Surfing vs. Snowboarding

I spent my whole life at the beach, surfing every day of the year if possible. I'll always love surfing, but surfing untouched pow lines without getting snaked by some out of town kook is by far way better than ruining my day battling with hoards of other wave fanatics. Eventually the crowds pushed me out and I took off for a mountainous retreat.

How is it that so many skiers (maggots) love surfing, but hate snowboarding and snowboarders? The concept of riding snow like waves is almost identical. I'm just baffled at times at how ignorant the hatred is towards snowboarders, and yet every geriatric maggot on here would give their low hanging testicles to ride a knee high day at SanO on an sup no less.

I'm a lifelong surfer and skier, and can offer my perspective. I have hard charging snowboarding buddies who I'll ski and tour with, and I respect them and their abilities. But, I can't help but notice and feel negatively towards the disproportionate number of snowboarders who are completely ignorant or openly contemptuous of all the conventions that have evolved to enable us to get along in an unregulated mountain environment. I could make a very long list (topped by gapers side-slipping powder lines through the trees), but basically if you don't show respect for your fellow sliders, then you don't deserve it. It sucks that you need to overcome this prejudice, but in my experience skiers are actually pretty accepting (unlike surfers, who hate everyone) despite occasional trash talking.

If you're looking for negativity you will find it. Change your perception to positivity in others opinions and the negativity will be no more. The only negativity I see of skiers towards boarders is when gapers side slip an entire chute or run, then it's more just heckling than hatred.

There were several boarders at BBI 16 yet I never heard one negative comment from a skier towards a boarder.

Most skiers can't surf very well.. Odds are they could ride a SUP though and probably have the money for such sport. Its no different than boggie boarders vs surfers, sure they are both in the water but the similarities end their. I don't hate on skiers but I do hate on kooks that are all high and mighty. The amount of times I have tried to strike up a convo with skiers in places like CB and Jackson on the lift while having them not say a word is fucking lame. I feel skiers have an attitude, here in Jackson it comes from the fact that most are wealthy..

That being said I would love to see if there are any pro surfers that ski? Or even any surfers that charge that ski for that matter. If you can surf and understand the fundamental mechanics of riding a wave, snowboarding becomes a piece of cake. It takes years to learn to surf, decades to get strong. Snowboarding is easy, and skiing takes much longer to learn and finesse..

Edit: I think Steve Jones can do all the above pretty strong. Or so the rumor goes

^Interesting, when i lived in Tahoe most of the ripping skiers I met or skied with were equally well surfers in the summertime as well as skaters. I grew up skating, considered myself very proficient at street and vert, surfed a little bit, but I ski. I have snow boarded a bit, got pretty good at it quickly, but prefer skiing. Most guys who are very athletic can pretty much pick up any sport they set their mind to.

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Originally Posted by splitinbend

I spent my whole life at the beach, surfing every day of the year if possible. I'll always love surfing, but surfing untouched pow lines without getting snaked by some out of town kook is by far way better than ruining my day battling with hoards of other wave fanatics. Eventually the crowds pushed me out and I took off for a mountainous retreat.

How is it that so many skiers (maggots) love surfing, but hate snowboarding and snowboarders? The concept of riding snow like waves is almost identical. I'm just baffled at times at how ignorant the hatred is towards snowboarders, and yet every geriatric maggot on here would give their low hanging testicles to ride a knee high day at SanO on an sup no less.

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I don't know about maggots, but I have seen more prejudice from snowboarders towards skiers than the other way around. A lot of snowboarders seem to think that they are the rebels and doing the cool thing while skiers are out of touch. Lots of them think that snowboarders are ahead of skiers, maybe in the park but definitely not on the big mountain, and that anyone who is serious snowboards. None of this is true. I did my ski bum years at Squaw and that mountain was dominated by skiers. I am now a yuppie weekender going to Mammoth 2-3 times a week and Mammoth has far more boarders than Squaw, probably an equal number of boarders and skiers, although there are more skiers in the steeps and more boarders in the park. Truth be told, the vibe at Mammoth and Squaw is pretty good between the two groups. Most, but not all, of the people who are good respect the other side in general.

In my experience, most of the people who hate the other side suck. I have seen plenty of surfer/skater action sports snowboard kooks who can't hold an edge on anything steep and they all seem to ask me why I ski, with a condescending tone, as if everyone who is good snowboards. These idiots go to snow summit three times a year, could not board anything off the top of Mammoth other than the groomers, and think they are good. They genuinely think that everyone with skill is on a board because they have never been in steep terrain and thus don't see where the good skiers are.

There is a flip side to that coin. I have been with older skiers, who are not skilled, and they see the bad boarders cutting across the hill not aware of their blind spot and classify all boarders that way, not noticing how many unskilled skiers are on the mountain also causing dangerous situations.

