 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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'Massive oldie on a board'
My headstone is complete
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Pretty much obvious that those in their 50s and older are unlikely to be boarders. What's more significant - it seems - is that teens and twenties are now more likely to be on two planks. Face it, they are liable to regard boarding as something their embarrassing dad did or (worse) does.
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@kat.ryb,
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Nice bit of confirmation bias there for you
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Not really. As a group we've always grumbled about the fact that there are too many boarders. This year we were marvelling at how few there were.
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Yup because very few people switch over from skiing to boarding. Especially once you are older. So, say, if you were 20 in 1995 when boarding was super popular, and decided to try your hand at snowboarding, you'd only be 41 now. Much more unlikely for oldies (who would be even older now, even older than 45 ) to have every switched over to snowboarding, hence less likely to see any massive oldies on a board.
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But this is the point. It's not about switching over, it's about how many new people are coming to boarding in the first place and the answer to that seems to be 'not many'.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| dogwatch wrote: |
| Pretty much obvious that those in their 50s and older are unlikely to be boarders. What's more significant - it seems - is that teens and twenties are now more likely to be on two planks. Face it, they are liable to regard boarding as something their embarrassing dad did or (worse) does. |
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| dogwatch wrote: |
| Pretty much obvious that those in their 50s and older are unlikely to be boarders. What's more significant - it seems - is that teens and twenties are now more likely to be on two planks. Face it, they are liable to regard boarding as something their embarrassing dad did or (worse) does. |
Funny that as my 16 year old son loves boarding with me at 45 . Is ed Leigh to old and embarrassing at 40 ? If so whys he got a slot on ski Sunday ?
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I've heard quite a few of the locals round here say the kids/teens are switching back to skiing from boarding. I've also been spending more time this season on two planks as opposed to one, it's not that I don't enjoy boarding any more, far from it, I've just got off the skiing plateau I was stuck on and enjoying myself and wanting to improve.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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One of the implications is that drag lifts have a brighter future again. There is less pressure now
to replace them with expensive chairlifts, keeping costs and perhaps ticket prices a little lower in some areas.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Sitter wrote: |
| I've heard quite a few of the locals round here say the kids/teens are switching back to skiing from boarding. I've also been spending more time this season on two planks as opposed to one, it's not that I don't enjoy boarding any more, far from it, I've just got off the skiing plateau I was stuck on and enjoying myself and wanting to improve. |
Heard or seen , hearsay 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| Markab1971 wrote: |
| Sitter wrote: |
| I've heard quite a few of the locals round here say the kids/teens are switching back to skiing from boarding. I've also been spending more time this season on two planks as opposed to one, it's not that I don't enjoy boarding any more, far from it, I've just got off the skiing plateau I was stuck on and enjoying myself and wanting to improve. |
Heard or seen , hearsay |
Anecdotal evidence and personal observation are obviously less valid that hard statistical data, but that doesn't necessarily mean they are worthless, especially when there isn't much data anyway.
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Is ed Leigh to old and embarrassing at 40 ?
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Surely a bit on the young side for boarding?
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You know it makes sense.
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| Peter S wrote: |
One of the implications is that drag lifts have a brighter future again. There is less pressure now
to replace them with expensive chairlifts, keeping costs and perhaps ticket prices a little lower in some areas. |
Yeah right - snowboarding was the driving force behind renovating resort infrastructure and driving up prices 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Not many boarders round the Sella Ronda last week, don't know whether that's because it is Italy, the terrain not being favourable, or going out of favour.
