Wood or Steel?

[Coasters 4 ever]

I like steel coasters better because they have inversions and (most) are smoother.

[PKDFreak]

I like steel because of Inversions and stuff....but i would rather ride Thunderhead over anything, anyday!

[AllisonY2K]

Wooden.

I like that old-time historical look of the coaster itself and the train, walking through the queue and getting in your seat feeling like you're taking a trip back in time. I like that feeling of barrelling through and twisting through and around the support structure of the coaster. Speeding inbetween wooden beams and 2x4's thinking "damn that was a close call!". Being jostled around enough to shake dentures loose. Having the feeling at any time that the coaster is going to fly off the track or the whole thing is going to fall apart at any time because you have that wild, out-of-control feeling. Then coming back to the final brake section before the station thinking "damn that was awesome!"

 

That's why I like wooden coasters. 8)

[BoardwalkandBaseball4Ever]

Love wood coaster.... The classics never die -- and they have more character.

[phazan]

steel is better any day!

 

 

you classic lovers have to let go and get yourself on the new rides. they are much better, bigger, and smoother.

[FlyingScooter]

i like wood.

steel is fine for speed and inversions, but, imo, wood is still better. There's something about the ricketyness (if there is such a word) and the way they smell on a muggy ohio night in mid august.

It's kind of like the dodgems: nothing smells like 'em, and one whiff can always brings back great memories.

call me old fashioned.

[CoasterFanatic]

Wood is good

[robbalvey]

Wow, that's a really tough call.

 

Here's my dilema.

 

When I first started this 'coastering hobby' I really, REALLY liked wooden coasters a LOT! They were the BEST! My top list in 1995 - 1998 was something like this:

 

Phoenix

Ghostrider (dropped off my current favorite list)

Shivering Timbers (dropped off my current favorite list)

Timber Wolf (dropped off my current favorite list)

Tonerre De Zeus (dropped off my current favorite list)

Grand National

Wildcat (dropped off my current favorite list)

Great White (dropped off my current favorite list)

Megafobia (dropped off my current favorite list)

Raven

Timber Terror

Texas Giant (dropped off my current favorite list)

 

Since then, many of these rides have dropped WAY down on my list and the invention of the "Hyper Coaster" became more popular. On top of that, steel coasters have gone beyond the "inversion after inversion after inversion" model of the late 80s and early 90s, and I far more enjoy steel coasters now than I did 10 years ago.

 

So when I look at my overall "favorite" coasters, while there is still a woodie near the top, I would rather ride my favorite steel coasters over wooden coasters anyday:

 

Expedition GeForce

Superman: Ride of Steel (SFNE)

Superman: Ride of Steel (SFA)

Phoenix

Dueling Dragons

Kumba

Viper (SFGam)

Raven

Goliath (Walibi World)

Montu

Batman & Robin: The Chiller

Mr. Freeze

Storm Runner

XLR8R

Millennium Force

Grand National

Timber Terror

 

So yeah, while the woodies IMO ruled the 80s and 90s, the lack of really good woodies today due to poor maintenance, has made my vote swing to steel coasters over wood.

 

--Robb "Who hopes that some of those ex-top ten wood coasters can return to their former glory someday..." Alvey

[Mr. Volcano]

As much as I dont mind wooden Coasters, I would rather be flipped around, inverted upsidedown, and spinning out of control (you can put me down for a nice Intamin, or B&M coaster any day and I would be fine without getting off!).

 

Although I really dont care for woodies too much actually, theres a few out there I like so far... but I haven't really ridden any of the amazing ones (or from what I hear are amazing) Raven, Ghostrider, Shivering Timbers, etc.. etc..

 

So I'd have to say my vote goes to the steel

-Justin

[socalMAN123]

Steel. The speed and inversions overrule most anything. But, I can't say wooden coasters aren't bad. The feeling of getting thrown out of your seat and without having the annoying OSTRS there to screw up the ride. Though on some steel coasters, teh OSTRS don't screw up anything.

---Brent 8)

[Gregory DG]

I like the "idea" of wooden coasters, but I'll take a steel one anyday. Especially if I have any inclination of avoiding the chiropractor.

[the kraken]

steel:i've only been on 1 wooden and thats gwazi [lion]it hurt me and

bruised my arm.where as steel is much smoother faster taller.

