How does skiboarding feel different from skiing ?

[donny70]

How does skiboarding feel different from skiing ?

I still haven't got the skating part down either owing mostly to me being a bit unco. I try to speed up at the end of a run so I can get as close as I can to the ski lifts

[shortydude]

Well my first post to the forum,
Thank you guys for all the helpful info I bought spruce 120 after seeing a lady my age ski boarding in japan and talking to her.
I got to try out my spruce a week ago at falls creek Australia and I am NEVER going back to skis! I am a very careful easy blue gal who could not help but panic once the runs became steeper. I just knew by the time I turned I would be out of control then would freeze up so I just could not turn! Hence always last down the run and multiple falls.
Right from the start on my new boards I felt more comfortable upright and after getting the hang of the quick ability to turn was soon enjoying those steeper runs knowing I was more in control. I always used to get my skis crossed and fall flat on my face- no longer! Now I can keep up with my friends and enjoy the skiing.
I gave not quite got the skating part down pat yet for the horizontal parts of the slopes but enjoy not having poles so will keep trying.
Cannot wait for japan in feb.

What a great testimonial, thanks for sharing that experience. Welcome to SBOL!

[Wookie]

Well my first post to the forum,
Thank you guys for all the helpful info I bought spruce 120 after seeing a lady my age ski boarding in japan and talking to her.
I got to try out my spruce a week ago at falls creek Australia and I am NEVER going back to skis! I am a very careful easy blue gal who could not help but panic once the runs became steeper. I just knew by the time I turned I would be out of control then would freeze up so I just could not turn! Hence always last down the run and multiple falls.
Right from the start on my new boards I felt more comfortable upright and after getting the hang of the quick ability to turn was soon enjoying those steeper runs knowing I was more in control. I always used to get my skis crossed and fall flat on my face- no longer! Now I can keep up with my friends and enjoy the skiing.
I gave not quite got the skating part down pat yet for the horizontal parts of the slopes but enjoy not having poles so will keep trying.
Cannot wait for japan in feb.

Welcome to the forum!!! Spruce 120s are magical boards. Happy skiboarding!

[Skivet]

Well my first post to the forum,
Thank you guys for all the helpful info I bought spruce 120 after seeing a lady my age ski boarding in japan and talking to her.
I got to try out my spruce a week ago at falls creek Australia and I am NEVER going back to skis! I am a very careful easy blue gal who could not help but panic once the runs became steeper. I just knew by the time I turned I would be out of control then would freeze up so I just could not turn! Hence always last down the run and multiple falls.
Right from the start on my new boards I felt more comfortable upright and after getting the hang of the quick ability to turn was soon enjoying those steeper runs knowing I was more in control. I always used to get my skis crossed and fall flat on my face- no longer! Now I can keep up with my friends and enjoy the skiing.
I gave not quite got the skating part down pat yet for the horizontal parts of the slopes but enjoy not having poles so will keep trying.
Cannot wait for japan in feb.

[Murph]

Just started the Australian ski season this weekend. We had limited cover and only a few runs open (Falls Creek and Mt Hotham). I was alternating between my skis and skiboards every few hours over the weekend to keep it interesting with the limited terrain. On wide open runs I was skiing faster with more confidence on my skis, especially in the morning when it was icy. On the skiboards I could build up speed where I had to back off due to fear, where as on the skis I felt more stable at these speeds (I have face-planted in the past on skiboards at speed and torn a rotator cuff muscle). On the narrower steeper runs the opposite was true the easier and faster turning skiboards gave me extra confidence. I fond alternating between the skis and skiboards a great exercise and I have probably changed both my skiing and skiboarding techniques subtly over the weekend doing this. I found skiboards have it all over skis for pure fun and for tackling challenging terrain. But it still is good to pull out the skis occasionally to have a lazy cruise or get up some speed.

[Brazen]

^. ^.^.

