Snowboard or Skis

D

DevilDog

15-Year Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2008
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I need help. I would like to get my son a gift for Christmas he can really use. He has never skiied nor has he snowboarded. He used to ride a skate board when he was younger and was capable of doing tricks. He is very athletic. My wife and I think we should get him a snowboard since he l ives in Colorado now and is planning on getting the season pass.
Which would be more for a 19 year old?
Thanks for any help in advance.
 
skis or snowboard

per the 18 year old I feed daily....snowboard:biggrin:
 
Thanks for all the feedback. I think it will be a snowboard, but I just wanted to throw it out there. I will wait for more rexponses before I make this purchase.

Again, thank you everyone.
 
DevilDog said:
I need help. I would like to get my son a gift for Christmas he can really use. He has never skiied nor has he snowboarded. He used to ride a skate board when he was younger and was capable of doing tricks. He is very athletic. My wife and I think we should get him a snowboard since he l ives in Colorado now and is planning on getting the season pass.
Which would be more for a 19 year old?
Thanks for any help in advance.
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I would say skis, but then again, I'm not your son. Ask your son what he would prefer. Even then, there are many different types of skis/boards so getting some input might be nice before arbitrarily choosing a pair.
 
buffalo said:
I would say skis, but then again, I'm not your son. Ask your son what he would prefer. Even then, there are many different types of skis/boards so getting some input might be nice before arbitrarily choosing a pair.
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I understand what you are asking. I just want it to be a surprise. I have a young engineer in my office guiding me thru the snowboard process. I was a skiier growing up so I can figure out what would be right for the price.
 
As someone who moved to Colorado and learned how to ski as an adult, go snowboard! The learning curve is much quicker, I hear. However, like stated earlier there are many types of both styles of equipment and what about boots and outfitting? When I was in the Eagle County area of Vail and Beaver Creek it made more sense for me to rent the first year and then buy what I liked the next fall at the local ski-swap. These events are geared for locals and semi locals to get the best deals on last years stuff at much better prices and they have the benefit of trying different things throughout the first year. Just a thought. And congrats! Depending on where he will do most of their outings maybe a rental gift certificate worth a couple hundred might be available. Many of the resorts are owned by Vail associates and may offer such a deal or look into something I remember called the Colorado card. It may be able to be loaded to use at variously owned retail rentals.
 
Lynpar said:
As someone who moved to Colorado and learned how to ski as an adult, go snowboard! The learning curve is much quicker, I hear. However, like stated earlier there are many types of both styles of equipment and what about boots and outfitting? When I was in the Eagle County area of Vail and Beaver Creek it made more sense for me to rent the first year and then buy what I liked the next fall at the local ski-swap. These events are geared for locals and semi locals to get the best deals on last years stuff at much better prices and they have the benefit of trying different things throughout the first year. Just a thought. And congrats! Depending on where he will do most of their outings maybe a rental gift certificate worth a couple hundred might be available. Many of the resorts are owned by Vail associates and may offer such a deal or look into something I remember called the Colorado card. It may be able to be loaded to use at variously owned retail rentals.
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Thank you. I will take all of this help into account. I thought there was a seasonal ski pass at Keystone for $ 70 for the Cadets. Am I wrong?
 
Ask him?

I realize you want to make it a surprise, but my suggestion is ask him. Ski or snowboard equipment is expensive, so I wouldn't commit until you have some idea what he prefers. Based on my observations, if a kid learns to ski at a young age if will likely stay a skier. If someone starts as a teenager, he will likely be a snowboarder. This is due to the fact that a parent (usually a skier) is teaching the young kid whereas a teenagers is generally self-taught or learns from his friends (who are usually boarders.)
 
Mikeandcris said:
I realize you want to make it a surprise, but my suggestion is ask him. Ski or snowboard equipment is expensive, so I wouldn't commit until you have some idea what he prefers. Based on my observations, if a kid learns to ski at a young age if will likely stay a skier. If someone starts as a teenager, he will likely be a snowboarder. This is due to the fact that a parent (usually a skier) is teaching the young kid whereas a teenagers is generally self-taught or learns from his friends (who are usually boarders.)
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Mike is dead on with this one… I taught my DS to ski at an early age and he’s been skier since then… My knees start to go bad on my (no old man jokes from you young whipper snappers! :unhappy:) and a friend recommended boarding and I haven’t put on a pair of skies since I love to board but my son refuses to switch with me. And what Lynpar said is true boarding is faster to learn.