So in general I can't really agree with you. There is prejudice on both sides, you just don't seem to notice it, at least that is what I can glean based on your post. I don't want to put words in your mouth though, maybe you are just talking about maggots. I won't speak for maggots, it is possible there is more on here than I am noticing, but remember that this is basically a ski forum more that a forum for boarders, although we do have both. Because it is primarily skiers here we are more likely to see a thread criticizing boarders than the other way around. Look at is another way, if you went to a snowboarding forum do you think you would encounter prejudice against skiers? Of course you would, probably more than the boarder prejudice here.

Surf is tough because the area is so limited to where the swell is actually good...in most areas. Then factor in the fact that it's like a powder day when it is good! Surfers 'can be' more agro than skiers/snowboarders because of that I think.

But the hate towards snowboarders does exist and to me it's extremely annoying. Especially when it comes from some hack skier who thinks he's good.

In the end it comes down to individuals and all the guys I've hung and skied with over the years have been snowboarders and skiers equally. It's called having fun.

The original crew that became tgr was made up of skiers, snowboarders and Matt R on his monoboard randomly...and he ripped it! :)

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Originally Posted by media310

The amount of times I have tried to strike up a convo with skiers in places like CB and Jackson on the lift while having them not say a word is fucking lame. I feel skiers have an attitude, here in Jackson it comes from the fact that most are wealthy..

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Try being a skier trying to strike up a conversation with a boarder at Mammoth, where granted it is not terrible, or Snow Summit where it is absurd. I have found skiers to be far more engaging than boarders, many of whom don't seem to want to talk to me.

Also, I don't think skiers are any wealthier than boarders when age group is accounted for. The older skiers are wealthier than the younger boarders. I don't see any logical reason why a 50 year old skier would be wealthier than a 50 year old boarder, they are in the same sport.

The bottom line is that anyone who thinks there is no prejudice from boarders towards skiers is out of their mind. The opposite is true too. I just don't think boarders tend to see just how much prejudice towards skiers there is among their ilk. The same is probably true among skiers.

I will say it again, nothing pisses me off more than some kook boarder who spends three days a year on groomers who thinks he is better than me because he is on a board. It is something I deal with all the time.

It is possible you guys see this and are not mentioning it in your posts, I don't know.

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Originally Posted by media310

Most skiers can't surf very well..

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What a bunch of horse shit. Some of the best surfers I know actually prefer skiing over snowboarding.

I won't even bother responding to all of your other skier vs. snowboarder anecdotal bullshit.

all of this is old, stale, irrelevant territory.

take a lap

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Originally Posted by Long duc dong

The bottom line is that anyone who thinks there is no prejudice from boarders towards skiers is out of their mind.

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Of course there is! They've been and still are repressed! Take a board to Alta, MRG, and Deer Valley. And of course up until recently Taos.

If I was strictly a boarder I'd have more hate for those hills and the elitist skiers that want to keep them that way.

Going way back to '89 I got into an argument at the village with a snowboarder that said I don't belong in a half pipe with my skis. We went back and forth about it and agreed to disagree. He was a pompous twit.

It's not skier or snowboarders...it's people. Assholes will be assholes.

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Originally Posted by strawjack

It's not skier or snowboarders...it's people. Assholes will be assholes.

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This is really what it is. Someone is going to be an idiot if that's what they are whatever they ride.

Split Kook!


Fucking boarders screwing up my mountains!


This is all really quite silly. I boarded exclusively for years. Never felt prejudiced against. Some skier can choose not to be my friends, That is their problem. Or some business not allow me onto their hill. Guess I should learn to ski if I want Alta so badly. Again, not prejudiced. Just not wanted. There is a difference.

Now that I have evolved and only ski, I wish you peskly little whiners would just go to snow summit of some place I'm not wanted. Stop whining about it.

j/k


Seriously, though, who gives a fuck. Find people you like to slide with and slide with them. I regularly ride and tour with boarders. As long as they are not assholes.

Oh, and don't listen to media310. For many reasons, but mostly because he is talking out his ass. Again. Some of the strongest skiers on here also rip it up in the waves.

I used to blade too, when I was a skier... in the early 90's

The only place I have ever experienced prejudice is here on TGR. I ride with skiers of all sorts, including tele-skiers. At Mt. Bachelor, I've never actually had an encounter with an angry skier who had a vendetta against snowboarders. I don't disagree that the attitude of snowboarders at certain resorts sucks. My beginnings were at Big Bear in the early 90's and the snowboarder vibe was totally anti-ski. However A lot of that came from the general ski culture not approving of riding sideways at all. And yes, there are many boarders who try and ride at an advanced level when they truly should still be on the bunny slope, but ital the same on the ski side of things. I for one have no issue riding with anyone that can keep up with me. I'm guessing a lot of skiers are the corduroy loving carvers that don't approve of sharing their slopes with boarders. I just have been baffled over the years reading all the hate filled comments on here about nothing more than a snowboarder that got in their way or didn't show "enough" respect to the big dog.

I guess the idea of Tom Curren style front side carves into the pocket being replayed on my snowboard is way more exciting then the idea of trying to hit the lip of a pillow sideways. Either way no hate coming from me, I have love for the anybody that gets to come ride some fresh snow with me. Just like my moods were dictated by swell and conditions, my mood is sour right now by this continued high pressure keeping all that pow from December at bay.