[Bluewing]

A final thought on this since my first season of skiboarding is under my belt - skiboarding opened up the entire mountain to me. Steep terrain (black runs) that I would not do way back when I was skiing and more recently would not do on my snowboard. I was able to confidently ride all of the expert terrain - except for bump runs - at the resorts I went to this year. It was really rewarding to see all of my favorite mountain this year - Elk Mountain - in northeastern PA. Such fun being on the steep black runs. Not many resorts I go to have double blacks but I was able to do well on 2 double blacks I tried this season. A set of snow sliding tools that opens up an entire mountain is amazing.

[Bluewing]

Proper Weighting of Both Skiboards

Harley, if you're still following this thread, the best advice I can give you is something I read in this forum (I forget the exact thread): "Go gorilla." If you ever find yourself in trouble, get your weight low and slightly forward, then put your boards on edge, and you will recover.

Jack mentioned that a skiboard turn puts more pressure on the outside foot than the inside. That's true, but also something I'm still struggling with, as my inside foot tends to be either sliding along uselessly, or pushing down too hard, taking the pressure off my outside foot and making me lose control. Can't seem to find a happy medium, but I'm sure I'll get there eventually.

I am by no means an expert but I had the same problem - the uphill leg sliding along uselessly - until I straightened my stance up and got my skiboards close together. I ride them on edge like you should but more skier style in stance than gorilla style. The other thing I found that helped was to swing my downhill arm slightly forward (while keeping it about at waist height) - that seems to keep my weight more biased toward the downhill leg. That probably also helps me to not lean into the hill, which puts too much weight on the uphill leg and skiboard.

[Mr. Bluesky]

Harley, if you're still following this thread, the best advice I can give you is something I read in this forum (I forget the exact thread): "Go gorilla." If you ever find yourself in trouble, get your weight low and slightly forward, then put your boards on edge, and you will recover.

Jack mentioned that a skiboard turn puts more pressure on the outside foot than the inside. That's true, but also something I'm still struggling with, as my inside foot tends to be either sliding along uselessly, or pushing down too hard, taking the pressure off my outside foot and making me lose control. Can't seem to find a happy medium, but I'm sure I'll get there eventually.

[Bluewing]

My friends who ski mess with my head

I know this thread has been out there for a while, but thought I would share this. I started skiboarding this year - was an advanced intermediate snowboarder previously. Got on skiboards and absolutely loved it. 15 times out so far this season and only twice on my snowboard.

Here is my "problem" - my friends ski and they unintentionally mess with my head by trying to give me ski technique advice when we are out. I am not skiing - I am skiboarding I have to keep telling myself. My riding style is more upright with feet closer together - skier-style like - but how I make the boards work is definitely not skiing. When I stop skiboarding and start using ski techniques it all goes to crap. Then as my mind snaps out of it and I start skiboarding again that feeling of flow comes back. For me that is what it is all about - that feeling of the skiboards flowing side-to-side under me and laying out that top-to-bottom series of S-turns. In fact, my mantra in life now is Peace, Harmony, Flow.

Do I ride slower on my skiboards (I am currently on Head 94s so there are some inherent limitations) than on my snowboard? Absolutely. Do my friends who ski get down the hill faster than me? Almost always. But - every run I have the feeling of flowing down the mountain and that is what I am after. Why would I want to bomb straight to the bottom and miss out on all that flow on the way down?

The other thing I have found on skiboards is an almost eerie sense of calm - maybe even serenity. Definitely concentrating while riding, but my mind is completely at peace. Even when I make a mistake my mind doesn't panic. Just do what I have to do to correct the situation and get on with it. My experience in snowboarding is that while I had good skills I always felt like something really bad could happen just about at anytime. And my experience on a snowboard was the when something happened it often resulted in being levered into the mountain like a piledriver.

[supercub]

You should try a set of big rockered pow skis. like ep pros or hellbents. with the rocker on packed snow you only have a portion of the ski on the snow and they feel somewhat like a skiboard, get them in the deep pow and they surf like a snowboard. I too was a snow boarder since the early days and have recently started skiboarding and riding skis.

