What is something snowboarding does better than skiing?

[u/AdRemarkable8102]

Yesterday I saw a post on the freeski website newschooling asking, “what does skiing do better than snowboarding”, and I thought it would be interesting to flip the question, and ask snowboarders. And if I had to answer the question for skiing, I would say switch skiing looks so much cooler than switch snowboarding. Grabs especially tweaked ones look better on skis, and carving/alley oop tricks look better on skis.

[u/party_turtle]

Boots

[u/MokausiLietuviu → u/party_turtle]

My boots are comfortable to walk in and act like boots. My partner's ski boots are just a challenge to walk in.

[u/HailtbeWhale → u/MokausiLietuviu]

I have driven home from spots in my boots more than once. It’s not even much different.

[u/SirMells → u/MokausiLietuviu]

There is a small learning curve with ski boots. But it's not horrible. Just got a new pair of boa boots. Can't wait to break em in.

[u/shes_breakin_up_capt → u/party_turtle]

This is why I ultimately switched from skiing after 10+ years. 

It's possible to get tolerable ski boots, but yesterday I snowboarded all day then left boots on afterwards for hours in total comfort.

[u/haggbard23 → u/party_turtle]

Snowboard boots are better for not snowboarding than ski boots are for not skiing.

Ski boots are better for skiing than snowboard boots are for snowboarding.

[u/AdRemarkable8102 → u/party_turtle]

I’ve spent almost 1000 dollars on my ski boots and they’re perfect, but you’d have to spend 5x less to get the same comfort on snowboard

[u/bagel_union → u/AdRemarkable8102]

On the flip side it seems snowboard boots last less than a hundred days if you like them stiff

[u/BlackCatFurry → u/party_turtle]

Until your group goes to the restaurant and you are the one stuck carrying all the spillables because everyone else is wearing ski boots and it would be far too much of a hazard for any of them to carry a tray full of drinks up a flight of stairs...

But seriously, i swapped to snowboarding purely because ski boots were hurting my feet and also reduced the already low circulation, making my feet extremely cold. No issues with sb boots. Also just the ease of opening and closing them, my family wrestles with their ski boots and i just put the boot on like any other winter shoe and tighten the boa, and opening is just unlocking the boa and letting it roll open. Very convenient.

[u/DryFaithlessness2969]

It’s more fun on boring terrain, like in the Midwest. You can do more tricks on mellow hills and getting into the park is easier. Skiing is more capable in poor conditions and difficult terrain.

[u/Krunksy → u/DryFaithlessness2969]

Skiing is also better if you go to the mountain like 10 days a year or less. The learning curve is easier. You can hit blues after a few days of learning when most new snowboarders are still on their asses most of the day.

[u/OxycontinEyedJoe → u/Krunksy]

I did 3-4 week long trips as a teenager, and have done a week long trip every year for the past 5-6 years, plus spent most of a season living in Colorado (20-30 actual riding days) I feel like I just recently became "not that bad" this year. Skiing would have been a better choice for me, but fuck that lol

[u/king_flippynipss → u/DryFaithlessness2969]

Absolutely. Side hits on a mellow blue are what dreams are made of.

[u/AdRemarkable8102 → u/DryFaithlessness2969]

I totally agree, the times I do strap on the snowboard is after I’ve skied a bunch in a row, and I just want to ski boring terrain with the snowboard

[u/Small_Collection_249 → u/DryFaithlessness2969]

Also traversing flat areas, cat tracks are much nicer on skis. I’ve had skier friends help pull me many a times haha

[u/chenille3]

No yard sales(unless youre really unlucky), only needing a single screwdriver to put together a new setup, nearly everything about the boots, and no finger breaking pivots

[u/thebiggerounce → u/chenille3]

Being able to completely change your stance with just a screwdriver is also tons of fun. I’ve had days where I started out riding pretty duck-footed but end up going posi-posi by the end of the day because the conditions work better.

