How hard is it to learn snowboarding for a wakeboarder? Never been snowboarding but plan to try it. I assume there's a difference since you have no rope to balance you. One of my wakeboards is a Ronix Covenant, so I appreciate the "no fins" aspect. <BR> <BR>Any pointers would be appreciated as well (saw the "wear a helmet" and "shoulder roll falls; don't extend arms to break fall" pointers on the rails thread &amp; will heed).

check the snowboarding threads theres a lot of info over there.

Not real similar on the basics. you stand on a board sideways is the main similarity. <BR> <BR>One main pointer is that you need to lean much further foward on a snowboard, unless you're shredding some sicky pow pow...

My wife and I have both been wakeboarding for three plus years and just tried snowboarding for the first time last week on vacation in Tahoe. I did not find a lot of similarity and actually gave up after two days and went back to skis. My wife stuck it out for the four days and did get the basics down but suffered a lot of pain/falls. We took a two hour lesson the first day and it went pretty well for both of us. Being comfortable in bindings and on a board as well as knowing the meaning of heel and toe side are a plus. I just did not feel that I was getting anywhere on the second day (compared to the first day) and since the vacation was only four days I decided it was best to go back to skis. Keep in mind that I am a Floridian with limited snow experience and also almost 38 yrs. old. Additionally, I am not very advanced on a wakeboard (but definitely comfortable). I just looked at your profile and saw your age. My wife just turned 40....this was her birthday vacation. I mentioned to her after a couple of days on the bunny slope that there was no one else our age attempting to learn snowboarding...haha. I am sure others will give a different opinion and I am probably not a very good example but I felt like posting since I just went through this...at least for two days.

Scott: I live in Virginia - no sicky pow pow for us! And the only thing likely to be shredded are my outer garments when they cut through them to put one of my appendages in a splint! <BR> <BR>Dex: Thanks. My son's going on a one day trip first with a friend, so I will be sure he sticks to skis. Had heard it was something it took significant time to learn, but at 48 (damn that's old!) I refuse to accept that I can't learn new tricks. Will definitely have to hide my grey hair in a helmet though as I am sure all the other snowboarders will be half my age or less (unless I see you and the Mrs. back out there). <BR> <BR>So much for my hope that wakeboarding gave me a head start on anything other than the lingo.

after wakeboarding for about 6 or 7 years i started snowboarding and i found that i picked it up quite easily. by the end of the first year i was doing 2 different flips and had 3s and 5s down as well. granted i had at least 30 days in that season. <BR> <BR>i found that a helmet gave me much more confidence and i was able to push myself harder. the first couple days are hard and the first day is pretty miserable taking all the falls and figuring out how to fall properly. the key is not to get so frustrated that your not having fun. when you past that its pretty easy. one of the best things i can say is dont be scared to take a lesson your first day or at least a half day. you will pick quite a bit up

I don't see any obvious similarities between the two. As scott mentioned, you lean more forward when you snowboard which is the opposite from wakeboarding. For some strange reason, I am goofy on a snowboard vs. regular on a wakeboard. Maybe the edging is the only similarity. I will have to say, the one year I went snowboarding alot, I felt really good on the wakeboard at the beginning of the season

Big thing I notice is carving is tougher (snow does not give as much as water), and the speed aspect. Carving gets easier with speed, and there is a balance between speed and comfort. You are just going to have to give it a try and see how it goes, I have friends that wakeboard and cant snowboard worth jack, and vice versa.

Totally different, agree with Jason, take a lesson it will save you a lot of frustration and by the end of the day you should be able to get down the bunny hill ok. Helmet is an excellent idea also, when you miss a turn and start barreling down the hill (and you will) you can't just let go of the rope and stop. Good luck and have fun, it's a blast when you figure it out.

I did the same as Dex years ago. I tried snowboarding and it was't long and I was back on ski's. But after getting into wakeboarding I figured I would try it again. I found it alot easier to do after wakeboarding, so I figure there is similarities. Started snowboarding to help improve my wakeboarding in the off season. Im now a better snowboarder than wakeboarder, can thank our long canadian winters for that.

I went the other way around, I was snowboarding before the skurfer was even invented! lol I am that old <img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/sad.gif" border=0> <BR>Good advice above, some similarities, but two different sports for sure. <BR>Just watch your edges, water is a lot more forgiving.

I seen a guy the other day at the ski hill on a old board. Look like a large ski, and his stance had both feet spaced about the same as a snowboard but both were forward. What was this thing called. I just thought to myself "let it go, get a snowboard."

I snowboarded for the first time last weekend. I too searched the forms to see whether it would be worth my time to try to learn in a day. I found it to be 50-50. Half said it is very hard to learn, the other half said they picked it up in a couple of hours. In my case, I had it down in about 4 runs down the bunny slope. I think the biggest thing is keeping your weight on your front foot no matter what and using that foot to "steer". It feels like you are accelerating out of control, and your body wants to shift back which causes you to crash. But if you stick with it and keep your weight on your front foot and push your back foot around to "butter slide" or "carve" back and fourth, you can remain in control and get it pretty quick. I found it not much different than carving around on my covenant. I think that mentally helped me a lot. Go for it.

LOL "mono-ski" haven't seen one of those in over twenty years! <BR> <BR>It was definitely a looser in the sport/design category...

