Be smart

[Fast]

I'm glad I found this thread before the snow arrives here in scotland . Not a good idea getting badly injured at my age...

[slow]

Conditions also make a big difference. An icy green run can be more dangerous than a consistently smooth blue or black.

But like everyone is saying, it comes down to what you are comfortable with, which translates into confidence.

[MitchK]

Yeah, the last half of last season was my first on Skiboards, I think I was probably taking blacks by the second day, but I also really push myself (I've got the whole indistructible young person mentality at times), and was trying to keep up with my snowboarder friends the entire time. The main thing to remember is just to do what you're actually comfortable with.

[mamaanona7]

Amen to that. When I think of a quick learning curve, I'm thinking that by the end of the season, if you go rather regularly, you should feel pretty confident. I read on the other sight about starting on blues and had that same feeling that I might not "get it" on the greens. But the first 3 times out, I pretty much stayed on greens and told my husband not to "push" me or I might hurt myself and not want to skiboard again.

Once I got comfortable, I pushed myself, and have taken a couple of blacks the last couple of times, but I still know and work within my limits.

[Belle1708]

Yogi, I know exactly what you're talking about, I read that too. Hearing that made me a bit apprehensive my first day out. I felt like I wouldn't "get it" trying skiboarding on green runs. Had I started on a blue, I probably would have wrapped myself around a tree! I'm grateful I spent the first full day on greens, and maybe one or two easy blues. I, thankfully, picked up skiboarding in 3 short green runs. But I didn't let that go to my head. I did try a few small boxes my first day, but those were something I felt comfortable doing. We all learn things at a different pace, and to tell someone to try something beyond their capabilities is CRAZY! The beauty of this sport is that you go at your own pace, it's easy to learn slowly and easy to progress quickly. Do whatever you feel comfortable doing. Don't ever let others talk you into something if you're not ready. On my 4th day out, my husband (on a snowboard) and I on skiboards found ourselves on a black run by accident that wasn't marked very well. I managed quite well, but I didn't feel good enough to do that again.
Moral of the story: Go at your OWN pace. Screw what everyone else thinks!

[mathyogi]

Some bad advice

Just to let you all know as a newbie: your online competitor tells newbies like me to skip the greens and go for the blues and blacks on your first day. That's not really why I did it, bu it was in the back of my mind. That's also not why I got I injured. That was due to jumping off a lift not going down a black. Bu he gives all sorts of weird advice like re-drilling your board to put snowboard bindings on them. He also told me I'd need a skinny kids board since I'm so little. Anyway I kind of digressed from this topic, but just to let you know what bad advice there is out there. I'm so glad I found you guys instead. I think I'll try that black again tomorrow... My knee is feeling better...

[mahatma]

Wow. Who found this thread? No matter how old, it's a good topic and a good reminder. By this point in the season I'd say we as a group couldn't be more cocky. We've been on our game for months, the regular runs feel tired and we've already proven to ourselves that there is very little outside the realm of possibility.

I had my ass handed to me about a month ago returning me to mother earth. Thankfully, alive and uninjured. Whatever we are doing on any given day we should wear helmets. If we are in the back country we should never be alone. In the park we should armor up. Check our bindings in the morning. Tighten everything down. Stay waxed up. Smooth bases are predictable. Most of all, lets use our heads. There are many, many more slopes for all of us to experience.

[mathyogi]

New and true

I'm new and what you said is true. I went the first time on Sunday. I ended up really injured. My friends let me go on 2 greens. They thought I was doing well. (They are both snowboarders, one was very advanced). They took me on this unmarked, black run and lied to me. I jumped off the ski lift after missing my exit, right before it went around the corner and twisted my knee. I had to follow them down the black run, because I didn't know what else to do. I made it, but me knee was already so injured; and going down something that steep injured it more. I had to sit out the rest of the day. Thursday I'm going again with my kids. I'm taking it easy on greens and maybe some blues.

[JPARK]

this is very good thread.
shame on me i found this thread now. =P

[mahatma]

1 day to black?

