7 Reasons Why Snowboarding is Objectively Better Than Skiing
For decades, the great debate has echoed from the highest peaks to the chilliest chairlifts: snowboarding or skiing? Both are incredible ways to experience the magic of the mountains. But let’s be honest, while skiers are busy clicking into bindings and trying not to cross their tips, snowboarders are having more fun. Here’s why.
The Learning Curve: Harder to Learn, Easier to Master
This is the classic argument, and it holds true. Skiing is easier to pick up initially—your legs are separate, and you can “pizza” your way down the bunny hill. But progressing to true mastery is incredibly technical. Snowboarding is notoriously difficult for the first two days; you’ll fall, catch edges, and curse your decision. But once you link your first turns, the progression is intuitive and exponential. You learn one core skill set (edging) that applies to everything, rather than managing four separate edges and two independent legs.
The Gear is Simply Better (and Less of It)
Let’s talk logistics. A snowboarder carries one board. A skier juggles two skis and two poles. In the lift line, at the lodge, walking from the car—the snowboarder is always less encumbered. But the real victory is the footwear. Snowboard boots are soft, comfortable, and relatively easy to walk in. Ski boots are rigid plastic shells often described as medieval torture devices. A comfortable walk to the bar for après-ski? Advantage: snowboarding.
The Powder Day Experience is Unmatched
This is where snowboarding truly ascends to a higher plane of existence. A snowboard’s wide shape is designed to float on top of deep, untracked snow. The feeling of effortlessly surfing through powder, throwing up huge white waves with every turn, is the closest humans can get to flying. Skiers, with their narrower planks, tend to plow through powder or struggle to keep their tips from diving. A powder day on a snowboard isn’t just fun; it’s soulful.
A Deeper Connection to Skate and Surf Culture
Snowboarding was born from a desire to surf on snow. Its roots are in skate and surf culture, which emphasizes flow, creativity, and personal style over rigid, formal technique. The mountain becomes a canvas for expression—side hits become skate ramps, rollers become waves. This creative mindset is baked into the DNA of the sport.
You’re More Connected to the Mountain
Carving on a snowboard is a full-body experience. You use your ankles, knees, hips, and shoulders in one fluid motion to lay the board on its edge. A deep heelside or toeside carve, with your body just inches from the snow, is an intimate connection with the mountain’s contours. It’s a dance. Skiing is more of a staccato rhythm of independent leg movements. Both require skill, but snowboarding feels more like flowing with the mountain, not just descending it.
No Poles, No Problem (and No Yard Sales)
Poles are a hassle. You drop them from the lift, you get tangled in them, and they are one more thing to manage. Snowboarders have their hands free—to balance, to grab their board, or to high-five a friend. Furthermore, snowboarders are immune to the dreaded “yard sale” crash, where a skier falls and their skis, poles, helmet, and goggles explode across a 50-foot radius. If a snowboarder falls, their board is still securely attached. They just get up and go.
It Just Looks Cooler.
Let’s be blunt. Style is subjective, but the fluid, surf-like motions of a skilled snowboarder are undeniably graceful and stylish. The equipment, the fashion, and the overall vibe of the sport are rooted in a more relaxed, less-traditional aesthetic. From the method grab to the buttered spin, snowboarding has a language of style that is simply… cooler.
Okay, But What About…?
We hear the arguments from our two-planked friends. Let’s address them.
- Getting off the lift: A small, graceful hop versus an awkward pole-plant shuffle? We’ll take the hop.
- Traversing flat catwalks: The one-footed shuffle builds character, strengthens your push-leg, and is a great time to chat with friends.
- Moguls: Snowboarders are clever. We see a field of icy bumps and think, “There’s a much more fun way down over there.” It’s not a weakness; it’s wisdom.
The Final Verdict: Join the Better Side
At the end of the day, any day in the mountains is a good day. But a day spent surfing on snow, with comfortable boots on your feet and a deeper connection to the terrain, is a better day. The choice is clear. Stop shuffling and start shredding.
This article was created on July 19, 2025. All opinions are in good fun.