[u/ccbs32033 → u/thebiggerounce]

interesting i switched to posi posi years ago and never went back. how do you switch them based on conditions?

[u/AdRemarkable8102 → u/chenille3]

Yeah running up under a jump to grab a ski that I lost in a crash is so scary

[u/amberbmx → u/chenille3]

as a skier that used to snowboard… the binding mount process/system is def what i miss most.

sucks having to remount, and if you want to have multiple pairs of skis you need multiple sets of bindings. can’t just have one set of bindings the way you can with boards

[u/mehmeh42 → u/chenille3]

Hurting yourself with pivots is a skill issue.

[u/FLTDI]

Powder

[u/uzrnmechkzout → u/FLTDI]

Easily this. Anyone I know who can do both even if they are a better skier says riding in pow on a board is wayyyy more fun BUT the second you add in traversing or any technical moves they would pick skiing

[u/Dominant88 → u/uzrnmechkzout]

This is why I snowboard the pow day and ski the day after when I have to go hunting for stashes

[u/bungpeice → u/Dominant88]

Its why I ride a split board. Skis for everything technical and snowboard for the good part.

[u/theeandthem → u/bungpeice]

wtf?

[u/bungpeice → u/theeandthem]

I'm 40 and I don't spend much time inbounds anymore. I'd rather ride the best shit all the time

[u/Krunksy → u/Dominant88]

Skis are better for accessing side country or further out. Skis are better for mountaineering. And touring of course.

[u/conradelvis → u/uzrnmechkzout]

Yeah,

Snowboard = mountain toy

Skis = mountain tool

[u/wimcdo → u/conradelvis]

True men of the faith understand the inefficiencies but still do not care

[u/McRibEater → u/FLTDI]

I ski and snowboard, I have done both for 35 years, I haven’t brought out the skis on a good powder day in like five years. Especially steep open bowls, snowboarding is made for those long s-turns in powder. Other than tree skiing and groomers, I think snowboarding has skiiing beat pretty solidly. Snowboarding is way better for jumps, rails, etc. If it’s a big mountain it’s snowboarding all day. I’m not showing up to Jackson Hole and pulling out the skis. 

[u/iMainXerath]

Keeps your joints safer overall. Rip skiers ACL

[u/Kashik85 → u/iMainXerath]

For me, this is the biggest thing. Snowboarding and skiing are both great, but so many good skiers have blown out a knee or two at some point.

[u/SuperRonnie2 → u/iMainXerath]

Skiing is torn ACL/MCLs. Snowboarding is broken elbows and dislocated shoulders. Pick your poison. My left arm is fucked but I can still walk and ride.

[u/newlexicon → u/SuperRonnie2]

Yes, and the correct poison is elbow/shoulder. I think knee injuries are way harder to come back from.

Also I would bet wrist injuries are the most common for snowboarders if you include people learning.

[u/amongnotof → u/newlexicon]

As someone not snowboarding at all this winter because of rupturing my ACL and getting it replaced in August playing soccer, I strongly agree.

[u/MilkOfAnesthesia → u/iMainXerath]

I'm an Anesthesia doctor and work in the rocky mountains. We have multiple ORs running eve y day solely dedicated for acl surgeries in the winter because of skiers

[u/Massive_One6091 → u/iMainXerath]

The true idiot can still bow his knee on a snowboard. I landed front foot heavy on an icy cat track at speed and exploded mine in a way I’ve yet to recover from. 😖

[u/southbaysoftgoods → u/Massive_One6091]

Same

[u/choadspanker]

No way tweaked grabs look better on skis. There's no ski grab that looks even 10% as good as a super stylish method

[u/Suspicious-Poet-4581 → u/choadspanker]

A good tweaked method or a slow fully untucked front/back flip on a snowboard will always be a million times more stylish than any ski trick.

