There was a time when there was only one winter sport on the lips of sporting enthusiasts, and that was skiing. However, the inception and explosion of snowboarding as an alternative way to hit the slopes meant that people suddenly found they had a choice - and with that choice came the need for favourites. Since then, a large number of thrill seekers have devoted an inordinate amount of time to either defending their chosen winter sport or bashing the competition. So the debate continues, is snowboarding really better than skiing?

Snowboarding only really hit the slopes in the 60s and 70s, after American surf and snow enthusiast Sherman Poppen created prototype of the snowboards we are all familiar with today. Skiing, on the other hand, is a sport with origins dating back to pre-historic times. As such, skiing tends to have a reputation as an older and therefore less desirable form of sport, this fuddy-duddy image is not helped by the fact that back in the 70s skiing had a reputation as a pretty elitist sport.

The reputation of skiing was not helped by the fact that it was an expensive pastime, and many dedicated resorts were not willing to open their doors and welcome the young snowboarding fanatics with open arms. It's not hard to see how easy it was for the two factions to assume that the other side wouldn't understand them - despite the fact that the two sports share a number of obvious similarities.

However, areas in which snowboarding and skiing differ include the amount of energy expended in staying upright - skiers make use of poles when at a stop while snowboarders either have to stay tensed or sit - as well as stresses on different parts of the body. Those with weaker knees are better suited to giving snowboarding a go as the injury figures are higher in skiing - but snowboarding has conversely been considered harder on the wrists.

Anyone whose main criteria for choice is speed may be surprised by the fact that skiing tends to offer better results in terms of velocity. Despite this, snowboarding remains popular with many young crowds, partly for the number and styles of tricks the sport offers. When it comes to beginners, the chances are that you'll find yourself equally likely to suffer thrills and spills whether you choose one board or two skies, but if you already know one sport it's likely you'll find it easier to learn the other.

The divide between the two winter sports has lessened over the years, especially since snowboarding became an Olympic sport in 1988. Now, fans of both snow sports keep their fights for the slopes and the discovery of the best snow and runs and all make sure to obtain winter">http://www.boots.com/en/Wintersports_852845/">winter sports travel insurance before grinding the powder.