Steve Prokopiw Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 Wow - almost 80% over 35 years old. I wonder what other activity has a similar demographic? The other question not asked was gender. I wonder what percent are female? Maybe 5%? Not only do far fewer girls participate in school sports,but they are even less likely to do those sports as a past time in adulthood. The best exceptions to the male/female ratio in adult recreational sports are triathlon and running.I don't play,but golf is likely another one in which the ratio is more even. Several forms of bike racing are seeing an increase in female recreational participants.Road racing draws more women around here each year.Cyclocross,as gritty and dirty and hard as it is seems to be drawing more women each year as well. A generaliztion,but Moms,like my wife,Maureen,replace recreational sports with child rearing and Dads,like me :-) for example,tend to start our kids off in our chosen sports(which we never gave up) as early as possible. Over the 20 years I taught private lessons for a living,I found that women tended to try snowboarding after the kids were in their teens and did not need (or want)Mom around as much.Moms have always been my favorite demographic for teaching;the best students,the least ego,the most fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C5 Golfer Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 Not only do far fewer girls participate in school sports,but they are even less likely to do those sports as a past time in adulthood..I don't play,but golf is likely another one in which the ratio is more even. Not very even on the golf course. In fact some golf courses have restrictions even when women can play, like after 12 o'clock on Saturdays. Outrageous I know in this day and age. Or can you imagine a Ski resort area displaying a sign at the entrance " No women allowed today" . It is a very guy dominated sport. Expense wise it probably about the same - lift ticket cost to green fees cost about the same for an average golf course. Similar problem in both sports when playing/riding on a weekend... very slow due to crowds. Guy golfers like to compete against guys... because getting beat by a woman on the golf course is a sure fire way to have him ask his doc for a Viagra prescription. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patmoore Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 Guy golfers like to compete against guys... because getting beat by a woman on the golf course is a sure fire way to have him ask his doc for a Viagra prescription. For over a dozen years my regular foursome consisted of myself and three women. Our handicaps usually ranged from 4 to 9 and I was usually in the middle. We thoroughly enjoyed beating each other and it was a rare day that I beat all three. I moved away and got married ten years ago and now play at different courses (mostly with guys). Over the years no one knew my game and swing better than those three ladies and I do miss playing golf with them. Back to the subject of age: I applied for Social Security this morning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Prokopiw Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 points taken about guys and golf;I've alway been a little warped in the sense that I've always been a little turned on by a woman that can beat me in something I'm proficient at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 Moms have always been my favorite demographic for teaching;the best students,the least ego,the most fun. I'd extend that to all females, especially in male-dominated sports. I can typically teach a female more in a given time about driving because I don't have to spend so much time listening to a guy tell me how awesome he is. ;) In fact some golf courses have restrictions even when women can play, like after 12 o'clock on Saturdays. Outrageous I know in this day and age. I'm surprised that's even legal! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C5 Golfer Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 For over a dozen years my regular foursome consisted of myself and three women. Our handicaps usually ranged from 4 to 9 and I was usually in the middle. We thoroughly enjoyed beating each other and it was a rare day that I beat all three. I moved away and got married ten years ago and now play at different courses (mostly with guys). Over the years no one knew my game and swing better than those three ladies and I do miss playing golf with them.Back to the subject of age: I applied for Social Security this morning! Pat I have played a lot of golf...for many years with some great golfers..I have only seen one female ametuer that has a GHIN handicap in the single digits... I am impressed you played with 3 that were single digit. WOWOWOWOWOW -- seriously. that is amazing. I have not applied for SS yet myself... going to wait 2 or so more years when I am 67. I will be applying for Medicare this month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patmoore Posted December 8, 2011 Report Share Posted December 8, 2011 Pat I have played a lot of golf...for many years with some great golfers..I have only seen one female ametuer that has a GHIN handicap in the single digits... I am impressed you played with 3 that were single digit. WOWOWOWOWOW -- seriously. that is amazing. I have not applied for SS yet myself... going to wait 2 or so more years when I am 67. I will be applying for Medicare this month. One of them played in the Publinx twice. I just checked with GHIN. She's up to a 6.4 now. The other two (twins) are 8.8 and 8.6. I jfinished the season at 8.7. Did the Medicare thingy in August..... My dad can't believe he has a kid on Medicare! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C5 Golfer Posted December 9, 2011 Report Share Posted December 9, 2011 One of them played in the Publinx twice. I just checked with GHIN. She's up to a 6.4 now. The other two (twins) are 8.8 and 8.6. I jfinished the season at 8.7.Did the Medicare thingy in August..... My dad can't believe he has a kid on Medicare! Pat, Congrats on the 8.8. I got to 6.6 this season in august/sept and then back to a 7.1 when it turned a little cold. Wish you lived closer -- we'd make a good 2 man best ball team. In fact we could go ride Crystal Mt as two old farts - come down and play 18 the same day.. Have a great season riding this year. Looks like you and I are the old guys on this board. Maybe the only two on Medicare. Let hope all the young ones continue to work so we can keep our "old fart" benefits going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