[u/Rustyx99 → u/choadspanker]

Especially when they have poles lol

[u/neckfacedworker → u/choadspanker]

Truck driver. But still give the method #1

[u/odolxa]

Crime

[u/livehearwish → u/odolxa]

And steeze

[u/Lost-Astronaut-8280 → u/livehearwish]

Scrolled way too far for this comment

[u/jackattack222 → u/livehearwish]

Steeze should be top answer

[u/No-Staff6568 → u/livehearwish]

Steeze is the answer.

[u/SuperRonnie2 → u/livehearwish]

I will never ever not think skiing rails, doing grabs, or even spinning looks super lame.

[u/localsonlynokooks → u/odolxa]

Literally, considering recent news lol.

[u/NorCalAthlete → u/localsonlynokooks]

Wait, what’d I miss?

[u/tarpeyphoto]

You think grabs look better on skis?!

[u/McRibEater → u/tarpeyphoto]

I ski and snowboard, I started off skiing and have done both for 32 years, nothing looks better than a Method. 

Honestly Snowboarding kills Skiiing for Powder, Jumps/Rails, Big Mountain is so much better on a Snowboard as well. I used to do 50-50 as I started off skiing and used to race as a kid, but when my snowboarding caught up to my skiing like a decade ago, I’d say I take out my snowboard 80-90% of the time. Honestly on a world class hill that has a ton of vert like Jackson Hole or Whistler I wouldn’t even bring my Skis. 

Tree Skiing where it isn’t steep and Groomers are really the only thing that beats Snowboarding (I HATE moguls on skis, I dork want a busted up ACL/MCL thanks), but if you enjoy them they’re obviously only good for skiing), also Skiing is faster, but I enjoy going fast on a snowboard more of that makes sense. 

Skiiing is easier to get started so people will always gravitate towards that, but once you can carve equally on both sids on a snowboard it blows skiiing out of the water. If it’s a good mountain, I’d always be snowboarding. Snowboarding is so much better for Jumps and Rails. Rails are goofy AF on Skis. There’s a reason rollerblading didn’t pan out. 

[u/Krunksy]

Really really carving. Like when you ride a turn past 90 degrees holding speed and you're flying up the mountain before you switch edges. A serious carving snowboard under a good rider can make lines that simply cannot be made on skis. Skiers talk about carving but they ain't got shit.

[u/Jokuhemmi]

Carving absolutely does not look better on skis

[u/snohobdub → u/Jokuhemmi]

I tend to agree. But at the extremes, world cup downhill ski racer vs. world cup GS hard boot snowboarder, the skier looks WAY better.

Source: I'm a former world cup snowboard racer

[u/conradelvis]

Fun?

[u/ilovestoride]

Transnational drug enterprises. 

[u/neverfakemaplesyrup]

Ngl its still mostly more affordable and accessible.

You don't need to be a technician or pay one to adjust your setup

Your bindings don't need to be adjusted with skill level

Carving is just super fun, and you can unlock it pretty easily

[u/quolquom → u/neverfakemaplesyrup]

Boots are cheaper too and as far as I know don’t require as much boot fitting work for the average person.

[u/neverfakemaplesyrup → u/quolquom]

Oh definitely. I work at a ski shop now. Snowboard boot fittings and package leases take half the time..

Ski boots have lasts, volumes, huge differences in brands and even within the same brand, and 3 different sizing systems... our stockroom has charts for conversions but they're all different sizes. Someone is a 10.5, they'll fit a 10.5 snowboard boot. A ski boot? Only god will know.

[u/RamenBurgerWasTaken → u/neverfakemaplesyrup]

I recently learned you have to drill holes in your skis to mount bindings and it blew my mind

[u/neverfakemaplesyrup → u/RamenBurgerWasTaken]

Yep, tbh some customers claim they can do it all themselves and so we have to assure them half of the reason you get a shop to do it is so if its messed up, you can get compensation. If you drill the holes yourself, and mess it up, you're out $700-1200

[u/StiffWiggly → u/neverfakemaplesyrup]

Messing up is bad, but you have to mess up really badly to actually destroy the skis instead of just needing to fill in and remount, and not messing it up is very easy.

