Broification: a trend in outdoor adventure sports/activities, which results in an increase in the perceived average level of mastery within a given pursuit, thus dissuading novices from pursuing any nascent interest.
If you don’t already read Hansi Johnson’s Universal Klister I’d suggest you start, as it’s one of the most authentic outdoor blogs around. Mr. Johnson does a bunch of stuff outside, from skiing to biking to fishing to hunting, and is deeply involved in trail and recreation advocacy and local politics (in Duluth, MN and the upper midwest). He has a longitudinal, multifaceted perspective on the industry, and a habit of telling things as they are, which makes him an ideal candidate for inventing and disseminating the term broification, which I attempted to define above.
Johnson views and pursues broification from the perspective of an access advocate, and I would assume, as a dad. He sees the artificial inflation of things like skiing and biking as a wedge which will separate current practitioners from future ones, and make city and town governments less likely to see outdoor pursuits as future assets. When the predominant vision of mountain biking involves 1% terrain* and a riding style which exacerbates erosion it understandably ceases to be an example, both for many new riders and for towns who might be looking to build trails as part of a development strategy. That >2000 dollar mountain bikes have become commonplace, and that quality <1000 dollar bikes less common, only underlines this problem.
That problem being, a significant part of the appeal here, from fishing across to overlanding, skiing, and backpacking, is being a member of an exclusive group. Not exclusive because others are excluded intentionally or because of socioeconomic factors, but because membership is gained via skill. That skill is had from time invested in learning the activity, and with that skill comes an enlightened perspective on the world. You’ll hear it everywhere in the outdoor realm; ____ (cyclists, hikers, etc) are better people. More trustworthy. Easy to get along with. Kinder. The depth of friendship with a new acquaintance is often pushed years forward if said acquaintance is made on a backpacking trip or 100 mile ride or powder day.
Johnson’s original post got a big boost last week when it was picked up by Adventure Journal. There’s a not inconsiderable amount of irony here, as A-J would make about any top-ten list of broifying publications. Johnson’s post led with a photo of snow-caked blue jeans, A-J a group of mountaineers way the hell up on a snowy peak. Two decades ago living the dream entailed an old pickup and 50 dollars from the lumber yard. Today it’s a Sprinter and “custom” mods, starting at 50,000 dollars. The perception that things of this nature are essential, important, or even the end goal of outdoor activities is probably good for selling stuff to the initiated, but I agree with Johnson that a secondary effect is putting off a certain percentage of newbies. Why this is a problem is another subject entirely, but I do think it is a problem.
I’m far from convinced that the language of advertising in the outdoor industry is the most important factor. Public land access and the structural/societal reasons why outdoor recreation remains a white and affluent world are far more significant, long and short term. That said, broification is real. It is real because it is a problem, and it is a problem because people lie. They lie in advertising, and they lie on social media. They, meaning me, lie right here though I try to not do it too often. Outdoor sports are awesome precisely because of their accessibility. Anyone reading this, baring significant disability or medical issue, could with a few years of hard work climb iconic, cool stuff. Probably not 5.14, but definitely hard 5.11. Anyone with the inclination to learn and the motivation to get out and progress could within 4-5 years do a trip like this one, as pictured above. Anyone with a decent bike and a year or two of hard riding can go out and ride the Whole Enchilada, walking only a handful of places.
Publications and companies who artificially inflate reality may ultimately be shooting themselves in the foot, both by reducing their potential market, and by radness fatigue. Authenticity is in the social media age a precious commodity, and broification is if anything inauthentic.
*Both in terms of skill to ride and more significantly the distribution of said terrain across the planet.
Bedrock & Paradox 
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