The Different Concepts that Led to the 21st Century Board
Historians have found evidence that human beings first used some form of snow ski between 8,000 and 10,000 years ago. The snowboard, though, a single wide board with bindings for both feet, has only been around for just over half a century. The boards you see in the Winter Olympics, though, are significantly different from the first prototypes.
Who “Invented” the Snowboard?
Though there is some debate, most snowboarding buffs agree that the first device that led to the modern snowboard was developed in 1965 by Sherman Poppen, an industrial gases engineer who lived in Muskegon, Michigan, where sledding, tobogganing and tubing on snow were extremely popular at the local sand dunes and rolling hills. Initially, Poppen tied two wooden snow skis together as a toy for his daughter. Known as the “Grandfather of Snowboarding,” Poppen took his idea to the local production offices of the Brunswick Corporation (famous mostly for bowling equipment). Brunswick made some modifications, putting cleats on the top and attaching a rope to the nose of the single ski. The new device, renamed the “Snurfer,” was first marketed for Christmas, 1966, and ultimately sold nearly a million units.
The Winterstick—The Next Step Toward the Modern Snowboard
The Snurfer had some limitations—it was mostly designed for small hills and shallow, packed snow, lacking the design elements necessary to handle deep snow or powder. It was mostly flat and narrow, and considered by many to be more a toy than a piece of sports equipment.
In 1972, Dimitrije Milovich, a student at Cornell University, gained some reputation for sliding down snowy hills in the Finger Lakes region in upstate New York on cafeteria trays. He took the idea of a wider board, borrowed design elements from the surfing world, and invented the “Winterstick,” a true prototype of the 21st century snowboard. The wider board with the swallowtail design maximized flotation and also allowed riders greater stability, as well as the ability to turn the board (the Snurfer relied on the attached rope to change direction). The Winterstick was also the first board to use fiberglass, rather than wood, in its construction.
Into the 21st Century
The basic design pioneered by Milovich has changed little since its inception, but many other changes have been implemented:
- New materials have been incorporated to make the boards lighter, including balsa and aspen, as well as carbon and basalt
- Serrated edges have been added as an option on most boards to combat icy conditions
- The mounting systems have been improved, allowing for almost instantaneous engagement and disengagement
- New materials are being used in the base of the board to allow it to hold wax for longer periods of time
