Snowboarding cools while easier-to-ride skis draw new fans [video chat]
Once the hottest craze in snow sports, snowboarding is cooling down, as many riders are switching to skis that are easier to ride.
Join us for a live video chat at 3:30 p.m. on the shift in snow sports trends. Los Angeles Times travel industry writer Hugo Martin will talk about skiing, snowboarding and the trends on the slopes with Josh Holm, who manages a ski rental shop at Squaw Valley ski resort.
Have you switched from snowboarding to skiing? Or vice versa? Join in on the conversation by leaving your comments below.
Sales of snowboards and snowboard equipment have slipped 21% over the last four years, while sales of skis have climbed 3% in the same period, according to SnowSports Industries America, a trade group that tracks the $3.5-billion snow sports and apparel industry.
Even more troubling for the sport, skiing last season replaced snowboarding as the most popular snow sport among six to 17 year olds, a key demographic for future sales trends. That’s the first time skiing has overtaken snowboarding among youngster in more than a decade, according to the trade group.
Also:
Snowboarding craze cools as new designs make skiing easier
Snow-making at ski resorts goes high tech
Follow Hugo Martin on Twitter at @hugomartin
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