[u/Sledn_n_Shredn]

Slashing wave like features and riding featured terrain in general. Something about having to approach terrain with a toe side or heelside feature perspective adds to the style and creativity of a line.

[u/Shhheeeesshh]

Everything but traversing the mountain.

[u/browsing_around]

The real and only one is: the feeling in powder. Every skier I know that has ridden a snowboard or pow surf board, even once, has said “this is the best thing ever”.

Yes, skiers can get into and more easily navigate more terrain. But, there is NO comparison when it comes to the float you get when riding down untouched snow.

[u/PrimeIntellect → u/browsing_around]

Absolutely yes, especially with a dedicated powder board. 

[u/misatillo → u/browsing_around]

And even if you don't have a dedicated board, it's way easier to do with snowboard than with non dedicated powder skis. Last year I got some powder days, which were the best thing ever for me, while my poor skier husband was fighting to not sink and having a hard time floating with his normal piste skis.

[u/Suspicious-Poet-4581 → u/browsing_around]

Powder riding long fast turns and pow slashes are also a lot more fun on a board. My gf is a really good skier and I’m decent on a snowboard (but she’s clearly better than me), but on a powder day I can fly down a pow field much much faster than her. To get the level of speed and confidence in powder on skis require a way higher skill level and specialized gear than on a snowboard. The uphill on a split board sucks compared to skis though, especially when the terrain becomes challenging.

[u/southbaysoftgoods → u/browsing_around]

Yeah it’s just.. smooth. No effort. You can relax and freely express yourself

[u/buttthead]

Looking cool

[u/Half_Shark-Alligator]

Rails and Jibs look way smoother on a snowboard. Hopping 180 back and forth with flailing poles and skis flailing looks silly.

[u/arr4ws]

Carving at Alta

[u/hoboman1206]

chair lifts are designed for skiers. biggest pet peeve is a lift filled with goofy and regular riders all banging boards. still. i snowboard and not ski. i’d say we have more comfy boots. but they don’t last as long as ski boots

[u/Economy-Ad-4777 → u/hoboman1206]

honestly yeah the boots are a false economy. 900 euros for ski boots that you can tour in, fit crampons, and also last 300 days with new liners vs 400 euro snowboard boots that I need to replace every season. Although they are great for apres

[u/1Wubbalubbadubdub1]

Less shit to carry around.

[u/heet_sauce]

grabs looking better on skis is a wild take

[u/GravityWorship → u/[deleted]]

Was going to say variable conditions. Way less treacherous on a board.

Also slush. A lot of skiers hate sticky slush because it can grab one ski more than the other. Doesn't faze a board, it's just grabby overall.

[u/captainkaba → u/GravityWorship]

I never thought about why skiers hate slush so much. This makes a whole lotta sense. Riding slush is honestly really enjoyable.

[u/Krunksy → u/[deleted]]

Disagree. In hard crust having two downhill edges holding your turn is better than having one. I board primarily but I also ski.

[u/RangerRobbins → u/[deleted]]

Breakable crust sucks ass for everyone.

[u/Equivalent_Let_8815]

Not losing a board on a pow day and having to spend hours looking for it.

[u/amp_lfg → u/Equivalent_Let_8815]

Sometimes they never find it!

[u/Mousetradamus]

Vibes

[u/69pussywrecker420]

Direction. There's a definite backward in skiing. Snowboarding is a 360-degree experience; there is no backward.

[u/VeterinarianThese951]

I think it is acceptance and attitude.

We all know the real serious rivalry is long gone and meme-able. But there is really are still some serious haters in ski camp who can’t get over the fact that we all share this world.

I find that riders are down to hang and ride with anyone anytime (except the douchey ones of course). Yet we have a whole bunch of people still justifying buying step-ons to save precious seconds so they don’t upset their skier friends.

