Popularity of snowboarding Vs skiing!

Imposter

This is not a which is better thread!

While skiing at the weekend the guys I was with were commenting that skiing seems to be coming back into fashion and snowboarding seems to be less popular than it was. Even the lone snowboarder among us (5 people) said she was thinking of going back to skiing.

I'm notiing a lot more snowboarders (in % terms) also seem to be on race boards compared to freestyle boards. Anyone else noticing any of this and why do you think this is happening?

robinph

Board

I think it varies depending on which resorts you go to as well. There is more people skiing than boarding anyway, but in some years I do see a higher number of boarders about in some places.

Imposter wrote: »

This is not a which is better thread!

Skiing is better of course.

Static M.e.

Ski-board (blades)

Same as above I think thier is a lot more Skiers than Boarders so resorts should/do reflect that.

Snowboarding went through that whole it was "Cool" phase where a lot of skiers and begineers would have tried it out but have since gone back to Skiing.
Of my close friends I know they have all tried snowboarding at one stage or another but some have gone back to Skiing because well, its easier for them, they didn't like the learning curve with snowboarding and found it very fustrating because they would all have been good skiiers.
Snowboarding also has this stigma thats its alot harder to learn than Skiing which I dont really agree with, I found them both the equal.
Another point is that alot snowboarders spend all day in the park so you mightn't see that many all day in some of the big resorts.

Skiing is more dangerous though as Robin knows

robinph

Board

I'd say that the idea of boarding being harder to learn comes from the fact that there is a lot more falling over involved in your first week of boarding when compared to someones first week on ski's. Once you get past learning the basics though you possibly progress onto harder runs quicker on a board than you would on ski's though. I don't intent to try that theory out though by going back to the nusery slopes on a board though and will stick with the ski's.

Static M.e. wrote: »

Skiing is more dangerous though as Robin knows

True. Not yet decided if I'm going to risk taking the ski-boards away with me on my next trip yet, will probably leave them behind so that I don't get any silly ideas and have to spend a week sat in the bar drinking again.

ZorbaTehZ

Ski-board (blades)

On my first snow holiday I started skiing and after 3 days switched to snowboarding and haven't looked back since. Doesn't appeal to me in the slightest tbh, though in a few years I'll probably get myself a pair just so I'll be able to say that I can ski.

Last year I definitely noticed a lower ratio of skiers to boarders on the slopes, but the majority of them were newbs. RE the race boards, tbh I saw almost none on the pistes - 'twas almost exclusively freestyle.

Static M.e.

Ski-board (blades)

True. Not yet decided if I'm going to risk taking the ski-boards away with me on my next trip yet, will probably leave them behind so that I don't get any silly ideas and have to spend a week sat in the bar drinking again.

Yeah that was harsh. Its funny I always gets so nervous around snow time about my knees or having an accident. You could always being them and then just keep them till the last day, they look like loads of fun

Necronomicon

Ski-board (blades)

I've never really noticed one out-numbering the other. I'd like to try skiing, but everytime I go away I want to use up every scarce minute boarding.

Oh, and snowboarding threads out-number skiing threads on the forum, so there

Neilthefunkee1

Ski-board (blades)

board myself..

learning wise i cant say myself, i picked up boarding after 3 lessons.. my mate does both.. says he prefers boarding.. says skiing was harder to pick up!!
race boards.. never seen any on the slopes to be honest..!!!

numbers wise.. i think there is more skiers out on your general day on the slopes.. not specifically here but older people dont board.. more small children seem to ski.. so its just really your 16-30 age range.. and id say most are male!!!

Analogy time
"There are plenty of fiat puntos on the road but not so many ferrari 599's..., Which is cooler..."

robinph

Board

Neilthefunkee1 wrote: »

more small children seem to ski.. so its just really your 16-30 age range.. and id say most are male!!!

I don't think that you can get boards for very young children and have certainly seen some schools that say no boarders under age 14(ish). The higher incidence of injuries for boarders will also be effected by that 16-30 age range and being male though however made up those numbers might be.

Don1

Ski-board (blades)

poll(arise) har har maybe to see the numbers? Not who prefers what, just who does what.

In Oberstdorf it was pretty evenly split, but we were mainly on the run around by the park not the long cross country bits.


Edit: I board

robinph

Board

Don1 wrote: »

poll(arise) har har maybe to see the numbers? Not who prefers what, just who does what.

