Another Ski Shop Experience

[monadnock9]

I bring my son and daughter (9 years old) to the local ski shop to get their annual used ski setup (they grow so fast no need to purchase new each year!). As we are sitting there getting her boots fitted, she blurts out proudly, "MY DAD HAS SKIBOARDS!". The lady did not flinch, so she said it again until finally she got a cold smile and an acknowledgement from the woman. My wife asks the lady, "Are those popular?" to which the lady replied, "No. I mean, they are fun and all, but you really have less control and stuff".

I don't even try to say anything because 1) I am in far better control and manueverable on skiboards. and 2) As I looked around, the newest skis were shorter, had twin tips, and were much fatter than I had ever remembered....hmm....sound familiar?

I read an article in a magazine about two guys (now 44 and 47 years odl) who used to get laughed at and questioned when they were on those "snowboard" things way back when. I am confident in years from now, skiboards will be all over the place! We just have to keep promoting!

Thanks for reading,
Derek

[jjue]

Hi Derek , thanks for posting your experiences ! I think one of the big issues is that often ski shop folks and ski instructors and skiers in general are quick to offer opinions about skiboards based on their experience with snowblades ( can't float , lack of control , etc etc ) without any real knowledge of the performance spectrum of modern skiboard designs ... IMHO the increase in performance of the new skiboard designs is nothing short of revolutionary in making them all mountain snow sliding tools ... it will be a slow process for the outside world to understand this , as our visability on the mountain is really very low because our numbers are so small .. but it will come , I think , with time.. get togethers like Jay Jam , the Midwest meet at Bohemia , and Shredfest , really help to increase our visability on the mountain and help others understand what is up with the new skiboards... ..

[Gromit]

The situation over here in Europe seems to be even worse than NA. The average skier just compares them to the snowblades that they rode for a morning, a few years ago. Snowboarders are usually a lot more interested in skiboards than skiers. They seem to "get" the concept.
I always carry a supply of SBOL cards in my pocket just in case.

[Guypod]

I think your're right Gromit, you make the clear distinction between your average skier who sees boards and blades as one and the same and the non average skier. That said I had loads of admiring looks this year in Courchevel and questions aplenty, generally from the older crowd who get the concept of a variety of "toys" for snow. Indeed I spend quite a bit of time nattering with the local pistuers, they thought my Condors looked bloody great fun. But that's the point, these are people who've skied, mono'd, snowboarded (a/symmetric), Sqwal'd, bladed (yes even blades!!) and are generally happy to look at anything new.
Even had the ski shop at 1650 looking in astonishment and asking about them ... and therefore that's the kind of shop I take my business to, an open minded one.
There're a lot of tribalism out there (unless you hadn't noticed ) and to honest I don't have time for any of that, it's a pissing competition about how easy/hard something is. Life's too short and my attitude is get down the off/piste however you want, as long as it doesn't endanger me (like those out of control bladers!!).
I should add that one of the reason I had soooo much interest was because I wasn't exactly hoofing it around the mountain out of control .... out of style my wife would say but not out of control

[Gromit]

Guypod, I actually believe that when you have something as unusual as the Condors, very wide but not overly long then even the "tribal" skiers can see that it's something other than a snowblade. I've been riding Spruce 120s for some while now. They are not quite unusual enough.
Some folks have even asked me why I'm riding kid's skis!
When I'm asked what the 120s are like to ride, I've sometimes describe them as snow blades with a turbocharger. Particularly when they're being ridden at high speed by Valmorel. LOL

[mahatma]

I tell people it's just regular, old skiing - just more free. You get all the performance and all the float without the poles (either in your hands or up your backside).