[mahatma]

Being that I am skiing this year for the first time in my life I feel I'm better able to answer this question. For anyone who doesn't know, I'm a lifetime snowboarder who has spent the last 3 full seasons on skiboards, (almost exclusively on longboards with super fun days on KTP's and Condors). In the last off season I was convinced to try skiing in both the back country and in-bounds. So far, the process is nowhere near as harrowing as I thought it would be. Skis are definately different and I of course am still a total Fred. But, there is no terrain I cannot tackle at this point. Backcountry, trees, moguls and up to 40 degree or so steeps are all doable. Notice I did not say doable with style. I can pretty much survive anything that isn't completely off the charts and am beginning to have entire runs where I'm in total control and nailing it. If you looked at me for just a split second you would actually think I am a competent skier.

So, what are the differences?

Well, first the good for skis - in boot cuff to mid-shin champaign powder there is not a skiboard invented that equals the float, control and all around "dancing on a cloud" feeling of my Dynastar Huge Trouble 185's. They are utterly addicting in those condition and you will outright fiend for more and more. Set your butt straight down parallel to the skis, push shins against boot tongue, skis together, stay loose and fall in love. You will find yourself believing in God.

How about the bad? Well, skis are more work in a lot of conditions. That's odd because the bigger sticks are actually much more forgiving of bad form and bridge gaps infinitely better than a skiboard. But, in those facts lies the problems. For me, I don't like how skis create a more diconnected from the terrain feel. I don't like what feels like excessive weight shift requirements to intiate turns. Just try "leaning over only" on skis - you'll keep going straight. You need to set a hip. The groom feels like pure hell. Oh, you'll get there fast but make no mistakes about it - you're still going to hell. Everytime I'm on true hardpack I do nothing but curse while the pow fiend writhes in withdrawl spasms. Moguls are better once you overcome the fear of letting yourself glide over the tops of more than one at a time. Find somewhere intermediate to practice this and you'll start to feel like a straight mogul freak. But, the true steeps will bring you right back to planet earth - hopefully in one piece.

Skiboards are more fun and easier on the body in general. On skiboards the relationship is different. The tools give permission but do not enable. You pay more attention on skiboards. I mean that as a 100% positive. The mountain gives endless feedback and your body is always making at least minor corrections to accomodate the terrain. Laziness really isn't permitted. Longboards are great fun in pow because they porpoise instead of plow. I'm sure there are skis that also behave this way but my HT's basically mole through pow where the Sherpa acts like a submarine belly flopping onto the surface and digging back in. I freakin' love that feeling. I smile more on skiboards. I enjoy more.

Bottom line is I could recommend skiboarding to anyone regardless of what type of snow they like. At this stage, I'm more reserved about skis. But, there is good in them. There are techniques to learn and new feelings to experience. I'll have to wait and see where it all goes.

[deepfriedmango]

i dont really mind the 'why so short?' type of question, its the 'can you do a carve?' or 'are you able to keep up with the rest of the group?' questions that start to annoy me.

so i guess one of the major differences with skiboarding is the ability to relish in the quiet satisfaction that comes from blasting down the first run of the day to see the look of surprise and slight disbelief/speechlessness on a skiers face that many of you will probably be familiar with.

[jjue]

so what's the difference really? adrenaline rush? boards? snow?

I guess what is so special to me is the minimalist nature of skiboarding ... everything is easy , turning is easy , skating around is easy , you don't need poles .. there is less between me and the mountain and you don't need a quiver of different skis for different conditions ....
for me the biggest eyeopener was that a 110 super wide skiboard (Condor) , does it all for me , backcountry , junk snow , deep powder , climbing , groomers, moguls .. playing around with family and friends .. .no need for a quiver of boards for me .. one board does it all and does it amazingly well !
sweet !....

[DennisEvans]

I'm changing my stance

The vibe is so much different that I probably won't step on my skis again for a very long time, or until I feel like it's worth it again.

I love skiboarding, but I hate skiing it just seems like "work" to me when I'm on skis...