Crazy – This was a job for a snowskate, though.
I am sort of an evangelist snowskater; in so much as, I believe that I have found a better way to ride snow, and I want EVERYONE to try it. More often than stoke or even indifference, I find that snowboarders are against the idea all together. This is beyond frustrating, because all I want to do is show people a way to be happy – riding snow free, with infinite variations, and without sore feet or knees. But, what I’m starting to realize is that people don’t want to be convinced about snowskating, – or politics, or religion, or anything really, which makes sense, I guess. What they want is to discover something for themselves. And, this is what brings me to writing this post with a little smirk on my face.
This IS rad, but really…who straps in a foot anymore?
Snowboarders may not realize this, but the sport of snowboarding is evolving right under their boots and before their eyes. New binding mounting technology is claiming superiority because it offers infinite footing positions and best board feel. Pro riders like John Jackson back the system as the best way to strap. Have snowboard and binding companies considered that eliminating bindings altogether offers truly infinite stance options and ultimate board feel? (If they have, they are worried.) When TransWorld SNOWboarding is publishing issues with riders unstrapped on the cover and in the content, something is up. I counted more than 20 shots of riders with at least one foot unstrapped in a recent TransWorld Issue. Somehow, this is rad, but removing the bindings all together is unthinkable…for most (but not for long).
If I can’t convince you to try and enjoy the future today, that’s fine. I’m sure I’ll see you on a snowskate in a few years. In the meantime, I’m absolutely sure that I’m having more fun, with more freedom, less soreness, and fewer injuries than you. Just sayin’.
Just so you know: I am also annoyed by evangelist tactics. But, THIS IS REAL! SNOWSKATING IS TRUTH! And, I’M NOT CRAZY!
I think as more pro snowboarders grab powsurfs, powskates and snowskates things will change. People will just want to do fun stuff despite the stupid politics. Snowboard kids aren’t going to hate on people like Wolle Nvelte, Terje, the Provo brothers, Chris Engelsman, Eric Lienes, Forest Shearer or even Travis Rice hwo’s been seen on a Grassroots board. What blows my mind is the major magazines aren’t supporting it, it’s like it doesn’t exist but those magazines have as much substance as Tiger Beat magazine.
I think snowboarding mags will likely always feature snowboarding.. with bindings (whether the rider is strapped into both them or not). They have bills to pay and they run what brings the ad dollars in. I don’t think they hate on other types of snowsliding, it just boils down to where the money is at. If snowskate companies start forking over thousands of dollars to run ads in these mags then you will be guaranteed to see snowskating coverage in their mags in the forms of stories, wallpaper, and buyers guides. They support the industry and companies that support them.. it’s politics and business. (thank capitalism) Snowboard media is really what determines what snowboarding “is” and in turn what snowboarders “are”. So until snowskating industry grows large enough to infiltrate this and buy itself in, I won’t be shocked not to see it in snowboard mags.
Snowboarders are used to the ease of snowboarding and it allows the core riders to go huge, spin double corks, ride insanely steep lines. Bindingless riding in it’s current state does not allow for this type of riding. It is on it’s own scale. Snowskating is foreign and intimidating because it throws all that out the window and they start over again learning smaller airs, basic balance, etc.. It’s an entirely different scale and it’s like comparing apples to oranges.
As snowskaters we are responsible to make our sport look fun and appealing to the mainstream. This should be easy because it is so $%*#ing fun! We have to create the media and show the world what’s up, not expect someone else to do it for us. If some people aren’t interested, then those people aren’t our audience and they should be ignored. I think hating on snowboarding makes us snowskaters look as ignorant as the snowboarders who hate on us. I say be patient, let the bindingless world continue to grow at it’s pace and just keep having a shit load of fun. Smiles, stoke, media and education are the most powerful forces in winning over an audience. This is what gets people wanting to try it out and that’s when they get hooked and they enter a whole new world of fun.
Kendra is doing a damn fine job at educating the public, lobbying for access, spreading stoke, etc.. we need more of this! Sean D and others are making hammer films that really open the eyes of the unbelievers. This is what is going to get bindingless riding to spread like wildfire.
well said all! even still i often find i need to rattle on about unstrapping is the way of the future. it’s hard to explain how it all fell together when i found snowskating. sure, bindings did make crazier stuff possible, but it never felt very good. so just keep it up! every now and then it’s even a little jibber who asks me what i’m doing, but they ALWAYS say ooo, that looks dangerous and difficult… ok, but……. if i can do it, it can’t be that bad, since i’m a wus.
Although I come at it from a completely different angle, I can’t agree more about your statements on snowskating. I used to ski when I was a kid, then I started longboarding (skate) as I got older. I’m not into high speeds or bombing hills, I’m mostly into smooth carving, dancing and tricks. At some point someone told me I’d love snowboarding because I love to longboard. So I tried and now I loathe snowboarding. The biggest problem for me at first seemed like it was the bindings that I didn’t like, but then trying a bit of ski again, I realized that it’s actually the foot independence that snowboarding lacks for me.