Grunge Graphics - Why?

No but its better than day-glo

Who cares if the boards are ugly? It's the way they ski that counts.

For sure. Anything that's not neon pink and yellow is ok by me! Crap, a neon green smiley! It can't be stopped!!

I have a pair of Pistols with yellow top sheets, neon green side walls and neon pink base graphics. When I got them I was a little off put by the graphics, but after the first run I could care less. I guess I just don't figure in the look of a ski as to how much I like it.

Ski looks

So basically if mfgs can sell some skis to younger buyers because of looks and to smarter buyers based on how they ski then in mho there is no problem here. When im on the white stuff i can't see my skis anyway!!!!!

Seriously...the first time I saw the pistols they were on a man of about 60 years. It seemed rather confusing considering the little metal studs around the tips and all

We are a really poor demographic to sound out on this. In general we're a bunch of old codgers who are set in our ways but nuts about skiing. They could make them look like anything and we wouldn't stop paying for them so they don't care about us.

The ones they are after are the ones who are swayed by the surface stuff, like twin tips when you don't need them, and graphics. My son is one of them. He would rather have good graphics than a good ski. He's not too smart from my perspective, but the ski companies are gunning for him and those like him.

It is the cancerous snowboard culture making its way in...:-o

All of the new K2 graphics where derived from / inspired by some of the greatest artists in history, they each have a storey behind them. Art is a matter of taste and personal opion, just because you might not like a piece doesnt mean that others will hate it as well.

OH YOU ARE SOOOO WRONG!!!! I am the end all be all when it comes to taste and everyone looks to me before forming their opinions.

At little off topic, but....

Is it true what I heard; that you shave in the morning with the freshly tuned edge of one Volant while you hold the second up in the other hand and use it as a mirror?

Uh, I mean, that's just something someone made up, right?

Actually, it is the "cancerous" skateboard culture which is at the root here.

I'm a skier first, but I have also been a skateboarder for almost 30 years. In the summer when I wasn't dryland training for ski racing, I spent all my spare time on a skateboard. Back in the early 1980's, before snowboarding caught on, skateboarding was an underground sport, practiced by a few rebels scattered around the globe who hung on after the boom in the 70's collapsed. Our bible was Thrasher magazine, our churches were the local pools, halpipes and streets, and our prayer hymns were loud punk rock songs. Skateboarding culture at the time was everything skiing culture was not: new, exciting, cheap, accessible, independent, underground, innovative, and yes, sometimes abrasive. That abrasiveness was in response to the harsh treatment we received from just about everybody, from jocks to cops and everyone in between including most skiers who should have known better to criticize fellow riders out for fun. If you were a skater, there was always someone who wanted to kick your ass for it.

But that suited the few of us just fine. We used to laugh at the tight, colorful "spacesuits" that skiers squeezed themselves into...Though I was a serious skier too, most skiers still looked a lot like dayglo clowns. We prefered to wear our own clothing which was usually picked out of 2nd hand stores or was usually inspired by them. It was usually oversized or baggy for a reason: mobility.The art and graphics on the skateboards and in the magazines reflected this new aggressive attitude, and eventually began to influence graphic artists from outside our little scene.

Of course, snowboarding was the first to follow suit and bring this culture to the masses, and quickly began to take over the hills because many young riders rightly saw skiing as being a stuffy old sport for the snobby rich who loved rules and tradition more than having fun, and who tried for years to keep the hills to themselves. But the skiing industry soon found itself in the position of playing catch-up to snowboarding, and so began to adopt snow/skateboarding style, like grabs, rails, and halfpipes, and of course the look as well. Shaped skis that were inspired by snowboarding, the freeskiing revolution and the X-Games all came along, and the rest is history...it is all part of mainstream skiing now.

So call it grunge or a cancer, call it snowboarding or skateboarding, call it what you want. But it really isn't that new, having roots that go back to the 80's skate scene. Like it or not, it saved skiing's ass.

Escher Et Al.

Bah... You are all too caught up in fashion. If function is what counts who gives a rats arse what something looks like.

Its funny this is the way it’s supposed to be, but that is not always the case. People do like a certain (LOOK) for their equipment and marketing departments are always attempting to guess what the look will be.

