Bored Yak

Board Brands to Watch: Public Snowboards

noreply@blogger.com (BoredYak) — Thu, 21 Sep 2017 19:47:00 +0000

Sometimes I get tasked with a job that requires me to distill the essence of a thing into not nearly enough words to do that thing justice for not as much pay as I would hope for. Recently, Transworld Snowboarding gave me just such a task and it was published on their site as Eight Board Brands to Keep an Eye On.

Transworld graciously allowed me to share the interviews and pictures that I drew from on my humble blog. What better way to kick off the new season than with the final chapter from last season with Joe Sexton of Public Snowboards, edited sparingly for spelling and clarity.

How would you explain your brand to someone stumbling across it for the first time?
I would hope that someone stumbling across our brand for the first time would be intrigued by the graphics, we are trying to do something a little different and its fun to take chances with patterns, colors, and overall layout of the snowboard. If said person was interested enough to look into the personality of the brand, I think they would see a brand that was started by someone who truly loves snowboarding, and a company that is genuinely having fun making snowboards. Everyone from the team to the artist and contributors are passionate about everything we do.

Courtesy of Public Snowboards

How did you get into the whole snowboard manufacturing game?
It had always been a dream of mine to start a snowboard brand. It always felt so hard to accomplish though, like a "where do I even start " kind of mentality. As time went on and I started to learn more about the "business" side of snowboarding, I helped start the apparel brand 1817 and learned so much from that. From there all the pieces just fell into place to start a board brand, we had some amazing help, the timing was perfect and PUBLIC was born.

What separates Public from other brands on the market?
I don't really want to "compete" with other small brands, I look at all them as allies in this. I guess the main thing that would separate us is the fact that if someone is interested in the brand or has a question about it, I write back, I think that is cool that as an owner I can have that connection.

Where or what do you draw inspiration from?
EVERYTHING !!! haha I feel like we are inspired by so much, and it is changing all the time. Its always movies, tv, music, art, internet, old stuff, new stuff.

What is essential to snowboarding for you?
SNOW ! first off, you need snow to snowboard, so I hope we get a lot of it this winter :) Another thing that is essential to snowboarding at least to me, is friends to share the experience with.

Where and how are your boards made?
We have a great factory. The people who work there have a great attention to detail, and really work hard to make a great product.

How can Joe Public (pun game strong) get their hands on your boards?
HAHA ! I like that. The boards will be available exclusively at the local snowboard shop. We will not have an online store selling boards, we are doing this because we still believe in buying snowboards from a snowboard shop, go to the shop, pick it up, flex it, stand on it. Make sure it works for you, ask the shop worker questions. For our first year we did a smaller run, with limited quantities and size run. We are excited to grow the company and the line in the future. If someone wants a board and is having trouble finding one they can email publicsnowboards@gmail.com and we can do our best to find them a shop!

Seriously, Joe sent this picture to me himself.

Is there any chance they can ride one before they buy?
We will have some on hill demos at some resorts and events !

What do you see in the future for Public?
Hopefully just more fun, this has been such an amazing experience so far. The company is not even 1 year old. Already it has been a blast to start and work on!

What else would you like people to know about Public?
That we are truly grateful for any body that buys a product from us !! I know in this day and age what some kids are going through to buy a snowboard, if a kid is working hard all summer to buy a snowboard, and he buys a PUBLIC that is amazing!! We want to make sure that kid is taken care of

Do you have anything else to add or any questions for me, you know, since I've been doing all the asking?
Thanks a lot for this opportunity, thanks for giving me the time to rant about something I care so much about. I am excited to bring the boards and everything to the PUBLIC !!!

Board Brands to Watch: Gentemstick

noreply@blogger.com (BoredYak) — Tue, 28 Mar 2017 03:59:00 +0000

How would you explain your brand to someone stumbling across it for the first time?

Once you try a Gentemstick, it may change your whole snowboarding experience in the future. To be interested in our boards means that you’re already thinking out of the box. We are challenging ourselves to find the essence, or the core, through the art of snowboarding that we love.

The man himself, Taro Tamai

How did you get into the whole snowboard manufacturing game?

