Rollerskiing and alpine skiing

Rollerskiing and alpine skiing have a lot in common.
To begin with both sports require specific skills that have everything to do with body positioning, weight transfer and control. Both sports are gravity related. The steeper the decline or incline the greater the euphoria. Alpine skiing is a lifestyle just like rollerskiing is.

Here are some differences about Rollerskiing vs Alpine skiing
Alpine or downhill skiing is done on snow or ice. Rollerskiing is done on any hard surface including pavement, concrete, sand, gravel and or grass just to name a few. Advanced snow skiers look for speed and obstacles to increase the challenge. Likewise for rollerskiers but the extra effort will see rollerskiers skiing uphill. Uphill rollerskiing is akin to uphill cross country skiing or ski mountaineering.

Rollerski compared to alpine ski
Rollerskiing is both a thrill and a workout. Snow skiing is confined to a mountain with limited terrain. Rollerskiing is not limited to a mountain and be practiced on any topography. Valleys, flat land ravines, mountainsides and yes of course mountains. You have to pay for snow skiing but rollerskiing is 100% free with no restrictions as to opening hours, parking and rules & regulations. The true meaning of ski in, ski out is in regards to rollerskiing and not snow skiing. You can rollerski starting and finishing anywhere. From your work, school, home or anywhere else. All you need is your rollerskiis and a good attitude. On the other hand if you decide to snow ski and you want to ski in, ski out it conditional to having a trail going from your place to the main ski trails of the mountain. With snow skiing you will also need to pay to ski and it will be conditional to the opening hours of the mountain. Contrarily rollerskiing is always free with no restrictions to travelling.

Rollerskiing is possible over three types of terrain. Uphill, downhill and flat terrain. Uphill and flat terrain rollerskiing offer better physical conditioning than does downhill skiing. Unfortunately alpine or downhill skiing offers only one type of terrain and that is skiing on a downward descent. Downhill skiing thus offers very little benefit towards physical conditioning. And keep in mind that alpine skiing confines or restricts you to skiing on a mountain whereas rollerskiing encourages you to travel anywhere free as a bird.

Rollerskiing compared to alpine skiing
Rollerskiing can actually be considered safer than alpine skiing due the fact that rollerskiis have brakes and alpine skis don’t have any brakes. Rollerski brakes are easier to use and function than slaloming down a hill. Furthermore it’s a shorter learning curve to learn how to use the rollerski brakes than it is how to brake sideways on alpine skis.

The poles are almost not used in Alpine skiing except for turning. Contrarily poles are very much used in rollerskiing. Poles are used in rollerskiing for pushing oneself forward and upward. When rollerskiing poles are also used for stability, control and trajectory. Poles are a rollerskiers best friend. Rollerski poles also greatly help in building upper body strength, fitness and physique. Look at any rollerskier in a bathing suit and you’ll see a chiseled, muscled person.

Rollerskiing is more fun than snow skiing because the trails are endless, it’s free and there’s no control or surveillance. Your imagination is the limit with rollerskiing. Rules and regulations are the limits with snow skiing. Rollerskiing is a new emerging sort, snow skiing is more than a century old.

If you’re looking to make a fashion statement with a twist of fitness and a load of fun take up rollerskiing.