I think the (Name) of a ski has more impact than the color or graphics.

There ya go. Capt. - don't take this personally but when you posted this I pictured some wrinkly old codger farting into his purple smoking jacket puffing on a cigar and wheezing "dang kids"

I see a lot of semi-porn graphics on snowboards. I find them creepy and view their riders as cretons. I also find it scary that manufacturers encourage the idea that demeaning naked women graphics are somehow associated with being cool.

Ok. Flame on, guys, but I am serious.

no flame
some of the "cretins" buying those boards might be more concerned with the performance then the graphics.. as for the rest, no argument.
it constantly surprises me that men get so worked up over things that they perceive as demeaning to women.

jinx

Your totally right man, the human form is sooo creepy. Every time I see my gf naked I have to hide under the blankets. I also think your right that snowboard culture and espically there few towards women has really contributed to the down fall of the american family. I knew a guy who skied who was so nice and respectfull to women but as soon as he saw that hot semi-naked chick on a snowboard he was beating women alll over the place. Honestly, women are hot, I like skiing and I like hot women. Combine the two and it is straight money. So relax live your own life and relax. You'll live longer and your wife will thank me. Life is not as serious as you make it out to be. Flame on!

Some ski company should customize the process so you can email in the graphics you want, then they transfer the graphics to the ski. They can charge a little money for the process.

With todays technology it shouldn't be too hard.

I would send in a picture of my wife topless.

I hate the way pipe and park skis are adorned with ridiculous imagery. It is not helping the sport be curtious or respectful to others no matter how you look at it.
I am all for progression and open minded to new ideas and art, but not at the expense of the sport or the attitude it invokes to the majority of younger riders and skiers out there.
Armada skis had some great graphics this year without being offending, and are quite popular witht he pipe and park set.
All for progression without the aggression in art, at least in skiing and snowboarding.

Hahaha you miss the point. Park and pipe riding is more about doing what you want, bringing new ideas and more excitement into skiing. The attitude is related to who they are as a person rather than the graphics on there skis. While one could argue that one's artistic choices reflects who they are this does not apply in this case. Most ski choices in this very small group are based on techinical requirements not graphic choices. Basically the attitude sucks because that is who they are to some degree at this point in there life. Armada doesn't make most of there graphics, most are done by Mad Steeze and feature half naked men and women and popular celebrity's that most people find unsavory. Snoop dog comes to mind. The fact of the matter is that to a large degree this type of country club skiing mentality was unappealling to most of the younger generation. Frankly, the sport was going to a place where it could not come back from, the newschool movement has brought back younger riders and basically reinvented what skiing could be. So keep your crappy uninsperied graphics.

Edit: English is not my first language so sorry if it is a bit confusing.

FWIW, if I don't like the way it looks, that's fine if it skis well. If it sends a message that I don't like, I won't buy it. (Remember the Rossi "freddy" skis?)

I am all for new blood in the sport, but I am sick and tired of the rude and obnoxious riders and skiers on the mountain that I have to say are mostly young and NOT buying there own equipment.
I did not miss the point. I am all for the progression and future of the sport, but with respect and without this stupid rudeness and toughness that the younger skiers and riders emplore. We are in the mountains, not the inner city. People come to the mountains to escape the city, leave the tough attitude at home.
It all boils down to respect, and its just a slice if society anyway. More respect less attitude.
As for the art, I am very open minded to all ideas and imagery, within Respect to others. Our sport is a great avenue to express oneself, but not at the expense of others.
JMHO

You did miss the point the attitude has nothing to do with ski graphics. Attitude is who they are for now. The PE didn't make them have attitude rather it is a representation of the attitude they already have. Inner city, mountains doesn't matter. Young people are who they are for a hell of lot more complecated reasons than ski graphics.

Amen to that.

I have seen some snowboards with nice graphics on them. The larger size enables more liberty for graphic design. But most are tasteless or appealing to punk skater types I suppose, which is fine as well. I don't think the volkl supersport serious will have obnoxious graphics anytime soon so I'm not worried If there is one style of snowboard I DO like it is those from the company arbor(i think thats what theyre called) They have a wood veneer rather than graphics which I think is really classy and cool.