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I may be a little drunk here but a thought popped into my head. The first time I ever saw GoPro footage was during one of the OG Traveling Circus episodes. AS it grew I feel like skiing was the first sport to adopt the GoPro and use it avidly. Am I being stupid? Probably. But it seems like we were the first stepping stone GoPro had in its quest for world domination. Now they've spread to pretty much every application imaginable but it's my belief skiing is where it got its start. Thoughts?
personally, i don't think that it was skiing that made gopro what it is, instead i think it was action sports in general. while we see gopros being used in our sport, there are people in almost all sports that use them now and have helped to make gopro what it is today
kbrandopersonally, i don't think that it was skiing that made gopro what it is, instead i think it was action sports in general. while we see gopros being used in our sport, there are people in almost all sports that use them now and have helped to make gopro what it is today
But when did you see the first application of a gopro? I remember when they were still yellow (I think) and the quality was shit. Skiing has been using them from the start. Maybe Im wrong, idk.
Granite_StateBut when did you see the first application of a gopro? I remember when they were still yellow (I think) and the quality was shit. Skiing has been using them from the start. Maybe Im wrong, idk.
Nah, I'm pretty sure it was surfing haha. That's when I first saw gopro's used
snowboarding did more for it. shaun white's radical private replays in his private halfpipe and training park, with private coaches and a private team of builders! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oui1hhkgdo
Mountain biking wa the first time I saw and used helmet cams. I remember using a wired cam back in 2002 well before gopro a were around. Go to any bike park and every one has one on.
I think skiing has definitely helped, but it isn't the only major contributor. MTB has been using go pros for a while now and the camera was originally designed for auto racing.
Gopro was designed by a surfer you originally wanted to strap a disposable camera to his wrist to take pictures while surfing. That being said I think skiing is the perfect sport for it!
ScrewsSoyGopro was designed by a surfer you originally wanted to strap a disposable camera to his wrist to take pictures while surfing. That being said I think skiing is the perfect sport for it!
Aw yeah, you're right! I forgot that that. His first commercial application of the camera was for quot racing. Thanks for the clarification dude!
What really broke it was Surfing. I was talking to one of the sales guys at or parent company, and he remembers talking to the one guy when they were a shitty little table at a surf show. The sales guy cut him a deal to get into a few surf titles to help him out and bam, it blew up from there.
I think it also was a perfectly timed product that fit market demand too. So none of the sports really made it what it is - the market demand in action sports for a POV cam in general blew this thing up.
We all definitely helped - and snow was a huge part of it - but I'm relatively sure that it was surfing that really first started it.
I've thought about this topic as well, I go to my fair share of skateparks, and I rarely see kids skatebaording or biking with them, but when I go skiing it's almost impossible to take a run without seeing at least 3 people with one strapped on their helmet or following someone with one.
GoPro definitely got it's start in surfing. Their first camera to market came with a wrist mounted housing for filming yourself. From there the helmet mounts, etc... expanded.
john18061806snowboarding did more for it. shaun white's radical private replays in his private halfpipe and training park, with private coaches and a private team of builders! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oui1hhkgdo
Mr.BishopWhat really broke it was Surfing. I was talking to one of the sales guys at or parent company, and he remembers talking to the one guy when they were a shitty little table at a surf show. The sales guy cut him a deal to get into a few surf titles to help him out and bam, it blew up from there.
I think it also was a perfectly timed product that fit market demand too. So none of the sports really made it what it is - the market demand in action sports for a POV cam in general blew this thing up.
We all definitely helped - and snow was a huge part of it - but I'm relatively sure that it was surfing that really first started it.
Whats even more interesting is how Nick Woodman went from selling shell necklaces to getting venture capital companies to start investing in a 35mm camera that took pictures and 10 second videos.
The transition from hippy surfer selling shells out of his vw van, to 35mm cameras, to venture capital companies, to gopro is really a huge accomplishment, and very interesting.
ExtraterrestrialI've thought about this topic as well, I go to my fair share of skateparks, and I rarely see kids skatebaording or biking with them, but when I go skiing it's almost impossible to take a run without seeing at least 3 people with one strapped on their helmet or following someone with one.
Well, you also have to consider the needs for a waterproof camera in those sports, as well as the Avg family income, I guarantee that skiing families have a lot more money to buy little timmy the new $400 go pro than most skateboarders do
Yeah I would say so. In the very beginning it was surfing (obviously with them wanting to get a camera everyone can use for the purpose of surfing) but then it evolved into something more.
