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Skiing or Riding - what is more popular among kids/teens now?


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Was surprised to learn from both my 14 year old nephew (who skis) and my 11 year old niece  (who rides) that skiing is more popular than riding among their friends.

 

They said they thought this was because there are lots of rich people in Darien CT (where they live) who start out doing what their parents do, which was usually ski.

 

Any stats on whether the trend towards riding is reversing, or any other anecdotal evidence on this front?

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Skiing is way, way, way (way) more popular in Colorado, especially among kids.  Most of the snowboarders left are mid-20 something or older that are left over from the huge migration to snowboarding in the 90s.  The advantages that originally drew a large crowd to snowboarding have been all but been eliminated with modern skis, and the advantages of skiing are plenty.  Skiing is simply more fun, and is a much more efficient method of travelling over snow.      

Edited by jordan
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I know that snowboarding is declining in popularity since the late 90s with the advent of Twin Tips and rockered skis. My assessment of this is as follows. Typically kids who start skiing young start because of their parents who are likely skiers so start as skiers themselves plus skiing is easier than snowboarding for real young kids. Kids who start as pre teens or teens often begin because of school ski clubs or friends and it seems pretty split between skiers and snowboarders. When its young kids on the hill like Tuesday night id say something like 1/3-1/2 of them are snowboarders where as when its mostly adult season passholders early mornings on the weekends it's like 90% skiers at least..

 

The teenagers of the late 90s who helped save the declining industry are in their 30s now and most of them have switched back to skiing from snowboarder but a few still snowboard as they approach middle age. AngryHugo switched from snowboarding to skiing three years ago and my Montana friend Tom switched to skiing several years ago. Even Atomic Jeff used to snowboard.

 

Darien Connecticut is where alot of 1%ers live so that's a good theory...anyway skiing amoung youth is more popular now than a decade or two ago for sure no questions about it. Back in the day there wasn't a terrain park, there was a snowboard park. Also look at how few local areas have half pipes anymore.

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You wouldn't think so if you spend any time at Blue...

 

 

More and more seem to be getting into tele nowadays.

I was going along the line of people who ride more than 3 times a year. I can count at least 15 people I know who made the switch to skiing, myself included who ride regularly. But yes, snowboarding seems meore appealing to the newbs because it's glorified and shown more in media outlets like the xgames, dew tour, etc.

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Well those super shapes aren't popular anymore like in the early 2000s...on fresh cord I love hyper carving..I've gotten so low I needed body Armour...yeah I crashed into the camara man..no big deal. attachicon.gifimage.jpg

Haha, I was going to ask how that one ended. Inside half of body is in a pretty bad spot. Too funny. Nice short-leg/long-leg and edge angles, doe;)
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I think mid Atlantic suburban kids gravitate to a board because they associate it with a skate board. If you ski in New England or out West, the percentage of skiers is much higher than boarders. The trend has been for boarders to switch to skiing. Skis are just so much more versatile in the park or anywhere. Not bashing boarders. It's just physics. Two edges vs. one, better balance, can change stance, etc. Expert boarders see the skiers going higher out of the halfpipe and able to do more gnarly tricks on the jumps and features and switch.

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But yes, snowboarding seems meore appealing to the newbs because it's glorified and shown more in media outlets like the xgames, dew tour, etc.

 

This exactly. Two coworkers from work who never have been to a mountain before told me they are taking their families on a snowboard vacation (both in their 30s). I suggested that they might want to try skiing instead because that first day or two on a snowboard they will essentially just be beating themselves up on the hill. They both said thanks but no, it will be snowboarding. I suspect it will be their last trip too...

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