as we used to go with other skiers and boarders as well,

How ever last year went sking for the 1st time in 10 years with 67 other skiers, freinds and family or my wifes side, who with quite a vengance hate boarders, but cannot justify why they do !
i find this crazy,
iam sure its just (as with most things) a small minority who carry this grudge (for what ever reason)
the reason i say this
it seems to be a old wives tale thats passed on that we dont get on and like each other, some mature people who are new to the sport seem to think its cool to adopt this attitude,
the reason i say this as 50% 0f the group had never skied before, yet held this grudge ?
purly because a small minority did not like boarders, this disslike was passed on to the new people,
okay rant over,
long live winter sports

Unfortunately its young cool dudes on boards who think they can , but cant , that cause the problems, I ski with boarders, no probs there. have been taken out by an idiot boarder on one occasion , good job his board hit the top edge of my boots, and wasnt higher. ( He came off worse than me) ha ha. same resort, boarders off piste despite warnings, 2 died in avalanche 1 was lucky. that wasnt funny.

Equally this year we had skiers groups that were out of control. . ie; about 60 of em on a red track going as fast as possible, in a very tight group. we stayed behind, one of the group lost a ski over the edge, last time we saw it was travelling about 60 mile an hour and accellerating fast. I know Im an Old fart , but im too young to die,

I'm a border, have been for 10 yrs since i started with winter sports, I'm now 38 so cant really include myself amongst the young cool dudes. For the last couple of seasons I started skiing, so can at least see both points of view. After skiing/bording with mixed groups I agree with most of the other comments that there is little difference and it really is one of the same thing.

I think the reason borders got a bad reputation is because bording is easier (or at least not as technical) than skiing. So its easier for a border with less experience to go more crazy than it is for a skier ... hence you generally come accross more borders "who think they can , but cant " than you do skiers.

And to prove (?) the point, there is the old joke frequently told by ski instructors Q: whats the difference between a beginner border and an instructor border? A: about a week!!

I think it is just a tiny minority of narrow minded people that kick up the fuss. The same sort of person who complains if you do not park your shopping trolley straight at Sainsbury's. I hate to be age-ist but you do get more grumpy old men then grumpy young kids. Most of the oldies are skiers - hence the bad reputation they are giving all skiers for being moaners! Live and let live!