Skiing or Snowboarding? An Honest Comparison for Beginners

Everyone planning a winter holiday asks the same question first: skiing or snowboarding? Both happen on the same slopes and use the same lifts, but the way you learn them is very different. In this guide we compare the two from a beginner's point of view. There is no right or wrong answer, only the one that suits you.

What is the difference?

On skis, each foot is attached to its own ski, you face the direction you are travelling and you use poles for balance. On a snowboard, both feet are fixed to a single board, you stand sideways and there are no poles. That basic difference shapes your first few days.

Day one: skiing is easier to start

Most people fall less on their first day of skiing. With your feet apart, balance feels familiar, and within a few hours you can learn to slow down and stop with the snowplough: the braking position where you bring the ski tips together and push the tails apart.

On a snowboard, expect to fall more on day one. Finding your balance between the heel edge and the toe edge takes time, and falls tend to land on your bottom or your wrists.

After day three: snowboarding speeds up

Here is the interesting part: the picture changes within a few days. Once the basic snowboard turns click, progress comes quickly, and many people feel comfortable by day three or four. On skis, moving from the snowplough to parallel turns takes longer: the basics are easy, mastering them takes patience. That is why skiing is often described as "easy to learn, hard to master" and snowboarding as "hard to learn, quicker to master".

Questions to help you decide

• How many days will you ride? If you only have a weekend, skiing usually gives you more time on the slopes.
• Are you worried about falling? Wrist and tailbone knocks are more common in the first days of snowboarding; wrist guards and padded shorts are a good idea.
• Have you skateboarded, surfed or wakeboarded? If standing sideways feels natural, snowboarding may click faster.
• Who are you going with? If your friends do the same sport, taking lessons and riding together is much easier.
• How much do you value comfort? Snowboard boots are softer than ski boots and much easier to walk in.

Equipment and cost

Rental prices are similar for both sports: boots, skis and poles for skiing, boots and a board for snowboarding. A helmet and goggles are needed either way. With an all-inclusive package the difference disappears completely: our Erciyes packages include ski or snowboard equipment, helmet, goggles and ski clothing in the price. You simply choose your sport when you book.

Our advice

If it is your first time on snow and you only have a weekend, starting with skiing can be less tiring. If you have four or five days and standing sideways appeals to you, snowboarding is a great choice too. Still undecided? Try one sport on day one and the other on day two.

At Erciyes you can learn both with professional instructors on our First Steps lesson packages. Before your first lesson, have a look at our guides to skiing for the first time at Erciyes and snowboarding at Erciyes.

• Skiing
• Snowboarding
• Beginners
• Ski lessons