The Coaster Critic was in charge of this week’s Weekly Topic. He posed the age old question of steel vs. wood coasters, but he added a little twist. Which would you pick if you could only ride one type for the rest of your life? You can read his article here and view other responses.

I really had to box my head for an answer on this one. On one hand I love steel coasters for their speed, height, and inversions. On the other there is nothing like a good woodie. I’ve been on what many consider to be the worlds best of both woodie and steel coasters and overall I would say that I enjoy a top wooden coaster over a top steel coaster.

But then I looked at the problem another way. Steel coasters generally offer a much smoother ride and come in a greater variety of types. That is a big plus. I also love speed, airtime, and launches. Only a steel coaster can deliver all three of those. I talked to some “aging” enthusiasts and they all said that a good wood coaster is hard to beat, but also hard to ride.

Some people claim to like wooden coasters better because you never get the same ride twice. There is a little variability in the track and structure. I really have never noticed a difference when ridding a wooden coaster that makes each trip completely different. Any differences found can be found on any coaster or any ride for that matter.

So I’m going to tip my hat to steel coasters. I’m willing to guess that there are more quality steel coasters then wooden coasters out there. Also, what hasn’t been done on a wooden coaster yet? Sure the layouts are getting ever more intricate, but the overall ride hasn’t changed much.

Steel coasters offer a bigger variety and can do everything a wooden coaster can except deliver a sense of nostalgia. And for that reason, steel coasters would be the material of choice if I could only ride one type for the rest of my life.

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