What Is Splitboarding, And Why You Need To Try It...
Say you love how easy it is to climb the mountain on skis…
And you love the speed and fun of riding a snowboard.
But how would it be to combine the two?
Ladies and gents…
That’s splitboarding.
Our new favorite way of exploring the backcountry.
Here’s a breakdown of splitboarding, what’s different about it, how to start, and more.
What is Splitboarding?
Splitboarding is a type of riding that combines skiing and snowboarding.
It looks like a regular snowboard, but it can split in half to form two separate ‘skis’.
This is where you ask…
‘But why?’
The answer is a lot simpler than you think.
- It's a lot easier to climb uphill on skis. You attach climbing skins and special bindings that allow your heels to lift, just like ski touring.
- It's a lot more fun to go downhill on a snowboard. All you need to do is remove the skins and clip back together the two skis to get a snowboard. Lock your bindings in ride mode, and you're good to go.
Is Splitboarding More Difficult Than Skiing Or Snowboarding?
Well, splitboarding is snowboarding and skiing at the same time.
You’ll need to know the basics of skiing, because you can still ‘ski’ to ride on rolling terrain that goes up and down…
But you’ll need to be a good snowboarder as well, as most of the downhill will happen on the snowboard.
To answer the question, you could say splitboarding is more difficult because it requires knowledge in both skiing and snowboarding.
Backcountry Tours - The Perfect Place For Splitboarding
Generally, we only ride splitboards when doing a backcountry tour.
This is because getting to remote areas in the mountains require a lot of climbing…
And when there’s no cable car to assist, all we have left is our feet and endurance.
We ALWAYS go uphill on skis because it’s easier to climb…
And ALWAYS go downhill snowboarding because… well, it’s fun.
I know your next question…
Can You Go Downhill On Skis When Splitboarding?
Not really.
Or at least, it’s not something people do.
The ‘split skis’ are two very wide, short skis.
Although you can move slightly downhill with them during the ascent (like on rolling terrain, traversing, or sidehilling) there are a few reasons you can’t go downhill properly on them:
- They don’t have metal edges on the inside like real skis, so edge control is poor
- The bindings are in tour mode (heels free, not locked), so you can’t carve or control well
- Stability is terrible compared to actual skis — it’s easy to catch an edge or lose balance
- It’s not safe or fun for real descents
What's The Cost Of A Good Splitboard?
A decent splitboard (just the board, not the full touring kit) often runs between 700 and 1,000 euros.
You can find cheaper boards, at less than 500 euros, or high-end boards at over 1,500 euros.
If you’re missing the touring kit as well, expect to pay anywhere between 1,200 euros to over 2,000 euros to start splitboarding.
Obviously, these numbers can vary greatly depending on your budget and how high-end you want to go.
What's The Cost Of A Splitboard Tour?
Massif Experience offers both splitboard guided tours and lessons.
And realistically speaking, it’s a much better decision to first of all try a tour…
And then decide whether or not you want to buy your own splitboard.
Whether you’re coming from aboard or from somewhere in Romania and you want to see if splitboarding is for you…
We’ll help you figure it out!
We offer guided backcountry tours on splitboards in the Carpathians Mountains here in Romania. These tours give you the perfect chance to explore the backcountry on a splitboard and see what’s all the rave about.
We offer splitboarding lessons as well, perfect for those who never tried it before. You’ll get to learn a bit of ski touring and a bit of snowboarding, so you can figure it out whether or not splitboarding is for you.
Why Try Splitboarding With Massif Experience?
Because I’m sure you want to learn from an expert…
And because I’m sure you want to learn splitboarding the correct way instead of fighting bad habits later down the road.
We make learning fun and easy, and every tour is tailored to your needs and skillset.
Absolutely no experience in splitboarding?
No worries, you’ll still love a tour with us.
Besides, you really can’t go in the backcountry alone.
It’s dangerous and a whole lot less fun.
