Snow holiday specialist Neilson is stoking the age-old rivalry between skiers and snowboarders in an attempt to decide once and for all who is better, cooler and more skilled.
Team GB Winter Olympians Jamie Nicholls (snowboarder) and Katie Summerhayes (free skier) have taken part in the debate, voicing whether they think one plank or two is best:
Katie argues: “Skiers will always come out on top because skiing just looks better when you get it right. When skiers land backwards properly it’s way more impressive than anything a boarder can do. Also, snowboarders are really lazy, they end up sitting down all the time on the slopes!”
Jamie Nicholls couldn’t disagree more: “Katie may think skiers have the edge but she’s completely wrong, snowboarders have far more style on jumps and rails and when they fall to the floor they don’t explode into a million pieces and cry about it like skiers do. Skiers also cut the piste up and trample all over your board in lift lines!”
Both skiing and boarding are fantastic ways to explore the mountain, but there are pros and con to each sport. To give a balanced argument, we’ve summed up the why each tribe has the rights to call themselves the coolest:
Why skiing Is superior
Variety is the spice of life: There are so many different ways to ski. You can cruise on the runs, smash the off-piste and, (unlike boarders) you can hit moguls without a problem and enjoy the scenery with cross country!
Much better fashion sense: Ski gear has had its dodgy moments for sure, but it’s definitely way better than snowboard gear. Skiers’ salopettes stay up all day and don’t end up looking like 14 year olds that feel the need to show everyone underwear band.
Nerding out: There’s so much tech around skis that getting your geek on is easy. Pick a type of ski for the snow conditions and then a binding to go with it. Choose the binding settings; free as a bird or never-let-you-go. Pick touring bindings that let you ski uphill and you can say ‘where we’re going, we don’t need lifts’ to your mates. Proper geeky.
Ski Royale: Prince William, Princess Kate, Prince Harry, the King of Spain and the King of Sweden all ski. Justin Bieber snowboards. Enough said.
Better heritage: Skiing’s been around since the Middle Ages when Scandinavian farmers and hunters used them to get around their snowy landscapes. The first recognised ski jumper was Olaf Rye in 1809 and the first ski chair lift was built in 1936. With such a long history, skiing is definitely the superior sport, (especially since boarding was only developed by the American’s in the 1960s!).
Why boarding Is best
The lingo: The parlance of the snowboarding world is so much richer. The difference is like comparing a toddler with Stephen Fry. A toddler (i.e. skiers) uses very basic language to describe a nice move – ‘oooh, spinny!’ – whereas snowboard trick names sound like they’ve been derived by Stephen Fry’s imaginative and eloquent brain, with names like the Beef Carpaccio, the Rusty Trombone and the Japan Air.
Board designs: A snowboard is basically just an odd shaped canvas and some snowboard designs are true works of art (something that can’t be achieved with skinny skis that have a gap in the middle!)
These boots are made for walking: Snowboard boots are waaaay more comfortable to walk in and they won’t permanently disfigure your feet so that you need to spend thousands on chiropody. They also allow you to walk without looking like you’ve had some kind of poop accident. Nobody can rock that look. That’s why Brad Pitt snowboards.
Tan while you train: With its obvious roots in the skate world, switching between skateboarding and snowboarding is actually quite easy. Boarders can hone their skateboarding skills during the summer, keeping them fresh for the winter season.
Much better fashion sense: Onesies are ridiculous. You’re not a baby so grow up and dress properly.
