Snowboarding on the decline?

[indiggio]

I've seen articles on this and WFMZ just did a blip on it.

 

I find it hard to believe just looking around at Blue on a weekend day.

http://www.wfmz.com/news/news-regional-lehighvalley/Snowboarding-going-downhill-in-popularity/-/132502/18299144/-/eaagbi/-/index.html

[guitar73]

i've heard the same thing....i think it's too early to tell if snowboarding is truely diminishing.

[AngryHugo]

The only stats I have seen on the topic are that new snowboard sales are declining. They peaked about 5 or 6 years ago, when the ratio of skis to boards sold was just about 1:1. Snowboards have gotten more durable (NeverSummer boards come with a 3-year warranty), so that may be part of explanation. Another stat in the same article also stated that an average skier gets 6 days of skiing in during a year while the average snowboarder gets 11. Snowboarding is not going anywhere. Like skateboarding, its popularity ebbs and flows. These same articles come out about skating all the time, yet that never dies. It seems the people who write these articles don't like snowboarding in the first place, so they are hoping it goes away.

[Kyle]

I think it comes down to people learning both sports as well. I know alot of people, including myself, who can ski/ride at almost the exact same level. Go to bear creek and you'll see kids ripping the park half the day on a board and the other half on skis. I don't think snowboarding is dying as much as park skiing is becoming popular.

[sibhusky]

I'd seen another article about that.

http://travel.yahoo.com/ideas/snowboarding-losing-popularity--while-skiing-heats-up-200354126.html

 

We have way more back country and tele skiers here than boarders, at least among locals. Snowboarders are mostly "paper ticket people".

[Johnny Law]

Split board is shit compared to dyna skis so BC you gotta to really want to board.

 

The other thing is when you sell something as the rebel alternative it inevitably becomes mainstream and then the main reason alot of people got into it no longer exists.

 

Skiing was lame and snowboarding was cool, now skiing is cool and snowboarding is what a thousand of their friends are already doing.

[DiMe]

The only stats I have seen on the topic are that new snowboard sales are declining. They peaked about 5 or 6 years ago, when the ratio of skis to boards sold was just about 1:1. Snowboards have gotten more durable (NeverSummer boards come with a 3-year warranty), so that may be part of explanation. Another stat in the same article also stated that an average skier gets 6 days of skiing in during a year while the average snowboarder gets 11. Snowboarding is not going anywhere. Like skateboarding, its popularity ebbs and flows. These same articles come out about skating all the time, yet that never dies. It seems the people who write these articles don't like snowboarding in the first place, so they are hoping it goes away.

What happened to aggressive inline ? lol

 

But no snowboarding is not going anywhere.

[toast21602]

Hopefully it's not "declining" or else we will lose skiing too. Sounds like the writers of the article are 60 yo guys who are scared of snowboarders though.

[Justo8484]

Everyone citing blue as an example is also forgetting that they're about 5 years behind any real trend in this industry

[Schif]

This article is mostly citing sales of new snowboards, that can be a fairly misleading number when you think about how people buy gear. I have got two snowboards in my arsenal and that's pretty much all I feel that I need for different conditions and mountains and scenarios right now. On the flip side, you skiers out there have got piles and piles and piles of skis in your quiver. Fat skis, long skis, short skis, long radius, short radius, stiff, flexible. So a guy that goes out and buys a new snowboard every few years, is being offset by a guy buying a new pair of skis every year or when there is a sale someone picking up a few pair.

[sibhusky]

I've got one new pair of skis. The other two pairs are still on active service, but each have over 140 days on them. If I had a job they'd have been replaced a couple seasons back. And that is the biggest difference between skiers and boarders, the income issue. I don't think it has anything to do with the sport itself.

 

I could see a real decline in interest as you age to having to sit down and strap in at the beginning of every run, although there is a grandma here that does it, many of us would have to have a friend to have us up.

Edited January 29, 2013 by sibhusky

[jordan]

From what I have seen, yes. snowboarding is definitely not as popular as it once was

[Freeski919]

Snowboarding is, in fact, in decline. Does that mean it's going anywhere? No. That's not just based on snowboard sales, either. It does make sense that the proportion of ski sales would go up compared to snowboard sales. An avid skier these days has at least 4 or 5 pairs of skis in their quiver. Skis are so specialized, it makes sense. Most riders only have one or two boards. As a skier/rider, I have 5 pairs of skis, 1 board.

