Learning to snowboard, how hard?
Discussion
Shnozz said:
I would strongly recommend doing an intensive course indoor in the UK to get the very basics in place before you go. Might be worth then doing mornings in a snowboarding school and afternoons off on your own to do your own thing.
Yep, that's what I did about 12 years ago. It means you can get the boring bits of learning out of the way in the UK and then enjoy your time in resort. S100HP said:
Richard-390a0 said:
As others have said - lessons, impact shorts & wrist guards.
I don't know any boarders that haven't done at least one wrist.
whilst I don't know you, 22 odd years here, including 3 full seasons and nothing broken (yet!). Didn't do the impact shorts or wrist guards thing, but I was 14 when i started, tend to bounce more the younger you are!I don't know any boarders that haven't done at least one wrist.
deckster said:
FWIW my lad's school stopped taking beginner snowboarders on their trips as they were dealing with at least one broken wrist every time they went. Make of that what you will!
20 odd years ago I went on a school ski trip, I could ski fairly well but still attented the month of lessons with everyone else on the local dry slope. So now I'm an awesome skier showing off on the slopes in France for a week with my school friends, we are offered a day of snowboarding half way through the week 
Most of us are good skateboarders, hanging out at the local park all day a couple of times a month, so we've got the basics down straight away and are way too over confident. I managed to faceplant The snow within an hour, go full scorpion and smash my face in with the edge of the board. It looked like a murder scene there was so much blood in the snow and I still have a 3 inch scar on my cheek, spent the rest of the day sitting in the hotel with concussion.
Snowboarding is awesome though, find it much more enjoyable than skiing. Think that it's the childish skateboarding feeling, plus the danger.
I learnt to board in 2002 with the idea to go on a holiday, badly dislocated shoulder falling off an MTB before I booked a holiday so never went. I did find boarding easier to learn than skiing, I was a confident skier at the time.
Im off to St Anton in Jan 19 with 18 others, I have first lesson on Thursday night and have bought knee pads, padded shorts, wrist guards and a helmet. Ive been dying to go since 02 and am finally managing to scratch the itch. Will see how the lessons go.
Im off to St Anton in Jan 19 with 18 others, I have first lesson on Thursday night and have bought knee pads, padded shorts, wrist guards and a helmet. Ive been dying to go since 02 and am finally managing to scratch the itch. Will see how the lessons go.
if you have a history of repeated shoulder dislocations I would strongly advise getting a donjoy shoulder brace (around £180 IIRC, but priceless in terms of the added stability).
I've had 6 dislocations in 10 years, all snowboarding, and would have been double that if i wasn't wearing that brace.
I've had 6 dislocations in 10 years, all snowboarding, and would have been double that if i wasn't wearing that brace.
I learned on a dry slope. That hurt. A lot. I fell. A lot. I also ended up in A&E when I split my knee to the bone 
Definitely skiing seems easier to pick up. I've been away a few times and relatively beginner skiiers can keep up.
Also consider who else you are going with and whether they ski or board. If they ski, you might find it difficult to keep up with them, especially on flatter bits when you fall, lose momentum, and have to walk for a while!
Definitely skiing seems easier to pick up. I've been away a few times and relatively beginner skiiers can keep up.
Also consider who else you are going with and whether they ski or board. If they ski, you might find it difficult to keep up with them, especially on flatter bits when you fall, lose momentum, and have to walk for a while!
designforlife said:
if you have a history of repeated shoulder dislocations I would strongly advise getting a donjoy shoulder brace (around £180 IIRC, but priceless in terms of the added stability).
I've had 6 dislocations in 10 years, all snowboarding, and would have been double that if i wasn't wearing that brace.
Cheers mate, I dont have any issues with it anymore but Ill take at look at the brace. Going to look like Robocop at this rate I've had 6 dislocations in 10 years, all snowboarding, and would have been double that if i wasn't wearing that brace.
i would say a helmet is the most important and essential bit of kit safety wise, if you know how to fall you don't really need wrist or elbow/knee pads.
There is also a strong argument that the more protective gear you wear, the less incentive you have to learn to take slams properly, and the more at risk you are due to the feeling of added protection.
that said, I wore kneepads for a few months back when i was learning side hit rails a few years back...my knees and shins took a lot of metal to them whilst i got to grips with street style rails...forcefield limb tubes are good, and super low profile.
And knee or shoulder braces for chronic injuries just make good sense if you want to carry on riding a while.
There is also a strong argument that the more protective gear you wear, the less incentive you have to learn to take slams properly, and the more at risk you are due to the feeling of added protection.
that said, I wore kneepads for a few months back when i was learning side hit rails a few years back...my knees and shins took a lot of metal to them whilst i got to grips with street style rails...forcefield limb tubes are good, and super low profile.
And knee or shoulder braces for chronic injuries just make good sense if you want to carry on riding a while.
Parsnip said:
Remember to sit around in an incovenient location - middle of piste, take off and landing of any kickers etc.
Buy trousers way too big and wear them improperly.
Speak in an irritating yoof manner - pow pow, gnar, describing sliding about on your glorified mono ski as "riding" etc.
Make an absolute mess of every lift queue you are in. Piss about with your bindings at the top of every lift you get off - DO NOT under any circumstances do anything sensible like moving to the side of the piste to do it.
