Whats Happened?

[tommy]

Ive just been looking through the internet doing some research and i came across this link.

http://espn.go.com/extreme/winterx00/s/skiboardingrecap.html

It basically says it all......... why has the industry gone down hill so much since 98/99?

[Greco]

wow. nice find.

yeah the trends have changed and now twintip skis are all the rage. but that doesn't change anything about how great skiboards are. the people who are doing it for the love of it are still doing it. the ones who are trying to fit in and be thought of as cool are switching (a small few are doing it for other reasons but it's not many).

bottom line, if you love something stay with it. don't be a poser, there are enough snowboards doing that already.

G

[kirk]

Levinthal says, "We go mostly after an aggressive consumer."

haha, what a great line... I guess thats why they stopped making the weapon and why their new boards are basically salomon snowblades with different graphics.

Fack you line! Fack you!

[allz]

yes kirk, fuck em !!! Tommy remember...i said that to you, that i HATE LINE !!! that is the best best seeingposer thing in centuries..haha...LINE goes for posers...

[Bentfilms]

Greco thats a super weak thing to say. All we do is preach love and respect on the mountain for skiboards, but are we any better? calling kids who want to switch because they generally love skiing and snowboarding 'posers'

is that fair? who are you to say what someones personal preference is for something? You cant judge someones loyalty to a sport. Not everyone is into winter activities for life and are as hardcore as we all are, they like to experiment.

but in the end its respect for everyone on the mountain. Lets try to keep an open mind to everyone

b

[adamlynam]

wow a little heated there benji...

no comment on the subject,
lynam

[JapSpec]

Im against line's decision to fuck up their skiboard lineup.

But I have nothing against my Line Pro 98cm's.
The last year of the 4 hole METAL bindings :D

[Greco]

maybe you missed this part of my post "(a small few are doing it for other reasons but it's not many)"

i wasn't addressing the people who are switching because of a genuine desire to try something new or to "progress" to something else, i'm cool with that.




Originally posted by Bentfilms
Greco thats a super weak thing to say. All we do is preach love and respect on the mountain for skiboards, but are we any better? calling kids who want to switch because they generally love skiing and snowboarding 'posers'

is that fair? who are you to say what someones personal preference is for something? You cant judge someones loyalty to a sport. Not everyone is into winter activities for life and are as hardcore as we all are, they like to experiment.

but in the end its respect for everyone on the mountain. Lets try to keep an open mind to everyone

b

[Bentfilms]

how about we mud wrestle for it.

i think its a good idea

b

[tommy]

can i be referree?

[drew]

"trends" are a measure of consumer interest, but that interest itself is a function of so many different things. Magazine articles that featured skiboarding or skiboard reviews began to dwindle back in 00/01. I think most of it has to do with the wow factor of the sport. Before skiboarding exploded all over the place in 98/99, you barely ever saw anyone riding fakie or grinding on skis. Skiboarders were among the first (at least in my memory) to get caught on video doing stunts like that, hence their explosion in popularity. But as soon as twin tip skiers started doing the same tricks, the limelight shifted. It's a matter of fact that skiers can throw and stick bigger tricks...especially in the back country; there are some things that are simply physically impossible on skiboards. And that's the stuff that sells magazines. If that's what sells, that's what the manufacturers and advertisers will push, and that will forcefully shift the focus to the products that enable those feats to take place.

I'm still a huge fan of skiboarding, for a number of reasons. I can't say I'll never ski, or even snowboard...but i know that as long as I own a pair of skiboards, I'll be riding on them.

Oh yea...and it's good to talk with you guys again. I've been a bit out of touch for awhile, as evidenced by my really, really inactive web site.

-Drew

[allz]

nice to see ya , here and at all!

@drew
i doubt u have all information about yours web page members!!!

i now look in, and there were not inf given...:(

maybe you could help, and find european skibaorders !!!???!!!

