Hi Dave, Corey, and everybody else here... Just wanted to share my experience...
I got into alpine snowboarding in college around 1996 in Northern California... My college classmate worked for the Burton west coast sales rep, and for 2 seasons I had my pick of Factory Prime/Ultra Prime salesman samples along with Burton Reactor boots and race plates... The Factory Primes and boots were made in Austria, and the Ultra Prime was made in VT, I think... While I enjoyed watching the freerider Craig Kelly, it was Peter Bauer and Jean Nerva that caught my eye... I still have the Peter Bauer asym board at home with rat trap bindings...
I was very fortunate as there was no cost for me to get into alpine/hardboot snowboarding... I remember going to Kirkwood and happening upon a group of 15 or so carvers... That's the most I've seen at a US resort, with the exception of MCC 2020 at Turner Mtn... Also, the last time I rented alpine gear at a resort was around 1997/98 at Blackcomb... I got a Rossi VAS alpine board in their rental shop...
I moved to NYC about 21 years ago, and took a very long break from snowsports, but picked it back up a couple of years, sold off the old boards, and got a new setup...
My usual resorts are Hunter (because it's close), Gore (my favorite), Okemo (pretty good except the weekend crowds)... I am usually the one of the few on hardboots at any of these resorts... Sometimes people ask my questions, and I am happy to answer. Some common ones are: What are you riding? Is it a snowboard? Are those ski boots? Last week at Okemo, I passed out 2 of those cards we got from MCC. One to a skier in the lift line, and a snowboarder on the bus... But most people are not very curious about it other than a passing glance, and they may say: cool board, or something like that... Also, it's tough to find people to ride with, for example, at resorts, skiers ski together, soft booters side slip, or go to the park together... Carvers are left on their own as an oddity... Even carvers are a testy bunch, as the really good ones usually keep to themselves... I'm an OK rider, but it's tough to find people around your level to ride with... If you are beginning, and you don't have a patient friend, you are pretty much screwed for support...
I'm not sure what the answer to growing alpine snowboarding in the US... It seems to have more of an audience in EU and Asia (Japan/Korea). I think here in the US, the only time we see alpine snowboarding is the PS, and PGS every 4 years during the winter olympics... Other than that, there is no promotional events with big sponsors like they have for half-pipe, slope-style, even extreme freeriding... There are no freecarving showcase events that are televised or promoted...
I think there is a pack mentality... If all your friends are skiing or snowboarding(soft boots) you are going to gravitate towards that more easily, rather than seeking out a strange activity with expensive gear like alpine snowboarding...
So, I think there are so many factors going against taking alpine snowboarding to a larger audience... I think the some would be:
1. Access to rental gear so you don't have to drop $1K for a starter setup
2. High learning curve
3. Perception that hard boots would be uncomfortable
4. General lack of visibility/support/lessons at most resorts, on the internet (save a few forums)...
Also, I don't think about just getting the youth interested in just racing... It could involve getting them interested in freecarving... My buddy Pierre M who rides at Okemo, and came out to MCC 2020 told me that his 11 year old son recently asked to try hardboots, so he could go out and ride with dad in the morning... Pierre says his son is doing really well... This is really cool, and I hope there will be more stories like this...
I do agree with what Sean said, and what he is trying to do to try to get more people interested in alpine snowboarding, but I think he can't go it alone, and other builders and equipment manufacturers have to step up their game if they want interest in alpine snowboarding to grow...
Sorry for long winded rambling post...
Cheers,
Tim
