Splitboarding - Disadvantage?

[netter]

First post on TGR, wooooooo.

Okay, so I've recently been slowly entering the bc scene and apparently I (unfortunately) snowboard. Not that I don't like snowboarding, I've been told numerous times split boarders have a disadvantage as opposed skiers. An example would be, going back to a parking lot and having to switch back to tour mode upon reaching a flat area, holding up the group.

TL DR; Should I pick up skiing because split boarding is inconvenient, or continue with snowboarding. All my friends are skiers and of course theyre telling me screw snowboarding. The only thing holding me back is the back that it would take awhile to get back to the point where I am now with snowboarding, and I just bought a jones flagship.

Debate?

[iscariot]

... I've been told numerous times split boarders have a disadvantage as opposed skiers. An example would be, going back to a parking lot and having to switch back to tour mode upon reaching a flat area, holding up the group.

It has very little to do with that.

It has much more to do with the fact that if an avalanche occurs, your snowboard acts as an anchor and drags you to the bottom.

The upside is that in an avalanche scenario, if your binding rips out of your board saving you from a suffocating death at the bottom, the board acts as a giant propeller and rips your remaining leg, still attached to the board, off at about the knee.

[kidwoo]

I'll disagree and say it has a lot to do with that.

I snowboarded for 15 years and bought the first voile splitboards that were made. The next year after using it I decided to learn how to ski for better mobility in the bc.

And yeah the avalanche anchor sucks too

Then I started sled skiing and realized how shitty riding sleds in ski boots is. So I started snowboarding again. Who gives a damn though........if skiing looks fun, learn it. If not just learn to deal with the splitboard. They're both fun with ups and downs to each. If you only ride a board now, just get a split and try it.

[Percy Rideout]

The splitboarders in our group are a little slower with the gear, but keep up. It is apparently scary to splitboard and slide those tiny downhill sections on the way up, or at least what I've seen.

[netter]

The splitboarders in our group are a little slower with the gear, but keep up. It is apparently scary to splitboard and slide those tiny downhill sections on the way up, or at least what I've seen.

The slowness is caused by the changeover to tour mode? Not that they fall behind while skinning?

[PNWbrit]

Google kyle miller.

[JerseyDave]

Mobility. Traversing. Long skates back to the car. Here on the East Coast there a good deal of slogging flats or almost flats. On the way in, no biggie. On the way out it can be shidy. Even in tour mode you can't skate. (well) Plus, skiing has gotten so easy...if you know how to slide on snow, read snow and terrain, all the neuance of riding pow ect., you already know a great deal a real beginner would have to learn while learning how to ski. I bet it a season at the resort on skis before you're G2G in moderate terrain on some fat skis.

[netter]

To address the skating issue, anyone reckon the Karakoram prime system would solve that issue. It basically allows you to lock your heel down to the riser or whatever

[Name Redacted]

They both have their ups and downs

[_Aaron_]

Splitboarding is fun. So is skiing. Either way you end up going you will have some learning to do (Either learning how to ski, or learning the nuances that make you a quick and efficient splitboarder that doesn't hold people up) Either way, good luck.

[trogdortheburninator]

IMHO it depends where you live and what kind of terrain you aspire to ride.

If you have good access to big (2-4k vert) runs, a splitboard will be great. If your local terrain is more like packing in numerous 500-1000' runs, the splitboard is less ideal.

Likewise, if you want to climb and ride technical mountaineering terrain, ski gear will have advantages.

[Huck Pitueee]

Although I grew up on skis I prefer the board for powder or crust on pow or wet pow. Just get fast at change overs.

[the_big_lepowski]

My only disadvantage I've had while splitboarding is that there is usually girls hanging all over me while I'm trying to skin.

[BGnight]

You can ride comfortably with 2 ice axes and easily self arrest/belay while your ski buddy with the whippets just slid 3k feet to his death.

[bikeorski]

As a Splitboarder who switched to skiing mainly here's my 2 cents.

Skiing is easier for climbing in that there is much lighter gear, and you can side hill much easier. Descending and moving through flattish terrain is also easier. Alpine touring boots are way better for mountaineering too. (Unless you spend a lot of money to get a splitboard mountaineering boot) Your uphill to downhill transitions will be a little faster. Also skiing is a ton of fun.

