…in order to see how the board would fare on an icy or snowy surface. Many point to Sherman Poppen as creator of the first snowboard. Poppen designed a skateboard without wheels, steered by a rope, for his kids in Michigan in 1965. By the 1980s, snowboarding became popular with maverick skiers who longed to do something different on the snow, and surfers and skaters who wanted to bring their acrobatic tricks and twists into a winter environment.

Snowboards have come a long way from their rudimentary predecessors. Today, top-of-the-line snowboard can cost up to $600, and that doesn't include the accessories. Snowboarding gear includes boots, bindings, jackets, pants and jackets. A generation ago, ski resorts frowned on snowboarders. Now things have changed, as many resorts advertise directly to the snowboarding market. Travel agencies and resorts also offer snowboard vacations, including fees, rental equipment, hotel rooms and other amenities.

The three main styles of snowboarding – freeride, freestyle, and freecarve/race – are used in both the professional and recreational ranks. Snowboarding firmly holds its place among the most popular winter sports. Part of that can be traced to snowboarding films and other media exposure to the sport. Also, the Winter Olympics included snowboarding for the first time at the Nagano Olympics in 1998.