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The winter sports industry seems to be driven from one equipment revolution
to another. First it was the monoski, then the snowboard and then telemarking.
All gain their followings; some fade away and some remain with us. The
big story of the next few years is going to be ski boards - and it looks
like they may be here to stay.
A few years ago, kids started popping up on the slopes wearing nothing
more than what looked like a pair of joke plywood feet. As usual, serious
scoffed at anything so manifestly under 200cm long, but the fact
is that Bigfeet were great fun to use and Kneissl had hit a winner.
After a couple of years, other manufacturers started to respond. The
quest received extra impetus with the popularity of snowboarding fun parks.
With normal skis on, most skiers couldn't even try to pull tricks, but
many of them, used to using in-line skates, could bounce around quite
happily among their snowboarding friends on a pair of very short skis.
Although the Bigfoot lives on, ski boards are evolving in two main directions.
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[Photo: Salomon]
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[Photo: Snow+Rock]
Ski Boards in action in a halfpipe
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| Different types |
The first is a short board, turned up at both ends, suitable for tricks,
for instance in a half-pipe (aficionados of hot-dogging will remember
Roy Hotdog and think there is nothing new in the world). They can
best be skied without poles, used in the same way as trick snowboards
or inline skates.
[Photo: Snow+Rock]
The classic Bigfoot, by Kneissl
The second type of ski board is a little longer, with a very pronounced
waist, suitable for aggressive carving, big jumps and freeskiing tricks.
[Photo: Snow+Rock]
Salomon's famous Snow Blades While old-style skiers may sniff at ski boards for many years to come,
those using them will probably be having too much fun to notice.
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