BTW, I was an asshole surfer when it came to surfing Uppers because I hated getting cut off by out of town kooks and there were never enough waves to satisfy my craving for over head right hand peelers. Enjoy the second half of the season maggots. Cheers.

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Originally Posted by splitinbend

BTW, I was an asshole surfer when it came to surfing Uppers because I hated getting cut off by out of town kooks and there were never enough waves to satisfy my craving for over head right hand peelers. Enjoy the second half of the season maggots. Cheers.

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If you are getting cut off and you are pissed you have every right to be. I don't blame you at all. If you are blatantly dropping in on people that is different. Uppers can get frustrating. I am a goofy foot and I hate crowds so that is why I surf Barbedwire's. I am a mediocre surfer and I am willing to step down in wave quality in order to get more waves.

I've skied, snowboarded, short boarded, long boarded, body surfed and sponged. In all cases it was the rider, not the equipment, that sucked.

What'd I win?

The "don't take up hang gliding" award

ps Who was the bro out on skis yesterday at Jaws...

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Originally Posted by Long duc dong

Try being a skier trying to strike up a conversation with a boarder at Mammoth, where granted it is not terrible, or Snow Summit where it is absurd. I have found skiers to be far more engaging than boarders, many of whom don't seem to want to talk to me.

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What's wrong with someone not wanting to talk? I am not chatty on lifts when I'm alone. I'd rather just sit back and enjoy the scenery. Why take offense at that?

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Originally Posted by gobbly

What's wrong with someone not wanting to talk? I am not chatty on lifts when I'm alone. I'd rather just sit back and enjoy the scenery. Why take offense at that?

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This was brought up by someone else who mentioned that skiers at Jackson never wanted to talk to him, which is why I brought it up. My comment was when people on boards clearly don't want to talk to you because you ski, which is very different from not wanting to talk because you like quiet. Those are two very different things. I don't take offense to people who don't want to talk to me because they want quiet, but not wanting to talk to me because I ski is lame. I think I made it pretty clear in my post that it is not wanting to talk to someone because of their riding choice which is lame rather than the not wanting to talk itself. Like I said before I could care less if someone just does not want to talk, but to avoid talking to me because I ski is lame. If you don't detect an anti-skier vibe at Summit you have blinders on.

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Originally Posted by Ottime

Split Kook!


Fucking boarders screwing up my mountains!


This is all really quite silly. I boarded exclusively for years. Never felt prejudiced against. Some skier can choose not to be my friends, That is their problem. Or some business not allow me onto their hill. Guess I should learn to ski if I want Alta so badly. Again, not prejudiced. Just not wanted. There is a difference.

Now that I have evolved and only ski, I wish you peskly little whiners would just go to snow summit of some place I'm not wanted. Stop whining about it.

j/k


Seriously, though, who gives a fuck. Find people you like to slide with and slide with them. I regularly ride and tour with boarders. As long as they are not assholes.

Oh, and don't listen to media310. For many reasons, but mostly because he is talking out his ass. Again. Some of the strongest skiers on here also rip it up in the waves.

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It sucks to perpetuate the stereotypes. Snowboarding makes it possible for me to catch pow and bigger mtn waves easier than a weak surfer could ever hope to catch in a lifetime. Like the normal people, surfing is on another level of lifestyle commitment. 2% of ski bums and very few pros commit to a lifestyle and culture surfing demands to catch great waves.

The best surfers also have a body type, or history which makes them excel in a wide variety of killer endeavors.

growing up skateboarding, flow is all I want. I don't care about being the fastest, and on skis in pow, that is possible on trails, like mountain biking.

For me the comparison of Surfing and Snowboarding is 2nd nature for me. Surviving the plastic bear trap bindings and boots is a sacrifice to make turns.

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Originally Posted by DasBlunt

It sucks to perpetuate the stereotypes. Snowboarding makes it possible for me to catch pow and bigger mtn waves easier than a weak surfer could ever hope to catch in a lifetime. Like the normal people, surfing is on another level of lifestyle commitment. 2% of ski bums and very few pros commit to a lifestyle and culture surfing demands to catch great waves.

The best surfers also have a body type, or history which makes them excel in a wide variety of killer endeavors.

growing up skateboarding, flow is all I want. I don't care about being the fastest, and on skis in pow, that is possible on trails, like mountain biking.

For me the comparison of Surfing and Snowboarding is 2nd nature for me. Surviving the plastic bear trap bindings and boots is a sacrifice to make turns.

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Well put

as a snowboarder, i can count maybe a handful of times anybody said anything negative about being a snowboarder. there might be a few more young punks on snowboards but i've met just as many full-on asshole skiers as snowboarders. i hardly talk to anybody. if i get into a groove i can hardly form complete coherent sentences anyway and it's too much work. i ride alone for a reason. i'm trying to diversify a bit but i've never not talked to anybody because of what they ride. and if people are that way fuck em. i don't want to talk with people like that anyway.