Hey - I'm the guy that wrote the post :) I've written a reply on my blog, but I'll post it here so you don't need to go off to read it. I'll just say a few things first.
- I'm naturally going to be biased, as I've spent a good amount of time snowboarding.
As you can imagine, I wrote a provocative title, and then expressed my opinion. I accept that that the title is designed to grab attention by appearing in a "fact" like way. But I'm sure that you all accept that this is just my opinion, I don't have anything against skiers, and I don't think there's a right or wrong answer.
Thanks to all those that commented. I'll probably get flamed here big time - it was quite funny reading people's comments saying stuff like "dumb ass" and "he's just plain wrong" - but that's fair enough, I invited it.
Here's what I wrote on the blog - and for the record - I thought some people made some really good points. Cheers, Gavin
Hey to all of the new commenters from the newschoolers forum. I thought I'd been spammed at first, then I saw the post on the forum - and it made sense.
OK - as "Boo" from the forum said about their post "the above title was just to draw people in" - the same is true for the blog that I wrote. I hope I made it clear that the article was just my personal opinion, which everyone is entitled to, but I did write it to generate interest and comments.
I've read all of the comments, and some of them are really good, so I'll try to respond to each :)
@Steve - thanks. I doubt every reader sucks, I don't claim to be good, but probably don't suck too much.
@Kyle - I'm guessing you think I'm a moron because you don't like my opinion? Fair enough.
1. I hear what you're saying about skiers popping on the nose and tail, but is it possible that it's a more natural motion on a snowboard? I wouldn't know to be fair cos I can't ski and can't ollie/nollie on them. But just from looking, the ollie looks more suited to the skateboard/snowboard setup of standing sideways...
2. I checked out Tom Wallisch on YouTube - I watched this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhHBr7bjyVA
That guy can obviously ski - sick airs, nicely styled. The rails and boxes at the end were tres impressive, but I still prefer the style of a snowboarder on rails and boxes.
3. Actually, what you said is my point. If you look at a snowboarder with a twin setup, when he rides with his left foot forward, it's the same as when he rides with his right foot forward. With a skier, yes they are still "skiing", for sure, but when they're "switch" he is physically riding with his back in the forwards direction, looking over shoulder. I'm not saying that it "doesn't count" or it's not impressive, whatever, I'm saying that there's a difference to the notion of switch on a snowboard. I like the symmetry of the snowboard setup...
4. OK - "fudge" probably wasn't the best way to describe what I was getting at, but I still think I prefer the notion of switch on a snowboard. Switch on skis, looks like riding backwards. Yes, that makes sense for landing spins and tricks, and it's technical and all, I just don't get that. Like there are parts of skiing that I watch and think, that's awesome, but switch isn't one of them.
@Andrew - I wouldn't know for sure if freestyle skiing has surpassed snowboarding, but I would say that the number of possibilities granted by two planks/4 edges doesn't entice my to like that style more than another.
I hear what you're saying about the progression though - and yeah, skiers are adding stuff that you can't do on a snowboard. I didn't consider that when I wrote the article. I watched that first video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vX65h0iRLsk). I agree that neither is better than the other - like you said, the title reflects my opinion. Does skiing offer more possibilities than snowboarding? In someways, like you suggested with more edges and two skis, I suppose it does. But I'm sure you can think of one pursuit that you prefer over another, even though it has less possibilities...
@gnar - you're right, I don't know much about skiing, but I didn't say I did :) About tricks on rails on boxes, yeah you can do loads of combos on skis, I don't deny that, I just really prefer the style of a snowboarder on rails on boxes. Like I said above, there are parts of skiing that I see and think "that's awesome" - but rails and boxes aren't one of those.
That Tom Wallisch dude, toward the end of that clip did a kind of rodeo gap onto a rail, _that_ was sick. When I see a snowboarder on a rail or box, I like the way the base is flat, or pressed. I'm no expert, I don't know skiing, but often I see one of the skis on an edge... I don't like the look of that as much. But going back to the TW guy, he did a bunch of tricks on one ski only, at the end, where the base was flat. Nice.