But, skis are definite disadvantages in some situations that most people don't realize. Snowboards are easier to maneuver through tight trees and couloirs. And snowboard boots are mad comfy. Not even the best touring boots can top touring in your favorite snowboard boots. Also, like was stated above, you can carry an ice ax while descending sketchy stuff.

It mainly depends on your goals

[LightRanger]

Definitely pros and cons to both. If I was in your shoes (which are more comfortable than my ski boots), I'd stick with splitting for now. splitboard.com is an awesome resource. Assume you've discovered it.

And, yeah, check Kyle Miller's site... http://www.whereiskylemiller.com/

[BGnight]

If you're doing big objectives transition times don't matter.

[iscariot]

If you're doing big objectives transition times don't matter.

Agreed. Regardless of the size of the objective...

I try to plan my day so transitions never matter.

Take a look around and soak it all in...life is not a destination.

[Shadam]

practise makes perfect and I beat alota skiers on the tranny ... back when I actually used a splity ...

short laps suck ... kinda ...

sure its more cumbersum and the wrong binding on the wrong ski wrong skin is a constant piss off ...

always carry a roll of hockey tape !!!

if ur skin shits the bed, hockey tape will save you even below -20c ...

just wrap every 8" or so and shes good to go ... maybe not another lap or 3 later ...

make sure to break trail alot and the skiers will STFU !!!

farkn skiers !!!

[Bromontana]

The splitboarders in our group are a little slower with the gear, but keep up. It is apparently scary to splitboard and slide those tiny downhill sections on the way up, or at least what I've seen.

Nonsense! The tiny downhill sections are for character building experimentation.



Agree on the upsides and downsides. I use Dynafit TLTs, tour with their toe pieces, and have a good ride binding that is low to the board. Very solid connection and surfy ride (only lock heels) with the upside of mountaineering, more support, intuition liner plug-ins, 'durability', etc.

[GPP33]

I have friends that can switch split boards faster than some of my friends with AT, granted those skiers are fkn slow.

The big advantage I see is when you hit a flat section you have to take it off and post hole, try to skate along or switch over to skin mode. We ski some really cool places that the snowboarders don't like because of what we see as insignificant flat or up hill sections. Along the same lines, if you ever want to adjust your line and need to gain a little altitude to do so or edge up to a blind roll over or scope a drop you can't simply side step back up the hill. If I was on a board last weekend in the zone I was skiing I would have been hating life.

Everything else comes down to skill and which one you're better at.

[Dj Nebula]

With the advances in splitboarding technology to date, change out is really quick, and the ride is as good as any resort board. I think with the channel puck system from Voile and the new binding tech out there, like K2 doing a step in binding with the channel system, it is really just about preference in how you like to enjoy your snow. I prefer snowboarding, so splitboarding was the obvious choice. I would not get a set up that you do not want to shred on after all the climbing. You kind of rob yourself of the reward if you get my drift.

I have really enjoyed my boycott of the lift chair this year here in the Wasatch. And I get the same workout up hill that I do all summer backpacking. Plus, the ride home is sweet. I have to say the new Revelator from Voile is a dream to climb with and ride. We hit Peak 9699 here over the weekend. Snow was amazing! You would not have found that at the resort here that is for sure.

Christian Paul- Landscapes and Astrophotography

Backpacking by summer, splitboarding by winter!

Photography Web Site: http://www.christianpaulphotography.com/

Photography Blog: http://seekingshambhala.blogspot.com/

[netter]

I have friends that can switch split boards faster than some of my friends with AT, granted those skiers are fkn slow.

The big advantage I see is when you hit a flat section you have to take it off and post hole, try to skate along or switch over to skin mode. We ski some really cool places that the snowboarders don't like because of what we see as insignificant flat or up hill sections. Along the same lines, if you ever want to adjust your line and need to gain a little altitude to do so or edge up to a blind roll over or scope a drop you can't simply side step back up the hill. If I was on a board last weekend in the zone I was skiing I would have been hating life.

Everything else comes down to skill and which one you're better at.

Good points thanks for the advice. As mentions earlier if I was to break trail maybe my skier buddies would quit bitching for a couple minutes

[UPGRAYEDD_2505]

Skiing means you'll get back to your nagging wife 15 minutes sooner, and maybe, just maybe, you'll make it to Bed Bath & Beyond before they close. Sweet.

[claymond]

Learn to ski the split! It's pretty fun. With some paractice, you won't be far behind skiers, and may even pass em from time to time.