The ‘soul rider’ is the somewhat iconic, inspirational, figure – the completely competent snowboarder, unafraid of the dangers of backcountry snowboarding. Soul riders are not seeking the glamour of video and magazine coverage, but the peace and solitude of riding ‘out of bounds’. The professional soul rider is able to spend their complete life riding the untracked powder far from the crowded city streets or resort trails. Yet, the activity is accessible to the majority of snowboarders, for the level of technique required is within the grasp of the average snowboarder and many resorts

The significance of ‘soul riding’ is key to understanding this evolving element of contemporary western culture. Soul riding is not merely a media construct intended to sell more products, or to an attempt to advance the aims of the snowboarding industry in some way, although, those have been the effects of this trend. As skateboard shops began to realize that this was the ultimate crossover sport, little corner shops began to expand and the birth of a new sub-culture arose; snowboard culture.

Snowboarding has an ambivalent relationship with corporate industry. While it values the products of the industry, it prefers to avoid too much engagement with the large multinational sports companies. The biggest snowboard products companies are unknown outside the snowboard fraternity. Multinationals generally sell snowboard products under less well-known brand names. Snowboarding also has a particularly non-competitive sense of distinguishing character. There has been considerable controversy about the inclusion of snowboarding in the Olympic games, and a number of the world’s best snowboarders have chosen not to compete.

Some topics in this essay:
Industrie Norm, , ski industry, snowboarding fashion, fastest growing, soul riding, snowboard culture, snowboard products, sense identity,