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Snowboarding originated in the U.S in the 1960s. Sherman Poppen invented an early version of the snowboard in 1965, creating the 'Snurfer' by fixing together two skis for his daughter to surf down the snowy hill near their home in 1965. Snowboarding really took off as a sport in the 1980s, originally dominated by adolescent males, giving it a bit of a 'bad boy' image, which it retains today despite widespread popularity. In 2000, snowboarding was the fastest-growing sport in America, with more than 7 million participants. One of the early snowboarding pioneers, Jake Burton, began making snowboards in the 1970s, and is today the largest snowboard manufacturer in the world.
Snowboarding debuted in the Olympics in 1998 at Nagano, Japan with a giant slalom and halfpipe competition. Snowboarding continues to be one of the fast-growing winter sports.
There are several different styles of snowboarding, and the style you choose will largely determine the equipment you should use.
FreeRide.
FreeRide is all-mountain snowboarding, focused on exploring different parts of the mountain. This is the style
that most beginners use.
FreeStyle.
FreeStyle is focused on doing tricks- spins, grabs, ollies and more.
FreeCarve.
FreeCarve is focused on speed, carving and racing.
The benefits of snowboarding are numerous - most importantly, it's an incredibly, fun, adrenaline-pumping, outdoor activity. Snowboarding is a great way to spend the day outside in a beautiful place, and get a great aerobic workout. Snowboarding builds lower body strength, balance, coordination and stamina. The feeling of snowboarding is pure and graceful, and many snowboarders describe a 'Zen' experience. Enjoy the experience...