I saw a mono-skier at Breck 2 weeks ago. <img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/lol.gif" border=0> <BR> <BR>Huuuuuge Gaper!

why hate the mono-ski? I rocked one of those for a few years....about 13 years ago.<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/lol.gif" border=0> Just had to switch it up. I've been skiing since I was 3. Switched to snowboarding back in early 90s for just a couple years, wanted a new challenge so I got the mono-ski. It was actually kinda fun for a change, but eventually ended up back on my skis. It's still challenging. and I throw on a snowboard every once in awhile. <BR> <BR>As far as snowboarding, it's been my experience that you will usually take a few nasty bumps on your first 2-4 days. Once you learn how to avoid catching your edges, you can pick it up quite easy. Other than catching edges, I don't think it is very similar at all to wakeboarding.

you use your hips a lot more to turn and carve when you are snowboarding then you do when you are wakeboarding.

nickster; Im goofy on a wakeboard/skateboard and regular on a snowboard too. its kinda funny how that works, i think it def helps with my switch though.

Steve...I had the same experience as Dex but I stuck with it....and it wasn't easy at all. I started snowboarding 3 winters ago...but have been on the board only about 6 times. I started wakeboarding 5 years ago. I snow-skied since I was in my 20's and actually lived in Calgary for 5 yeas. But I got my own board last year...a Burton feelgood...and that made me stick to it. I am feeling very comfortable on the board now and even tried a 180 off a snow kicker. The faceplant felt all too familiar. Now after saying all this, I am 54 and I would expect all the 20 some year olds to say they picked it up easily. But face it....you just don't pick these sports up as quickly at our age. So Kudos for wanting to try it. I would recommend a lesson right off and I don't see ANY similarities to wakeboarding except you are on one board and have a HS &amp; TS edge.

Thanks for all the pointers. Sounds like a lesson and a helmet are musts. Perhaps I'll bring my hockey elbow pads to cushion the falls as well. Also sounds like I should plan to give it a few days. <BR> <BR>SoCal: You're right we need more patience at our age but I've got less now! My second time down a ski slope was a black diamond run (at Snowshoe, so adjust accordingly) when I was 18. Went with a guy who skiied competitvely and he only had patience to take me down the intermediate run once to "learn". Suffice it to say I was half decent by the bottom of that second run or I wouldn't have made it there! That was 30 freakin years ago but maybe I'll be one of the quick studies. <BR> <BR>Ironically, it sounds like snowboarding to wakeboarding is the easier transition. Hey, if it will help my wakeboarding come summer, I am all for it.

So yesterday was my first day on a snowboard. I think it is completely different than wakeboarding and my muscle memory from wakeboarding is killing me as i keep leaning back instead of forward and i cannot seem to get my heel edge but my toe edge is ok. We got to the mountain at like 1:30 so we missed the 1 o clock lesson and kinda tried to pick it up on our own till the 5 o clock lesson where the instructor taught me for heel side you put your front heel down and your back toe down which i am having a hell of a time grasping and keep falling <BR> <BR>Oh yeah and i forgot who said it but it is real important to not get to frustrated which is a concept i have a really hard time grasping so i constantly had to just stop and tell myself, so what if i don't get it at all in the next few days. There were definitely a few times when i wanted to just call it quits but i kept getting back up and falling harder. <BR> <BR>(Message edited by jaybee on January 23, 2009)

Steve, you didn't mention in your original post that you snow ski. That should give you an advantage in picking up snowboarding. <BR> <BR> IMO, except for standing sideways, snowboarding has more similarities to skiing than to wakeboarding. <BR> <BR> Our whole family (including my wife) skied before we snowboarded, and none of us have gone back to skis ;)

Unfortunately I can't call my self a snow skier either. Last time was 15 years ago (once) and only about 5 other times 10 years+ before that. <BR> <BR>Slalom skier - yes, but that's a discussion for another thread. I don't even think that would help me with the mono-ski folks were trashing above.

Steve, where do you plan to go? If you make your way out to Seven Springs, PA, I can help you out.

I can't agree more with Sam....weight on the front foot when snowboarding. The people you see struggling are leaning back. When you finally figure that out, it's like a switch was turned on and you can board. <BR> <BR>I'm 43. Skied since 12, started snowboarding at 26...painfull learning curve (leaning back). I still remember the day the switch turned on (weight on front)....boarded all over the hill. Strictly boarded for years. About 4 years ago I tried some of those "new wide skis". Since then I switch around depending on the conditions. <BR> <BR>18-ish years ago I rode a skurfer for the first time and have been wakeboarding since (I still suck however). I would say the word "board" is about where the similarities end between wakeboarding and snowboarding. <BR> <BR>Snowboarding hurts more (than skiing) to learn, but easier to pick up and get all over the hill quicker than skis. Skis not as painful to learn, but takes a bit more to get good.

wow,i am glad i didn't read all of this last year when we started snowboarding or i might not have ever tried it. yes, you will spend a day or two learning snowboarding, but that is not to say you are still not having fun. it is very important to know your limits and not try to ride above your limit, or you can get hurt bad. my 14 year old and 10 year old daughters both learned pretty quick too. i say go for it and take a lesson. <BR> <BR>i will say i am more comfortable snowboarding on my toeside than on heelside. i still don't have a great toeside to heelside transition yet. that has been the toughest for me to learn. i still take a few backward faceplants when doing that. does anyone have any tips? i would appreciate them. i know it is all in my hips and sliding my back foot around, but i just haven't got it yet.

A day or two is all it takes. I am living proof. I started linking turns today and yesterday i was so aggravated i could not get my heel side turns. My second lesson today helped a bunch though. I really think the biggest part was not giving up and just committing myself. That is saying alot considering I am a huge spaz as in I always expect the worse and get fed up and overly nervous in situations like this.