Seeing less and less Snowboarders slope side these days.

A snowHead

I've seen the odd thread comment on this.

When I started riding the single plank there were an abundance of snowboarders but in recent years I've noticed less and less, also far less in lessons. What are people's views, has the sport reached a plateau particularly with the rise of slope style and free style skiing the traditional view of skiing has vastly changed and the alternative view of snowboarding doesn't really exist anymore.

I learnt to ski then moved to the board because, personally, I feel more comfortable on it and I've had less injuries on a snowboard than skis. I see so many legs in braces due to skis each time I go away that said an old girlfriend broke and dislocated both her wrists in Austria many years ago learning to snowboard (that was a heck of a week!). That was the end of her snowboarding, however, the following year she was on skis playing at the side of the piste fell and sliced about half an inch deep in the fatty tissue just above her knee whilst skiing (we're not together anymore).

Skiing still looks more civilised I'm not into step in bindings and it can be a bit of a faff begging strapped in or duck walking on a flat section. I won't let me kids try a board until they're proficient skiers.

Ther will always be snowboarders but are we a shrinking club? Puzzled

A snowHead

I had three days of trying to learn to snowboard many years ago. I appreciate that wasn't enough but the thing I hated above all was not being to spread out my legs like you can with skis unless you take a boot out of the bindings. In those days skis were narrow so boarders had it much easier off piste but now it's easier to ski off piste with regular skis.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Don't know about less, but I'd say there's fewer Smile

During the holidays, as a % of the overall number of slope users, then that heuristic would seem to hold (here in PdS anyway).
But on any given Saturday go the Parks in Avoriaz, and there's a solid representation.

Also out of the holidays you get groups of Brit and Dutch twenty-somethings which pushes up the boarder numbers a bit.

One of my sons went on a ski trip with is Uni (Annecy) a few weeks ago and of the 40 people there were only 2 boarders, so the % of French young people boarding was pretty low.

I would have broadly agreed about the injury thing, but 2 weeks ago son no 2 was helicoptered to hospital having been unconscious and broken 2 vertebrae while boarding, so I think it's equally as dangerous tbh.

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people getting softer, want to enjoy mountains from day one, skiing can provide you with just that. No bending to strap in, poles to get you through flat spots, more natural to slide facing forward.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I think you mean fewer and fewer

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Yes yes yes, thank you reading the post back the use of the word fewer is appropriate. Gratitude.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Yes, I've definitely noticed this. I've also put it down to more skis in the parks, so you no longer need a board to be cool.

After all it is free

I beg to disagree. I think boarding is on the rise. A couple years ago the ratio of skiers to boarders was 20 to one now it's closer to 10 to 1 I've even seen children learning.
I think the stereotype boarder as a middle aged male is being eroded somewhat.

Yes snowboarding has lost it's status as the edgy upstart punk. Many boarders are now middle aged. It is what it is. I don't mind either way, the thing is, with a few exceptions, people are either boarders or skiers. Even if they haven't ever tried either. I'm kind of glad people aren't taking up the sport just because they think it's cool.

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Definitely fewer and fewer... wink

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Plenty of snowboarders of all ages in Schladming.

snow reports

My very unscientific assessment over a one week/year holiday, is that there are fewer Snowboarders on the Piste than there used to be.

You know it makes sense.

I have a friend who decided quite a long time ago to take up snowboarding . TBH he got quite good at it to the extent that he would come down serious black mogul fields with us. This season he returned to skis.
I think the reason he took up boarding in the first place was he was a dedicated follower of fashion. He loves brand names. Now he is over 50 I think he would rather just enjoy himself.
Ps he still wears padded shorts.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

A snowHead

I’m trying to learn how to ski after 20 years of boarding. But as soon as i see a few feet of the powdery stuff I feel fewer and fewer like sking

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

The one who drives volvo/toyota or another kind of boring car, had 1 to 5 women in his life, is fat and boring - natural born skier.

The one who gets all the attention from women, drives powerful rwd car - a rider/snowboarder.

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Agreed, boarder numbers seem to have been going downhill for the last 10 to 15 years or so. Embarassed

I'll get my coat!

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

The trend has been well documented for years.

The snowboard industry has been trying to solve its decline (without success) since the late-1990s.

Worldwide snowboarding participation fell roughly -40% between 2000 and 2020.

Many reasons for the downturn, including:

Perceived high cost.
Relentless wrist injuries.
Damaged spines and lower backs.
Constant clipping and unclipping boots on lifts and flat trails.
No poles for balance or a comfort blanket.
Perceived as childish, like skateboards (especially by women).
Perceived as heavy (especially by women).
Most women dislike snowboarding.
Boards make a bad scraping noise on ice, which scares nervous male riders.
Harder to make sharp turns.
Harder on the steeps.
Almost impossible for most riders in the bumps (moguls).
Global boiling means less powder (where boards excel).
Ski planks for onpiste got (much) better since the 2010s.
Ski planks for offpiste got (much) better since the 2010s.
Boarding has gone out of fashion.
Anyone aged over 40yo on a board looks ridiculous (like a child's skateboard).