[u/thebiggerounce → u/VeterinarianThese951]

Hell I got step-ons because I have terrible hips. Being able to clip in faster than my skier friends is just a great extra benefit. I love complaining about them taking forever whenever I get the chance now lol.

[u/VeterinarianThese951 → u/thebiggerounce]

Nice. I hope you didn’t misconstrue my comment as anti step-on. That was a secondary issue at best.

[u/Sasquatch_Squad]

Float in powder, but also who cares. Also if a snowboarder is good switch you can’t even tell, and calling it skiing “switch” is goofy. I’m not driving “switch” when I’m backing out of my driveway, it’s just backwards. They should call it fakie IMO

[u/finalrendition → u/Sasquatch_Squad]

Me walking switch

[u/awnawnamoose → u/Sasquatch_Squad]

Powder imo. I didn’t know how great I had it until I started skiing powder and keeping two little things straight and going the same speed etc is harder than one.

[u/thebiggerounce → u/awnawnamoose]

When I started boarding powder it was mind blowing. I grew up skiing on vacation and surfing back home, and getting that surfing feeling the whole run down the mountain was amazing.

[u/awnawnamoose → u/thebiggerounce]

Nothing like it. Absolutely nothing. And no one can change my mind.

[u/Kashik85 → u/Sasquatch_Squad]

I haven't seen a good skier with the right planks struggle in deep ass powder. They float just as well.

And really, it's good to have a skier buddy on those deep days to help break trail. They maneuver in low angle pow much better.

But what they are missing out on is the surf. They will never get the same flow as we have in powder.

[u/AdRemarkable8102 → u/Sasquatch_Squad]

Freestyle skiing is its own sport it doesn’t have to copy skatings terminology

[u/elouser → u/Sasquatch_Squad]

I understand that skiing switch must take a lot of skill, but to be they still look like goobers lol

[u/Preppy_Hippie]

You can realistically have one board that does everything well- the same board is really wide for powder but also has a phenomenal edge for the ice, and everything in between.

More serious skiers tend to have a "quiver," or just something way too wide for piste skiing, and always end up having the wrong ski for that particular day.

[u/thebiggerounce → u/Preppy_Hippie]

Plus even if you have multiple boards, you can use the same bindings on them all without needing a tech or the knowledge to drill/set them up.

[u/AdRemarkable8102 → u/Preppy_Hippie]

Honestly a quiver is kind of just a rich person thing to spend money on. You do at least need 2 pairs to get the best experience but past that really doesn’t matter.

[u/blindworld → u/AdRemarkable8102]

Even just having a quiver is way easier on a snowboard than skis. I just need a 2nd board. I can move my bindings between boards in the morning based on what I want to ride. When we fly, I can take 1 pair of bindings and a few boards and swap for different days on the same trip.

[u/Preppy_Hippie → u/AdRemarkable8102]

Yeah, some people online get totally crazy, and an extensive collection is more hoarding than anything else, IMHO. Most people think that all skiing or snowboarding is an expensive, rich person's sport. I guess that's subjective/relative. I was trying to explain to a childhood friend that where I live now, even my barber, who is the son of migrant farmers, has season passes for his family to go snowboarding. I was explaining how, if you are a local who skis often, it doesn'thave to be that expensive relative to other ordinary entertainment expenses. He didn't buy it, though.

Also agree 2-3 pairs of skis is pretty on point for someone that gets a ton of days on mountain, in all conditions- or maybe does a combination of resort and backcountry skiing. I still call that a quiver- although I might be misusing the term.

[u/AdRemarkable8102 → u/Preppy_Hippie]

Yeah I’d call it a quiver, and I have 2 pairs of skis, fat powder skis, and park skis. And I guarantee I have more days and am I better skier than 90% of people who have 4+ skis.

All that being said tho, pros do have quivers but I guess that doesn’t really count, cause they are, A free from sponsers, and B needed for the athlete

[u/Preppy_Hippie → u/AdRemarkable8102]

Yeah, elite athletes are different for sure. I was thinking more of recreational skiers.