About the grabs and stuff, same as above. I accept that there are lots of possibilities on skis and stuff, and some of the airs/spins do look sick. Just like in snowboarding how I prefer a tweaked nose/tail grab to some other grabs, say like a slow fs3 nose, I prefer the snowboarding grabs in general.
@Robert - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAgNRIX0zz4&feature=player_embedded
http://vimeo.com/15765931
I didn't watch all of that, but I watched the start. Fun. 2:40 in is pretty cool. I'm not trying to tell you that snowboarding is superior, it just makes more sense to me. I admit that my opinion is biased due to me being a snowboarder, but come on, how many people snowboard but think skiing is better, and vica versa, how many people ski while thinking snowboarding is better?
@Bskip - you're right about the introduction of skis... I guess when they were first made their weren't resorts with groomed runs :) But do you accept that when snowboards were designed as an alternative to skiing, that at that time, skiing had a strong piste/carving/racing influence? And that the early snowboards were offered as "snurfers" etc, with a floaty style approach?
I've been on backcountry trips with skiers and we've all had an amazing time in the powder. I'm not saying that skiers don't rip the pow and make sick lines, I'm saying I think that the sideways stance and the shape of a snowboard seem better suited to the deep stuff, in my opinion.
Skiing has more style - fair enough, your opinion.
http://images.media.nscdn.com/index.php?src=http://failblog.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/fail-owned-snowboard-fail.jpg&size=400×1000
I've seen that picture before, very funny :)
@random skier - snowboarding may be more limited in some ways, but would you describe it as "limited"? Same as above, I don't necessarily think that more options = better, but I accept that skiing does offer a bunch of technical combinations and tricks.
@cr - http://vimeo.com/6476640
that's an awesome video, nice filming and nice shredding/skiing. That tap at 1:15 was pretty sweet, but check out the press at 2:20 - do you agree that there is a difference in some of the tricks that snowboarders and skiers (can) do on rails and boxes. Obviously, being a snowboarder I'm going to be biased and have an attachment from the investment I've made, but I do prefer the snowboarding style...
@Collin - I totally agree that there are many snowboarders who think they're the shit, and I don't subscribe to the gangstar attitude. It's a good point, and I didn't mention that in the post. Maybe it's something I should have added as an alternative view - but it is something that I've had down to write about in the future.
Again, I agree about the skiing vs snowboarding view when it comes to powder. Like I've said above, I've been out with skiers on a backcountry day where we've all had a class time. I'm not taking the fun/validity away at all; I've never skied in powder, so my experience is all from the snowboarding side, the "surfy" feel. To be fair, the fact that my experience of powder is on a snowboard, it's more likely that I'm going to say the design of a snowboard is "better suited" - without thinking that skiers are enjoying powder in a different way. Good point.
@casey willman - LOL - the "full retard" comment made me laugh a lot. You never want to go full retard! Fair enough I've written a provocative post, but that was a part of the intent. I wanted to show my opinions, and prompt others to read it and contribute :) Your's has been the funniest by far!
@TOAST - not quite as funny as casey, but the tree well comment was good :)
I'm not aware (as much as I should have been?) about ollie'ing and pressing on skis, but like you said, it _seems_ to me that you can do it to a greater extent on a snowboard? Not that it really matters. Switch is just a name, and it does open up a bunch of tricks for skiers. Like I said, it is technical, it does look difficult, I just prefer the idea of switch on a snowboard.
I'm gonna leave the "afterbang" issue for now. That's got a bunch of history, and yeah, as far as I know, the Robot Food guys started it way back...
@All - thanks for the comments, I know you pretty much all disagree with me view, strongly, but thanks for taking the time to comment. Have a good season!
Gavin
