Is Snowboarding Like Surfing?

Extreme sports attract a certain type of person, and it is common to find surfers wanting to try snowboarding or snowboarders ready to take on the waves! Snowboarding and surfing may be similar sports, but there are more differences than most people think.

Snowboarding and surfing have similarities that make the sports easier to transition between; however, fundamental differences make snowboarding and surfing very different experiences.

While both sports involve riding a board and require certain skills and abilities, they each present different challenges and experiences that are unique to their sport. These two extreme sports are similar in theory yet vastly different in practice!

The Similarities Between Snowboarding and Surfing

The similarities between these two sports are relatively obvious. Snowboarding and surfing require boards to ride on, and the side standing stance is largely the same for both sports. When snowboarding or surfing, the rails or edges of the board are used to execute turns. And it is possible to switch stances on both a surfboard and a snowboard.

Both sports offer a great way to get fit and enjoy aspects of nature, and each presents a level of danger or risk when engaging in the sport. Surfboards and snowboards both need to be waxed, although the snowboard is waxed on the bottom instead of the top for a surfboard.

The Differences Between Snowboarding and Surfing

The differences between Snowboarding and surfing are more than most people would consider.

Differences Between The Surfboard And Snowboard

The first and most obvious difference is the bindings on a snowboard that a surfboard does not have. Snowboards have bindings that keep your feet clipped in and attached to the board when riding.

Surfboards don't have any bindings, and the rider's feet need to be free and able to move around the board. When surfing, it is important that the surfer can adjust the position of their feet on the board to adjust to the wave.

Differences In The Techniques Used To Surf And Snowboard

Surfing a wave starts with the rider lying on the board while waiting for a wave. When the surfer is catching a wave, they paddle and boost themselves up to a standing position on the board. Snowboarding always starts from a standing position.

While both sports require balance, there is a clear difference in posture and stance. Surfers need to be positioned more at the back of the board and distribute their weight accordingly. Snowboarders are clipped in at the center of the board and tend to lean their weight more forward on the board when riding it.

Surfing has much more rough conditions to catch waves and requires surfers to paddle through breaking waves and currents to reach the backline where the right waves are caught. The process requires a much greater need for upper body strength to surf than snowboarding. The upper body strength in snowboarding is mostly just carrying your snowboard from your car to the ski-lift.

Difference In The Places To Surf And Snowboard

Surfing requires waves and tides and requires skill from the surfers to read and predict the movements of the ocean. Many cities have also introduced artificial wave pools where surfers can surf even though there may not be access to the coast in that area.

Snowboarding of course happens on snow. The need for snow limits the places around the world where snowboarding can occur. Snowboarding also takes place in mountainous areas because of the need for slopes and large build-ups of snow.

While surfers can't control the waves, snowboarders can control their terrain and add extra features to the slopes and routes that snowboarders attempt. Snowboarding can include rails and jumps or ramps that add a different element of risk and adrenaline.

Is Surfing Harder Than Snow Boarding?

The differences between the two sports give each one their challenges and strengths. Surfing is more commonly said to be a harder sport to learn. Many surfers who have also been snowboarding have said that riding a wave involves many more determining factors than riding a mountain.

The Conditions Of Surfing Vs. Snowboarding

One of the main factors that make surfing more difficult is how conditions change. Surf conditions can change within minutes without much warning. The tides and currents in the ocean can be extremely unpredictable and make predicting the conditions a lot more difficult.

Weather conditions on the mountains can also change quickly; however, the impact on the ability to snowboard isn't as big as surfing. The size and duration of waves change every wave, whereas the routes on the mountains are mapped out and are more consistent despite the weather.

The Skills Required For Snowboarding Vs. Surfing

Learning to surf takes longer than learning to snowboard and can take more toll on the learner's body. Surfing involves a lot of effort to get out to the backline of waves and often involves treading rough waters, being dunked by white water waves, and accidentally swallowing large amounts of saltwater!

Surfers need to learn how to read daily and hourly information about surf conditions and need to have a good understanding of how the ocean works. Reading the conditions is a big part of the sport.

Surfing a wave can be over in seconds, and the majority of the time is spent paddling and finding the right position for the next wave. It requires determination and hard work to enjoy a decent session of surfing. Snowboarding down the slopes lasts longer and requires less effort to continue. The energy spent in the surf is much greater than when snowboarding.

Snowboarding is called an extreme sport and certainly requires a lot of skill and ability to do it. But compared to surfing, it is fair to say that snowboarding is less challenging than surfing.

Summary

There are obvious similarities between snowboarding and surfing, and having experience in one will make it easier when transitioning to the other.

But the differences between these extreme sports are more than most people would originally assume. This makes these two sports a very different experience from each other.

Although a high level of fun and adrenaline is guaranteed in both surfing and snowboarding, having a clear understanding of each sport is a healthy approach to starting in these extreme sports!