Nostalgia is by its very nature narrow of scope and simple of view, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t onto something. Sports go through eras of often explosive change in technology, culture, technique, style, fashion, and thought — a zeitgeist coalesces and a moment is defined, sometimes around a particular piece of gear, sometimes around a particular look. When you live through those moments, there isn’t so much a looking back or looking forward, but the strong and tangible sense that you’re making the now.
In the broader culture, of course, we get these periods (the 60s, grunge, greed is good), but they seem particularly well suited to develop in the small, tribal ecosystems of sports, with their tighter communities, specialized gear and clothing, and insular language. Sometimes it’s the early years that take on a particularly burnished glow, sometimes its in maturity, sometimes its when revolution takes place.
WIN SMITH GOGGLES JUST BY VOTING!
This week, one poll participant will receive Smith Optic’s I/O snow goggles. We’ll pick the winner via random number generator (and announce it here) — all you have to do to enter is vote and leave a comment so we have your email to contact you. Must have a U.S. or Canadian address. Contest ends Sunday, November 18, at midnight PST.
Congrats to Zach Suggs, winner of this week’s contest!
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{ 71 comments… read them below or add one }
Skiing in the 70′s! In Europe! =)
Skiing in the 70′s! Aspen Extreme comes to life.
Back to the beginning of most sports before commercialism takes hold.
surfing in the 30′s!
I don’t surf, but I’m inspired by Yvon Choinard’s travels in the documentary 180 degrees South.
It would be interesting to watch the rise of resort-style skiing… and the heyday of the 3 pin binding.
skiing in the 70s for sure! the fact that it is 2012 doesn’t stop me from wearing stretch pants though
surfing
pretty much anything going on mid-late 60′s – early 70′s was off the hook pushing limits of gravity and style. style was born.
Skiing in 1940s.
Backpacking. So much untouched land.
definitely backpacking in the 70s
I’d love to be bombing hills on a cruiser.
the 70′s skinng when I’m not a little grom wondering why everyone likes funny cigarettes, hot wine, and ladies not wearing clothes in the big outside bathtub
A tough call between surfing in the 50s and skiing in the 70s… but stretch pants and hot tub debauchery win out.
Fresh powder and free love!
Skiing in the 70′s, without a doubt. Powder + Style + John Denver.
70′s Backpacking.
Snowboarding in the 80′s takes it for me. To be around during the “boom” of any sport is pretty awesome.
Ski in the 70′s
skiing in the 80′s is my poison of choice
Skiing in the 80s (extreme!) fresh pow and hungry like the wolf in my ears.
An empty north shore? this isn’t even a contest in my mind
Would love to be old enough to have been around for snowboarding’s roots.
Tough call between mountai biking in the 80s and Climbing in the 60s
70′s skiing, but that is it
I started skiing in the 1970s and mountain biking in the 1980s so it’s a tough toss-up. I have great memories of both. I voted for mountain biking though.
I voted skiing in the 70s, but really it would be hiking with Bob Marshall in the 20s and 30s.
Can you imagine Surfing when there was no one else??? Skiing would be nice too, but I enjoy the new skis way too much and the new BC boots too.
Skiing with war buddies and family in pristine wilderness in the 40′s. Yeah, I’m there.
I don’t even surf (yet), but I’d love to go back and surf in the 60′s.
However, I’m going to choose skiing in the 70′s – K2 wet t-shirt contests!
ok dokie, these goggles look awesome.
short board revolution!
Come on, give me Schmidt, Plake and Hattup!
Backpacking in the 70s, all good
60′s surfing….
Can I take a few? Climbing Yosemite in the 60′s, down to Santa Cruz for a 70′s surf, back up to Marin for an 80′s mountain bike, a 90′s snowboard in Tahoe and then an 00′s telemark?
There’s so much that’s missing! Am I just too young for this? Where is the 21st century love?
Great uncle was in the Mountain Division of Italy in WWII, would love to have been around skiing in the 40′s!
Give me an empty beginner break…
great question. whole earth and all that hippie stuff.
I ended up going for 1970′s skiing too – that was the only time I could have realistically afforded being a ski bum in Jackson or Aspen!
Climbing in the 1960′s for sure!…All the “new” Chouinard ideas, (trad, alpine, clean.) Plus, there would be a lot more first acents to grab
I don’t even surf but growing up in California I always wished I could have dated a surfer in the 50s.
Backpackin’ for me!
Skiing with the 10th Mountain Division.
Big Walls & Yvon
Skiing in the 40s … everyon ehad to ski powder and hike for most of their turns!
Teleport me to 1980′s-1990′s snowboarding in North Tahoe.
Be awesome to experience fist hand the transformation climbing went through in the 60s….OK I really just want the goggles actually.
hittin’ the trails in the 1970s, the world is my oyster
Surfing in the 70s for sure! I’m too spoiled on todays outerwear tech to go back to oldschool outerwear. Although mountaineering in the 30s and before seams pretty awesome.
Endless Summer.
Robbins, Frost, Yvon, Harding, that would have been something. I would only like to head back to the 60′s in Yosemite, if I would be assured balls of steel to send on the primitive gear. Those fellows were the definiton of bad ass!
Just saw The Dream Factory by TGR. I want to get extreme on Skiis in the 1980s
70′s skiing and disco…now there’s a party
surfing in the 80′s!!
Skiing in Chamonix in the 80′s was glorious!
Skiing. Anytime.
If I was ever going to try surfing, it would be during those idyllic days I’ve only seen on those old movies. Not sure if its true, but if it is, it would be nice!
Backpacking always.
While big walls went down in the 60′s so did classic alpine routes. I would go back to visit that.
backpacking with the old timers !
backpacking in the 70s with a beard bigger than my dads from back then. ooohhh….. i miss my beard. unemployment does have its perks, but a paycheck sure is nice
Skiing in the 70s!!!!
Can you imagine having a California surf break to yourself?
golden days of climbing in the 60′s for sure
cross-country skiing in the 70′s! pine tar, three pins and lycra bib knickers!
I would still trade places with Spider Sabich even though I’d take a bullet for it…
Skiing in the 40s. Pure soul
I gotta say 60s surfing. I would’ve picked 80′s snowboarding, but technology was not there at all. And by technology, I mean metal edges and good bindings. A close second is backpacking in the 70s.