[tommy]

Originally posted by drew
"trends" are a measure of consumer interest, but that interest itself is a function of so many different things. Magazine articles that featured skiboarding or skiboard reviews began to dwindle back in 00/01. I think most of it has to do with the wow factor of the sport. Before skiboarding exploded all over the place in 98/99, you barely ever saw anyone riding fakie or grinding on skis. Skiboarders were among the first (at least in my memory) to get caught on video doing stunts like that, hence their explosion in popularity. But as soon as twin tip skiers started doing the same tricks, the limelight shifted. It's a matter of fact that skiers can throw and stick bigger tricks...especially in the back country; there are some things that are simply physically impossible on skiboards. And that's the stuff that sells magazines. If that's what sells, that's what the manufacturers and advertisers will push, and that will forcefully shift the focus to the products that enable those feats to take place.

I'm still a huge fan of skiboarding, for a number of reasons. I can't say I'll never ski, or even snowboard...but i know that as long as I own a pair of skiboards, I'll be riding on them.

Oh yea...and it's good to talk with you guys again. I've been a bit out of touch for awhile, as evidenced by my really, really inactive web site.

-Drew

I know what your saying Drew but i dont think much is physically impossible anymore, ive been rollerblading for 4 years now and from the beggining i said rollerblading has got to the stage where no more can happen but all the time bigger and better tricks are being layed down and i think skiboarding has so much potential its unbelievable. If a skier can do something im sure a skiboarder could, and i will be willing to prove it ;)

[drew]

Originally posted by tommy
I know what your saying Drew but i dont think much is physically impossible anymore, ive been rollerblading for 4 years now and from the beggining i said rollerblading has got to the stage where no more can happen but all the time bigger and better tricks are being layed down and i think skiboarding has so much potential its unbelievable. If a skier can do something im sure a skiboarder could, and i will be willing to prove it ;)

By "physically impossible" I meant with respect to the back country stuff. You don't see many skiboarders jumping out of helicopters or gapping trains. A skiboard's length is an obvious limitation in really deep powder when it comes to speed, so you mostly see them in parks. I know that skiboards can stay afloat in powder (and I know Greco can attest to this), and that there are guys who can hit 80-100' gaps on skiboards but it tends to happen alot more often on video and in magazines with skiers, therefore skiing's exposure is much greater in the public's mind. There is definitely a "holy shit" factor to skiboarding, but it is much more prevalent for skiers, hence more profitable for magazines and movie producers.

When it comes to technical tricks, I agree...skiboarders can definitely push the envelope as hard as skiers, and I would honestly rather watch a badass skiboarder tear up a park than watch a badass skier throw another flip off a cliff. I think skiboarding is more enjoyable to watch, in general.

[drew]

Originally posted by allz
nice to see ya , here and at all!

@drew
i doubt u have all information about yours web page members!!!

i now look in, and there were not inf given...:(

maybe you could help, and find european skibaorders !!!???!!!

Man, i know...it's a damn shame. the code for my site is in such shambles, and half the data is broken. I've been meaning to rebuild everything for at least 3 solid years, but I have no time on my hands to devote to it (job, kids, etc). i've got about 4 other personal sites and a few side projects that are similarly neglected. hell, it's been a year and a half since i've even seen my skiboards, much less ridden on them.

[drew]

I'm labeled as a "junior skiboarder"...that's awesome :cool:

[tommy]

hahaha, if you ever want any help with you sites or need anything i will always help, (well once my site has stopped killing itself :D ) oh yeh and im going to jump out of a helicopter with skiboards next season!!! it has to be done!

[drew]

Originally posted by tommy
hahaha, if you ever want any help with you sites or need anything i will always help, (well once my site has stopped killing itself :D ) oh yeh and im going to jump out of a helicopter with skiboards next season!!! it has to be done!

hehe, just be sure to get it on tape.

-drew

[McShane]

drew, i am totally on the same page with you (i may try to guess the business youre in... :) ) - i've been trying to get to the same point of "being noticed and admitted" over and over again.

btw, i started thinking on heli-skiboarding last season. somebody has to do it this year!!! thats an ultimate ambition

[marcolo86]

speaking about the difficulty of skiboarding, they are often percieved as being easier to use for tricks than skis...

Seems the generl thread is Shorter=Easier, probably because rotations and flips seem easier to do due to the size and weight...