KIRKRIDER

Consider also that the economy is what it is, and shops try to appeal more to adults with money, more likely skiers, then the younger crowd.

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2012/13 -12- Kirkwood days
Arbor A-Frame 158 2009-10
Jeremy Jones Hovercraft 156, 2011/12
Burton Driver-X
K2-Cinch-CTX
Subaru WRX 06

Extremo

I've got to say, I see more turds on snowboards nowadays than I do skiing. You know the type, xl jacket, medium pants, glossy white boots, 1999 dragon goggles, backpack hanging below there ass, 19 inch stance, rear positive binding angle, jumping off the side of every jump, occasionally cartwheeling off the flat box.

I hate to be so judgmental but if image and branding are a pillar of our industry, those turds are killing snowboarding.

Donutz

Just to keep it in perspective, as long as the total numbers don't drop on the hills, the hills will stay in business. That's all I care about.

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Illegitimi non carborundum

Mountain Days: 30

grafta

If contemporary snowboarders all looked like this guy, there would be no way popularity would be down.



Who the fuck found this stock image for the article? I mean, it's cool and shit but wow

BurtonAvenger

The stock image photos are the best! I should make an article about them. Also snowboarding has had a decline since 02 which was our greatest participation levels ever. Face it snowboarding is a rich persons sport that's catching up to skiing in terms of cost and our "rebel" image is now replaced with fat out of shape guys.

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Angry Snowboarder Because someone has to call it how they see it!

Extremo

I agree, I don't care if I'm the last snowboarder on the hill, as long as those lifts keep turning.

But I do feel for snowboard companies. I'd hate to see small board companies go under and end up with ski companies subsidizing their snowboard divisions with limited product.

BoardWalk

Hey wait a minute...

sponger606

Sorry I should've searched before creating new thread. Is thread merging a new 'extreme sport'?

Soggysnow

I think your version is out of fashion where I live. All I see are dark colours, browns, black green and camo and tighter pants. A lot of snowboarders don't want to be bright and flashy.

I agree with schmitty34 on why skiing is gaining more popularity. I actually think the progression of freestyle skiing is great :-) It will make everyone step up.

Extremo

Don't get me wrong, we have the hipster/dirtbag kids too, which I look at as a different riding style than mine. I'm not talking about baggy vs hipster vs outdoorsy here. I'm talking about the completely clueless. The guy wearing a bandana with no hat and goggles or the guy wearing a medium sweatshirt and windpants at 10 degrees and gale force winds. Snowboarding has attracted all the dweebs which we used to associate with skiing.

I'm seeing skiing attracting the affluent, more families who can bring their toddlers along, the competitors to trophy sports of racing and ski jumping, as well as the Bobby Brown-Tanner Hall freestyle park riding types. And it's because skiing is easier. It encompasses a broader portion of the spectrum than snowboarding does.