Skis or Snowboard for Powder? (An Instructor’s Honest Take)

I ski. I snowboard. I teach both. I spend a lot of time watching people ride powder badly, then watching the same people figure it out and suddenly light up. Best part of the job. 

And if we’re talking purely about the feeling of riding powder, snowboarding is very hard to beat.

That first proper deep turn on a board, when the nose lifts and the world goes quiet, is unreal. It feels less like riding and more like floating. It’s smooth, slow in the best way and stupidly addictive.

But skis exist. And they’re very good in powder too. So let’s actually talk about it.

Why Snowboards Feel So Good

A snowboard is one surface. One wide platform. That matters more than most people realise.

In deep snow, you’re not managing two tips doing their own thing. You’re standing over the middle of something designed to plane. Once you have enough speed, the board just wants to stay on top.

Good powder turns on a snowboard are patient. You don’t rush them. You let the board roll over, arc and rise back up. When it’s working, it feels like the board is doing half the job for you.

That’s why snowboarders get poetic about powder. It really does feel different.

The Bit Snowboarders Avoid Mentioning

Powder snowboarding asks for commitment.

You need speed. You need to trust the board. Hesitate, lean back, or try to force the turn and you’ll know about it immediately. Back leg burn is not a badge of honour. It’s often bad technique. Or the wrong snowboard and setup. 

Flat sections are also a pain. Traverses can be miserable. Getting stuck on a snowboard is objectively worse than on skis. Anyone who’s spent half an hour digging with both feet still attached knows exactly what I mean.

And powder days are not always perfect faces and endless fall lines. Sometimes it’s tight trees, weird runouts and stop start terrain. That’s where snowboards can feel like more work.

Why Skis Feel Easier at First

Skis are adjustable. Especially when things are messy.

Two independent legs means you can make little corrections on the fly. You can scrub speed without fully committing downhill. You can save a sketchy turn without everything falling apart.

In tight trees, skis often feel easier for most riders. You can slow things down and stay upright without needing the same level of trust and flow.

That’s why so many first time powder riders say skiing felt easier. They’re not wrong.

But Look at Modern Powder Skis

This is the bit I always come back to.

Powder skis are now wide, rockered, tapered and designed to smear and float. They’re built to plane, not carve.

That didn’t happen by accident.

Those shapes are chasing the same feeling snowboards have always offered. Float. Forgiveness. Less effort in deep snow.

When a skier is dialled in powder, it looks amazing. But average skiers often look busy. Lots of movement. Lots of management. It works, but it’s rarely relaxed.

A snowboard, once you get it right, feels calmer.

Terrain Matters

This is where the answer actually changes.

Open bowls, playful faces, natural hits. Snowboards shine. Long, flowing turns with very little effort once you’re up on top.

Tight trees and technical lines. Skis usually win for most people. Faster direction changes, easier speed control, quicker recoveries.

Low angle powder. Skis keep momentum better. Snowboards either need speed or extra volume to stay happy.

That’s why a lot of experienced riders switch depending on the day. Storm riding one. Tracked snow the next. That’s what I do, though if it’s an all-time blower day, you better believe I’m bringing my board. 

So What’s Better?

Here’s my honest take, teaching and riding both.

If you want flow, float and that surfy, weightless feeling, snowboarding in powder is special. When it clicks, it’s hard to beat.

If you want control, adaptability and an easier time when things get tight or awkward, skis make life simpler.

Neither is wrong. One just suits how you like to move through snow.