At the time I started, I was racing and riding BMX, skateboarding and listening to punk rock and snowboarding just fit. I did take some ski lessons but got so fustrated with it - it seemed there was only one way to make turns - at least from the instructors point of view. This is in the late 80's were skiing was so structured. Snowboarding was just young and raw and had more of a bmx/skateboard feel to it with sponsored riders like Craig Kelly, Shawn Palmer, Terry Kidwell doing contests and just getting rad. I'd see another kid snowboarding at the mtn and you'd just start riding together.
I went to college in VT and brought skis and my board and ended up selling the skis to buy new bindings for my board as I never used them once. What made it tough was all my friends skied. There was not one other snowboarder in my class and it wasn't until senior year that I rode with another one. At times it was a pita as they would want to ride bumps all day but I was pretty much just learning so I just went followed along. I have to say I did learn how to ride bumps and trees pretty well as they were all very good skiers.
Looking back, it might have been easier for me to just learn to ski - hell it would have been nice not to hear the "knuckle dragger" comments or how snowboarding ruined the mtns and all that other crap. But for me, snowboarding is where it's at. So ripping off Snowboarder mag here's my little list...
Fresh:
- Switch. I didn't think it was that big of a deal because years ago I just rode left foot forward all the time. But being able to ride switch stance is something skiing cannot duplicate.
- Press/Butter. I'm still learning but add this to riding switch and you can have fun even on a bunnyslope. I wish I could add it to rails as when I see it done it looks dope!
- Grabs. Yeah, I know skiiers can grab a ski in the air and all but they cannot replicate on any level the amount of style a decent Stale (not to mention a proper boned Method) can produce.
- Rails. I can't do them for sh1t but anytime I see a skiier on rails it just looks off. Not saying it doesn't take skill but a skiier will never duplicate the look of a nice front board.
- Pow. It's almost like snowboards were made for riding powder. Nowhere has a great section of bindingless riding in pow (which could add another fresh reason) by NyVelt which is amazing.
Tracked:
- The scene/how big snowboarding is. Overall I guess it's good and the level of talent is amazing but I'm just glad I got to experience the 'growing' stages off it.
- Flats. At certain mtns like Stowe, where I know where everything dumps out to and where everything flows fall line snowboarding is without headache. But man, try to ride some big western mtns and traversing to get to some new terrain on flats sucks.
- Race. Snowboards just don't look right racing thru gates unless its the Banked Slalom at Mt Baker.
- Ice. Ice sucks no matter what but I think skis definitely do better on the slick stuff. But with tech like Lib tech's MagneTraction it's making it a little easier to handle on snowboards.
- Backcountry. With traversing and climbing skis defintely edge out snowboards. And a good skiier ripping down a steep chute looks so rad. But once a snowboarder gets to a zone and can drop in - watch out - see a Travis Rice, Terje or big mtn Jeremy Jones and see what I'm talking about.
That all being said both skiing and snowboarding are great activities - just do what you think is the most fun. :thumbs:
