Who Invented Snowboarding? [Settling A Vicious Debate]

Sherman Poppen vs Tom Sims – Who Invented Snowboarding?

If the dates are to be believed, it was actually Tom Sims!

Poppen invented his version several years later and became the first to commercialise it. He manufactured the first prototypes and brought them to the attention of the masses.

Poppen is therefore more widely accepted as the true inventor. A fact I’m sure would have annoyed Sims!

Regardless, Sims continued to develop his ideas and is credited with inventing many features of the modern snowboard. He went on to sell many boards throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s.

Learn more about Sims in the official list of the “most famous snowboarders ever“.

Did Jake Burton Invent Snowboarding?

Burton is one of the most recognisable snowboard brands in the world. You’d therefore be forgiven for asking… did Jake Burton invent snowboarding?

Jake Burton didn’t invent snowboarding, but he was very influential in the evolution of the sport. Burton noted that the original snowboard, known as the snurfer, was too narrow and needed significant improvements. He founded his snowboard company in 1977 to address this.

Burton’s company, Burton Snowboards, is still around today and is one of the most popular snowboard manufacturers worldwide. Because of the significant impact he had on snowboarding, many people credit Burton as one of the inventors of snowboarding.

But it wasn’t an easy or quick process.

In the early days of his business, Burton struggled to sell his snowboards and had to take on part-time work to make money on the side. He found it difficult to find customers, and many shop-owners didn’t want to sell his product. This was probably mainly due to the selling price. 

At the time, snurfers were more affordable and compact, whereas his boards were bigger and much more expensive. Fortunately, his business took off in the end…

Where Was Snowboarding Invented?

We’ve debated who invented it, but where was snowboarding invented? 

Snowboarding was invented in Michigan, United States of America. In 1965, Michigan-based engineer Sherman Poppen made the first snowboard prototype. All subsequent snowboard developments took place in different parts of the country (USA). 

Interestingly, it sounds like multiple different people were inventing different snowboard concepts – in different parts of the country – all at the same time!

The United States is a vast country with different climates and weather conditions. As such, it’s no surprise that snowboarding was invented there.

Sherman Poppen invented his first snowboard in Michigan, and certain parts of Michigan can get up to 200 inches (508 cm) of snow per year! 

Who Invented Halfpipe Snowboarding?

Bob Klein and his friend Mark Anolik are the first known inventors of halfpipe snowboarding. In 1979, they discovered a natural half-pipe on land owned by a sanitation company in Lake Tahoe. They had been searching for somewhere to practice as few resorts allowed snowboarding at the time.

Word eventually got out and the pipe became a very popular place! As mentioned, major resorts still wouldn’t allow snowboarding. This encouraged people to find other ways to practice this new and exciting sport. 

This first halfpipe in Lake Tahoe became the inspiration for all halfpipes in the future of snowboarding.

Which Was the First Ski Resort To Allow Snowboarding?

Stratton, Vermont, was the first ski resort to allow snowboarding in 1983. This was followed by Breckenridge ski resort in Colorado in 1985. Once the first few significant resorts began to accept snowboarders, the other resorts eventually followed suit. 

Not only was Stratton the first ski resort to allow snowboarding, but it’s also where the first snowboarding school was born!

Although most resorts began permitting snowboarding in the 80s, currently, there are three ski resorts in North America that don’t allow snowboarding.

Why Wasn’t Snowboarding Accepted When It Was Invented?

In the beginning, few people saw snowboarding as a real sport.

When Poppens sold his first snowboards through a manufacturer, most people would buy them as kids’ toys. They wouldn’t ever consider buying them for adults!

Additionally, people would try to bring boards up the ski slopes, but they wouldn’t be allowed to use them. The resort owners didn’t see this as a genuine sport and were worried about injuries. This deterred a lot of people. 

However, things began to change in the 70’s when snowboarding started to take off. More and more people joined the new and exciting sport.

Summary

• Although the original inventor of snowboarding is debatable, many people agree that it was Sherman Poppens, an engineer from Michigan.
• Tom Sims was also one of the early pioneers and could be considered another key snowboarding inventor.
• Jake Burton is yet another crucial figure in the history of snowboarding because he saw the weaknesses of the original snowboard (the snurfer) and improved the product.

We have all of these influential figures (and many more) to thank for the modern sport of snowboarding.

Without them, we’d still be riding hand-cut wooden boards. Or worse – skiing!!

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