The snowboarding culture started with the birth of Winterstick and has branched out to various styles, all of them growing and evolving at a very high speed. All ski resorts would accept snowboarding and it even became an Olympic sport. The gears also evolved at a great speed, thanks to the popularity of the sport, but it seems the essence was lost in the path and there was no real answer to what snowboarding really is. Snowboarding used to be the symbol for freedom, and board design that used to play an important role in maintaining that culture lost its identity, became standardized and ended up being a marketing tool for business purposes. It lost its appeal. In these times, I was trying to focus myself on the riding, but when I realized the limit of the boards’ performance, but still craving for a board that would allow me to draw the lines I was tracing in my mind, I found myself having no choice but having myself involved in the board designs. That was in 1990.

What separates Gentemstick from other brands on the market?

I keep telling people that Gentemstick are not powder boards. I make boards that let people ride and make great turns on hardpack, groomers and deep powder in the same balance, stance or weight placement. I don’t know what other brands are thinking, but I simply focus on the rider and the ride.

I shape boards for the riders, not for marketing or business.

What do you draw inspiration from?

I get inspiration from Nature, fish in the streams and birds in the winds. I look close to the movement of their fins and feathers tips.

That glide

How does having different boards for different days change the experience?

The same rider can ride the same snow, same slope in a various way by changing the gears. Changing gears means changing perspective, or even changing your consciousness for the ride. Every board is different, gives you a different experience, and makes you realize that he potential of snowboarding is unlimited.

What is essential to snowboarding for you?

Staying true to its essence. To be committed to its core.

How or why do you think Japanese riders kept a more surf-inspired approach while much of the industry followed skateboarding?

Most riders in Japan have been heavily influenced by the American standard as well. The media’s influence is universal in this market economy. Although they became a minority, there always has been surf-inspired styles in the US and in Europe, and that was the same in Japan. I was simply believing that the glide itself was the essence that would allow me to keep riding all my life. I was riding and making boards every day with that in mind, and I believe many of my friends have been influenced by that ethos. Alpine style, free style, they all are branches of the same tree. People are not only excited by jumps and spins, but get exhilaration from the glide itself. It think the glide itself is the trunk of that tree. I didn’t create anything, I was just a mediator that stayed true to the essence, and was urged to propagate this thinking. I tried to tell the story not only through the riding but also through photos, footage, words. I just happened to be Japanese and living in Japan, that’s all.

Where and how are your boards made?

I draw sketches of what inspires me. I repeat the same drawing until I can draw the same lines with my eyes closed. I start imagining the outline and use this image to shape a board out of wood. A bit similar to making a concept car. From that image, I use a computer software to draw out the outline and pass it on to engineers to reproduce it into numerics. The drawings are matched and made sure they correspond to the original image. Depending on the design, we use different factories that suits best for the concept of that particular board and start making the mold. Each model has its own name, each board is not the same board in different length, they all have their own characteristics and we changes shapes to accentuate each board’s character.

On to the next one

How can the public get their hands on your boards? Is there any chance they can ride one before they buy it?

We’re not a big brand. Our boards may still be hard to find. But we also don’t think that it should be sold in every possible shop. We think it’s also important that our dealers have a good understanding of what we do. You can find the list of dealers on our website. We’ve been creating demo centers in Japan and some shops have demo boards too. We’re working on building the same system in US. We’ll organize demo events in the US and planning to have some demo boards at our dealers too.

What do you see in the future for Gentemstick?

I am not sure. But, what I want to see is a hybrid. The present mainstream snowboarding is about pretty much going straight, getting speed and hitting a jump. Only turns to speed-check. I call this riding two-dimensional. The classic riding that riders like myself have been doing is to try to make use of the natural terrain to turn and draw lines three-dimensionally. I think that talented future riders will combine those two aspects into one and make it a hybrid. I think that’s the ultimate phase for snowboarding and makes my heart beat just thinking about it.

Board Brands to Watch: United Shapes

noreply@blogger.com (BoredYak) — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 04:07:00 +0000

Gray Thompson, just chillin' at the shape shack.

Yak: How would you explain your brand to someone stumbling across it for the first time?

Steven Kimura: United Shapes is an independent snowboard brand producing innovative, cleanly designed, fun snowboards to make your time on hill even more enjoyable. Whether you are a seasoned backcountry rider, park rider, carver, or are just finding your groove in snowboarding, we offer a range of boards with a finely crafted aesthetic that will help you find your rhythm in the mountains.

How did you get into the whole snowboard manufacturing game?

