As I eagerly prepare to take advantage of the wintery-fresh pow-pow dumped by the snow Gods in Thredbo, Australia this week, I thought I’d open up a can of worms and take on the age-old rivalry that is skiing VS snowboarding. Or, in the case presented today: why skiing is better than snowboarding!
Now I realise that as an avid skier since the ripe age of seven I may be slightly bias in this arena, however it’s worth noting that I have many a boarder friend and don’t discriminate…much.
I’ve turned to the dark side a number of times over the years and I’ll admit that snowboarding was an enjoyable activity while it lasted, but I always seem to come back to the guaranteed thrills that those two planks of wood provide. Why? Here are 10 reasons why I think Skiing is better than Snowboarding:
- For skiers, transporting yourself up and down the mountain is easy. Chairlifts…T-Bar’s… Gondolas… Pommas – no problem! You just ski down and ski on – oh so seamless and simple. But for boarders, negotiating mountain transport is akin to parking a tractor in a suburban garage. First you’ve got to actually make it down the mountain, then you’ve go to bend down and click-out and un-strap your leg from the board, then you’ve got to skate/walk to the front of the queue (probably grabbing every poor unsuspecting human for balance along the way) and then you have to actually get on the damn thing (which, for T-Bar’s and Pommas in particular, can be a very tricky and embarrassing maneuver to attempt)!
- “Snowboarder Only” resorts don’t exist… and for good reason.
- The ‘ass-to-snow’ ratio for skiing is much lower.
- If you somehow end up on flat-terrain, skiers have these skinny metal things called poles to aid in any hill-upheavals – no walking or skating necessary!
- Moguls. Enough said.
- You can ski just about anywhere on a mountain. For boarders, cruising past the roped-off section is like pulling a DO NOT PASS GO card in Monopoly. For Skiers, it’s like OH CRAP I hope nobody’s seen me – this is secret squirrel territory!
- Boarders with no ability tend to plough an avalanche of snow down the mountain with them, and in the process deny the rest of us poor schleps behind them any fresh powder at all.
- Snowboarders are more likely to end up in emergency! Let’s talk Tacos for a second (only because I’m craving them for dinner). You’ve got hard-shell Tacos (which are like ski-boots) and then you’ve got soft-shell Tacos, not dissimilar to Snowboarding boots. I know which one I’d rather wear when descending down the mountain at top speeds and it’s not the soggy, soft ones! And yes, incase you don’t believe me, this is a proven fact – boarders are twice as likely to sustain a fractured ankle/foot compared to skiers because snowboarding boots are soft-shelled.
- When boarders catch an edge it rarely ends well. The beauty of skiing is such that when you come across unexpected terrain you can step out a leg to stabilize yourself. The same can’t be said for boarders, as their legs are completely strapped in and at the mercy of volatile ski conditions. When boarders catch their front edge on a divot in the snow they instinctively stick out their hands to break the fall, often snapping their wrists like a twig in the process. Bye bye ski holiday!
- Crosses are way cooler than grabs!
AMW x
I’m definitely in the skiing camp (though I don’t do it very well!) but must admit I’m always jealous of how comfy boarders look walking around in those soft boots. I can’t walk in ski boots without resembling a cowboy walking on the moon.
I snowboarded for about 15 years but went back to skiing. My feet hurt too much when doing it on the hard snow. I like jumps and park stuff better on a snowboard. But I like cruising the groomers MUCH better on skis, which is what I do now that I am almost 60. Maybe if I can get back into shape like I was in my early 30s, I can take my board out again and relive the glory dayz.