[robbeal]

Tough one, I like both for different reasons, and there's loads of woodies out there i'd like to ride, but i'd probably say steel because my favourite coasters are all steel. Whereas wooden ones tend to rank a bit lower.

[Jumboshrmp]

This is a no-brainer. Steel wins 100% for me. Sure, wooden coasters may be fun, but they all seem the same, and are hardly ever original in appearance.

You have the okay unpainted coasters, and the super-ugly painted white ones.

Also, wood is much harder to maintain, and gets bumpier after a while.

Wood is imperfect, which means you rarely ever get smooth airtime.

Wood looses speed much faster than steel, so manufacturers have to resort to cheap tricks that involve banking turns incorrectly, in an a feeble attempt to keep you interested.

Plus, with wood, you can't include one of the most important elements of a roller coaster... inversions. Well, they tried....once... and we all know how that turned out... Rolling Eyes

 

Wooden coasters, once again, require a lot of maintenance. Steel coasters don't need nearly as much maintenance, and yet they still are much faster, smoother, and more thrilling.

 

Wooden coasters come in one style.... Sit down.

Steel coasters come in many, many styles, including sitting, inverted, floorless, flying, and 4D.

 

Basically, wooden coasters are a thing of the past. Something that should have disappeared several decades ago.

 

Because, every good thing about a wooden coaster can be done with a steel coaster, it will cost less to mantain, look nicer, last longer, and can be perfected in design based on the improved techniques used to build steel coasters.

 

I know there are a lot of people who completely disagree with me, but I do have a right to my own opinion.

[Rollerholden]

I voted steel because they're more enjoyable for me since they're usually smoother.

[easytoremember]

I voted wood because they are usually rougher. I like being thrown around while experiencing extreem lat/neg. g's. In my oppinion this is way more disorienting than any number of inversions

[CoasterExpert13]

I voted Steel, because i'm an Inversion Fanboy! Something about twisted steel, being tossed upside down, and/or ridiculous speed thrills me. I like woodies also, but the inversions and smoothness (of most) Steel coasters has my vote. Rough coasters don't do anything for me, but leave bruises and marks.

[dwerling]

I prefer the smoothness of steel

[SpartanTS]

Wood would top my list if they were as smooth as their steel counterparts because i'm a sucker for airtime.

 

However, the last wooden coaster i've ridden lately (GASM @ SFOG, and Hurler at Carowinds) both left me with a severe headache and body aches.

 

Steel gets my vote.

[eskater132]

I like wood, it's just that I picked steel. I went on Texas Giant this past thursday, I say it's the best ride I've had on it. Sit ALONE in the front with your hands up, there's AWESOME airtime, and there are just a few moments of roughness, this year the operations are tons better on it, too. But the other wooden coaster (judge roy scream) is smooth cause the track was re(something).

 

I picked steel cause here's my list...

 

Mr. Freeze

Titan

Poltergeist

Incredible Hulk

Superman: Krypton Coaster

Dueling Dragons Fire (IMMELMANS!!!!!)

Revenge of the Mummy Florida

Shockwave the awesome Schwarzkopf!!!

Dueling Dragons Ice(was a bit rougher than fire!)

Batman: The Ride

Texas Giant (only been on three woodies Rattler, Texas Giant, And Judge Roy scream)

(I don't have money to ride anything else in the country!)

[MSLSM]

I like wooden coasters more than steel coasters, since they can be more relaxing yet provide a thrilling ride. Sure you can do more with steel, but wooden coasters just have more character.

[okinawaboy11]

Steel hands down. I can get on most steel (Minus Vekoma and Arrows) without getting a headache.

 

Most woodies give me instand headaches. No matter how smooth they are.

[CoasterKing38]

This is a tough decision for me. I mean there are really awesome wooden coasters out there. Voyage, Thunderhead, El Toro, Balder, Beast, Shivering Timbers, and Ghostrider look all like amazing rides. But there are also a ton of great steel coasters out there. Such as, Expedition Geforce, Superman ROS, Millenium Force, and a buch of B&M's. In the end I have to go with steel, although wood is good, real good.

[derwood]

Wood is good!

 

 

 

 

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[WildStangAlex]

I would ride the Voyage over anything else in the world. Night or day. However, last row ONLY!