Alternativley, you could just learn to ski?
Have you not been to the mountains for a while? All the yoofs these days are on twin tipped skis (with plenty of baggy trousers to be seen).Buy trousers way too big and wear them improperly.
Speak in an irritating yoof manner - pow pow, gnar, describing sliding about on your glorified mono ski as "riding" etc.
Make an absolute mess of every lift queue you are in. Piss about with your bindings at the top of every lift you get off - DO NOT under any circumstances do anything sensible like moving to the side of the piste to do it.
Alternativley, you could just learn to ski?
The majority of people on snowboards seem to now be between 30-40 (me being one of them).
I got into snowboarding because it looked more fun, especially on powder, i've since spent about 70% of my time on a board and 30% on skis but with if the ski tech 10 years ago was as versatile as it is now I might never have picked up a board!
Has anybody on here ever read the list of "the rules" of skiing/snowboarding from the snowheads forum? I'm sure I regularly break quite a few of them on a day to day basis on the mountain!
Integroo said:
Also consider who else you are going with and whether they ski or board. If they ski, you might find it difficult to keep up with them, especially on flatter bits when you fall, lose momentum, and have to walk for a while!
Generally, we walk to the lift and the boarders whine about waiting for the skiers. We all get off the lift and the skiers step into while b
hing about waiting for the boarders to bind in. The boarders tell the skiers to bugger off ahead, and that they will catch up.
The skiers waft away elegantly swishing from side to side.
The boarders finish farting about, get up, realise the skiers are half way to the lift and tank down the run after them.
Everyone at the next lift b
hes about waiting for whoever fell over. I did a session at Tamworth back in '05 before a week away in Les Houches.
IIRC, I don't think I got let down the main slope at the end! But the holiday was booked already so off I went. I didn't injure myself and got to grips with it quicker in my own time on proper snow. Despite 13 years away from it - which is just because life got in the way - I'd like to take it up again.
I'd go to Tamworth or somewhere before you head out to ensure you've at least worked out the basics.
IIRC, I don't think I got let down the main slope at the end! But the holiday was booked already so off I went. I didn't injure myself and got to grips with it quicker in my own time on proper snow. Despite 13 years away from it - which is just because life got in the way - I'd like to take it up again.
I'd go to Tamworth or somewhere before you head out to ensure you've at least worked out the basics.
Fluffsri said:
I learnt to board in 2002 with the idea to go on a holiday, badly dislocated shoulder falling off an MTB before I booked a holiday so never went. I did find boarding easier to learn than skiing, I was a confident skier at the time.
Im off to St Anton in Jan 19 with 18 others, I have first lesson on Thursday night and have bought knee pads, padded shorts, wrist guards and a helmet. Ive been dying to go since 02 and am finally managing to scratch the itch. Will see how the lessons go.
Good luck! I hope you enjoy it and take to it easily! It’s been a long time since I learnt and still love going away and get excited buying new kit! Keep us updatedIm off to St Anton in Jan 19 with 18 others, I have first lesson on Thursday night and have bought knee pads, padded shorts, wrist guards and a helmet. Ive been dying to go since 02 and am finally managing to scratch the itch. Will see how the lessons go.
Mr E said:
Generally, we walk to the lift and the boarders whine about waiting for the skiers. We all get off the lift and the skiers step into while bhing about waiting for the boarders to bind in.
The boarders tell the skiers to bugger off ahead, and that they will catch up.
The skiers waft away elegantly swishing from side to side.
The boarders finish farting about, get up, realise the skiers are half way to the lift and tank down the run after them.
Everyone at the next lift bhes about waiting for whoever fell over.
I Will be on my own, so no issues of keeping up with other people, one of the great benefits of holidaying on your own is you can do things at your own pace!hing about waiting for the boarders to bind in. The boarders tell the skiers to bugger off ahead, and that they will catch up.
The skiers waft away elegantly swishing from side to side.
The boarders finish farting about, get up, realise the skiers are half way to the lift and tank down the run after them.
Everyone at the next lift b
hes about waiting for whoever fell over. The snowboard companies (DC) sure know how to charge for snowboard gear, just managed to spend £600 on a pair of snowboard boots, jacket, trousers and gloves!! So thats me committed to it now!
Planning on doing a days course next weekend, will report back with how many bones I still have in one piece after
Imo it's important to have comfortable boots and clothing that keeps you warm and dry.
But do get / rent padded shorts, wrist guards, knee pads and helmet at least for your first 2/3 days.
I was lucky to learn at a time when we had lots of fresh soft powder, had it been hard packed and icy its another experience.
But do get / rent padded shorts, wrist guards, knee pads and helmet at least for your first 2/3 days.
I was lucky to learn at a time when we had lots of fresh soft powder, had it been hard packed and icy its another experience.
tumble dryer said:
Defo this in bold. Otherwise your first day may not go quite as anticipated. 
Well worth the effort!
Chap I used to work with fractured his coccyx on the first day of a fortnight snowboarding holiday, he was off work for something like eleven months as a result. Two months before he could stand, another four before he could sit down. Fortunately he made a near-perfect recovery but I imagine those months must have been hell! Well worth the effort!Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff