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Do Skiiers give hardboot boarders respect?


Guest astan100

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Guest astan100

I was at a ski shop the other day and the bootfitter there was talking about how impressive hard boot snowboarding is even though he's a skiier. He was excited that I was getting into the sport.

Then this other guy buying ski boots started asking me about the whole thing and seemed interested.

Do you guys get respect on the mountain or do you feel like you're still grouped into the "punk snowboarder" category?

I found that just being pretty good helps skiiers except you in general :)

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I don't think many skiers know the difference. Most people just look at you funny. Especially lifties.

Having said that, I was on a chair on the weekend with my other half and two guys on freeride boards. One of the freeriders checked out the board, was impressed, and said that he'd ridden one last season and was blown away by how much fun it was - although according to him "it's not really like snowboarding at all - it's completely different".

:confused:

What I have found this season more than any other, is that more people actually recognise the gear now. Progress!

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I think every good carve-minded skier knows that we're both out there trying to do the same thing - and in many cases, we're doing it at a level they aspire to, therefore they respect us.

However mediocre skiers who don't know what carving is probably view us differently. Recently I got a "your ruts are too deep" comment from a skier.

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If you're riding with other hardbooters just take a "showtime" run under a chairlift and watch the suspended gallery twist their necks to watch your buddies. A well ripped run is pretty darn impressive. I turn my head to watch people rip it up. Feels pretty good when strangers approach and give complements or you hear the whoops from the chairs above.

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Guest pinkpanther7

As a skier who is stoaked about learning this sport, I give you "carvers" more respect then regular snowboarders...

I totally think Skiers give you guys more respect then regular boarders...I know I do...I never had any desire to learn how to snowboard...but I have every desire to learn how to CARVE!!!

Keep carving it up guys!!

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Guest Todd Stewart

i think the feeling is mutual, all the ski good ski racers i know have about the same level of respect for me as i have for them. although they all think riding plates is insanely hard, i try and convince them that its not as hard as they think but they won't belive me

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Rob:

The only problem is once they finish hooting and hollering at us carving huge turns, they forget about the space we need to do waht we do.

I am amazed at the number of people that compliment you, then turn around and cut you off the next run.

The bulk of the skiers and soft booters on the hill are clueless and they put our lives in danger.

Just me 2 cents

Rob

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Also a skier, I saw the value and fun and satisfaction of learning to carve a snowboard; I didn't even give softboots a thought.

When I'm on slope, 9 times out of 10 (not a real statistic, I made it up ... but then again, what statistics aren't "from a certain point of view?") times I'm approached, it's from a skier. Typical reactions range from silly giggles(awe inspired) to downright amazement and desire to learn about carving.

So, I would have to say that skiers in general give hardbooters a lot more respect than that other kind of snowboarder gives hardbooters.

Based on my experiences this year, I would say the above ratio is changing a bit. Now it's more like 8 out of 10.

:D

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I'm a skier and a hardbooter and have generally noticed that skiers seen more impressed (if they are at all) by carvers than other boarders. In fact, the park and pipe crowd seem less likely to be impressed from carving displays seen from the chairlift than the skiers -- who are generally surprised to see how dynamic yet graceful a good (board)carver can be.

The feud, however, between skiers and carvers definitely continues, which is most amusing to me considering that I am a much stronger skier than most of the boarder-haters on the hill. Strong skiing is the only thing that has prevented me from being a complete pariah in my ski club. They still harangue me about boarders being so inconsiderate, evil, blah, blah, blah -- even though skiers are almost always complete boobs when it comes to getting off the lift with boarders! Just about everyone in my family is both a skier and boarder so this is a household and never-ending topic.

Ahhh, just wishing for world peace! (If I had to choose a side though, it would be boarding -- just don't tell my club that. Ha, ha ;) )

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I met a carver at Mt Rose, a couple Saturdays ago, who told me his, "got into carving story". He's a skier that had seen guys carving at Rose and thought it looked cool. The guy then tells me he's been on the the thing for 21 days. I met this guy on Northwest, the run, not the lift. Rippin' for 21 days on a carving deck, on Northwest no less. I think skiers have respect for us.

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Guest Randy S.

I find I have to earn their respect. Maybe its becuase my favorite mountain was one of the last in Tahoe to allow snowboards, or maybe because the skiers I ride with are all very hardcore skiers. They love it when I launch in front or behind them off a cornice into a steep chute. I know it bums them out that they have to wait for me on hikes along the ridges, but they're usually OK with it (which is the ultimate sign of respect when there are freshies to be had). I mostly go out with other parents of ski team kids. The ultimate is when I hear them bragging to their friends about my riding. ("You should see Randy snowboard - its not like any other snowboarder you've ever seen - he's crazy.")

About the only other carver I see on a regular basis is John K. Mostly at our resort folks don't really ask what we're riding/doing. I do get props from other racers in my weekend warrior league though.

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I had a couple follow me around today and they'd stop at various points on the run I was using to watch me go by. At first I thought it was coincidence, but when they applauded as I ripped by I knew they were there for the show. Quite a few skiers on my home mountain carve, and I'd have to say they do give more respect than the "average joe" skier. Knowledge is power....

Paul

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I think age also has a lot to do with respect v. non-respect. I find a lot of skiiers are surprised by 1. the fact I'm 41 and 2. I respect the rules of the hill, unlike the park rats. I still find an antirider bias, especially bad among beginner skiiers-that may reflect their general unease with sliding on P-Tex. It was interesting that I got yelled at by the lifties for wiping out trying to avoid a nest of skiiers stopped about 3 feet away from the chair lift instead of the skiiers being told to clear the ramp last week.

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ah, ive been skiing with my UPZ boots. my fellow co-workers in our department, terrain park and halfpipe maintenance/special events, was blown away and were going "real cool!" even when im working on my hardboots gears. :D

only thing im working on is to get that old burton freecarve board and use the 3 straps bindings from burton and go hit rails/pipes with softboots on alpine board. im just not excatly ready to hit it like Jeff Greenwood in the "last say" page of current TWS magazine. :D

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Had to share this with you. I split my time 50/50 on skis and an alpine board. I was cruising with some skiing friends at Bromley a week and a half ago and was laying down some nice carves on my Volkl RT GS board. One of my friends said "that's the first time I ever saw a snowboarder who looked like he was having fun!"

28poqs

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I would have to say us hardbooters get some degree of respect.

I ride with a pack of skiers and they say I am the only boarder they will ride with as far as being able to keep up, tackle terrain, not get stuck on the flats ( i know it pi$%^&s a few of them off that they have to skate and pole while I dust em, ahhh body mass and superior wax technology, my secret weapon) and its no contest in trees or powder, had a level 4 ski twinkie (instructor) join us the other day an got the compliment of " you actually ride the hill instead of sliding it"

That being said my carving still needs a bunch of improvement.

Dave*

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