Decades after campaigning to bring snowboarding to Australia's alpine resorts, former pro Dave Kelly is once again trying to open the slopes to a new sport.

Advocates say snowskating is a less strenuous activity that suits Australian conditions, but it is yet to get the tick of approval from resorts.

Sharing a history with snowboards, a bi-deck snowskate is effectively a skateboard deck on top of a ski with metal edges.

"You're elevated on a platform off the snow, which lets you get positive edge control and carve turns," Kelly said.

Kelly, a winner of nine Australian snowboard half-pipe titles, says snowskates have evolved significantly since they first appeared in the 1990s.

"In the last four to five years they've developed the technology to be an all-mountain device that is just a great fun thing to do," he said.

'Adrenaline and exhilaration'

Snowskates come with a leash to keep them close to the rider, similar to those on surfboards, and have an optional braking system.

Max Elphick, who rides and manufactures snowskates, describes the sport as "very exhilarating" and, at low speeds, simpler than snowboarding.

"You haven't got the bindings on, so if you fall off you can just step off and walk it out," he said.

But the lack of bindings poses an issue for the major resorts.

Perisher Mountain manager Andrew Kennedy says "snowskates, which lack bindings to secure at least one foot, are currently prohibited on ski slopes, within resort areas, and on lifts".

But Mr Elphick believes there are ways to address safety concerns.

"You don't need the size of the mountain and the top speeds that you need with skiing and snowboarding to get the same sort of adrenaline and exhilaration," he said.

"From the right perspective, it could actually be managed as a safer sport than what the perception is.

Overseas resorts embrace the sport

Kelly, who is also involved in developing snowboards and snowskates, believes snowskating is "a lot lighter on the body" and "great for the Australian snow conditions".

"For those of us that are getting on and retired, we can maybe snowboard two to three days in a week and then have to recover from the injuries, whereas the snowskates we can ride in between and every day," he said.

"It's … a way to enjoy the lower mountains with the weather we get in Australia."

Snowskating is allowed at 600 resorts in North America, more than 400 in Europe and several in Japan, according to Kelly.

"Over the last five years, the resorts around the world have seen the progression in the equipment and are opening up to us," he said.

"Thredbo Resort has been backing us the whole time by letting the sponsored riders … ride and train there, which we're very thankful for.

A Thredbo spokesperson says the resort is reviewing the submission and has been trialling snowskates.

"We are also coordinating with various departments to ensure that everything meets safety standards," the spokesperson said.

'An uphill battle'

But overall progress is slow, and Mr Elphick says there are "very frustrating" parallels with the 1980s fight for snowboarding.

"There are still pure skiers that absolutely despise snowboarders, so that sort of politics is always going to be there," he said.

It is also expensive for new players to enter the snow industry.

"An hour with a snowboard instructor to demonstrate my products is $150 an hour, plus all the costs of going to the snow," Mr Elphick said.

"We're really fighting quite an uphill battle."

Despite the challenges he believes that snowskating is "slowly starting to gain traction".

He says it could "increase the growth of the whole alpine industry" and forecasts further advances in equipment and other areas of the sport.

Kelly sees the campaign as being about offering something new and a "feeling of freedom".

"The appeal for a lot of us that have been riding over 30 years is learning again," he said.

"It's another way of looking at the mountain and enjoying the mountains.