So if you’re set on the surprise and not asking him I would go with a board if he’s never gone before and skies if he has some experience… And if you can buy him lessons… Friends can help him get going but a teacher can get him going a lot faster.
 
This is definately a choice only your son can make.

My son, who is a CIC for the ski club says there are probably an equal number of cadets that ski vs board. My son skis, tried boarding and didn't care much for it.

my suggestion would be to spend the money and get him the ski pass and pay for his rentals from the rec center. he can rent for the whole season and if I am not mistaken, he can try skis one time and a board the next time, but double check that.

Eithe way, if you rent from them, they also keep your skis tuned.

My son's first year, we bought him custom boots for christmas and then bought him skis on http://www.steepandcheap.com/ when they came up and gave them to him for christmas his 3 dig year.

If you surprise him with the wrong thing. The only one that will be surprised is you when you realize he would have prefered the other.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

also, I don't think there are any ski pass that only cost $70 since that is about the full price of a ski ticket for one day. Liberty pass is about the least expensive and that is $195.00 for unlimited skiing at Keystone and Arapahoe Basin.
 
I believe Keystone is still part of Vail Associates and that is good for the better discounting that is available. They do still offer a 10 day pass which I am sure is very reasonable for cadets ( is that the right term for AFA?). 10 days doesn't sound like much but when you are a resident of the state with a life happening it is harder than you think to get 10 days in. Also the Keystone / Arapahoe Basin deal may be cool because Arapahoe is the highest elevation ski hill in the country ( I believe) and the game is to try to keep it open year-round! Such an awesome place. The summers ( all 3 weeks:cool:) are Even more amazing than the winter, the hiking! What a great place to spend the next 4 years! When my son was old enough to understand geography I had some serious "splaining" to do. He was born in a beach town in Florida then we moved to the mountains. And when he was 5, I came back to the flattest, smallest, hick town ( his words) on earth! Lol.
 
Thanks all. Lots of good information. Even $ 195 for the season is a bargain. I will let him decide. Maybe we can go to something close here on the east coast while he is home from tomorrow thru 1/2. Wooo Hooo, we are really looking forward to him coming home for a few weeks.
 
I would not buying anything if he has never done either snowboarding or snow skiing. My recommendation is to rent through the Academy Rec Dept so he can try out different boards and lenghts of skis and see what he likes.

The Keystone/A. Basin pass is more around $189 through the Rec. Dept.
 
I'd agree with renting from the Rec Center. Their prices are very reasonable, and they keep your gear in good shape for free. As a freshmen I rented a snowboard, and then bought my own this past year. Also, the Liberty Pass (Keystone/A.Basin) was $195 when I bought it this year. I think it may have been cheaper earlier in the season, but I'm pretty sure the $195 price is what it will be for rest of the season.
 
I would definitely agree with renting for a few times before deciding. Our cadet rented before letting us know that he wanted a snowboard for Christmas. Coming from a state where the highest elevation is 712 ft, he had never skied or boarded much before. He now owns three boards and heads to the slopes nearly every available weekend. He even bought his vehicle (Ford Excursion 4X4) with the main purpose of hauling as many friends and as much of their equipment as possible up to the mountains.

Stealth_81
 
My cadet sons SKI SKI SKI, one both nordic (XC) and downhill, the other just downhill. They feel snowboarding is not enough "challenge." On the other hand, they are a bit on the loony side.

Note: my one son bought skis and poles at the thrift store on base there for $25 - never been used. And, sometimes firsties leave skis and other equipment around when they vacate in the spring. Son #2 got his skis in this fashion, plus a TV, coffee pot, video game thing (which he sold to a CSU student), and an ipod.

I think either way, it's an expensive hobby.
 
fencersmother said:
My cadet sons SKI SKI SKI, one both nordic (XC) and downhill, the other just downhill. They feel snowboarding is not enough "challenge." On the other hand, they are a bit on the loony side.

Note: my one son bought skis and poles at the thrift store on base there for $25 - never been used. And, sometimes firsties leave skis and other equipment around when they vacate in the spring. Son #2 got his skis in this fashion, plus a TV, coffee pot, video game thing (which he sold to a CSU student), and an ipod.

I think either way, it's an expensive hobby.
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I like how creative your sons are. Good job.
 
Devildog, did you think you would get so much response to this question? It seems skis vs snowboard is the Colorado equivelent to Army vs Navy! It is a passion thing, :shake:
 
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