Why snowboarding sucks and skiing rules the world

Should I ski or snowboard? It’s a question many of us have asked and often it is a case of coming squarely down on one side of the fence or the other, because you can’t wear them both at once. But which is best? How do you choose? And who rules the piste – skiers or snowboarders? In this post, a collaboration with ski and snowboard experts Neilson, we wade into the skiers vs snowboarders debate with some opinions of our own. Snowboarders, you have been warned.

Snowboarding or skiing? When two tribes go to war

Snowboarding vs skiing: two tribes or just different ways of getting down a hoary mountain? Some say it’s a rivalry as old as the mountains themselves. But that’s just not true. While skiing was ‘invented’ by Neolithic man, snowboarding only arrived on the scene in the 1960s, making it the new kid on the block by a long, icy run.

I met my first snowboarder in 1987. I was 23, skiing at speed down that long, icy run. The boarder was on his bum, sliding on ice, out of his depth and out of control. It was an unavoidable collision that left me with a pole through my lip and ten stitches. It also meant I had to use a straw for apres ski drinking the rest of that week. Enough to put anyone off boarders.

But that’s not why I’m not a boarder.

Should I ski or snowboard? Well if you are asking…

I was a ski nut in my 20s and 30s, taking to the mountains for a week or two every season. They were always the purest, freshest, most invigorating weeks of the year. They were also the most expensive which is one reason they stopped when the kids came along.

It took ten years for me to find a way to get the family out to a ski resort. When I told the kids we were going, they said they wanted to try snowboarding. It wasn’t a surprise; boarding is seen as the cool, young way to slide down the white stuff.

“It’s got tricks, fashion, style and people our own age,” they told me.

I was willing to give it a go. But they weren’t willing to let me.

“You can’t do boarding Dad, you’re too old.”

“And you’re not cool.”

I got it. At their age I wouldn’t want to be seen with a beanie wearing Dad in baggy pants. Although really I think they were worried I’d be better than them.

But that’s not why I’m not a boarder.

The emerging boarding scene

Neither of my parents were skiers; the closest they got to snow was building a snowman in the garden. I was introduced to the sport at 18 by a friend who invited me on a trip to the Austrian Alps. I’d never skied before, could barely afford the lift pass let alone lessons so took to the slopes with mates and taught myself. Bad habits? I developed a few. But most of all I developed a love of snow, speed and the skill of getting myself downhill in one piece with two planks of wood under my feet.

Boarders were a rarity back then but it was a growing scene. A couple of people in our group tried to learn but spent most of their time sitting in snow getting wet. It may be an age thing but boarding seems to take longer to get than skiing, so while us skiers were soon in the high mountains skiing miles between interlinked resorts, our boarding chums were stuck on the nursery slopes for days. They saved money on lift passes but spent a fortune on tumble dryers.

But that’s not why I’m not a boarder. It’s more serious than that.

Is cool dangerous?

Boarding may be the cool kid of snow sport but it’s also more risky, especially when learning. Most doctors agree that boarding carries a slightly higher risk of injury than skiing. Accident studies suggest rates of between 3-6 injuries per 1000 snowboarder days compared with 2-3 per thousand alpine skiing days. Put another way, you might expect to sustain an injury roughly every 222 days of snowboarding compared to 400 days of skiing. Do you hear that? Skiers can ski for twice as long injury free. Statistically speaking. As long as they don’t meet an incompetent boarder.

What’s more injury rates for boarders are significantly skewed towards beginners; studies suggest 48% of boarder injuries are sustained by beginners compared to just 18% for skiers. Put plainly, beginner boarders get injured more often than beginner skiers. Of course protective gear, expert coaching and avoiding dodgy snow park antics will help you reduce the risk, but put bluntly you’re still more likely to hurt yourself boarding than skiing. Especially when learning.

But that’s not why I’m not a boarder.

A winning sport…

In my University days I was Captain of the Ski Team for a season. It was a glorious job organizing ski trips and training, subsidized by the Student’s Union. Those were the days. We trained every weekend on a small dry ski slope in Snowdonia, readying ourselves for the annual University Ski Championships in Scotland. In Aviemore we battled with ice, hailstorms and other uni ski teams to prove our prowess in slalom and giant slalom. Snowboarding wasn’t seen as a sport back then. It didn’t exist in our club and it wasn’t recognised as an Olympic Sport until 1998. There were no half pipes, snow parks or freestyle competitions so if you wanted to win stuff, you had to be a skier. Not that we won much. I placed 29^th in giant slalom and as a team we won the wooden spoon. But we did win the drinking competition. By a mile. A credit to all our training.

But that’s not why I’m not a boarder.

Too old to change tribes?

In the early days (how old do I sound now?) there was definitely a rivalry between skiers and boarders, a fight for the right to be on the piste. Boarders were invading our space, getting in our way, stealing the limelight. But that’s not the story today.

Now most resorts welcome both. Skiers and boarders happily share lifts, pistes and powder. Boarders have their snow parks, jumps and comedy hats while skiers mostly have the mogul fields to themselves. And while there is still something of a culture, dress and generation gap, the two tribes seem to mostly get along.

I like to think I could be a snowboarder, if I wasn’t so invested in skiing. It’s not that I’m too old to change my ways, nor that I’m worried about risks and I’m certainly not embarrassed to wear baggies and flannel. It’s just that I’ve spent years developing my skiing skills and would rather spend my precious time in the mountains skiing down than falling over and lying on my bum in the snow learning how to board.

But even that’s not really why I’m not a boarder.

Won and lost on the dance floor

You want to know the truth? Well, it’s simple. Skiing presents a very special challenge. No, not on the slopes but in the apres-ski.

If you’ve ever tried dancing to Kool and the Gang in ski boots you’ll know what I mean. What’s easy for boarders in their soft, flexible boarders boots is a peculiar test of nerves, balance and poise for skiers clamped shin deep in rigid polyurethane clodhoppers. You don’t look cool. You won’t make many friends. Your family will disown you but you know if you can get through to the end of Celebrate Good Times without falling over you will have achieved something that snowboarders will never get the chance to do. It’s a lifetime’s challenge and I’m still working on it. That’s why I’m a skier not a boarder.

An expert hand can make a difference

I learnt to ski the hard way, on my own, with a little help (and laughter) from mates. But it doesn’t have to be like that. Whichever sport you choose, some expert coaching and guiding can help you stay safe, reduce the risk of injury and get more from your snowsport. While Neilson are gently stoking the friendly rivalry between skiers and boarders they also welcome both and offer guests on their Mountain Collection holidays access to Neilson Mountain Experts. These are qualified ski and board instructors who guide and coach, offering informal sessions to guide guests around the mountain and help you improve your skiing or boarding with tips on technique. Sessions are graded for different levels of experience and there are some family oriented guiding sessions during school holidays for accompanied kids age 12+.

They won’t be able to help you with your ski boot dancing though. But if you want a few tips, do let me know.

What about you? Team ski or team snowboard?

So, what about you? Are you on team ski or team snowboard? Do leave a comment and let us know where you stand! Or what you like to dance to in your ski boots.

Disclosure Note: This post is brought to you in a collaboration with Ski and Snowboard experts, Neilson as part of a campaign to stoke the friendly rivalry that exists between skiers and snowboarders. The views, opinions and experience, photography and videography are all, as ever, entirely our own.