Ski vs. snowboard: The big question for beginners. Which do you learn faster, which is more fun - and which suits your style?

In the winter sports community, it is said that skiing is easier for beginners to learn, but more difficult to perfect. Snowboarding, on the other hand, is said to be more challenging in the beginning and easier to master. But where does this assumption come from?

The advantages and challenges of skiing:

• When skiing, both feet are next to each other and pointing forwards. This helps many people to find one’s way around themselves at the beginning and makes it easier to get started.
• Another advantage is balance. Thanks to the two skis, you can shift your weight more easily from your right to your left leg, giving you a better sense of stability.
• However, it is also said that skiing is a little more difficult in terms of coordination, because in addition to the two skis, the poles are integrated into the movement.

Advantages and challenges of snowboarding:

• The sideways body position in combination with the snowboard boots firmly anchored to the board is unusual for some. However, as soon as you get the hang of it, the learning curve goes steeply upwards.
• People who already have previous experience with board sports such as skateboarding or surfing usually find it much easier.

Whether snowboarding or skiing is easier depends largely on personal motivation. Those who are keen to learn something new generally have better learning success.

Although winter sports usually take you down to the valley, a certain level of basic fitness is required for a fun day in the snow - whether you're a beginner on a snowboard or on skis. This includes endurance, athleticism and strength.

Of course, you don't have to be a competitive athlete to enjoy a skiing holiday. However, you should bear in mind that the descent down to the valley will be more strenuous than the previous gondola ride to the top. Therefore, if you venture onto the longest slope at the beginning, you should have a certain level of fitness. Otherwise, you should choose shorter sections that allow you the opportunity to take a break.

Braking and cornering require a certain amount of effort. In the best case scenario, you will have already started with ski fit exercises before your holiday to prepare your thighs for the first carving turns. By the end of the ski day at the latest, when the untracked slopes resembles tracked out run, you will know why exercises for the glutes and leg muscles are the main component.

Whether skiing or snowboarding is more fun remains a subjective opinion. It is impossible to imagine the mountains without them.

Basically, you can go faster on skis becauseof the lower friction and more aerodynamic body position. The entiremovement sequence is alsomore dynamic andversatilewhen viewed from the outside.

What snowboarders lack in dynamics, they make up for in "flow". Thanks to the even movements of the upper body and weight shifts, snowboarding often feels smoother on and off the slopes. In addition, you have a unique feeling of floating through the terrain when you venture into the backcountry.

One factor worth mentioning in this context is movement on flat terrain – for example, a snow cat trail with no significant gradient. In this case, skiers have the advantage of being able to push themselves forward with the help of their poles or with v-shaped steps.

Snowboarders often only have the option of clamping the board under their arm or pushing off with their back leg while the other is still in the binding on long flat sections. You can also ask if you can grab the pole of a passing skier to pull yourself along to the next slope.

Riding T-bar and chair lifts is often underestimated. Skiers can simply ski through the entrance, hold their poles in one hand and make themselves comfortable.

Snowboarders, on the other hand, have to take one foot out of the binding to find the right sitting position on the chairlift. T-bars require a little more practice when snowboarding: as the direction of movement is frontal, the disc can simply be placed between the legs or the T-piece of the tow at the level of the buttocks for skiers. For snowboarders, this can be a challenge at the beginning due to their lateral projection.

Is skiing or snowboarding actually more comfortable? Snowboarding definitely wins this round. The decisive criterion in this case are the boots. Anyone putting on a ski boot for the first time will be able to tell you a thing or two about it. Without the right technique, putting on a tight and stiff ski boot can take a lot of effort. In contrast, the (soft) boots for snowboarders are much more comfortable.

But when it comes to putting one step in front of the other, snowboard boots clearly have the edge.

The risk of injury is similar in both sports. What is different is the pattern of injury.

• When skiing, both feet stand separately on the skis. While this makes it easier to balance, it also increases the risk of injury due to twisting movements. If the binding does not open in the event of a fall, there is a risk of the legs twisting, which is why the knee joints are particularly susceptible to injury when skiing.
• Snowboarding, on the other hand, involves keeping both feet firmly planted on the board. Unlike skiing, the risk of knee injury is lower. The most common injuries in snowboarding are shoulder and wrist injuries.

If you're not sure whether you'd rather ski or snowboard, you can rent both at INTERSPORT Rent. Let our RENTertainers advise you and test the right equipment.

Snowboarding is considered a sport that is easier on the knees. This is because you stand on the board with both feet firmly in the bindings. On the other hand, when you are skiing, each leg is separately attached to the ski in the binding. Although these should release in the event of a fall, it is still possible to injure your knee due to an unfavourable turning movement during a fall.

This depends a little on your talent, motivation, fitness, duration and regularity. In a ski course, however, the first successes can be seen after just a few days. Simple turns and cornering can then be practised on slopes for beginners. Within a few weeks, many people have mastered the basic techniques for skiing safely on blue and red runs. After a few months, the skiing techniques are usually so good that more difficult descents can also be tackled.

If you assume that a skier and snowboarder are at the same level and have similarly sharp edges, it is easier to ski down icy slopes. When skiing, you have the advantage that it is easier to find balance on two planks. You can shift your weight from one leg to the other, which is more comfortable on some sections. However, with the right technique, it is possible for both snowboarders and skiers to conquer icy slopes.