 

However, if you really want to look at the popularity of snowboarding, and figure out if its growing or shrinking, look at lessons. PSIA/AASI collects some stats from its member schools, which consist of pretty much every ski/ride school in the US. At its peak, snowboard lessons were a touch over 40% of the total lessons taught. I believe that in the early 2000's. Since then, the percentage of snowboard lessons has decreased to somewhere in the ball park of 33%. If you have fewer lessons being taught, you have fewer people learning to do it. That means fewer snowboarders. Maybe not right now, but in 10 years it'll be very noticeable.

 

That being said, snowboarding isn't going anywhere. It's established itself as a legitimate staple on the mountain, and won't be going the way of snowblades any time soon.

[indiggio]

Just playing the devil's advocate (not arguing, just discussing)....

 

I'm not sure you can go by lessons either. I agree, read and know from instructors that snowboard lessons are far lower than ski lessons, but who really knows why? I tend to believe that the mindset is: I skateboarded as a kid, I can snowboard or My friend is taking me snowboarding, so they'll teach me or Lessons are too expensive, how hard can it be? Just look around on any given weekend day and you'll see tons of boarders out there trying to learn on their own, most failing miserably.

 

A question for you, did you take a ski or snowboard lesson when you started?

 

The first time I went skiing was with a bunch of college kids: "It's easy! We'll teach you to ski. All you have to do is snow-plow".

It wasn't until I was proficient, did I take a lesson to see if they could help me improve.

 

All I'm saying is that I don't think lessons are that much better/worse indicator than snowboard sales as to whether snowboarding is on the decline or not.

 

Probably market research would be the only real way to determine whether it's on the decline or not.

Lift ticket sales would be complicated due to repeat customer, season passes, etc.

[Shadows]

i quit skiing/riding so something must be going on.

or maybe im just a dumbass.

[indiggio]

Yet another article surfaces.

 

If Blue is any indication, I'd say it's like a 20-1 ratio of boarders to skiers, if not more and surely not on the decline...

 

http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/snow-sports/skiing-and-snowboarding/snowboarding/Snowboarding-Is-Screwed.html

[AtomicSkier]

You think Blue is 20-1? I definitely think skiers outnumber boarders at Blue.

[toast21602]

Based on sales, it's on the decline. That's just one figure. An article like this comes out every year.

[Schif]

as a snowboarder i would say its on the decline. all the guys who got me into snowboarding no longer ride at all

I totally agree. While there are still a lot of snowboarders like myself out there, it is without a doubt on the decline.

[Schif]

 

unfortunately most of us snowboarders arent exactly excelling when it comes to financial security

Not only that, but typically we don't have a quiver of boards as extensive as skiers. I've got 3 boards and only 2 really see action and I've been at this for well over 10 years. In a 10 year period, how many skis do some of you guys go through?

[Johnny Law]

Not only that, but typically we don't have a quiver of boards as extensive as skiers. I've got 3 boards and only 2 really see action and I've been at this for well over 10 years. In a 10 year period, how many skis do some of you guys go through?

At least 20......lol

[Ride Delaware ?]

Before I patrolled, I only went through 1-2 boards every 5 years. With patrolling I go through about a board a year. I would say the ski to snowboard ratio here in VT is 5:1 at the very least, maybe even greater.

[poconoceancity]

I don't see the need for multiple boards. I have had the same one for 10 years. This year I replaced bindings that were over ten years old and boots that were over 5 years old.

[poconoceancity]

I skied for 20 years. I have boarded for the last 14. I only put on skis when I take my 3 year old out on the hill. I'm on my 3rd Burton Custom, my next board will probably be the same.

[AngryHugo]

 

i didnt know you snowboarded. for some reason i always think angryhugo is a snowboarder

I switched back to skis 3 years ago after 20 years or so on boards. I still have 2 snowboards and my boots, and I still think like a snowboarder, if that makes any sense.

 

I ride goofy, so a lot of weight is on my left hip, which I dislocated years ago. It really starts to bug me on a snowboard, but skiing spreads the stress around.

 

I really don't think snowboarding is going anywhere. Just like skateboarding, it rises and falls in popularity. There will be a big technological break with snowboarding at some point, and sales will go bonkers again.