Ski goggles or snow goggles, where do I start?

If you are still thinking, at this stage of the season, about starting winter sports, it is never too late to review your preferences when choosing where to start, choose which modality may best suit you and then understand if You must first buy your ski goggles or your snow goggles.

The first thing you should know, and I'm sure you will know very well, is that both are sports disciplines in the snow, but that they are completely different, as are the equipment and accessories you need to practice them. More specifically, with this article we seek to illustrate several important differences between classic skiing and snowboarding. With this, you will surely have it clearer when choosing between these two.

The main thing is that, and I'm sure you already know this, in skiing you are equipped with a board on each foot and in snowboarding you do it on a single board. In both modalities the body is exercised in a similar way, although in practice the movements, techniques and derived benefits are slightly different.

Keep reading and discover a little more about what each of these snow sports disciplines are like and then choose your best ski goggles or your snow goggles!

How is the skiing?

skiing is basically a mountain sport that involves a learning process that depends a lot on the physical and mental qualities of the skier. For beginners it is advisable that they start on slopes with a moderate inclination, appropriate for them.

Over time, the individual gains confidence and dares with steeper slopes, in which he can experiment with higher speed routes that allow him to train his ability to control. The skier mainly trains the lower body and, to a lesser extent, the upper extremities. The skier should always carry all the necessary equipment for the action, including good ski goggles.

The objective is to acquire enough practice, skill, confidence and control to be able to overcome any unevenness or unforeseen event that stands in your way, always paying attention to the environment, to the dangers that all present obstacles entail in the mountain. In this sense, skiing has a special adventure component that perhaps snow does not have or that, in any case, is practiced in a different way.

How is the Snow?

Practicing snowboarding means working even more, almost exclusively, on the person's lower body. It requires a greater ability to balance and coordinate movements than skiing, especially during the learning process, since all the weight falls on a smaller surface (the board) and there are no support poles. This means that you will spend a lot of time on the ground at first.

In any case, with enough practice, snowboarding is easier than skiing in the sense that you only have a board and all the technique on it, the movements are not as sophisticated as in the case of skiers . Reaching advanced skills in snowboarding is easier and faster than skiing.

Surely after this you will be wondering. And how is freeriding?

The 'freeride' modality consists of literally leaving the ski slopes with the aim of finding areas of virgin snow where you can live an extreme, wild and authentic experience. This attractive modality, which has been increasing in interest by skiers in recent years, kept part of this public away from the ski resorts since they believed that looking for a life for themselves was better to find good places to practice this discipline. . Some resorts have responded to this demand, such as Vallnord or Grandvalira, developing spaces designed for freeriders but which also have their own security devices and schools where they can learn to move on virgin terrain.

We share this cool video so that there is no doubt about what free ride is pure and simple.

In case you were wondering. Arcalís, in the Vallnord ski resort, is currently one of the most important references for freeride skiing due to its perfect location due to its natural protection against the wind, its more than 130 possible itineraries and because the place celebrates 20 years offering adventure under this modality.It should be noted that every year, in Vallnord, the FWT or Freeride World Tour is held.

Grandvalira, for its part, has updated itself to offer quality freeride skiing to its visitors. They have created the Grandride competition and it has entered the international ski testing circuit. They have also developed the Freeride Center, a new section of their school, specialized in off-piste descents that offer both individual and group classes. You can also enjoy the Ski Safari package at Grandvalira, outings with professional monitors who accompany you on the best itineraries.

In fact, the Total Fight Masters of Freestyle competition is one of the biggest competitions in this town, which brings together the best snowboard and freeski riders of the moment in the Andorran resort of Grandvalira.

The El Tarter Snowpark becomes a battlefield full of spectacular jumps and fun. This event has the 5-star distinction of the World Snowboard Tour and the gold category of the AFP circuit (professional freestyle circuit), becoming one of the reference events on the world calendar for the discipline of slopestyle.

The snowboard competition in the slopestyle modality , is the most important in southern Europe with the assistance of very high-level riders. The event has maintained the five World Snowboard Tour stars (out of a maximum of six possible stars), awarded to it.

If you are interested in snow, skiing or freeride, here are a couple of good places where you can delve into this modality. And if you have practiced it in some other place that you liked, do not hesitate to share it with us! At the end of the day it doesn't matter where you start, the important thing is to see us in action!