Skiing Vs. Snowboarding: Let the Battle Commence

Despite a shared love of snow, mountains and alpine air, what drives these two snowsports rivals to so passionately argue their supremacy over each other? 

1. The Ouch Factor

Learning to snowboard is painful – expect bruises to your bottom as well as your ego. With both legs strapped to a single board, once you wobble you’re helpless to fight the hard blow to the ground that follows.  Your coccyx will feel bent and every inch of your body will ache.  Learning to ski isn’t as physically traumatic (and requires far less unflattering protective padding).  Skis provide much appreciated stability in your tentative early days on the slopes.

2. Looking Cooler Quicker

Snowboarding is quicker to learn.  OK, you won’t be pulling backside 360s overnight but once you’re confidently turning and getting up some speed, you start to look pretty fly.  An amateur skier is easy to spot.  With legs sprawled in an exaggerated snow plough, they lack the elegance of their more experienced counterparts.  Regardless, both take time and lessons to master. 

3. Frustrating Flats

You hit a flat patch.  As a snowboarder you slow to a frustrating halt.  The fun is over.  Whilst skiers gather momentum by pulling and pushing themselves along with their skis and poles, snowboarders are stranded.  Powerless.  The only way out – take your back foot out of your binding and start the energy-zapping, Forrest Gump style skate to the next decline (not cool). 

4. The Comfort Factor

Unwieldy, hard plastic ski boots make you walk excessively slowly and awkwardly.  Stairs are more of a hazard than the slopes themselves.  In contrast, snowboarders have trainer style comfort.  In a race to the lift queue (or the après ski bar) the snowboarder will undoubtedly win.

So, which side will you be on?