Teaming up with rider Gray Thompson brought years of R&D and board testing; knowing what works and what doesn't. We knew what type of boards we could develop for the market that would fill a void in the directional, freeride/freestyle niche. What came next was a leap of faith and full commitment to enter the marketplace. We pooled our resources together and worked hard to find the best factories to partner with.

What separates US from other brands on the market?

Unlike many shaped snowboards in the market today, United Shapes boards are thoughtfully shaped and designed to ride in a unique way. We offer the consumer a new look at the way they ride, for instance, take the directional 153 Voyager out to the park - hit rails, hit jumps, and still be able to rip turns like you're on a race board. This kind of experience all on one board can change your whole perspective on snowboarding for the better. That mission, to experience the whole mountain in a new way - on one snowboard - is very rare in a market where brands try to differentiate their product into many complex categories. Our boards are more than fun shapes slapped on generic twin geometry. We seek to change the way you ride for the better.

Where or what do you draw inspiration from?

We draw inspiration from those pursuing exploration and a life of adventure in the natural world. Out of exploration has come so many amazing innovations and ideas - take space exploration for example and the shuttles and rockets that are beautifully and perfectly crafted. The great ocean, arctic and high elevation explorers, their motives, processes, gear, and feats are very inspiring. We aim to make the snowboard a vessel for anyone's exploration or time in the mountains.

What is essential to snowboarding for you?

The experience of being out in the mountains, in the natural world is the essential part of snowboarding for us. No matter where you are, if you're outside, experiencing what nature has to offer - you are having a good time!

Where and how are your boards made?

It all starts sketching down ideas on notepads, fine tuning the lines, the vibe and purpose of the shape. It then becomes an intricate computer file that is sent to our factory to craft, while sourcing high-end materials. Once we receive prototypes from our state of the art factory in Asia, our team hits the slopes vigorously testing the shape in every and all conditions. We develop all of our own geometry and constructions, and will have our prototypes built in several different layups, each with tweaks to core flexes, carbon placements, and core profiles. From there, we've got a diverse network of riders and friends that put them through the paces to determine what goes into the final line. It’s a long road from concept to production, but you’ll feel the difference. Our boards are always undergoing subtle upgrades and refinements to make them as great as can be.

How can the public get their hands on your boards?

United Shapes snowboards will be in select retailers this fall, available all over North America and Asia. You can find a list of awesome shops carrying our shapes on our website - UnitedShapes.us.

What do you see in the future for US?

We see many mountain ranges, thousands of pow turns and countless adventures in our future. To keep fine-tuning our product and our process and to collaborate with those who inspire us.

Board Brands to Watch: Korua

noreply@blogger.com (BoredYak) — Mon, 06 Feb 2017 20:37:00 +0000

In their natural habitat. Photo: Filip Zuan

Yak: How would you explain your brand to someone stumbling across it for the first time?

Nicholas: I usually start explaining how we build surf inspired shapes and try to put a new spin on vintage designs like swallowtails for example. Then I would tell them that we focus on building boards that are fun and easy to ride in specific types of snow.

How did you get into the whole snowboard manufacturing game?

Me and Stephan have been strongly involved in board building with our previous sponsors so it came pretty natural with time.

What separates Korua from other brands on the market?

I think it’s the combination of things and not one single trait. First off we offer relatable snowboarding. We build really good boards that anyone will have fun doing turns on, as a whole we are dedicated to this.

Secondly we use extremely minimalistic design. Funny enough that draws more attention than huge logos everywhere and we think it looks way better too. The design (graphic and form) of a shape stays the same over multiple seasons. That means our shops and we have no need to get rid of leftover boards at the end of each season. This is more sustainable in a environmental way, but it also keeps us and our partners safer and the market „cleaner“.

Gang's all here. Photo: Aaron Schwartz

Where or what do you draw inspiration from?

As far as product goes it’s often surfboards and vintage snowboards, but also random crazy ideas that pop up here and there. Lately we also started to integrate a lot of ideas from our ambassadors and customer feedbacks. I think its important to keep an open mind and follow up fun ideas even if they first seem a bit out of place or senseless.

What is the secret to great carving?

I think it’s conscious riding and trying different things. Think about the way you are moving and how you use your body. Try to feel what works for you. Try positive stance on your back binding and give it a chance to change your riding style. Keep your shoulders a bit more diagonal to the board and for the start, just try and keep your body as close to the edge of the board as possible when you’re turning.

What is essential to snowboarding for you?