Poll added.

Curran

Ski-board (blades)

Snowboarder myself !!!!!

Wouldnt mind giving skiing a go - but i think snowboarding looks a lil bit more relaxed and chilled out - and thats why i like it!
Also, knowing my luck, if i tried skiing, the skis would go in opposite directions and im not he most...how should i say..... flexible - not a nice injury!! Havin said that, i reckon id pick it up fairly easily!

edmund_f

Ski-board (blades)

boarded myself, but looking like going to be going skiing for an afternoon this trip. 4 boarders and 4 skiers - we are going to see if we can get everyone to swap for the day!.. (think alcohol may have to be involved)

mcgratheoin

Board

Skiing definitely is having a bit of a renaissance. Remember that twin-tip skis haven't been around that long in comparison to snowboards, so the skiers are relatively new to the parks. It's only now that the parks are starting to see as many skiers as boarders. I would also reckon that it is easier to start skiing than boarding, but easier get to a level where you can hit the parks on a board versus skis.

redzerdrog

Board

skier myself boarding just doesnt interest me for some reason

5starpool

Board

I am a (bad) skier. I tried boarding once for a couple of days, but switched back to skis failry sharpish with very bruised knees, elbows and arse. Maybe I should have gotten lessons rather than just try it in a resort with limited snow.

Patricide

Ski-board (blades)

id love to give boarding a try but cant afford the holiday to go off and try it, o lord how i cant wait to get out of this ****ty country with its lack of snow(i love snow)

ciggs

Ski-board (blades)

Snowboarding. I will try skiing someday.

Curran

Ski-board (blades)

5starpool wrote: »

I am a (bad) skier. I tried boarding once for a couple of days, but switched back to skis failry sharpish with very bruised knees, elbows and arse. Maybe I should have gotten lessons rather than just try it in a resort with limited snow.

Yeah snowboarding is hard to get started and alot of falling over involved (cos you cant move your feet independantly - which is very strange at first!) but as you say, trying to learn in limited snow isnt the best idea - like falling on concrete! And learning on the baby slopes - like some that started with me - is not good either - cos when you fall, all your weight comes down at one point - and some of the guys learning with me got bad injuries on the baby slopes!!

kmick

Have done the snowboard holiday 3 times and the skiing once. It was defintely more difficult to learn to snowboard and the wipeouts were a lot more painful. On the other hand by the time I learned to ski I had more of an idea about balance and turning and was not as nervous.

From talking to people there is more to learn in skiing but its nice to be able to do both. I would do either again but as my missus ski's would probably end up doing that. One point I would say was that I was on a black on the snowboard by day 6 but tried a red on day 6 of skiing and was not able for it at all.

winter sports rules

giddyup

Ski-board (blades)

Boarding. Haven't tried skiing and not in any rush to. First time I went boarding I did a few lessons in Kilternan before I went coz I didn't want to do lessons in the resort and they did the job. Haven't been to the snow in a few years as I have young kids but the older one is just hitting the right age where she can start.

The nearest slopes to me (Snoqualmie) are going to open any day now and they are only about a 35 minute drive from home. Can't bloody wait! There are better slopes a little further afield but you can't beat leaving work on a Wednesday and getting a few hours in on the snow to break up the week!

justdoit

Skiing definitely is having a bit of a renaissance. Remember that twin-tip skis haven't been around that long in comparison to snowboards, so the skiers are relatively new to the parks. It's only now that the parks are starting to see as many skiers as boarders. I would also reckon that it is easier to start skiing than boarding, but easier get to a level where you can hit the parks on a board versus skis.

Reckon mcgartheoin has hit the nail on the head. I got in to snowboarding becasue I thought it was cooler. It's also (IMHO) easier to get good at snowboarding than skiing, once over the initial learning curve.

That said, if I could be a twin tip, park riding skiier, that is where cool really is.

Truth is I'll probably never ski again, becasue my season days are finished and in the one or two weeks I get on the slopes these days, I want to progress, rather than going back to square one...

mcgratheoin

Board

justdoit wrote: »

That said, if I could be a twin tip, park riding skiier, that is where cool really is.

True...

Raekwon

Ski-board (blades)

Boarder.

I have no interest in skiing at the moment but I will give it go sometime in the future no doubt.

