Every year, as the weather gets colder and snow begins to fall, many northerners face a decision: ski or snowboard. This decision may seem simple and unimportant, but it will shape who you are on the mountain as well as your enjoyment of the sport itself. There are many positives and negatives associated with both snowboarding and skiing; however, your personal style will ultimately determine which one you choose.
Skiing was invented before snowboarding and has a larger community. Since skiing was the original winter sport, it is widely regarded as the correct decision when it comes to which winter sport is superior. Besides the acceptability, there are many physical benefits and drawbacks of skiing as well. If you are less athletic or want something easier to learn, skiing is a great choice for you. Skiing is easier to learn than snowboarding because you are placed in a natural stance facing down the mountain and have independent control over each of your legs. However, once you continue to progress into more advanced tricks like grinds and grabs, skiing becomes harder to learn because of this individuality. So, if you want something that is easy to pick up and historic, skiing is your choice.
On the other hand, snowboarding is relatively new and is based on skateboarding. Snowboarding is seen as the “cooler” of the two winter sports because of its style and younger demographic. Snowboarding is more difficult to learn than skiing because it puts you in an unnatural position, facing perpendicular to the mountain. Also, when snowboarding, both of your feet are strapped to a singular board, making it harder to balance. Once you get the hang of it, though, advanced snowboarding tricks will come easier to you, including grabs, grinds and spins. Because of snowboarding’s origins, snowboarders can be subjected to discrimination and negative stereotypes, such as being troublemakers. The discrimination snowboarders face has mostly diminished and is no longer as common as snowboarding gains popularity. If you are up to the challenge and want to do advanced tricks, snowboarding is for you.