I think it’s the freedom to do things the way you want to. A bit like I imagine freestyle was in the beginning, before a certain style was almost mandatory and they actually created „bad style“ which meant that free style wasn’t so „free“ anymore. This might not be true for all but something I experienced. Its essential for snowboarding not to lose that uplifting feeling you had when you first started simply linking some nice turns on your home mountain. Back then you were not expected to perform a certain way and purely driven by the search for more fun.

Operation shred elation. Photo: Nicholas Wolken

Where and how are your boards made?

After GST closed their gates, we found a really cool setup with some very creative heads at the Nobile factory in Poland. They share the same love for innovation and prototyping as we do so its a perfect match.

How can the public get their hands on your boards?

We are trying to establish a network of shops, so go and ask at your local shop about us, maybe they can order a board for you. If they won’t help you we have our online store on our website: www.koruashapes.com

Is there any chance they can ride one before they buy?

Some new shops in the US are also planning to carry some demo boards. There will be more info on our website this autumn considering demo points. [Yak: If you're in the European Alps, you're in luck. Find a Korua demo now.]

What do you see in the future for Korua?

Our goal is to build a sustainable brand who continues to be cutting edge as far as innovation and design goes. Difficult to say were we will be heading in the future.

What else would you like people to know about Korua?

We are working on releasing some late models and new episodes of our movie series „Yearning for Turning“ this fall [now!], so stay tuned for that!

Board Brands to Watch: Hightide Mfg

noreply@blogger.com (BoredYak) — Sun, 22 Jan 2017 06:49:00 +0000

Yak: How would you explain your brand to someone stumbling across it for the first time?

Akasha: It's a small snowboard company that is designed, tested and handmade with machines in the mountains of British Columbia, Canada. It is owned by three BC snowboarders who have lived the lifestyle for decades, Gabe Langlois, Tyeson Carmody and myself. Every board is shaped and built by me with a focus on mountain snowboarding.

Akasha and The Usual Suspects

How did you get into the whole snowboard manufacturing game?

I've wanted to shape and build snowboards for a long time as I've always had a renewing vision of what my perfect board would look like. Eventually I ended up going back to school for architectural technology that taught me how to use computer-aided design software which allowed me the skills to shape snowboards down to the micro millimetre. With the help from some industry friends - Johnny Quattro, Alex Warburton and Sean Johnson - I started to shape and draft boards on the computer for a few different snowboard companies. With so many other shapes in my head and no outlet to bring them to life I brought up the idea of building snowboards to Gabe one night and he was down to help make it a reality. We built a two ton pneumatic heat press from scratch and I started to press some prototypes back in the winter of 2013-14. Even the first blank prototypes rode really well and the mayor of Whistler, Rube Goldberg started riding them. Then Tyeson jumped on the first Hippy Slasher proto and liked it so much for the deep Kootenay pow that he refused to give it back so Gabe asked if he'd like to join the cause. We weren't exactly planning on starting a snowboard company, we definitely didn't have a business plan, more of a desire to build boards to ride and Hightide Mfg evolved from that. I like to think of it as an evolution of a lifestyle.

What separates Hightide from other brands on the market?

The board shapes and how they ride. The craftsmanship and the unique resin tint topsheet colors. I don't know, however you perceive it to be different from other brands. We're just trying to have fun with it and do our own little thing in the saturated snowboard market.

Where or what do you draw inspiration from?

Mostly from time spent snowboarding in the mountains of British Columbia. Growing up living the snowboard lifestyle in Whistler for decades with thousands of days spent on snow brings a lot of experience to draw inspiration from. Riding so many different boards over the decades I've learnt to understand the minute details in snowboard design that I believe make boards ride really good. Of course I also keep up to speed with the snowboard and surf industries as there's a lot of progressive board shaping happening especially in the last five years or so to draw inspiration from.

What is essential to snowboarding for you?

Pure and simple enjoyment. Snowboarding is so enjoyable that it has been the biggest driving force in my life since the first day sliding sideways. Riding with friends, powder days, adventure, the snowboard community and being outside in the mountains and feeling connected to nature all intertwine to make it a highly enjoyable lifestyle.

Where and how are your boards made? Is it really a little shop in BC like the video on your site?