But the helmet wearing ratio for both boarders and skiers was probably into the 90%, with the 10% mainly being the older bretheren with long pointy skis and wooly hats.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Looks great when done properly and riding powder with big sweeping arcs, but lets face it the vast majority are seen kneeling and/ or sitting about in small groups on piste trying to find the best way to avoid the next area of flat terrain they will have to unclip to shuffle along. Don't see as many as used to, its in decline imo.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Markymark29 wrote: |
| Looks great when done properly and riding powder with big sweeping arcs, but lets face it the vast majority are seen kneeling and/ or sitting about in small groups on piste trying to find the best way to avoid the next area of flat terrain they will have to unclip to shuffle along. Don't see as many as used to, its in decline imo. |
It is great when done properly and stylish , if we re talking about people hanging around in groups , the worst are groups of skiers who stop directly at the bottom of the run off of the chairs discussing where there next luncheon stop will be , then boarders with one foot strapped in trying to navigate round them ! .... Just an observation 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Lift exits , getting off the run off area ( the ramp ) then stopping ,not moving out of the way ... I must just have been unlucky then for all these years 
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@Markab1971, touché
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I read the article and found it to be interesting and apparently well researched with lots of references.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Markab1971 wrote: |
| Lift exits , getting off the run off area ( the ramp ) then stopping ,not moving out of the way ... I must just have been unlucky then for all these years |
I think both skiers and boarders are both 'guilty' of this, not that I see it as a problem anyway. I've just got back from a couple of weeks skiing and there wasn't a single instance of people clogging lift exist to the point that it was a problem. Maybe boarders are less manoeuvrable in these circs and it is a problem for them?
As an aside, I never really understand the outrage when someone else's ski/pole/board touches the top of your skis/board. They're just skis for goodness sake. They aren't meant to be immaculate and they are meant to be covered in snow most of the time. I don't particularly want someone marching straight across my skis, but it's hardly a huge issue.
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@foxtrotzulu, there's a bit of a difference of it being "touched " to being rammed down hard on the top sheet to push off and yeah we are far less manoueverable getting off lifts , so maybe you guys should have a little think about us guys when congregating at the lift exits
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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If there's actually any of us guys left according to the New York Times
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Just got back from Argentiere, and noted the low numbers of snowboarders.
Many of the few I saw were on foot carrying their board up to the lift, or stalled on a flat/uphill bit and begging their skiing pals for their ski poles.
Danger?
Skiers can deal with the SB danger once they have learned that snowboarders invariably travel close to the edge of the piste they can see. They are apt to make backside turns into terrain behind them that they can't see. When they do that, that's when to pass them neatly on their seeing side.
My £00.02 rules for self preservation:-
Never try to pass a snowboarder on their blind side.
Never try to follow a traversing snowboarder. (You'll lose height fast)
Never expect a snowboarding colleague to follow your traverse or climbing traverse, they just can't.
When passing over a blind drop-off in the piste - there may well be snowboarders sitting in a pack on the other side. They need to do this if they are to start off again, and they don't understand why they shouldn't.
If you see a snowboarder standing up not moving on a slope, you can be sure he will be about to start, right into your path, and he won't have seen you. So pass on the seeing side.
Good snowboarders are worthy of respect. You can tell them by the way they use the back leg and foot.
Skiers today are a problem too:
When offpiste you always had to check uphill for snowboarders above and a potential snow-release. Now it's skiers too. The fat skis allow anyone to charge around offpiste with none of the traditional etiquette and respect for the people below.
Snowboarding was sold on the false premise that it is easier than skiing. It isn't. That's one possible reason for the noticeable reduction in the numbers.
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it's no way easier than skiing , much harder to learn imo .. Well I always tell the boarders I'm with if they stop to do it at the edge of the piste, face up the mountain to see oncoming danger . Agreed "backside" or heel edge turns are blind side , that's particularly why I dislike earphones because at least you can hear people coming up fast , personally myself I take a glance over my left shoulder as well as listening . Not too sure about the begging bit though !
Ps My other half is getting much better at her "seeing side " turns
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I don't think anyone would defend skiers who don't clear the off-ramp. :-}
Obviously, boarders would always clear the ramp and stop safely at the side of the piste facing uphill so they can do all their binding-fiddling and then start safely. 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously , then we would check both our backside and seeing sides to make sure all is well , indicate and set off in an orderly manner , regular riders to the left of the piste , goofies to the right and obviously on the flats we must keep some spare euros to entice our skiing friends to give us a lovely tow to the luncheon area of which was discussed at the lift exit 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Love towing my boarder friends. Chance to show off my skating without using poles. 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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For once I pray the "Gray Lady" is correct!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@arcsinice, well thats not very sporting is it ! 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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To (attempt to) answer seriously: If you go skiing in Scotland most people seem to be on either rental equipment or ancient equipment!
This I suppose is to do with excess-baggage charges on flights to Europe, and high quality rental equipment in the European resorts that can be booked conveniently on-line. It means that people aren't buying their own equipment anymore.