softbootsurfer Posted December 9, 2011 Report Share Posted December 9, 2011 Yep to both... :) over 65 and still moving :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sic t 2 Posted December 12, 2011 Report Share Posted December 12, 2011 Well, just increased the +60 category by one more vote. At my age i just enjoy the good vibes of the mountain and leave all the fancy stuff to the young guns. Safety first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph Posted December 13, 2011 Report Share Posted December 13, 2011 Here to represent the women contingency in the 40+ category:biggthump:biggthump Happy to be here, and don't plan to quit anytime soon! And my GHIN isn't a single digit, but its pretty respectable at a 12.8. Going riding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipstar Posted December 14, 2011 Report Share Posted December 14, 2011 The best exceptions to the male/female ratio in adult recreational sports are triathlon and running.I don't play,but golf is likely another one in which the ratio is more even.. I used to do a lot of triathalon; even that would be struggling from what I saw (in NZ and in Thailand) to match the participation of women as we see out on the snow, being overall that ski/snowboarding is a family sort of a sport; triathalon is a competitive sport (basically you are either training or racing, there's not much of a cruising around doing bricks for fun part to the sport, although much of the off season training really is fun and not so much hard work). I began snowboarding on an icy mountain in 1990, after which the asym thing went relatively big at the same time that soft boots really were very average; park didn't really exist and halfpipe was still a bit lame 1991-1993. By 1993, the halfpipes and grooming had improved, the park thing started to develop, the soft boot interface improved, and the racing side of things meant riding hard boots put you squarely in the carving/racing side; prior to that people actually rode freeride boots in hardboots; once that interface was lost, it became super niche as 95% of people on a board or skis don't know what the sensation of carving actually is (personal guess). Coolness factor sort of came out of that, as USA snowboard scene dominated, the park/freestyle culture became the face of snowboarding; I hardly recognise the sport I started in the 90s now if i pick up TWS; almost all of it is guys launched super high and jibbing stuff. And for people who want to carve, now skiing really does have that carving feel and has also gone huge in the pipe/park side of things too. Again, have no idea how guys get that good. Never really thought about going back; I would guess many of us here come from that same era. Funny though going to Mammoth or NZ now, and being one of a handful, literally, of carvers, when there were far fewer snowboarders overall 16-20 years ago, but probably more in number actually in hardboots. I've had my 5 min of fame outside of snowboarding, couldn't care less what people think of me on the snow. Not sure I would have said that when I was in my teens, but maybe. I think the biggest factor is like some others mentioned earlier, lack of access to the gear, and so the thing that drives it now is functional (you need hardboots etc pretty much to race, or to carve properly, racing is the common thing for young ppl, carving is for old coots like us). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacopodotti Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 Started in 1987 with my still have Burton Cruzer 168 and still learning. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.oldsnowboards.com Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 Looks like the "Forties" WIN!! Not surprised , interesting none the less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaRtharsis Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 Too much abuse in the teens has left me feeling older than I should. Started riding soft boots in 88 and ski boots on plates in 89. Gave up skiing in 93 and haven't looked back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryj Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 Another vote for the 50+! Really surprised to see that many of us. Started out in CO back in 85. I date back to having to pass a test to get to ride on any Mtn. in Vt or NH Even still got some of those "test" cards somewhere! Been doing alot of Road Biking for the summer/fall workout. Much better on the old joints than running, rock climbing or mountaineering! Did the Tahoe/Sierra Century this Fall.....it was Great! Surprised there's hardly any hardbooters up here in the Tahoe area! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingCrimson Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 Fortunately, I'm just now legal for rich ski town cougars. Can I get a hell yeah? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nils Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 gee you guys are old ! ;) I know that some of you in their 60's are in sharper condition than most of people in their 30's... Got a guy in my rowing club that wins veteran races at 84..so I have to assume I'll be carving after 2050 if I keep training Nils ( into his 42 year) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Carver Posted January 17, 2012 Report Share Posted January 17, 2012 I am 45 going on 20 - the sport keeps you young Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted January 17, 2012 Report Share Posted January 17, 2012 I am 45 going on 20 - the sport keeps you young :biggthump:biggthump Wish my knees and hips could be 41 going on 20... but, staying active seems to be the best way to keep from from feeling and getting worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Prokopiw Posted January 17, 2012 Report Share Posted January 17, 2012 Fortunately, I'm just now legal for rich ski town cougars. Can I get a hell yeah? Between you and Gilmour we old, married guys can rest assured that there will be plenty of stories through which to live vicariously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STP Posted January 17, 2012 Report Share Posted January 17, 2012 Wow - almost 80% over 35 years old. I wonder what other activity has a similar demographic? Two other sports that have the same demo are windsurfing and catamaran sailing. The young bucks got suckered into jetskis and video games. I tell everyone that asks me what setup I have "I don't know why everyone doesn't use hardboots". I get as much or more adrenaline rush from g-forces on the steeps as most park activities and much less risk to reward as my old body doesn't bounce like it used to! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobD Posted January 17, 2012 Report Share Posted January 17, 2012 In the nineties, it was common on white water kayak trips for average age of groups to be 35 to 45. Lately though that age average has come down considerably. An adventure sport has to be picked up by the caffeinated drink companies to appeal to younger people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Carver Posted January 17, 2012 Report Share Posted January 17, 2012 Perhaps you need a middle-aged ponch to do the EC carve properly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philw Posted January 17, 2012 Report Share Posted January 17, 2012 (Off topic...) ... Stumbled across PhilW's site by reading Fish reviews ... Except that he rode hardboots. What the f#$%? Oh, thanks for that. I never know if anyone reads what I write, but I read a lot of things myself and I'm kind of trying to put something back. If it opens up some options for people too, brilliant. -- Demographics: Interesting but no real surprise. I suspect that the snowboarding demographic overall is skewed the other way. That is, they drop out as they get older. In the UK at least snowboarding is broadly skateboarding on snow. Skateboarding here is a spotty male kid thing, not cool for those outside the group doing it. Yet snowboarding retains the "cool" thing. Except... I've never seen anyone on softboots ride up to a line and have people who just watched them rip ask what their gear is. It happens to me all the time, but I'm old and uncool. I'm really impressed in an industry that can make adults sliding down rails "cool", but that's the marketing industry not the snowboarding industry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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