since i suck

[Triple J]

I've snowboarded since '92. Learned while I was in college, and got spoiled over the next 8 years having Tahoe 45 minutes away. 

From my experience, if you're already a good skier then snowboarding will be tough to learn because it is a lot different and the body positioning will feel odd. None of my skier buddies picked up snowboarding fast...alhough they all eventually learned.  If you have no previous snow experience, then it'll be pretty easy to learn. I tried skiing a couple years before boarding and thought it sucked...but I was a previous skater. A snowboard just felt more natural to me.

In general I agree that it's easier to become a mediocre snowboarder than skier...they're both difficult to become really good though.

I'd get a cheap, used board for your 1st season. Also, don't keep the edges too sharp. Sharp edges help you turn, but they also help you catch edges...not good for a beginner. Don't try to catch yourself when you fall forward...couple of friends broke their wrists that way.

If you have a buddy that boards, then just spend 1/2 a day with him/her on the bunny hill to learn the basic motions, and skip the lesson. If not, then go for a lesson. Lessons seem to be hit or miss though.

I also think helmets suck unless your 5, or doing some huge shit. But I learned when NO ONE wore helmets and we all lived. Whatever.

[TiAvenger]

I've snowboarded since '92. Learned while I was in college, and got spoiled over the next 8 years having Tahoe 45 minutes away. 

From my experience, if you're already a good skier then snowboarding will be tough to learn because it is a lot different and the body positioning will feel odd. None of my skier buddies picked up snowboarding fast...alhough they all eventually learned.  If you have no previous snow experience, then it'll be pretty easy to learn. I tried skiing a couple years before boarding and thought it sucked...but I was a previous skater. A snowboard just felt more natural to me.

In general I agree that it's easier to become a mediocre snowboarder than skier...they're both difficult to become really good though.

I'd get a cheap, used board for your 1st season. Also, don't keep the edges too sharp. Sharp edges help you turn, but they also help you catch edges...not good for a beginner. Don't try to catch yourself when you fall forward...couple of friends broke their wrists that way.

If you have a buddy that boards, then just spend 1/2 a day with him/her on the bunny hill to learn the basic motions, and skip the lesson. If not, then go for a lesson. Lessons seem to be hit or miss though.

I also think helmets suck unless your 5, or doing some huge shit. But I learned when NO ONE wore helmets and we all lived. Whatever.

Not to be argumentive, but I dont think the bunny hill is the best place to learn.  It's too slow and too groomed.  I did nothing but fall trying to learn on the bunny hill.

[Exar Kun]

I grew up skiing and had a blast doing it. It got old after a while so I switched to snowboarding a few years ago. It was a little annoying at first to have to relearn how to get down the mountain, but after a few days I was carving it up. I am never going back to planks, it's way more fun to board. You should have an easier time learning to board, the learning curve is a bit quicker. I def suggest taking a lesson or two. You might be the oldest there but screw it, after a day or two you should be able to get down the mountain no problem.

If you are anywhere in the northeast Mount Sunapee in NH is doing a free learn to ride from now until Dec 24th. Free ticket to the bunny slope, free rentals, and free two hour lesson. It's great for someone looking to get into boarding, or skiing for that matter. There might be other mountains doing a similar deal as well if you aren't anywhere near Mt. Sunapee.

Now for my shamless plug, if you are still looking for a board check out my company: http://www.beansnowboards.com. A few friends and I are making boards in Boston, MA, none of that Chinese stuff here. I don't know what type of riding you are hoping to do but the Commonwealth is a good all around board.

[Stella]

Not to be argumentive, but I dont think the bunny hill is the best place to learn.  It's too slow and too groomed.  I did nothing but fall trying to learn on the bunny hill.

+++++1

While you might want to consider an hour+ learning how to stand on the board, moving w/one foot in the binding, figuring out how to get on and off the lift with the board, the blacks are going to teach you a lot more than a bunny hill.  Seriously.  Not the bumps but some good long black runs.  Don't rely on friends to learn from unless they've taught before. 

And never never never never put your feet in the bindings w/o your helmet.  I didn't think I would need one on my first day since all I was going to do was learn the stance on flat (relative term depending on where you're learning) terrain but was very thankful I had it on. One minor move can put you down so quickly....   

Lastly, plan on keeping pain relievers close at hand!   Have fun!   Give us an update!!     

[DCXCV]

I'd get a cheap, used board for your 1st season. Also, don't keep the edges too sharp. Sharp edges help you turn, but they also help you catch edges...not good for a beginner. Don't try to catch yourself when you fall forward...couple of friends broke their wrists that way.

Make fists when you fall - helps your wrist turn the proper direction if it has to turn.  Palm out flat just helps break your wrist.  Probably the most common injury for those new to boarding.  (other than a hurt butt)

Not falling will help you avoid both of these injuries.

And as far as the helmet goes, I think it's the same as the moto helmet arguement.  I learned to ski in the pre-lid days and never had an issue, but I always wear one now and it has saved my ass twice - at the very least from a painful welt - in two close encounters with the deciduous kind while zipping through glades.

BTW - have fun!!!!

[Triple J]

The whole point of the bunny hill is to give beginners a place to learn. Why wouldn't you go there? Not all day...just long enough to get on and off the lift a few times, and get some idea of how the board reacts. My 1st day was spent 1/2 on the bunny, then the rest on a blue run. Perfect.

Sending a fresh beginner down a black is just stupid. Sorry. Unless you board somewhere where a black diamond isn't really a black diamond, then you're asking to hurt someone. A blue sure...a black, no way. There's nothing worse than a beginner stumbling and falling down too difficult of a run, making everyone else dodge them.

