# Swiss Snowboard Brands A thematic map of the Atlas of Switzerland, the national atlas published by ETH Zurich. The map is drawn in the browser; this file describes it and lists its variants and links, but not the data values shown on the map. - Map: https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/theme/swiss-snowboard-brands/ - Short title: Snowboard Brands - Map id: 1026 - Categories: Economy and Energy › Industry › Enterprises - Keywords: Economy, Sport, Winter, winter sports - Published: 2022-12-08 - Last revised: 2022-12-12 - Content language: English - Other languages: [Deutsch](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/de/thema/schweizer-snowboardmarken.md), [Français](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/fr/theme/marques-de-snowboards-suisses.md), [Italiano](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/it/tema/marche-di-snowboards-svizzeri.md) ## Description In the beginning, the dream was to surf perfect waves even in winter. This is why the first snowboarders and snowboard manufacturers were passionate surfers and/or skaters. The youth movement that grew out of this dream in the USA was based in cities. In the late 1970s, young people took their boards – which were initially very basic – into the American mountains. Denounced as “snow punks”, these young snowboarders were denied access to the mountain railways for years. Or, as José Fernandes from Switzerland says, they had to “buy” their way on board with lots of wine and chocolate. In the early 1980s, Switzerland caught the snowboarding bug. Soon thereafter, young skaters in Switzerland also began repurposing their skateboards for the snow. The Bernese snowboard brand HoogerBooger and Radical from Zurich brought some of the first snowboards to Europe in the mid-1980s. What began as an underground scene soon became organised. Snowboarders founded clubs and associations, established international contacts, held competitions, strove for recognition at the ski resorts and organised camps. Now, 40 years later, snowboarding has established itself and come into its own. After its wild infancy, the youth and sport movement got into full swing from the mid-1990s onwards. Since 1998, snowboarding has also been an Olympic sport. Swiss snowboarders, manufacturers and pipe builders have been at the forefront of developing the sport and its equipment right from the outset. Today, the second largest snowboard manufacturer Nidecker is headquartered in Switzerland. As well as this, small to medium-sized businesses that focus on making their own products and customisation are particularly prevalent in Switzerland, such as Kessler, Oxess, Enlain, Factory 9 and Bboards. The companies Craftski and Zen even allow customers to build their own completely unique boards. While the biggest brand sells over 100,000 snowboards per year, the smaller producers have sales figures in the triple to quadruple digit range. Like in the skiing sector, sales figures have been in decline for some years now. In 2017, around 19,000 snowboards were sold in Switzerland. At the industry’s peak in 2000, however, this figure stood at roughly 110,000. There are a number of reasons for this decline, with climate change and the cost of the sport doubtless among them. But skiing has also advanced as a sport and won some snowboarders back. ## Sources - Kohler (2017): [Aus der Halfpipe ans Lagerfeuer](https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/aus-der-halfpipe-ans-lagerfeuer-450569217117). In: Tagesanzeiger - Das Gelbe Haus, Flims (2019): [Ausstellung ‘Welcome on Board’](https://www.dasgelbehausflims.ch/das-archiv/welcome-on-board/impressionen-der-ausstellung/#galleryGroup372-6) ## Data sources - ETH Zurich: [Atlas of Switzerland](https://www.atlasderschweiz.ch/) ## Data owners - [Atlas of Switzerland (AoS)](http://www.atlasderschweiz.ch/) ## Citation The terms of use ask to name the Atlas of Switzerland and the data owners, and to keep the source references in exports, screenshots and embeds. Cite the map as: > Atlas of Switzerland (2022): Swiss Snowboard Brands. ETH Zürich. Map data © AoS. https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/theme/swiss-snowboard-brands/ ## Links The map opens at its full extent; a link cannot set the map position. - Map: https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/theme/swiss-snowboard-brands/ - Short link, stays valid when the title changes: https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/t/1026/ - Side by side with another map: https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/comparison/?lt=1026&rt={id of the other map}&ru={u of the other map, or leave out} Embed in another website (allowed by the terms of use, as long as the source references stay visible): ```html ``` In the embed URL, `dm` sets what is shown: `e` the map with its title bar (default), `p` also the values of an object clicked on the map, `m` only the map with a button that opens it in the atlas. `ig=1` (default) lets the map react to scrolling and dragging only after a click into it, `ig=0` right away. The size can be changed in `style`. ## Related maps - [Swiss Ski Brands](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/theme/swiss-ski-brands.md) (id 1005) - [Ski resorts in Switzerland and neighbouring areas](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/theme/ski-resorts-in-switzerland-and-neighbouring-areas.md) (id 725, former edition, desktop atlas only) For the use and citation of maps and data, see the [terms of use](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/terms-of-use/).