If current trends continue, snowboarding will be all but dead by 2050.

For any hope of a revival, snowboarding is probably going to have to add tech and go "smart".

If Apple made an iBoard, and sold it for $1,000, you can bet millions would hop back on a snowboard in a flash.

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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

@Whitegold, I’ve got worse wrist injuries from watching beach volleyball than I ever have from snowboarding.

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You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

On our last trip, there were significantly more snowboards out after the fresh snowfall than before. If people do both and have access to both sets of kit, then they choose the best tool for the job that day, and if not then you'll rent kit for the prevailing conditions, normally hard piste so skis.

I'm lucky enough to have never put skis on in my life so the snowboard is always my weapon of choice for any condition.

What I did notice was that the snowboarding lessons that Jnr was doing were well attended at all levels from beginner through to advanced.

A snowHead

A snowHead

Seems to be a time of year thing in Tignes, French School hols, not many at all. Cheap weeks with lots of middle aged Brits without kids, proportionately more snowboards (overall less people on hill). Demographic seems to be drifting to the over 35s.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

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@chocksaway, I've noticed a slight increase in snowboarders (2 groups on the SOPiB this year for example) in the last few years but then I am a childless 36 year old!

Many of my friends ski and sometimes conditions dictate I have it easier and sometimes they do. We're all happy sliding about the mountain and can appreciate someone doing something well; I love seeing a skier lay down well executed carves!

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

The irony is that the rise of snowboarding revolutionised skiing to the extent that snowboarding has become less popular.

My kids do both. Me and the wife are two plankers.

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Boardings second boom rode the crest of the extreme sports boom in the late 90's to mid 2000's (X games, Shaun Palmer / White / Terje, Olympic debut and subsequent arguments) , comparing the number of riders on the hill now to then is like chalk and cheese. In my last season in Morzine we had 2 skiers in our house of 14...
Nothing about it being perceived as more dangerous than skiing, its just not the "cool" thing to do anymore. Remember the Wrigleys / Pepsi MAX adverts? - When was the last time you saw a TV spot with snowboarding? Now its more likely to be Candide on his skis, or some influencer from instagram / love island.
As a (very) late 30 something I'm one of those to blame - Boarded from my teenage years to my early 30's, bummed seasons in ski towns, skated in the summer, boarded in the winter. Lived the scene and have the scars. Then kids come along, you stop taking the holidays, your mates stop taking the holidays, before you know it you haven't boarded for 10 years, and those who are still boarding aren't the punk kids you remember - they are slightly balding, middle aged, mildly overweight and not "cool" in any way shape or form.
But much like earlier cycles it'll come around again - I managed a week away this year, took my skis and board - ended up boarding pretty much all week. I wont be taking skis again.
Kids will come back to the sport as their parents drag them to the hills, its attracting the "new" riders (ie those who haven't been on snow before) that it'll be harder to achieve.
The stoke is still there, its just getting through its difficult middle aged period.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Three separate friends who used to snowboard are all converting back to or to skis , two reasons , one age I suspect , but the main reason is ski touring although they do split board longer ski tours are so much easier on skis , especially with long ski outs . If your considering a day out away from the lifts being on touring skis widens the choice as opposed to split board .

After all it is free

Guess I'm lucky living near the mountains, but I probably rode more when the kids came along than before (because I massively cut back on weed when I became a parent Very Happy

). Started boarding early/mid 90's.

Turned into a very regular family thing to do, kids loved it, both good and super keen boarders now as young adults - I taught them both to board from when they were 2.

I'm definitely one of the uncool balding getting overweight middle aged boarders being referred to above Very Happy

Tried skiing a few years ago, didn't enjoy it. Surf as much as I can in summer and still love it like I did as a kid Very Happy

Personally couldn't care less how many people ski or board or how they ride. It's all good fun, and makes no difference to my massive love for it.

Bloody glad it's not in the media all the time though. Same as surfing - just cringey marketing rubbish.

Always fancied getting a volvo, look like decent cars Very Happy

Here's a fairly recent summary from the SIA based on their statistics, from the entire US industry.
Probably different from Europe, but the US has been something of a driver in this market historically:
https://snowsports.org/dont-believe-hype-youth-snowboarding-thriving/
Selective no doubt, but based on data rather than anecdote.

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Quoted from you know who;

For any hope of a revival, snowboarding is probably going to have to add tech and go "smart".

And here he is in person
http://youtube.com/v/wxhya6kdoMo

Toofy Grin

Help!!

Seeing less and less Snowboarders slope side these days.

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