ScoobLou

iTrader: (21)

My brothers are going skiing in 2 weeks and someones dropped out so I'm taking their place

We are going here:

http://www.scottdunn.com/holidays/holiday67.html

My brothers are snowboarders and don't do Skiing so does anyone know which is easier, skiing or snowboarding

Having never been before I'd like to know peoples opinions on which is best to start with?

Cheers

New To Scoob

Have done both and now prefer to snowboard, probably partially down to rather large accident a few years ago on skis which wrecked one of my knees

IMO skiing is easier to learn the basics ie stop and basic turns, generally slightly easier on your body too at these early stages.
Snowboarding generally harder to learn the basics but once you have the basics progression is generally faster than skiing, I've always found that snowboarding uses more muscle groups than skiing so be prepared for some sore muscles.

Enjoy
John

JamieMacdonald

Been skiing twice - piece of p1ss, was Intermediate level 2 after 1st week.

Have since done snowboarding, been 4 times and although I was doing reds (and a black) after a few days, I found it a lot more demanding than skiing (skiing is more logical when learning).

I found this odd as I had always heard how snowboarding was so much easier than skiing. That is just a myth IMHO.

Whatever you do - enjoy it!

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Depends how fit you are, I have only ever skied as I got past thirty without ever having boarded, been tempted but I cant be arsed with falling over all the time, did a whole week last year without falling until the last day when a french child on an otherwise deserted slope changed direction, I had to bail out to avoid creating a small red garlicky stain on the piste, was going like the clappers and got away with it, then further down, last run and getting cocky went very wrong and winded myself and I think slight concussion, scary as it was just going dark and no one about as it was pelting down, I was sore for two weeks, must have wrenched all sorts.

Kevin Greeley

Both are great fun once you get the hang of it but learning can be very frustrating at first, especially snowboarding. Just stuff a towel down your trousers as it really hurts when you fall on your backside a few times.

Definitely get some lessons whatever you do.

If you're young, perhaps snowboarding would be best? Over 40, skiing's probably your best option.

The most common skiing injury is torn knee ligaments and the most likely place for this to happen is the nursery slopes.

Snowboarders tend to get broken wrists so it's best to get some protecters that fit under your gloves/mittens. Wear a helmet too!

You've picked a great location/chalet. Jardin Alpin is a huge nursery slope area and Courchevel is probably the best resort in the world and also the most expensive!

I'm sure you'll have a great time.

Brit_in_Japan

The learning curve for boarding is quicker in my experience, though I prefer skiing, must be getting old

The first time I tried snowboarding it was pretty tough physically. It hadn't snowed for 2 weeks and the piste was like concrete. Fall over on that type of surface 50 times whilst you're learning and you know all about it. Fall over, get up, fall over, get up. It was tiring and I was black and blue.

Learning to use drag lifts with a board is tricky too, more difficult than skis.

Learning to ski from scratch can be soul destroyingly slow if you take lessons. You might find it a couple of days before you get beyond even the gentlest of slopes. Having said that I think some ski schools now skip the old "snow plough" stage and get you to learn proper technique from the very start. Carving skis and the technique you use to turn is easier than the old straight skis.

So pros and cons with each. Maybe wait and find out what the snow conditions are like. If the pistes are hard and icy, go skiing !

New To Scoob

Deffo back up what Kevin is saying - GET A HELMET - I started wearing one a few seasons ago, now glad that I do as I've had a few big offs and its probably saved me.
Wrist guards are arguable, I had a bad landing off a jump this year, tore the tendons/ligaments in my fingers and hurt my wrist, if I had been wearing wrist guards theres a possibility I might have broke my fingers or worse my arm, personnally for this reason I dont like them also find them restrictive.

Also as B-I-J says if it is really icey probably better trying skiing, double the edge bite, wiping out on ice on a board really hurts.

John

CharlesW

Courchevel 1850 has probably the best area for beginners in the world. Get lessons with Ski Supreme. They are a British Ski School and they are very good.

If you can get over to 1650, the best place for lunch is "Le Bel Air" at the top of the Ariondaz gondola. Best to book a table on the terrace, if it is sunny - fantastic views and good food. Plat du jour is the best value.

Flatcapdriver

I'd say the learning curve for boarding is far steeper but much quicker than skiing. Don't fall into the bull**** trap of red/blue/black runs as they can all offer different challenges but as black is supposedly the hardest, people fall into big dick mode and start bragging about how many blacks they've done that day.

Courcheval and Val Thorens have some challenging blue runs when it's icey so if you're not prepared you might come a cropper. If the weather is dodgy, then don't be tempted over to Val Thorens as you can get stuck on the lifts over the top as we did one year - 2.5 hours with a howling wind and -10 isn't fun.

New To Scoob

Very well said, I've had just as much fun doing big carve turns and stuff on green and blue runs as I've had doing black runs.

John.

mattstant

In my experience Snowboarders are fine its just the poor bleeding skiers they hit as they carve huge uncontrollable swathes across the piste in the baggiest tousers since Madness and stupidest hats since Jamiroquia

New To Scoob

Skiers - tunnel vision 6ft wide fall line

John.

Andrew Dixon

Wow. Someone appears to be posting through a time portal from the year 1996!

Steve Whitehorn

iTrader: (13)

I live near the alps.
This is how the ski-boarding lifecycle seems to be panning out.

Virtualy all Austrian families get their tots on a pair of skis first.
Sking is the starting point.
Then once they get all teenagery and image concious they get the boards out
Sking is just for Mum and Dad.
Then when they in turn become mum and dad ´´Sking´s the proper traditional way down the mountain snow boardings just for the young and trendy´
Then they have a kid and it skis out of its mum
And so the cycle continues.

Interstingly now boarding has been around for quite a while. You do see increasingly older boarders about.

So my advice is to start on Skis.

TopBanana

I got stuck up there a few years ago!

ScoobLou

iTrader: (21)

Thanks for all you replies, its less than 2 weeks now

Anyone know what the weather is like at that place this time of year?

JamieMacdonald

Cold. And snowy.

Kevin Greeley

Might be or it could be sunny and warm (factor 30 suncream required). Sometimes, all you need is a t-shirt. Or it could be -15 and blizzards.

March is usually the best month - good snow and better chance of fine weather.

Just be prepared for anything!

mattstant

Thought i,d lit the blue touch paper

Tried boarding but just couldnt get used to not being able to move my legs apart or stop in a reasonable distance athough i have thought about it for off piste as its a right bu66er trying to retrieve ski's from under 3 feet of powder

JamieMacdonald

I was taking the p1ss mate!

She asked what the weather was like 'this time of year' - obviously it can change from day to day, but the prevalent condition is usually 'cold' (helps to stop the snow melting! ).

There are hundreds of up to date weather reports on the net, e.g. this one.

At Courchevel 1850 is currently -11 at resort level today - that's cold in anyone's book!

But wrap up well and you'll be ok.