FruitLover

Ski-board (blades)

Well, I'm heterosexual, so: boarding.

Don1

Ski-board (blades)

I feel the above comment might draw some interesting responses!! :rolleyes:




lol though!!

bonkey

Board

justdoit wrote: »

...I thought it was cooler.
...
that is where cool really is.

I do what I enjoy. Coolness can go **** itself.

Neilthefunkee1

Ski-board (blades)

FruitLover wrote: »

Well, I'm heterosexual, so: boarding.

Those damn fruitbooters!!!;)

robinph

Board

FruitLover wrote: »

Well, I'm heterosexual, so: boarding.

Are your trying to suggest that there is something wrong with a nice pink one piece ski suit?


Note that the guy in the middle is carrying a board and looks equally questionable.

Curran

Ski-board (blades)

If that picture was taken in the past 12 months id be very surprised - it looks a bit 80s which was a strange decade!!

Anyways - back to skiing Vs BOARDING - I think it will go through cycles - I personally board - but when i have kids and they start on the slopes - they'll probably ski, cos their old man will be uncool and their kids with prboably board, and so on!!
But boarding is so much cooler - LOL

RasTa

Board

Well boarding is for granny's really, who like to carve down at 10mph. Skiing is where the speed is at so I'll be sticking to that.

Curran

Ski-board (blades)

RasTa wrote: »

Well boarding is for granny's really, who like to carve down at 10mph. Skiing is where the speed is at so I'll be sticking to that.

Not everyones a pro like you (Mr. Tomba la Bomba) - besides not all snowboarders carve at relaxed speeds - some like to straight line (before the skiiers ruin the slopes with mougles) - and not every skiier rips down the mountain like you - ya Hero!
Ive seen more auld ones on skis, than on snowboards.

robinph

Board

Curran wrote: »

before the skiiers ruin the slopes with mougles

How dare you, it's the boarders just trying to sideslip the whole way down a run that they are not able for that messes the piste's up as it destroys all those lovely moguls* that we've created.


*May not actually be my current opinion of moguls, but I'm hoping to get the hang of them one day.

bonkey

Board

robinph wrote: »

How dare you, it's the boarders just trying to sideslip the whole way down a run that they are not able for that messes the piste's up as it destroys all those lovely moguls* that we've created.

And lets not even start into the boarders' in ability to get from teh top to the bottom without the need to sit down several times, in a large group, in the middle of the piste, for extended periods of time...ideally in the worst imaginable places.

ETA:

edmund_f

Ski-board (blades)

bonkey wrote: »

And lets not even start into the boarders' in ability to get from teh top to the bottom without the need to sit down several times, in a large group, in the middle of the piste, for extended periods of time...ideally in the worst imaginable places.

ETA:

While the skiers play the 'i can get closer to the snowboarders head than you can' game...

thinking this could turn ugly...

ippikin

Board

It's all about TWIN-TIPS freesking/new school is the new cool on the slopes and this year it's bigger than ever.

BUT, Snowboarders and Freeskiiers get along because we share the park and the culture!!!!!

robinph

Board

edmund_f wrote: »

While the skiers play the 'i can get closer to the snowboarders head than you can' game...

Well if you stopped landing head first in the snow it wouldn't be an issue.

Although I guess the faceplant is a nice refreshing way of waking yourself up after a few too many beers the night before that us skiiers are missing out on by staying upright.

edmund_f

Ski-board (blades)

think it is the jealously coming out.. at least boarders can sit down without doing an impression of a Transformer.:D

It is actually impressive how almost completely opposite the two disciplines are..

Imposter

Board

Imposter wrote: »

This is not a which is better thread!

I prefer to watch boarders getting on and off the chair lifts
Don't get me started on boarders sitting in the middle of the pistejust over the crest

edmund_f

Ski-board (blades)

all meant in the best spirit - may even try the dreaded crotch splitting sport myself next trip..

robinph

Board

Skiiers will tend to stop just before the crest as on restarting they can then get a good look of where they are about to go and can then start looking in the right direction more easily. Boarders have to stop at the top of a slope as they are unable to move along flatter sections so would then be unable to restart without somone pushing them and a lot of hopping.

Just make sure that it's at the side of the piste that EVERYONE stops and we'll all be happy.

edmund_f

Ski-board (blades)

robinph wrote: »

Just make sure that it's at the side of the piste that EVERYONE stops and we'll all be happy.

