guido591 Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 Stuck on a boring transcon flight a couple of weeks ago, I had the oppotunity to thumb through a recent edition of Transworld Snowboarding. Editor Kurt Hoy was featured in a piece railing against the remaining three no-snowboard resorts in North America. He pretty much covered everything that has been said on the subject and went on to decry discrimination on the basis of what one wears on ones feet. Taking this as an opportunity, I emailed Kurt and suggested that, in my mind, Transworld's lack of even the slightest mention of alpine snowboarding smacked of the same sort of discrimination that he found so onerous. Kurt replied quickly, stating that he would love to see alpine snowboarding grow in popularity, but didn't feel that would be happening anytime soon (he suggested that most North Americans interested in snowboard racing have already abandoned alpine events in favor of boardercross?!). He apologized, but stated clearly that alpine riding couldn't be included in the Transworld format on the basis of its relative lack of popularity. Seems to me that he made a business decision in much the same fashion as the owners of Alta, Deer Valley and Mad River have done. Go figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skatha Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 Actually, it's not a hater thing, it's a money thing....the softbooters will go to their figurative grave arguing what "core" is and how core they are, but their sainted "core" companies are in it for the cash, just like the establishment they love to rally against. I actually enjoyed riding lifts more as a hardbooter than as a softbooter. The skiiers you ride with automatically assumed I was a knuckledragger with my softboots and automatically assumed I was more interested in technique and conditions when I had hardboots on-plus the board torques your leading boot something awful with softboots. Now, as a skiier, I find myself coaching younger snowboarders...they look at me like I'm some old lady, whereas the same talk before was met with "Thanks, dude"...go figure.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex1230 Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 I hope you flew somewhere interesting... Truth be told, I think most of the members of this site and most non-racing alpine riders in general fall outside of Transworld's advertisers' target audience. anyone care to dig up the "how old are you" poll and see how many 16-24yo males we have here? I know there are a few but not a big percentage. edit - skatha - you skiing again? Good for you getting back out there! I thought you were off the snow for good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allee Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 "Your pants are not baggy enough" Seriously, I'm going to buy myself a belt with lots of studs and wear my helmet backwards. Oh wait, maybe not... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ncermak Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 Ahhh yes...The Annual Transworld Sucks Thread. What a surprise, they still want nothing to do with alpine. Whatever happened to Snowboard Journal. Who will be the first to post a foreign magazine with an alpine story??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allee Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 I might actually read TWS if there was something in it to read. But last time I looked, it was all pictures and advertisements. I like to delude myself that I'm a little more cerebral than that ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 Kurt Hoy is a dope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galen Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 If he really wanted alpine to get more popular he'd give it some exposure, that's how things get popular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex1230 Posted February 26, 2008 Report Share Posted February 26, 2008 Ahhh yes...The Annual Transworld Sucks Thread. What a surprise, they still want nothing to do with alpine. Whatever happened to Snowboard Journal. Who will be the first to post a foreign magazine with an alpine story??? I don't think anyone has said "Transworld Sucks" yet.. What I'm really looking forward to is someone posting greenwood frontside steezy halfpipe on a GS board pic oh, and transworld sucks :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bell Posted February 26, 2008 Report Share Posted February 26, 2008 What I think will be interesting to see will be the cultural shift that is sure to happen soon, where the whole urban hip-hop ethos that pervades the softboot culture will morph into something else. You know it's gonna happen; this baggy-pants thing has been "in" since the late '90s, if not before. As to the demographic, I think you're right, Tex. I'm 35 myself. It could be that I feel a disconnect with Generation Y and their rebel-without-a-belt shtick. Or it could be that I'm older, bored of softbooting, and afraid of what another ACL repair would cost with "coinsurance" this time (instead of the good ole copay) if I try anything saucy on a conventional board. The thing is, I think a lot of hip-hop culture is positive and enriching to American culture as a whole. I don't care for most rap music made after 1984, but I dare you to watch "Everybody Hates Chris" and not laugh your a$$ off. But a whole bunch of 20-year-olds trying to talk like Jay-Z because their friends are doing it is just as ridiculous as a bunch of 55-year-old men wearing black leather Harley gear because they think they're being rebels. Please. The culture is the real reason I think places like Deer Valley don't allow boards. They don't want a bunch of rude, sartorially challenged, annoying jibber types hanging around. I think that if they allowed hardbooters, they would be pleasantly surprised--but I doubt there are enough of us to make it financially pressing to do so. Blah blah blah. Don't say I didn't warn you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MUD Posted February 26, 2008 Report Share Posted February 26, 2008 The way I look at it is: LOOK AT THE NUMBERS! How often do you find your self the only alpine rider or maybe 3 or 4 of you on the hill in a sea of softbooters? Do you really think this would justify ANY space in a magazine? On any given day we are less than 1% of the population of boarders on the hill. It's not that I don't think the market is not there, they are just not interested in taking any other path than the safe one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