I would say skiing gave it a big kickstart in the beginning. First off, the USC Ski and Snowboard team. GoPro saw them, and they were a perfect opportunity for them to get the camera out there and known. They gave them a few cameras, Abe started to edit, and things started to happen. Soon Abe was getting roughly 100,000+ views or more on his videos, and like the Tom Wallisch edit approaching 4.5m views now. I believe this was the first USC Ski and snowboard edit that involved GoPro's https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APyCKP8MrI4
Next,GoPro's promotional video for the original GoPro HERO was a skiing video. They took Abe and brought Chris Farro (from the ski team)and shot it at Mt. Hood that summer, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEyrEiC4Ucw It was supposed to show the new features of the camera, and from there they started to flourish.
They then go involved with winter xgames and the dew tour. They got even further onto the skiing side of things, as well as the snowboard side of things. Afterwards they then got into the summer x games, and summer dew tour, and branches into skateboarding, bmx, motocross etc.
However ever since, I would say they have focused less on skiing (since most people in the community know about it) and have tried to branch out. Motocross was a huge part, now you see most racers wearing them as well as BMX.
In conclusion/TLDR: Yes, it helped a ton in the beginning, but they have branched out just from skiing to get into a larger community.
john18061806snowboarding did more for it. shaun white's radical private replays in his private halfpipe and training park, with private coaches and a private team of builders! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oui1hhkgdo
i fucking hate shaun white
His whole "dont want to point any fingers" thing at the end made me want to punch myself with a fist full of bees
Yeah I would say so. In the very beginning it was surfing (obviously with them wanting to get a camera everyone can use for the purpose of surfing) but then it evolved into something more.
I would say skiing gave it a big kickstart in the beginning. First off, the USC Ski and Snowboard team. GoPro saw them, and they were a perfect opportunity for them to get the camera out there and known. They gave them a few cameras, Abe started to edit, and things started to happen. Soon Abe was getting roughly 100,000+ views or more on his videos, and like the Tom Wallisch edit approaching 4.5m views now. I believe this was the first USC Ski and snowboard edit that involved GoPro's https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APyCKP8MrI4
Next,GoPro's promotional video for the original GoPro HERO was a skiing video. They took Abe and brought Chris Farro (from the ski team)and shot it at Mt. Hood that summer, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEyrEiC4Ucw It was supposed to show the new features of the camera, and from there they started to flourish.
They then go involved with winter xgames and the dew tour. They got even further onto the skiing side of things, as well as the snowboard side of things. Afterwards they then got into the summer x games, and summer dew tour, and branches into skateboarding, bmx, motocross etc.
However ever since, I would say they have focused less on skiing (since most people in the community know about it) and have tried to branch out. Motocross was a huge part, now you see most racers wearing them as well as BMX.
In conclusion/TLDR: Yes, it helped a ton in the beginning, but they have branched out just from skiing to get into a larger community.
See that was my thought process. I never even knew it started with surfing but it makes sense now. And I think its also important to mention that Line promoted this product at the end of a couple videos as well.
But it seems like you understood what I was getting at. All sports contributed but even the first commercial was a ski video. Cool stuff, skiing and extreme sports made this company really.
I would agree with the surfing/skiing argument. I know the first time I ever heard of GoPro was from that like 5 minute compilation video on youtube. It had like Tom's skiing and surfing and that wingsuit guy who came super close to the cliff or whatever. I still think of it whenever I hear any Glitch Mob song
MagActually there were 4 more gopros before this(the inclusion of a viewfinder is why I still have mine). The first one of which is a 35mm film camera.
See thats what I thought. Im gonna find the Line vid so people know what Im talking about. It's when TC was at Northstar or Mammoth I think.
I think the rise of GoPro is directly related to the rise in social media and the 'seflie'. There is no more genuine way to pump up your online image than showing everyone how rad you are.... until you actually see the footage and realise you're no where near as epic as you had hoped, haha.
MagActually there were 4 more gopros before this(the inclusion of a viewfinder is why I still have mine). The first one of which is a 35mm film camera.
Definitely not, skiing is such a small market. Just action sports in general helped for sure, but their marketing to gapers is what made them who they are.
GoPro would not survive on skiing profit alone. Eheath probably has the best point on here. Just actions sports in general and the demand for a light weight camera.