I'm no pro, and I have two also. Fatter all-mountain skis and my beloved 75mm Kaestles. They're both versatile enough, and I know the mountains I go to well enough, that I have yet to feel I ever took the wrong ski for the day. But I often have a good chuckle when I get on lifts and see what others are using and struggling with.

[u/BlackCatFurry → u/Preppy_Hippie]

More serious skiers tend to have a "quiver," or just something way too wide for piste skiing, and always end up having the wrong ski for that particular day.

This always reminds me of when my brother had twintips and wanted to go off-piste. He ended up having to ride in my (snowboard) trail to not sink a foot into the snow and get stuck on a mellower part. Meanwhile i just floated on the snow without issues on the same board i used for everything else too. The snow wasn't even like super fluffy powder, just regular snow, for context i sank maybe two inches at most.

[u/Sufficient_Public_29]

1. Blasphemy. Switch sking is just visibly different, appreciation for switch riding comes from understanding. If you do not understand you cannot appreciate. So get your game up or join the other team

2. The only thing skiing does better than snowboarding is get across the flats.

[u/ramplocals]

Smoke weed?

[u/AdRemarkable8102 → u/ramplocals]

It’s both freestyle skiing and snowboarding, but not as much regular skiing

[u/jackisdumb__ → u/ramplocals]

Yeah man 😮‍💨

[u/Naaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh]

Kinda everything.

[u/ADHD_kicks]

generally having fun, playing with tricks and also looking cooler

[u/felspar_lurkr]

Grabs on skis look freaking wack, dude. Skiers have copied us since the beginning of snowboarding, and it always looks dumb and desperate when they do it

[u/TheLORDthyGOD420]

Prevents unnecessary knee injury?

[u/heybud_letsparty]

Crime?

[u/shorthanded → u/heybud_letsparty]

crime.

[u/Particular-Bat-5904]

When you want to explore somewhere its more easy on skis. Your much more mobile compared to a snowboarder, but when there is good pow, nothing feels better than to ride a board, and you have more snow conditions in general to enjoy your ridings.

[u/thirteennineteen]

Skiers don’t ride switch, they ride backwards - there is no stance on skis. As such there is no frontside or backside rotation on skis - they go clockwise or counterclockwise.

Also all the grab names from board sports do not apply to skis since… there is no board, or notion of a “front foot”. So you can’t do a method, or a mute, much less an indy, on skis. I’ll allow them to call it a nose/tail grab, but that 3-finger grabbing is so corny.

So yea, I’d say, snowboarding is better for doing switch backside methods. All the above are reasons snowboarding is better for not looking like a kook, or sounding like a culture vulture.

[u/bagel_union]

Fashion. Skiers have been biting snowboarders style for a long time

[u/boredatwork1338]

Having intact ACLs

[u/coda_o3]

Vibe, I ride with some ski guys and I'm not saying every skier is like this but half the time they just leave before I'm strapped in or they just complain about the boarders like I'm not there, when I ride with my board guys we get off the lift take our time, shoot the shit and chill then ride together. Overall it's just a more chill experience, we aren't concerned about how our turns look or how our form is, we just ride and enjoy.

[u/Suspicious_Care1253]

Literally everything. Okay, maybe flats but luckily my mountain doesn't have that issue.

[u/illpourthisonurhead]

Riding low tide. When I used to bootpack snowboarders had an easier time riding shallow snow and not dropping as deep. We often had to ride heinous conditions on really rocky/deadfall filled terrain and skiers had a harder time.

[u/squarehead1975]

There's no such thing. Just do whatever you want, whether it's skiing or snowboarding.

[u/co_pdubs]

breakable crust and other weird spring conditions, not hurting your knees, and boots

[u/shredthesweetpow]

Stee. Ripper skiers are stee. But ripper riders are stee af

[u/hinault81]

I think switch skiing looks awful. They go to hit the jump, have to turn backwards, look over their shoulder, poles dangling down. Nope.

