Snowboarding
History
Snowboarding history is best viewed as an evolutionary process, where one thing influences another and so on. It would be impossible to credit one person with the invention of snowboarding. For as long as there has been people sledding down hills, there has been people trying to stand up on the sled. The first person to really make an impact was Sherman Poppen with his invention of the snurfer.
In 1965 he connected two skis together and tied a string on the nose to hold on to it, by the next year he was selling the snurfer in stores. Although the snurfer has never been recognized as snowboarding, it did excite the pioneers of snowboarding to improve in its design.
One of the biggest influences on snowboarding was "wannabe surfer"Jake Burton. Burton grew up during the surfing hysteria of the 60's where surfers were exploring new ways to take their surfing-like movements to places other than the beach.
In 1978 Burton snowboards was the first company to brake free from the snurfer and developed boards with a binding. At first Burton tried all different types of materials to make his boards. It wasn't until the mid 80's that Burton started using the modern technology of todays boards. Ironically it was the influence of ski technology that took Burton boards and all companies to the modern snowboard (metal edges, side cut, P-tex, camber).
Surfers weren't the only ones that influenced snowboarding, skaters also played a role. Tom Sims founder of Sims Skateboards, an influential 70s skate company, helped drastically changed the direction of snowboarding. Sims snowboards and team riders brought a more skater influenced approach to snowboarding. They would ride their boards in a half pipe and do tricks like if they were riding a skateboard in a pool.
This new approach to riding required better more responsive equipment. The development of really secure feeling boots and bindings gave snowboarders the ability to do more technical tricks.
In todays world of snowboarding it is the real technical riders who are leading the progression of the sport. Guys like Travis Rice and Shaun White have taken the sport to a new level. Shaun's 2006 Olympic Gold in half pipe has helped take snowboarding to its height of popularity in the media world. Which has inspired many people to start snowboarding. On the other hand Travis Rice is taking all the normal park tricks to the back country and forcing all other riders to step it up.
Looking back at the history of snowboarding is like getting a glimpse of the future because you know that snowboarding is going to keep evolving. The big tricks of today are going to be the standard tricks of tomorrow. The same thing applies to the gear, it will just keep getting better and better. The tricks will push the gear to get better and the better gear will allow riders to push the limits. Snowboarding came from surfers, skaters, skiing , inventors, free thinkers... etc. each one leaving their mark on snowboarding.
To get a more detailed and culturally driven perspective about the history of snowboarding I would recommend reading SICK, A Cultural History Of Snowboarding by Susanna Howe. I have read this book at least a couple of times by now and each time I do, I enjoy it more. Lots of cool photos from back in the day.
You should check out the link below, we found a cool youtube video on the history, it's a time line of snowboarding. Snowboarding History, click here to check out timeline of snowboarding video.
