Skiing vs. Snowboarding: Which Sport Do You Choose?

The creation of the first winter surfboard sparked a rivalry between skiers and snowboarders.

A 1985 video clip from CBC Archives reveals animosity towards snowboarders:

Since then, savvy marketing has pushed snowboarding into the mainstream. Skiers and snowboarders get along on the mountain with one common intention: have fun (while maintaining respect towards others on the slopes).

To claim which sport is better would be subjective. But we'd love to hear your (friendly) thoughts on the topic.

And for newbies who are grappling with the decision of which sport to try out first, let's run over some pros and cons for each sport.

The Learning Curve

Snowboarding typically has a shorter learning curve than skiing. You'll spend more time falling on your arse and knees in the beginning, but you can probably switch from your heel to toe edge by the end of day one. You'll win the progression race and pass the beginner skier to the advanced skill level.

Beginner skiers can stay on their feet longer than beginner snowboarders, but their learning curve drags on. A skier's evolution from intermediate to expert status is difficult and more time-consuming.

Coordinating both legs, two points of contact with the snow, and poles can be hard for the muscle memory to learn.

Mountain Accessibility

Some ski resorts were created with skiers in mind. Others became that way by accident. Either way, skiers have greater accessibility to runs at most ski resorts.

Case in point: if you're a snowboarder, you probably wish you were on skis when riding the T-Bar.

Obstacles that Snowboarders Face on the Mountain

The Bad: moguls. Skiers shimmy through these bumpity-bumps, while snowboarders avoid them. Moguls are typically easy to spot and navigate around. If you, a snowboarder, end up in a patch of moguls, you can attempt to ride it out or subject your arse to a bumpy slide.

The Ugly: flat areas. Skiers tend to have no problem sliding past flat areas, even if they've lost speed beforehand. (The poles must help!) Flat areas aren't avoidable if you've chosen a run that contains them. Speed things up by releasing your back foot from its binding and skating forward.

The Cool Factor

Coolness has nothing to do with how well anyone performs in either sport. But it may affect a person's choice to do one over the other.

For years, snowboarding has possessed the cool factor, especially for youth. Riders have dominated the pipe and park with gnarly tricks: 720s, McTwists, nose presses, and more.

Snowboarding became fresh and trendy while skiing began to look old and stale.

However, skiing is becoming cool again, with its inclusion in pipe and park events. Check out TJ Schiller doing a 1440 (4 spins) at the U.S. Freeskiing Open. It's bound to make a kid want to take up skiing. That, or a Warren Miller film.

Where we were once divided, we now stand with the same baggy snow pants.

So which sport is for you? If you still don't know, try both and find out for yourself.

But don't be a fence sitter. Stick to one sport and conquer it! Once you've mastered it, you can take on a new challenge by learning the other sport.

Have Your Say

Are you a skier or snowboarder? Comment on this post and tell us what you love about the sport and why you chose it over the other.

If you haven't tried either sport yet, tell us what appeals to you about both, or why you think you might prefer one over the other.