Helmets are personal choice. Statistically only like 10% of injuries on a ski hill are head related...and people skiied for decades without them. But whatever. I'll acknowledge that you can hit your head boarding.

[TiAvenger]

The whole point of the bunny hill is to give beginners a place to learn. Why wouldn't you go there? Not all day...just long enough to get on and off the lift a few times, and get some idea of how the board reacts. My 1st day was spent 1/2 on the bunny, then the rest on a blue run. Perfect.

Sending a fresh beginner down a black is just stupid. Sorry. Unless you board somewhere where a black diamond isn't really a black diamond, then you're asking to hurt someone. A blue sure...a black, no way. There's nothing worse than a beginner stumbling and falling down too difficult of a run, making everyone else dodge them.

Helmets are personal choice. Statistically only like 10% of injuries on a ski hill are head related...and people skiied for decades without them. But whatever. I'll acknowledge that you can hit your head boarding.

Yeah I agree with the black part.  But I learned nothing but groomed snow is hard on the bunny hill, got fed up after 30 minuets, and took the lift to the top of the mountain.  I fell a couple times, and it just sorta clicked. There was not enough speed on the bunny hill to learn how to turn, hell, even stopping was hard. 

[Triple J]

Yeah I agree with the black part.  But I learned nothing but groomed snow is hard on the bunny hill, got fed up after 30 minuets, and took the lift to the top of the mountain.  I fell a couple times, and it just sorta clicked. There was not enough speed on the bunny hill to learn how to turn, hell, even stopping was hard. 

Fair enough. I agree going slow is harder. The bunny hill just teaches you how to get off the lift on the board, and gives you a feel of sliding down a hill. A blue would have been nerve racking without ever having been on the bunny...at least for me. I didn't really learn to turn though until I was on a blue. Like you, it just clicked after doing it right once. Achieveing consistency took a while though! 

[TiAvenger]

Fair enough. I agree going slow is harder. The bunny hill just teaches you how to get off the lift on the board, and gives you a feel of sliding down a hill. A blue would have been nerve racking without ever having been on the bunny...at least for me. I didn't really learn to turn though until I was on a blue. Like you, it just clicked after doing it right once. Achieveing consistency took a while though! 

We dont have a lift on our bunny hill, just t bars.  Maybe yours is a bit steeper than ours.  Its like a 3-4 % grade

[Triple J]

We dont have a lift on our bunny hill, just t bars.  Maybe yours is a bit steeper than ours.  Its like a 3-4 % grade

OK...if your bunny hill has a t bar...then skip it. Those things suck!!!  I had to ride one at Whistler a few years back. They use them at the top of the glacier since they have to move them on occassion and they're easy to move (I think that's the reasoning). It was comical watching all of us try to use it for the 1st time!  I'd never even seen one before that.

[corey]

im suprised nobody has talked about the similarities to riding a motorcycle!
keep your head up, and look where you want to go! wherever your head is looking, is where your board is going to go. but dont get target fixated on a tree or little kid or something either! if thats not working, try pointing. wherever your hands are, doesnt matter, mine are usually near my waist... just point like your shooting a fake gun to wherever you need to go. it will work. it's stupid as hell, but it works...

as far as a helmet goes, it's your choice. it's not the snow you have to worry about, it's the ice and trees.
make sure your boots are nice and tight, but make sure you can feel your toes.

dont kill anybody.

[That Nice Guy Beck!]

awesome tips
thanks everyone

[Stella]

The whole point of the bunny hill is to give beginners a place to learn. Why wouldn't you go there? Not all day...just long enough to get on and off the lift a few times, and get some idea of how the board reacts. My 1st day was spent 1/2 on the bunny, then the rest on a blue run. Perfect.

Sending a fresh beginner down a black is just stupid. Sorry. Unless you board somewhere where a black diamond isn't really a black diamond, then you're asking to hurt someone. A blue sure...a black, no way. There's nothing worse than a beginner stumbling and falling down too difficult of a run, making everyone else dodge them.

Helmets are personal choice. Statistically only like 10% of injuries on a ski hill are head related...and people skiied for decades without them. But whatever. I'll acknowledge that you can hit your head boarding.

Based on my experience, the bunny hill's purpose only helped me figure out maneuvering the board w/one foot in the binding, basic stance, and getting on and off the lift.  After that, my instructor and I moved to blacks where I quickly learned "toe-side/heel-side."  

My apologies if it came across as recommending a black and just make your way down.  The black runs, with an instructor, enabled me to learn the basics much more so than what a bunny hill, a green and some of the blue runs ever did, while factoring in the traffic.   Again, just my experience.

[Bick]

Based on my experience, the bunny hill's purpose only helped me figure out maneuvering the board w/one foot in the binding, basic stance, and getting on and off the lift.  After that, my instructor and I moved to blacks where I quickly learned "toe-side/heel-side."  

Was The Randimus trying to get rid of you?

What did you say to him right before he did this?

----

Free your heels - Free your mind!

[JEFF_H]

take a lesson (or 2)
you're gonna land on your butt, knees and hands a lot when you are learning (and later too) get protection for those areas.
practice turning both directions...i see lots of first-timers only making heelside turns all the way down the hill (sorta like snowplowing for boarders)
Big5 Sports is a good source for cheap snowboards (esp at the end of the season) that will be good enough for your first season (or 2)

then you'll need a proper Ducati Snowboard