First Time Snowboarding

Hrududu

So last year I went skiing for the first time and loved it. At the moment we are thinking of possibly heading away again this season. But I've been thinking of trying snowboarding this time. Everyone has told me its a bad idea, that I'll get injured and that it would be a shame to go right back to being a beginner. But I reckon now is as good a time as any to try.

So question 1 would be, what type of protective gear should I bring? A sprained wrist last year has taught me that wrist guards are a must. I also heard snowboarders talking about padded pants to protect the old derierre from falls. Would kneepads and helmets also be required?

Question the 2nd would be just how hard is snowboarding? Will I spend my week sprawled on the snow cursing my decision?

Question 3 would be about snow schools. Do most resorts have snowboarding schools? Last year the thing I didn't like about our snow school was that it was a couple of hours in the morning, then a break for lunch and back for a couple of hours in the afternoon. I'd prefer to do a few hours in the morning and then spend the afternoon faffing about on the slopes with friends. I read somewhere that French schools in general run hours like this, and Austrian ones are more like what we had last year. Is this generally true or is there any way I can find out things like this before I book?

Overflow

1. Rent a helmet for sure, you have to protect that aul noggin. As you said wrist guards are also a good idea, especially on a snowboard as you tend to fall back a lot onto your hands, so there is a high possibility of doing some damage there. The padded pants are not a necessity but can help because as a beginner you will be falling straight down on your ass a lot. You don't need knee pads, ive never seen a snowboarder with them. the only other thing is some good goggles.

2. I hear lots of different opinions on this, skiers seem to think snowboarding is more difficult, where as some snowboarders who have never skied say the same. Personally i have tried both and i think snowboarding is more difficult, now i picked it up pretty quick. If you have good balance and are confident about learning you should pick it up quick enough. I wouldn't worry too much about it. I fell in love with snowboarding the minute i put on a snowboard. As you said your in the perfect position to try learn snowboarding now as you have only been skiing once.

3. I don't have much experience with ski schools, i was only on mine for 2 days. It was the same deal as yours, few hours in the morning, lunch, then a few more. As far as i know you can just pay for a few hours in the morning each day.

Good luck, i hope you'll make the right decision......damn skiers

robinph

If the lessons being in the morning were you main issue last year then I'd say stick with the skiing. The timetable for each resorts schools will of course vary slightly, but begginer lessons in either snowboarding or skiing are likely to be most of the day for the five days. If your already competent enough to get around half of the mountain yourself, which you should be able for after a week on snow, then you have more options as far as what classes you take and when. I have previously just gone for one private lessons for a few hours on one of the days, sometimes sharing the cost with someone else of about the same level amounst my friends, then for the rest of the week your free to head off and do whatever you want.

Tripp

I think that protective gear is a must tbh. You only have 1 tail bone, wrists, head etc. Id rather pay money and try protect myself than pay hospital bills for broken tail bone / broken wrist.
Thats just me personally but its up to you if you wanna protect yourself or not.
I have impact shorts and im getting a helmet before i go away next year.

robinph

Overflow wrote: »

2. I hear lots of different opinions on this, skiers seem to think snowboarding is more difficult, where as some snowboarders who have never skied say the same. Personally i have tried both and i think snowboarding is more difficult, now i picked it up pretty quick. If you have good balance and are confident about learning you should pick it up quick enough. I wouldn't worry too much about it. I fell in love with snowboarding the minute i put on a snowboard. As you said your in the perfect position to try learn snowboarding now as you have only been skiing once.

I've only ever done skiing, but have also heard from several people that boarding is harder to learn during the first week or so. Probably mostly comes from the fact that the only way to stop is to fall over, so therefore there is a lot of falling over in the learning process and that then puts people off. Skiing involves a lot less falling over in the learning, and when you do fall over it's not always going to be on the same body part every time.

Once you've got the basics of either though then I think you can progress onto more difficult slopes quicker on a board than you can on skis, falling leaf down a steep section on a board has to be way easier than on skis so you can probably get yourself out of trouble a touch easier.

Overflow wrote: »

Good luck, i hope you'll make the right decision......damn boarders

Fixed that for you.

paddyb

yes definitely wear a helmet, wristguards are also good for beginners especially.
where are you going - you should be able to get lessons just in the morning.
Friends who have been away with me before have done this.

I did some skiing before i started boarding. I think that skiing i easier to learn the basics but with boarding it is a little harder initially but easier to become pretty good at.

Hrududu

After reading another thread I'm half tempted to take a few lessons on the dry slope in Kilternan. At the very least it will let me know if its something I'd like. I'd hate to get out to a resort, get all set up for snowboarding for a week and discover that I hate it/am crap at it.

Tripp

Hrududu wrote: »

After reading another thread I'm half tempted to take a few lessons on the dry slope in Kilternan. At the very least it will let me know if its something I'd like. I'd hate to get out to a resort, get all set up for snowboarding for a week and discover that I hate it/am crap at it.

Check out this lin kfor all the info on kilternan dry slope
http://www.skiclub.ie/

Enjoy :P Maybe see u there :P

PeakOutput

if you can afford it kilternan is a great idea i did ski lessons there before i went skiing for the first time