Snowboarding vs. Skiing - A Few Questions to Ask Yourself

Should I learn how to snowboard or ski? This is, perhaps, the biggest question when it comes to first diving into the world of snow sports. For some, the answer is as easy falling back onto known skills and abilities (like skateboarding). For most others though, this question can be a daunting one. What follows is a series of questions aimed at allowing you to figure out which sport is best for you.

1. Are you prone to knee or wrist injuries?

If so, you probably shouldn't be skiing or snowboarding, but, if you're still able to, snowboarding is easier on the knees. Conversely, wrist injuries are more common in snowboarders than skiers.

2. Do you generally find yourself having a lot of energy?

Snowboarders have to constantly exert extra energy, to stand upright, that skiers would normally reserve with the help of ski poles.

3. Do you like speed and adrenaline?

For people that are big on speed and the rush that adrenaline provides, simply look at the record books. Skiers consistently rank higher in terms of speed records. For tricks, those that you can do on a snowboard, you can generally do with skis and vice versa.

4. Do you like roller skating, roller blading, or ice skating?

If you do, you're probably more able to enjoy the bipedal movement of skiing.

5. Do you enjoy skateboarding or surfing?

While not entirely the same, you may enjoy the physical synchronization that snowboarding provides, including the feeling of just maintaining control of one board.

6. Does cost matter?

For skis, boots, bindings, poles, and a lift pass; you're looking at a few hundred dollars more than the cost of everything required to snowboard. It is possible to finder cheaper skis on sale, so this might be a moot point .

7. What kind of snow and terrain will you have access to?

Snowboarders will find more success and enjoyment with powdery and fluffy snow. Oppositely, skiers tend to favor icier slopes.

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Have an idea of what you should start off with? If you do, great! Feel free to peruse the appropriate category above. If not, it might also help to know that because of the way we walk, skiing may be easier to grasp conceptually. Additionally, many skiers report being able to learn more rapidly, when choosing to learn snowboarding after.

This, of course, doesn't mean that everyone is meant to fit into one of these two buckets. For those wanting something a little less intense, sledding or even snowshoeing may be up your alley.

The snow can be a place for great fun with friends and family. The best thing you can probably do with the snow is simply try one of these many options out there with your best effort. In this case, renting does not hurt at all—you can also come back here when you feel like you're ready to invest more extensively. Maybe you will love skiing or snowboarding. Maybe not. At the very least, you will have tried and learned something along the way.

See you on the slopes doing whatever you choose to do!

-SGP