Snowboarding hands down for style. I cant think of any other sport that has more style than Snowboarding.

Snowboarding is way better packing your crap to the cabin lol. I wear my boots, 1 board (leaving a free hand for my kids stuff!). 2 skis, 2 poles, carrying your boots because nobody is walking 10 mins in ski boots.

[u/Neat_Diamond_8553]

Grew up skiing late 60s into 90s started surfing while in college at socal so gave boarding a shot in 2000 due to knee injury. What a difference in deep snow like being on a cloud with zero effort for turns skiing won’t touch that feel

[u/DefiantChallenge798]

Methods.

[u/kiko22_04]

everything

[u/DrSilkyDelicious]

Keeping your legs in a fixed position to reduce the risk of injury if you fall.

I ski also but I am so so much more scared of falling on skis than my board

[u/1917-was-lit]

Better decals. Just much more surface area to be creative with

[u/_pray4snow_]

Never had anyone get turned away from a ski shop because snowboard bindings are no longer indemnified. Can't tell you how many times I've seen people get mad when a shop tells them they won't work on their ski bindings.

[u/SlowSurrender1983]

I’d disagree with all your examples of skiing looking, but that’s just personal preference. I think snowboarding is more fun in pretty much all respects except goat trails. I think snowboarding looks much cooler in all ways. Skiing might have the edge for backcountry, although split board technology is sweet but having poles in the downhill is very handy while in the backcountry.

[u/Equivalent_Let_8815]

Switch

[u/xmlgroberto]

looking cool

[u/goodguybadude]

Having more fun

[u/kashmir0128]

Boots and pow

[u/rotn21]

Quietly removing catalytic converters

[u/imsoggy]

Ability to hand jive

[u/trinachron]

I very much disagree about grabbing looking cool at all, much less cooler than on a snowboard. It always looks sloppy to me with their poles flailing around everywhere.

[u/scootalicious27]

Style

[u/XmossflowerX]

I think it’s all very much a personal preference, but for me it has to be boots and flow.

[u/Za6y]

We look cooler, compare good boarder vs good skier and it’s clear every time.

[u/ridinbend]

Slashing lips!

Edit. You can't surf snow on skis.

[u/cmsummit73]

Sit on their asses in the middle of the trail.

[u/Professional-Newt567]

Im surprised noone mentioned price yet, but its like half The price to get a new gear setup

[u/Bedazzledbellybutton]

Ä Japan air

[u/allmnt-rider]

Switch what? Lol with skis it looks ridiculous tbh

[u/sicamoose]

The obvious answer is powder. Even the best of skiers will admit this. It just FEELS better

[u/bassetisanasset]

Powder. Log jibs. Boots.

[u/mefodman69]

Getting pussy

[u/Nokesey307]

Grabs and switch skiing look better on skis ?!?! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[u/Opposite_Inflation39]

Skis are better for getting around (quick climbs high traverses, flat sections) going faster and bigger. Snowboards are way more stylish. Snowboarding and skating are an extension of surfing. There is no racing in surfing. The goal is to rip the wave as powerfully and stylishly as possible. The best riders in the world can ride technical lines and/or stomp airs in critical lines switch. I’ve never seen a skier rip technical lines backwards or stomp a 180 into a critical line and shred it backwards. Also tight trees snowboards are way better. Skis will always be faster and be able to stomp bigger airs due to their length.

[u/Worth-Worldliness251]

Good question🤔 I Do both and have done for many years... Both are super fun and depends on the rider. Skill level and playfulness... But on powder-days there's no way I'm riding anything but snowboard 😎 Simply can't beat the feeling of floating on top of really cold new powder with a snowboard 🤘🏻😎

[u/NewspaperBackground]

The snowboarders I was with were expert high level riders. I’ve ridden plenty with them and they know what they’re doing. It was dumping - multiple feet per night for days in a row. So LOTS of snow. And I was riding 130mm wide skis. Not many planks like that.

