Snowboard Pants, Snowboard Gear, and Jacket
Welcome to SnowboardPortugal.com. Our mission is to bring you the very latest and best information available about all aspects of the wonderful winter pastime of snowboarding. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or someone just getting into the sport, this site will provide a wide range of information and resources on how to advance your style even further. Besides bringing you information about snowboard pants, snowboard jackets, and other snowboard gear this site will also discuss snowboarding history and techniques. This site is purely informational and we espouse no particular belief or product. If you feel that there’s something we’ve missed, or if you have any questions or comments please let us know. We want to make this the best site possible. Thanks for visiting.
Snowboarding was born out of surf and skateboarding culture in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Though the first truly modern snowboard was first invented for mass production in the early 1970’s, earlier preludes had been created as much as five years beforehand. One such design, the snurfer, or snurfboard, was created by Sherman Popper of Muskegon, Michigan in 1965. This design was basically a wheel-less skateboard with a rope attached to the front to help steer. Many subsequent board designs would be based upon refinements of this general design.
By the late 1970’s, many pioneering souls had created their own more sophisticated designs including Jake Burton Carpenter, Tom Sims, and Chuck Barfoot these men would later create the companies of Burton, Sims, and Barfoot snowboards. Some of the refinements first used by these trailblazers included more modern bindings and boots as well as more sophisticated board profiles which enabled better steering and control. By the early 1990’s, modern snowboarding had become increasingly common across the globe but not without a struggle.
Having been born out of the surfing and skateboarding scene, snowboarding was initially met with great disdain by veteran skiers. Not only did the style and attitude of snowboarder’s grate with skiers, but the very nature of their sport was different from skiing. Due tot the shredding falling leaf nature of snowboarding, skiers feared boarders would scrape all the snow off the hill. Snowboarder’s also have a different blind spot than skiers and collisions were common. Early snowboard jackets and snowboard pants styles were heavily influenced by punk culture. Though snowboard gear would eventually evolve into more hip-hop fashions, both styles were considered in poor taste by the more elitist skiers.
But as time went by, skiers and snowboarders were finally able to set aside their differences and live more or less in harmony. Though some tensions still remains, skiing has actually come to borrow a lot of snowboarding’s style and culture. Also the surge of popularity worldwide for snowboarding has made it a sport not just for marginalized stoners and hippies but people from all walks of life. Being made an Olympic Winter Sport in 1998 also makes a strong statement towards its popularity and staying power. Although some resorts worldwide, including Alta Ski Resort in Utah, do not permit snowboarding anywhere on their slopes, it is estimated that 97% of all resorts in the world have at least some dedicated snowboarding runs. Clearly snowboarding is here to stay.
We hope you have enjoyed this introduction to snowboarding. Please peruse the rest of this site to learn even more about snowboards, snowboard jackets, snowboard pants, and other snowboard gear. Again, please don’t hesitate to send us any questions, comments, or concerns you may have which could help us improve this site. Thanks again for visiting us and have fun shreddin’ that gnar!