I build and press all of our boards in a small shop on Gabe's property in Pemberton, BC. The board materials are sourced internationally for the highest quality components and the cores and base material are CNC machined to a tenth of a millimetre tolerance to my CAD files by a couple outsourced companies as those machines are too expensive to own at our current production volume. The boards are stone ground and pro tuned on the best machines by our friend Adam Levitt at a local shop in Whistler. Hopefully we will have all these very expensive machines in house one day as we grow.

Bane brings a board into existence.

How can the public get their hands on your boards?

They can be purchased at www.hightidemfg.com with shipping to many countries and at Showcase Snowboards in Whistler, BC.

Is there any chance they can ride one before they buy?

If you are in Whistler you can arrange to try a demo board for a day or two by emailing info@hightidemfg.com. We will also be doing some on hill demo days this winter mainly in British Columbia.

What do you see in the future for Hightide?

Being focused on flexible manufacturing to be able to prototype and produce boards at low volumes so that new board shapes can be put to market often. Coming up with new shapes and testing them out is the fun and creative part so look for new shapes in the future. That and working to grow the brand to maintain the company and lifestyle.

What else would you like people to know about Hightide?

The name comes from us saying it's "lowtide" in the early season meaning there's not much snow. We don't really say it's "hightide" when there's lots of snow but that's what it means. That or maybe we were just high? ha. Anyway who doesn't want a hightide (powder) day.

Board Brands to Watch: Franco Snowshapes

noreply@blogger.com (BoredYak) — Sat, 14 Jan 2017 03:31:00 +0000

Yak: How would you explain your brand to someone stumbling across it for the first time?
Mikey: Franco Snowshapes was started to represent what snowboarding means to me. It's been my life for over 30 years and I wanted to create boards for myself and others that represents our lifelong passion and commitment to riding.

How did you get into the whole snowboard manufacturing game?

First, I was in Japan doing work for Burton. I was injured and couldn’t ride. The president of Burton Japan at the time felt bad so to cheer me up he took me to meet Taro Tomai of Gentem. It just so happened that my best buds from high school ran Igneous Skis in Jackson. They encouraged me to come in and make a board. My injury ended up taking me out for the season so that was a needed uplift. Combining what I learned from Igneous and what I saw at Gentem, I felt there was a missing link between the two: The functional, aesthetic shape of Gentem with the beauty, craftsmanship and hand-made aspect of Igneous needed to meet. That's when I chose to start Franco Snowshapes.

Mikey Franco at work.

What separates you from other brands on the market?

There are so many great brands on the market and I have great respect for all of my mentors and inspiration. What separates me from most is that I look at building boards much like an organic farmer looks at growing produce or a craft brewer brews beer. My first priority is not cutting costs. It is using the best possible ingredients, the best possible methods and most important of all, listening and truly understanding each and every client I shape a board for.

Where or what do you draw inspiration from?

I draw inspiration from so many places! One board was designed from a radical fairing I saw on the front of a vintage Harley. It looked sort of like a cobra, elegant yet deadly in an instant! I also get inspiration from surfing, from the snow conditions and terrain features a client is intending to ride on. I get inspired from so many of my peers in the snowboard industry as well. Design inspiration is everywhere if you look!

What is essential to snowboarding for you?

Style. Beauty. Fresh air. Being a part of a community. Knowing that what you are riding was built with intention. It was built with passion and with pride.

Where and how are your boards made? Are you seriously the only guy involved!? You must have a team.

Its just me! I wish I had a team… I make my boards from scratch at my shop in Jackson Hole. I order materials like base material, edges, etc. from various suppliers but I also handcraft parts as well. I harvested a couple of beetle-killed whitebark pine trees from Casper Bowl within the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and sliced them into super thin veneers for top sheets (each board made with the whitebark pine top sheets comes with a GPS code on it so you can go find the spot where your board's topsheet was harvested). I have some beautiful ash stock for core material I harvested from my brother's property in Pennsylvania. The trees were killed by the emerald ash borer. I then had a nearby Amish farm mill them into core material and will then make custom cores out of a mix of ash, hemlock, maple, etc. And I do have a guy, Patrick Shehan, that does my website and helps me a ton with PR stuff. He has been a great help.

Where, here!?

How can the public get their hands on your boards?

Right now, direct sales are the only way, unless you are in Jackson Hole. I have a small showroom in Teton Village during the winter months we call “The Shack”. Its the only rustic, tiny log cabin at the base of the Tram. There you can demo boards.

Is there any chance they can ride one before they buy?

