Perhaps you’re an expert skier and want to try snowboarding for the first time or maybe you’ve never done either and want to know which you should try first. While skiing and snowboarding share some similarities they also have many distinctions. In this article we’ll compare and contrast these two popular winter pastimes.
Skiing and snowboarding are both sources of exhilarating fun. For either sport or recreation, they’re accessible to people of all ages and skill levels. They both involve strapping boards to your feet to glide over snow, but that’s where the similarities end.
Technique
Skiing involves wearing a narrow ski on each foot and using one foot at a time to progress over the snow. Skiers face forward and usually use ski poles to help propel and balance them going either uphill or down. Snowboarders use only one wide board and travel over the snow standing sideways, similar to surfing or skateboarding. While both ride with a great of amount of skill, skiers can attain faster speeds than snowboarders.
Ease of Learning
Skiing is a bit easier for beginners to master. Because skiing permits movement of both legs, it comes more naturally to the body. Learning to snowboard is initially a longer process involving countless falls. The payoff is rewarding though so don’t give up, those bruises are worth it.
Equipment
Skiers use a ski for each foot and ski poles while snowboarders take to the snow on a single solid board, similar to a large skateboard. Both wear boots that attach to their boards with bindings and they each need proper winter sports gear.
Types and Styles
There are several styles of skiing, these include: alpine, cross-country, Nordic, mogul, and telemark. Types of snowboarding are just as various and incorporate: free riding – riding downhill, freestyle – performing trick jumps, and jibbing – riding over rails.
Injuries
Skiers would be correct in saying that knee injuries are the most common injury associated with their sport. Skiers are also prone to head injuries due to collisions. Because ski equipment is improving people are skiing faster making collisions with trees or other skiers more likely and dangerous. While snowboarders may not have to worry about their knees, they do need to consider their wrists. Broken wrists are the most common snowboarding injury along with damaged collar and tail bones.
Terrain
Skiing and snowboarding can both be done on mountains or hillsides, either man-made or natural. But, skiing can be enjoyed on flat ground or even going uphill. This is where the ski poles come in. Skiers use them to push and propel themselves onward and upward. Because poles and separate skis provide skiers with more control, they can typically traverse heavily wooded or rocky ground that would prove too dangerous for snowboarders.