Totally agree.. but to qualify, i think that would be better aimed generally at all people who go boarding/skiing - boarders can be just as ignorant as skiers who in turn can be just as ignorant as boarders.

Probably just due to the demographics.. younger people = more ignorant = older people = better complainers.

either way i am not hugely pushed, not going to get into a discussion of who is more polite on the piste. I enjoy winter sports, when I go I try to be as accommodating as possible, ignorant people (boarders and or skiers) i just ignore them and continue down the hill.. better things to be doing with my time than arguing points of piste etiquette with people who obviously are unable to learn.

Previous comments were made in jest, no offense was meant.

mcgratheoin

Board

robinph wrote: »

unable to move along flatter sections so would then be unable to restart without somone pushing them and a lot of hopping.

Ah, the snowboard seizure - such a graceful manoeuvre. From experience, don't ever suggest to a sonwboarder that you should traverse over the slope a bot or you may well end up towing them - lazy buggers!!

otwb

Ski-board (blades)

Dodgy knees that hurt when I ski....boarding all the way!

Spetzcong

Ski-board (blades)

I haven't skied since I was a kid, tried boarding 13 years ago and have never looked back, I think it all comes down to what you want to do. I like hitting powder or hitting the park, neither is easy on skis. I know a few freestyle skiers and I have a lot of respect for them, I think its much more dangerous getting air on two planks versus on one. I found skis to be a nightmare in powder too, where as on a board it's like floating (unless you're slow).

As for Skiing being faster than boarding, well technically it is, but I still bet I'm faster than most of youse

Neilthefunkee1

Ski-board (blades)

So i believe the subject is popularity???

Anyone catch the Nokia air & style board comp on sat in Munich?? Was streamed live on web and Eurosport were showing it..

60,000 people seems pretty popular to me!!!!

And i also caught the fis ski pole dodging from aspen on fri... Definatley not 60,000 people there....

Think Boarding is gonna win on comp popularity!!

ippikin

Board

Neilthefunkee1 wrote: »

So i believe the subject is popularity???

Anyone catch the Nokia air & style board comp on sat in Munich?? Was streamed live on web and Eurosport were showing it..

60,000 people seems pretty popular to me!!!!

And i also caught the fis ski pole dodging from aspen on fri... Definatley not 60,000 people there....

Think Boarding is gonna win on comp popularity!!

The winter X-games Ski pipe and Slope style are streamed live to!!!

Skiings about park and pipe now not racing!!!!

FREESKI ON TWINS

Imposter

Board

I guess it depends where you watch TV. Over here all the alpine skiing stuff in on live all the time. Europort show all those subjective 'sports' but the racing is definitely far more popular.

How are resorts in the rest of europe kitted out with fun parks? In Austria from what i've seen there is at best one park per resort compared to 100+ km of piste. Surely that means more people spend their time on the piste rather than in the park?

maybe it just means that those who spend their time in the park have more to say

MadsL

Whilst I doubt you'll appreciate the graphic, here's the compromise to the debate.
http://www.skiboardsonline.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=boardski_bulldog&Category_Code=skiboards

Like most compromises I suspect it is master of none....

Personally I'll neither be skiing or snowboarding, my prefered compromise is these bad boys I'll be riding this season..
http://www.skiboardsonline.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=SBOL&Product_Code=rvl8_emp06

robinph

Board

What type of boots do you have for them MadsL?

I'd have thought ski boots would be at the wrong angle for the ankle and way too stiff for boarding in but those bindings look similar to the ones on my ski boards so would require ski boots rather than board boots.

MadsL

Choice of boots for these is either ski or hardshell snowboard.

To be clear, I dont have the skiboard/snowboard combo.

I 'bladed' on Salomon SB9's last year with Salomon Performa 7 boots. They were fine, but I've pretty much reached the limit with trad ski company short blades (they were OKish off-piste, but unskiable in powder) so decided to upgrade to a decent make of 'proper' skiboard

I ordered a releasable binding with these, with a riser that has lots of flex, but seems untested as it was a UK summer design (Exlaimskiboards.co.uk) - if I have any probs with riser, I'll either switch to the Spruce riser or get Bomber Elite non-releasables.

By the way. Can we have a skiboard option in the poll please.