I was told in a snowsports sales shop that only Japan had large retail sales of skis and boards. The rest of European output went to rental, which has a 3-year turnover of stock.
So - we have two sets of figures. Equipment sales and Participation levels.
Personally, I'd be quite happy to see the participation levels drop so the pistes would be less crowded.
I'd also like to see compenency licences for resort users for each colour of piste. This would boost lesson sales. It would also boost equipment sales as slope-users would then see the need for better equipment in order to keep up with their increasing level of skill.
The equipment manufacturers would do well to rationalise their brands - or realise that the sports could go the way of windsurfing, which seems to have died out where I come from.
Sales prices need to be cheaper, and margins larger. That means more turnover is required.
As for the talk of a "quiver" of skis/boards: Surely, only those who drive to Europe - or live there can seriously have a useful "quiver". It costs too much to fly with them.
I have a garage full of equipment - but I can't use them all at once. I suppose I could freight them out in advance and hire a caddy to lug them for me.
My solution is "Learn to ski in all conditions on the equipment you've got!" you then won't need so many.
(.. edited to conform..)
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Mon 14-03-16 18:10; edited 1 time in total
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@SkiPresto, eh ? Death of snowboarding
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@SkiPresto,
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Personally, I'd be quite happy to see the pistes less crowded.
I'd also like to see compenency licences for resort users for each colour of piste. This would boost ski lesson sales. It would also boost equipment sales as slope-users would then see the need for better equipment in order to keep up with their increasing level of skill.
The equipment manufacturers would do well to rationalise their brands - or realise that the sports could go the way of windsurfing, which seems to have died out where I come from.
Sales prices need to be cheaper, and margins larger. That means more turnover is required.
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I know we've been over this ground before, but...
While I would also like to see the pistes less crowded it is pretty obvious that less crowded pistes equals fewer skiers which equals lower revenues for the resorts. The ramifications of that would not necessarily be good news for anyone.
Competency licenses would decimate participation and massively increase crowding on the easier slopes as well as turning the slopes into a police state. I do not believe competency licenses would increase ski lesson sales as so many people would be deterred from coming in the first place and I think your argument that it would boost equipment sales is dubious to say the least. Overall, I'm not at all sure what objectives you are trying to achieve with your suggestions. Do we need to increase equipment sales? Should resorts be complicit in trying to increase sales of either equipment or ski lessons? What is the problem you are trying to solve with the introduction of competency licenses? Occasionally I see someone struggling down a black run who probably shouldn't be there, but they are no risk to others and minimal risk to themselves. By the same token, should we introduce competency tests for road cyclists, mountain bikers, wind surfers, surfers, hill walkers, joggers?
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I think the key word in liking to see pistes less crowded is "pistes". Plenty of skiiing not on pistes - why limit yourself to dicing with the sheople who are making them overcrowded (ability levels etc acknowledged)? The shock news of a ski instructor being in favour of a market intervention that would force more people into taking lessons notwithstanding.
I don't think a skier's view of the ski hardgoods market in Europe is particularly on point re an article about the decline of snowboarding with a US focus. We've already heard from lots of people (and I've no reason to believe it's untrue) that European boarders are far more likely than the "average" holiday skier to own their own kit because snowboard rental kit quality is gash. I also however suspect that the average boarder never really wears out that kit & is therefore the market is dependent on a) new blood or b) new desire to generate ongoing sales.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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never really wears out that kit
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Yeah, because that's the normal motivation for flinging cash at the new and shiny ...
(said the man with a nice new setup this season)
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@foxtrotzulu,
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As an aside, I never really understand the outrage when someone else's ski/pole/board touches the top of your skis/board. They're just skis for goodness sake. They aren't meant to be immaculate and they are meant to be covered in snow most of the time. I don't particularly want someone marching straight across my skis, but it's hardly a huge issue.
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Feel the same way about your car? Its just a paint job... who cares of some dick head scratches it with a shopping trolley?
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Snowboarding was sold on the false premise that it is easier than skiing. It isn't. That's one possible reason for the noticeable reduction in the numbers.
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Ah ha, ha ha. HA. Snowboarding is much harder than skiing. Harder to start with. Harder to cruise around and go fast on slopes. It used to be easier to play in the lovely soft stuff but now skiers are cheating and using 2x snowboards on their feet
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FAQ
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