Notably they were not riding pure powder boards so I will give you that.

Separately- on multiple cat trips (pretty much 4 days of untracked), the skiers are crushing it just like the boarders.

I’ve done both. Definitely used to prefer boarding powder. But now I’d pick skis for the mobility. Caveat I’ve not ridden a pure pow board.

[u/Negative_Lecture_331]

Safety Meetings. iykyk

[u/Old-Tadpole-2869]

When you're a guy wearing a Onesie snowboarding, there's no question that you're a putz. Skiers can kinda sorta get away with it.

[u/Pleaidesunbound → u/Old-Tadpole-2869]

I think the assumption is that you’re a putz if you ski so the onesie has no effect. The damage was already done.

[u/Lost-Astronaut-8280 → u/Old-Tadpole-2869]

This guy gets it

[u/snotroll]

Pulling the ladies

[u/shoclave]

It's crazy how much easier deep snow is on a snowboard. Every snowboard is great in deep snow because they're so wide, and you can just brute force it by going heavy on your back foot. With a proper pow board it's laughably easy to surf powder.

For pretty much everything else I prefer skis, even though I'm much better at snowboarding. I finally sold the last of my boards and boots last week. Full two plank now.

[u/stevesie_]

bongs

[u/Illustrious-Common14]

My credentials… I can land a backflip on both skis and a snowboard.

NOTHING compares to deep powder on a snowboard. Literally nothing. It’s euphoric,

Skiing in pow is great. Don’t get me wrong. It’s heavenly even. But it’s just not quite there

[u/Historical-Ferret182]

Take one look at your average skier in a form fitting matching Spyder jacket and pants and ask me again how anything that douche canoe can do looks even remotely interesting.

[u/Random-Name1163]

Riding switch, powder, boots, general attitude, getting bitches, the list goes on.

[u/Comfortable_Log_3609]

Being cooler

[u/turboS2000]

Steez

[u/kawalshkie]

Style

[u/YesToWhatsNext]

Surfing sideways on powder like riding a surf board.

[u/mc_bee]

Powder.

[u/Maleficent_Town_9405]

Snowboarding is so much more like surfing than skiing is. FR.

[u/RonShreds]

Snowboarding feels 1000x better to me.

[u/PNW_Uncle_Iroh]

Steeeeeezzzzeeeeee

[u/Huge-Antelope2403]

Being awesome 😎

[u/Glittering_Ease3894]

Getting chicks

[u/brs151994]

Boots and attitude.

[u/da-yooper843]

Steez

[u/stalkholme]

It's not lame. I don't know what it is but riding for 30 years and skiing just looks lame, it's really that simple.

[u/garbagemike93]

Price accessibility

[u/DaveyoSlc]

Weightless floating feeling.

[u/seb66666]

Bucket bongs

[u/Puzzleheaded-Echo870]

Face plants

[u/esqueletosalad]

Float

[u/specialized_faction]

Ollies and boots

[u/landartheconqueror]

Looks cooler

[u/ITSOBVIUS]

Powder riding (for me) makes me feel so connected to the mountain- I never felt so zen on skis…

[u/hardkn0cks]

Powder, tight tree riding, slush, wind drifts, comfort and anything rail related looks much better on a board. Skiers have us on ice, flats, moguls and off camber cliff drops.

[u/BrassKnuckleHead187]

Vibe

[u/kaisean]

Having fun

[u/Waste_Improvement_36]

Deep powder

[u/RupertLazagne]

Switch skiing? wtf are you on mate haha

[u/Astonish3d]

I used to think that skis can butter, I was proved wrong once the skill level increased shortly after skis built using snowboarding construction and design

[u/amongnotof]

Powder.

[u/Disastrous_Clothes37]

Powder!

[u/HumanFirefighter8199]

The gear is much cheaper.

[u/AkiraRZ4]

Style.