Skis or snowboard? How to choose for your first time on snow
Choose skis if you are worried about getting tired, are not very flexible, are bringing children, or are wary of falling. Choose a snowboard if you want more technical control from the start. Skis come quicker on day one, but either way you will be moving freely by day two.
The short answer
- Worried about getting tired, not very flexible, older, or wary of falling: choose skis
- You want more technical control from the start: choose a snowboard
- Children aged 7 and under: we suggest skis
Either way, two days of lessons will have you moving around the mountain freely. What differs is how fast you get going, and what the learning focuses on after that.
Day one: skis are easier to pick up
Both control speed through friction between the base and the snow, but they go about it differently:
| Skis | Snowboard | |
|---|---|---|
| Basic movement | Rotating the skis | Tipping the board |
| Day one | Quicker to get the feel | Slower to get the feel at first |
| Later on | You have to manage both feet at once | Blending several techniques into one run gets a little simpler |
Rotating is close to how you already walk and move, which is why skis come quicker on day one. Tipping a snowboard takes a bit longer to feel. FUYU coaches pick terrain that suits the drill and set up the right support, so you take hold of the core idea yourself and get there faster.
Why we suggest skis for children
A lot of skiing runs on understanding and on how you use your joints. Children moving through a growth phase mostly move through muscle and everyday habit, and skiing is closer to how they already move. It is also gentler on growing muscle and bone. That is why we suggest skis for children aged 7 and under.
Older, less fit, or wary of falling
Skis. You can move on flat ground on skis, almost the way you walk, so you can take it slowly and feel less on edge.
When one of you wants skis and another wants a snowboard
We see this often in families, and we suggest splitting the lesson: two coaches, teaching in the same area.
The reason is that the two board types cover different ground early on. Skis can run longer and further in one go; a snowboard may need to stop and start. Split lessons mean neither person is held back, you can take breaks together, and once the two of you have similar control you can move back together. The cost is simply two lessons, one per coach.
Is switching from one to the other hard?
Not at all. The logic and the concepts are much the same. What differs is muscle control and reading the timing. How long the switch takes depends on how high you set the bar for yourself.
Once you have picked
How many days do you need to ski in Hokkaido?
What a beginner actually learns: skis and snowboard, stage one side by side
Next Steps
Find your exact level
Five questions, two minutes. The results page matches you to a stage.
How FUYU teaches this stage
See our courses page and find the category that matches your level.
Talk to us
Send your request and our team will help you sort out the details.