RIP Thumbs Up: The Decline of the Ultimate Snowboarding Gesture
Yo, snow fam. We need to talk. I’ve been riding the mountain for years, sending it on the slopes, throwing down sick grabs, and stomping lines that would make your grandma do a double-take. But I’ve noticed something that’s been slowly gnawing away at my soul—the decline of the legendary thumbs up.
Once upon a time, the “thumbs up” was the universal symbol of stoke, the ultimate sign of approval, and the unofficial snowboarding handshake. But lately? It’s been replaced by a whole mess of other hand gestures, some more cryptic than a backcountry map with half the trail markers missing. What happened to simplicity? What happened to the glory of that classic thumb in the air?
Let’s take a deep dive into the fall of the thumbs up and the rise of the other, more “complicated” hand signals.
The Thumbs Up: The OG Gesture of Stoke
First off, let’s acknowledge the greatness of the thumbs up. You’re cruising down a run, catching some air off a sweet jump, and you land it smooth. You look over to your buddy, and what do you give him? That universal, thumb-in-the-air, “Yeah, dude! That was sick!” gesture. The thumbs up is a language all on its own. It says:
- “I’m stoked.”
- “I approve.”
- “You just crushed it, and I’m here for it.”
Simple. Effective. Classic.
But somewhere along the way, things got… complicated.
The Rise of “The Peace Sign” (AKA The “I’m Too Cool For You” Signal)
Ah, the peace sign. Sure, it’s been around longer than your grandma’s vintage ski sweater, but now it’s everywhere—especially on the slopes. After nailing a trick or sending a gnarly drop, what do some riders do? They flash a peace sign. But let’s be honest: you didn’t just land that trick to “spread peace and love” (unless you’re secretly a Zen master). You did it because you’re a freakin’ legend on the slopes.
The peace sign has basically become the “I’m cooler than you” gesture. It’s like saying, “Yeah, I just crushed that run, and I’m going to pretend I’m too chill to show you how stoked I really am.” While the thumbs up would have told the world, “I’m hyped,” the peace sign is more like, “Yeah, whatever, bro, I’m just here for the good vibes.”
The “Shaka” (AKA The “Surfer Who Accidentally Ended Up on Snow” Gesture)
Next up, we’ve got the shaka, aka the “hang loose” sign. I get it, surf culture’s cool and all, but last time I checked, snowboarding and surfing aren’t exactly cousins. Sure, we might catch a wave of powder on a perfect day, but does flashing a shaka after sending a cliff drop really make sense? It’s like telling your buddy you’re “chillin’” when you’ve just done a full-throttle descent that’s enough to make any snowboarder’s knees shake.
In a way, the shaka says, “Yeah, I’m doing this on my own terms. And I’m way too chill to care about landing clean.” It’s the ultimate “I’m a laid-back bro who knows no limits, even if I’m freezing my fingers off.”
The “Devil Horns” (AKA “I’m an Actual Rock Star Now”)
Oh, you thought the shaka was wild? Get ready for the devil horns. This hand gesture, historically used to summon metal concerts or throw down in the mosh pit, has somehow made its way onto the slopes. After a crazy trick or gnarly drop, some riders are flashing devil horns like they’re the lead guitarist in an 80s rock band.
But here’s the thing: just because you’ve got a gnarly drop doesn’t automatically make you a rock star. I mean, unless you’re actually on the cover of TransWorld or doing triple corks off the backcountry cliffs at Jackson Hole, maybe keep the horns for the concert and bring back the simplicity of the thumbs up. A little subtlety goes a long way, folks.
The “Double Peace” (AKA “I’m Trying Too Hard to Be Cool”)
Ah, the double peace sign. Once just the humble peace sign with a little extra flair, this bad boy is now the hand gesture that says, “I’m cool, and I want you to know it.” After stomping your run, this double peace combo says:
- “I’m chill, but I also want to let everyone know I’m in a group of really cool people.”
- “I’m not just part of the scene, I am the scene.”
- “No, I definitely didn’t just wipe out three times before I landed this trick. Everything is perfect.”
If you’re throwing double peace signs out there every time you land a trick, just know this: the true OGs are giving you a side-eye and wishing you’d just go back to the simplicity of the thumbs up.
The Final Word: Can We Just Go Back to the Thumbs Up?
Look, I get it. Times change. But I miss the glory days when a solid thumbs up was all you needed to express stoke. It didn’t require a surfboard, a rock concert, or some elaborate display of hand gymnastics. Just a good ol’ fashioned thumbs up, and bam—you’re set. Simple, clear, and universally understood.
So next time you land that trick or crush that run, forget about all the other hand gestures. Throw up that thumbs up, make eye contact, and show the world you’re living for the stoke, no matter how many peace signs, devil horns, or double peace combos are out there.
Let’s bring back the thumbs up, one epic run at a time.
PP WaxShop 