Manlenium,

My first day out I was a sad sight to behold. Everything felt foreign. Pointing in the direction I was going was totally new and the sensation of speed was off the charts. Plus, I could't really stop - I sort of skated until I slowly just came to a halt. I was on the smallest bunny and went up and down that thing probably 30 times that day. I remember falling over the first time I tried to get the boards off. But, the fun factor was there for sure. By the end of the 3rd day I was definately ready to get off the greens. But, that was my process. I read with some envy posts like yours. I think we are both proof that skiboarding is for all. You got it immediately and I had to work a little more. Perfect. I still think those days were some of the best I've ever had. The smile never left my face - even when my 7 year old was skiing circles around me and making fun of me. Well, OK, I did grab my snowboard after that little incident and the girls and I laughed it up together on the blues the rest of the day (my son was at the park as usual and the Mrs's headed to higher ground taking advantage of the babysitter) - that was day 3. Again, some of the best days I've ever had on snow.

[Manlenium]

The first time ever i went on the bunny hill, was to try to improve my fakie riding. I applied basic hockey skills. I was basically skiing/skating backwards, with twice the carving and 1/10th the speed. I was trying to see which angles and movements were better for speed/precision. After I hoped onto the blacks and had a blast at full speed. Fakie riding is one of my favs. Watch for others!!

[mahatma]

Good topic

As this is my first year on skiboards plus having never skiied I find this to be an outstanding topic. By the way, coming from snowboarding, I found no transferable skills. That's not a bad thing - just my experience. The first thing I would suggest for anyone is to wear a helmet. Preferably one with speakers in the ear pieces. If you are going to the park then add body armor. There is no reason to not wear a helmet. Anyway, my first 3 full day out on my Spruce 120's I was on the bunnies. Period. Never left. After that I spent a few full days on blues and then slowly began pushing the envelope higher, faster and more technical. It is all about fun which is what I love about snowboarding. There is no need to "be" anything. Fun, fun, fun. I'm nearing the end of my first season and the entire mountain is available to me. 40 degrees? Moguls? Twisting and turning? Crud? Chop? I'm there. You still might beat me down but you won't be wearing a bigger smile. By the way, I haven't had as much as a bruise all season so far. I also suggest being shameless about asking others for advice. In the beginning I felt like I was swallowing my pride by asking a skier for advice (sorry, I've only seen one other skiboarder all season) but now I'm shameless. I'll ask anyone. For what it's worth, everyone I've asked for advice this year - which was probably 6 or so skiers were more than willing to help. I received not a single snub or the slightest trace of attitude. As a matter of fact, every one of them took at least one run with me pointing out how to better do what they were trying to teach me. Whatever the circumstances, if you are unsure just look at the best skier around you - or if you don't know look at the best looking one and ask how to do whatever. At the end, smile big, shake their hand and say "thanks a bunch, that did it for me". You see, they'll feel good and you'll have ppicked up a new skill to work on. Win-win. Plus, if they ask about your short, fat skis you can turn them on to this thing. Rememer, they are not short skis or anything other than skiboards. They are roughly twice as wide as skis, have center mounted bindings and above all are "all mountain" devices fully capable of performance and above all are a blast. Skiers will say they look boring because they are short. Ask them if you look bored. Work hard to bring your smile down to something short of "I'm just out of the nut factory". Anyway, grab your helmet and boards and go have a great day on Promised Land. Fun is the game and you are dealing.

[Kirk S]

dont worry dude it happens to all of us I was doing a 360 one icy morning slipped out on the landing, smashed my thumb and pulled all the ligaments

its been 4 weeks and I still cant hold onto anything with that hand

[atrophic]

I'll jump in with my story as a warning too. I learned to ski last Wednesday, and picked it up fast due to playing hockey and understanding edges and the like. Thursday went again and felt much more comfortable. On Friday I tried some rented snowblades and everything got waaaay easier. I was riding the blues all day. While my friends much more experienced at skiing were falling down the steeper blues I was going down them with no problems.

Then it went to my head. I was smart enough not to go on any blacks, but I wasn't smart enough to avoid the terrain park. The first jump could be accessed without going down the rest of the park so I started jumping that before going down a nearby non-terrain run. A few times through and I landed entirely on my thumb, which is now broken or at least severely jammed.

It's probably not a good idea to start doing jumps your first few times out

[H2O Junkie]

I bumped the trail ratings discussion to a new thread called Trail Ratings.