photodad2001 Posted February 26, 2008 Report Share Posted February 26, 2008 I used to always get the product reveiw issues. I couldn't even tell you if they still put one out, but the last one I saw didn't have much information at all, all ads and aditude. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowghost Posted February 26, 2008 Report Share Posted February 26, 2008 Kurt Hoy's comments only reflect the nature of the snowboard industry, which is driven by selling product to the largest market. It was the exact opposite between 1989-1992, when Burton, with little success, targeted the "crossover skier" market, and the snowboard magazines were full of riders on plates and hard boots. Times change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bordy Posted February 26, 2008 Report Share Posted February 26, 2008 Kurt Hoy is a dope. I have shot photos with and for Kurt a bunch of times He is a very good alpine rider and photographer. He once pushed for alpine riding in the Mag. (rember the alpine punk articles). However it sounds like he has given up hope.. What a bummer. Maybe we should all send a e-mail to Kurt reminding him we are still around? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willywhit Posted February 26, 2008 Report Share Posted February 26, 2008 I have shot photos with and for Kurt a bunch of times He is a very good alpine rider and photographer. He once pushed for alpine riding in the Mag. (rember the alpine punk articles). However it sounds like he has given up hope.. What a bummer. Maybe we should all send a e-mail to Kurt reminding him we are still around? http://www.linkedin.com/pub/1/62B/990 http://www.linkedin.com/ppl/webprofile?action=vmi&id=4540860&authToken=DjC8&authType=name&trk=ppro_viewmore didn't I read somewhere that Stein is into carving snowboards ? or that he snowboards alot or even exclusively now ?:rolleyes: http://www.onthesnow.com/drupal/news/state/MA/news/2007/nov/20/spirit-award-for-stein-eriksen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowghost Posted February 26, 2008 Report Share Posted February 26, 2008 To Bordy: He knows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MUD Posted February 27, 2008 Report Share Posted February 27, 2008 whats wrong with being the only carver on the hill?:biggthump:lurk: It's nice to have some one to talk to that doesn't ask funny questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MUD Posted February 27, 2008 Report Share Posted February 27, 2008 I talk to all the jibbers and you know those kidswith their pants falling off... if they were all carving, do you think you would enjoy the slopes more then? I think you missed my point....... Or I missed yours. Sorry. I'll go away now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b0ardski Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 whats wrong with being the only carver on the hill?:biggthump:lurk: Being the only hardbooter is like starting your own religion, you've got to watchout for the whitecoats, they'll force you to wear staps & laces:freak3: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Stevens Posted February 29, 2008 Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 and if you want to see pictures of yourself in some magazineor think somehow your special because YOU carve on your snowboard while others fly through the air with baggy pants and attitude then you need to focus more on your turns...OK That's good stuff right there. Kurt did say that the noboarders were pushing it harder than anybody right now, so he must know something... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowghost Posted February 29, 2008 Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 Yo! Lighten up. Regardless of our boot choice we are all brothers and sisters that like to ride sideways. Some of you are starting to sound like skiers arguing with snowboarders from twenty years ago. It is about having fun, not what kind of boots you wear. Most good riders have versatility. They don't ride soft boots to train gates at Mt. Hood on Summer mornings, or ride hardboots on an epic powder day in the Vail back bowls. It depends on conditions, what you are doing, and what you enjoy. - "ghost" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted February 29, 2008 Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 I seem to recall a somewhat lengthy post by Mr. Hoy in the old maroon BOL forum saying how alpine was dying and irrelevant, that we should give up hope on ever being respected by his magazine, and how well the new softboot gear carved. Seemed like a sellout at the time and it ticked me off. If he's still got the love for the buckles, then we can kiss and make up. And yeah, our (lack of) popularity doesn't bother me... it seems to be slowly growing at a sustainable rate and hey, more cord for me. I love that we still have the sense of community that is extinct in the softboot world. However this may come to change... I feel like I get more questions and people impressed with my gear every year - both from adults who are done with the park and from kids who've never seen it because our last print exposure was the 2001 Burton catalog. Snowboarding was cool because it was different... now everybody does it and WE'RE the cool different ones! (well, different at least) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted February 29, 2008 Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 didn't I read somewhere that Stein is into carving snowboards ? or that he snowboards alot or even exclusively now ?:rolleyes: I think you're thinking of Jean-Claude Killy. He loves snowboarding but I don't know if he hardboots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Prokopiw Posted February 29, 2008 Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 When he was teaching snowboarding at Vail/Beaver Creek Kurt Hoy was always cool to me and I was always on hardboots.I seem to remember him showing up to a couple of skischool races on an alpine setup.Years ago. Seems like a chicken and egg thing when it comes to how the media can dictate the popularity and or exposure of a sport,or lack thereof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowghost Posted February 29, 2008 Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 About 20% of the snowboard instructors at Vail taught in hard boots until about 1994. See old Vail "Ski School" pic on my profile. Anyone know why there are no hardboot instructors listed on the Bomber "instructor search" link? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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