I have dedicated 17 years of my life to skiing, so for me, it is without a doubt the better sport. Simply put, skiing it much less hassle. There is no need to remove kit to get on lifts and no time wasted at the top either putting it back on. There’s no struggling across flats, unlike snowboarders, who more often than not have to resort to walking. If you’re capable enough at skiing, you’ll spend a lot more time on your feet as opposed to when snowboarding. You can accomplish much more off-piste on skis and heavy powder does not become such as issue for skiers as it does for boarders. As a skier you can travel at more impressive speeds, perform more impressive tricks and (I personally believe) have much more fun.

**TL;DR – Snowboarding is better than skiing for the boots, ease of carry, developed techniques, and uniqueness.** I have dedicated 12 years of my life to snowboarding and 7 to skiing (there were seasons where I did both while learning how to snowboard) and I would not trade a snowboard attached to my feet for more than the time it takes for me to remember how much of a pain it is to ski. Let us start with the morning of a day on the mountain. Getting ready for snowboarding is so much easier than preparing to ski and that is mostly due to the boots. Ski boots are made of heavy plastic and, from what I can remember, can not be more uncomfortable to walk in and wear. I can drive to the mountain in my snowboard boots – I would advise against it in ski boots. Not only are they hard to walk in, but they are potentially unsafe due to how easy it is to slip and fall in them before even getting on a lift. Avoiding the extra time spent changing into ski boots when you get to the mountain would save the patience of everyone in your group and yourself from breaking your neck walking on the lodge's stairs. So if they are changing into boots at the mountain, skiers have to carry both their boots and their skis. I remember my dad telling me that doing so is initiation for the day. Now, I tell him that when I'm only carrying my snowboard and he's struggling on the walk from the car. How on Earth do you carry skis anyway? They're so thin with almost nothing to hold on to. Balancing them on your shoulder looks really cool, I'll admit it, but go ahead and try your best. In the rare case that snowboarders have to unstrap and walk in the middle of a trail, they can take their time and enjoy the scenery. Most terrain park riders I see will actually walk back up the mountain for the ease and fun of it. Unstrapping for a lift ride offers the chance to relax at least one of your legs. Taking bindings on and off takes such a short amount of time and it's basically second nature (to me). Riding a snowboard is mostly about learning the maneuvers and weight distribution techniques that will help you move across flats and heavy powder. I found that I've definitely developed my own style while I ride through identifying this. It feels extremely personal in that sense. This isn't to discredit skiing's personality, but for something so new (snowboarding was developed in the 1960s) it's really unique. Why go forward if you can go sideways?

Snowboarding is better than skiing. Snowboarding is so much more convenient than skiing. If you want to have a sit at the top of the mountain it is so much easier than with skis and poles. There is so much baggage that comes with skiing and, in my opinion, for less excitement. Week one of snowboarding is tough. But once it clicks and you are linking turns, then you are absolutely fine. The transitions to steeper slopes and to off piste flow more easily. Skiing however is a very technical sport. As someone who is impatient and takes part in activities for the thrill and adrenaline, skiing is too technical, and therefore less exciting for me. Part of the excitement of snowboarding is when it finally clicks and you actually spend more time on your feet than the ground.

**TL;DR: Skiing is faster** Part of the fun of both skiing and snowboarding is that you can go fast. Even someone skiing or snowboarding very slowly will be moving faster than they could ever walk or run. Humans are obsessed with speed. When we move quickly, whether by car, horse, skis, or snowboard, our bodies create [the hormone adrenaline]( https://www.scienceabc.com/pure-sciences/why-do-we-feel-so-thrilled-by-speed.html#:~:text=Dopamine%20and%20Monoamine%20Oxidase%20). This causes our blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature to rise – which makes us feel alive and excited. This then triggers [a release of dopamine]( https://www.seeker.com/why-do-we-love-going-fast-1792700588.html), known as a reward chemical because it makes us feel happy and motivated. Going fast causes our bodies to generate pleasure chemicals, which many people become slightly addicted to – think thrill-seekers and adrenaline junkies. Skiing is better than snowboarding because skiing is faster than snowboarding. [The world record for skiing is 157 mph (252 km/h) compared to the snowboarding speed record of 126 mph (203km/h)]( https://newtoski.com/are-skiers-faster-than-snowboarders/). Skiers can gain more speed than snowboarders because they can minimize wind resistance by crouching down into streamlined positions, whilst snowboarders cannot because their legs are locked a set distance apart to their board. 2 skis offer more surface area than 1 snowboard, so when skiers turn, their weight is more evenly distributed and then can pick up more speed. Because skiing is faster than snowboarding, theoretically there is a greater opportunity to attain this dopamine hit, even when you acclimatise to the speed. So, at least in theory, skiing can make you happier than snowboarding.