# Pipe vs park.. which is harder?



## onthefence (Dec 16, 2010)

*Pipe vs rails/boxes.. which is harder?*

I'm a new-ish rider eventually wanting to learn either pipe or rails/boxes. I have a few questions..

Which is easier to learn?
Which is eaiser to master?
Which is safer?

Any other pros/cons of either that I should know of while making my decision?


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

Park. All around answer for you


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## LuckyRVA (Jan 18, 2011)

relavent username is relavent


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## onthefence (Dec 16, 2010)

LuckyRVA said:


> relavent


Whats this? Some new type of venting system for jackets? lol 

Anyway, Pipe vs Park may have been ambiguous. I revised the question to Pipe vs Rails/Boxes...


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## Cr0_Reps_Smit (Jun 27, 2009)

it depends what you end up being naturally comfortable with really. personally i kinda suck at pipe other then being able to go back and forth and air a little bit and would rather just lap the park all day then hike the pipe but i haven't plenty of friend who are the opposite. 

why are you trying to make this decision when you're still a new-ish rider? are you looking for a new board and not sure what to get? there's no reason you cant do both really.


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## LuckyRVA (Jan 18, 2011)

zing :laugh:

I've never ridden half pipe myself. But, why not try it out and see which one you like better.


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

Plain and simple if it's in the park you ride it. Pipe teaches you better edge to edge control and how to maintain speed. You can learn the basics in a day which includes airing out and spinning.


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## Cane700 (Oct 29, 2012)

It depends on what you are comfortable doing and what you have more access to. Around me, pipes are scarce and parks are abundant.So I am better in the park by far. How safe or dangerous one or the other is depends on how big you go and whether you were ready to go that big 

If you have access to both, get out and do both. Both are awesome.


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## KnoxBoarderX (Aug 26, 2011)

Pipe is harder, but like other suggestions, try them both and see what you prefer.


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## lonerider (Apr 10, 2009)

onthefence said:


> I'm a new-ish rider eventually wanting to learn either pipe or rails/boxes. I have a few questions..
> 
> Which is easier to learn?
> Which is eaiser to master?
> ...


Rails/Boxes are easier to learn and easier to pretend you are good at - a person with less than a week's worth of riding can probably 50-50 a ride-on box. The thing is that a lot of what you do on a rail/box requires a skill set that is completely unrelated to using your board on the snow (i.e. unlike on snow, you never want to use your edges).

The pipe requires good balance and good edge control (i.e. the skill you pick up from being a good rider on the snow). Until you actually show proficiency at riding, you will look like an idiot. My guess is that you probably won't be able to ride pipe properly until you can ride black diamond groomers runs with confidence (because you have to treat each wall as essentially a very steep slope).

I would say pipe is safer... if you screw up, the curve of the wall acts like a slide. True, you can push too hard off the wall and land in the flat that can suck... but that only is an issue when you are clearing the wall of the pipe by a couple of feet... and let's be realistic, you are not going to get good enough for that to happen any time soon (if ever).

In comparison, there are many many ways to break bones messing up a rail (running into it, slipping out and landing on it, having you board go under it).

I say try both and see what is more fun for you. I personally like pipe more.


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## Lamps (Sep 3, 2011)

lonerider said:


> Rails/Boxes are easier to learn and easier to pretend you are good at - a person with less than a week's worth of riding can probably 50-50 a ride-on box. The thing is that a lot of what you do on a rail/box requires a skill set that is completely unrelated to using your board on the snow (i.e. unlike on snow, you never want to use your edges).
> 
> The pipe requires good balance and good edge control (i.e. the skill you pick up from being a good rider on the snow). Until you actually show proficiency at riding, you will look like an idiot. My guess is that you probably won't be able to ride pipe properly until you can ride black diamond groomers runs with confidence (because you have to treat each wall as essentially a very steep slope).
> 
> ...


I've been throught the pipe a few times and if you're scooting back and forth and not getting air then it's very safe and pretty easy, and soft falls, while I've yet to get the guts to try to get on a rail; the thought of falling on something made of metal seems like an easy way to get hurt myself.


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## Tech420 (Jul 1, 2011)

Lamps said:


> I've been throught the pipe a few times and if you're scooting back and forth and not getting air then it's very safe and pretty easy, and soft falls, while I've yet to get the guts to try to get on a rail; the thought of falling on something made of metal seems like an easy way to get hurt myself.


Start on some low boxes and work your way up. Some parks make it so you could ride across a box and almost not even know it. Knees slightly bent in a relaxed position, make sure you stay flat based, and look to the end of the feature not your feet.


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## KnoxBoarderX (Aug 26, 2011)

The pipe is a little different to get a feel for because of the mechanics. You need good edge control, and need to learn how to pump the transitions. It's awkward at first.


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## phony_stark (Jul 2, 2011)

Park, if you're a new-ish rider. Is much easier/safer to progress.

You're gonna start small, with basic airs and boxes. Then progress with airs to grabs/rotation and go from boxes to to rails.
You can pretty much make features all over the trail with rollers and side hits, and practice box tricks on flat ground. 

Doing park stuff will also help you with board/edge control. When you've mastered your edges and shit (something I have not done). Then you can try pipe (in a gay way).


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## huckit (Jan 9, 2012)

3 days since last post... Digging it up..

For how new you are at boarding, you will want to start on boxes, but just be sure to lean forward a little, while still keeping the toe edge of your board up. For some people, when they first got on a box they lean too far back and hit their head on it. (Wear a helmet.) As far as safety goes, just stay in your comfort level. Personally, my comfort level has gotten me into trouble in the past, so if you have second thoughts, you may want to go with the safer thought. In some cases, rails can be easier than boxes (short flat rail vs. step down box) and trying 50/50 isn't that hard on either one. As for the pipe, it's nice to learn turning and push-off 180's, but until you're more experienced, you may want to stay away. Especially if the pipe is frequented by experienced riders. I've been riding the pipe before and I came in on my toe turn after an exit, only to crash into a little girl that was heading down the pipe. Horrible, I know, but I had no clue she came in after I did. Rider awareness is the key!

my 2 cents.


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## Sincraft (Sep 6, 2010)

BurtonAvenger said:


> Plain and simple if it's in the park you ride it. Pipe teaches you better edge to edge control and how to maintain speed. You can learn the basics in a day which includes airing out and spinning.


and on day two he created the sun, the moon, the earth, and the stars?

Day 1 airing out and spinning? Come on. Maybe if you rode for 5 years and then suddenly said Uh, theres a halfpipe there...Ima give that a shot. 

Riding up the walls of a pipe are definitely different than carving side to side on a groomer. 

Getting the balls to go 22' up the side, come down with an alarming increase in speed only to go back up and do it again
.....

then to air 

and THEN to spin?

yea I'm going to say that 99.999999999999999999% of the people on here would never do pipe the first day and air/spin. Never. Never happened sorry. Unless the pipe is a kids park pipe then maybe yea. But that doesnt count.


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