Yes and no. They can ride a few here in Jackson, but in reality a custom board will not ride like any board you’ve ever ridden before. Your board is something that doesn’t exist yet therefore a demo will only provide a certain amount of feedback. It will certainly give you a sense of feel but most of my customers rely on a great deal of trust in me and my experience.

Ultimately, this board will be the greatest snowboard you’ve ever ridden because it was specifically made for YOU, from scratch. From your head down to your toes. These boards are designed with every millimeter of your soul considered. We want to know what scares you, what makes you scream with excitement, where you ride, how you ride, and everything in between. I developed something called the Rider Genome Profile. It is a way for me to get to know you as if we have been riding together for years. Based on my 30 years of teaching, guiding, and training clients and instructors all over globe, the RGP has become an invaluable tool for me to fully understand who you are.

What do you see in your future?
I see expanding out from Jackson Hole in a slow, purposeful way. Having a small showroom in three to five special mountain towns in the near future is my goal. Just like the one in Jackson, it is meant to be more of a gallery, a place where you come in for a coffee in the morning and grab a board or come in after riding and grab a craft beer in the afternoon and admire some beautiful snowboards surrounded by equally beautiful photography. A place to be fully inspired to ride, not a place to be bombarded by 45 different brands, products, and POP displays. I also see creating some limited release lines - maybe one or two each season - that are limited in series like 20 per season. I know there are folks out there that have difficulty conjuring up a custom shape and this might be a way for them to ride something unique without the stress of going through the design process.

What else would you like people to know about Franco Snowshapes?

That when you call, email, or text Franco Snowshapes, it is ME you will talk to! And it is ME that will design, build and finish your dream ride.

Board Brands to Watch: Interior Plain Project

noreply@blogger.com (BoredYak) — Sat, 07 Jan 2017 01:04:00 +0000

Yak: How would you explain your brand to someone stumbling across it for the first time?

Pete: It’s a snowboard brand focused on participation and culture.

How did you get into the whole snowboard manufacturing game?

Well, having worked in skate/snow retail for a decade with a large passion for our region (Midwest) and a strong team of shop riders, as well as starting and running our own skateboard brands, inspired me to believe a snowboard line from the Midwest was needed. It took me repping another 10 years and a major life change (birth of a daughter) to decide to make it happen, which I'm grateful for because I learned, helped, and passionately pursued linking our territory which was an amazing time. All those parts added to what The Interior Plain Project is today.

What separates IPP from other brands on the market?

Personally, I think a snowboard is simply a vehicle of expression/energy, a conductor if you will. We’re focused on great riding boards that the pilot can operate at a high level in whichever environment the day has provided. I feel like all snow conditions are prime conditions to ride with the proper want to, and that action is the output. So our boards are shaped and laid up with that ideal, a strong conductor of energy. We then conceive new collection aesthetics each season and reach out to different artists to keep the boards feeling unique collection to collection.

Pete and some new friends. Photo: Erik Schleicher

Where or what do you draw inspiration from?

Forever inspired by riding. That is what informs and eases me as a person. I find artists, unique personalities, new places, followed-through ideas, brainstorming, magazines, photography, moving pictures, story, and intention very inspiring.

What is essential to snowboarding for you?

Participating.

Where and how are your boards made?

Made in Austria by passionate people who produce boards with the least amount of possible impact to our environment. They are made with love and passion near amazing mountains using some of the most advanced and unique processes.

How can the public get their hands on your boards?

The key to where snowboarding stands today is the culture. Much of that culture has been born from the shops that choose to sell the goods to those interested in doing it. Our focus is doing business with specialty snowboard shops around the world. We hope the end riders also choose to support our culture by supporting the shops that help cultivate it. If there isn’t a shop close to you that you wish to support, I’d implore you to find one that aligns with your vibes and support them by purchasing through their online site. All our retailers can be found on our shops page at theipproject.com/shops-2/

Is there any chance they can ride one before they buy?

There’s always a chance although we haven't done many consumer demos. I guess that’s why I think shops are key; they can help the end user get on the right board. They do all the leg-work and you don't have to surf the web and get tossed.

What do you see in the future for IPP?

New collections, new models, and more snowboarding.

What else would you like people to know about IPP?

We're focused on “premium medium” boards with the ideal being like your favorite skate deck shape. It's good - maybe even great - and we're not changing it just to change. You can ride it and switch to something else. Just know we'll be here with that deck you want to get back on.

Do you have anything else to add or any questions for me, you know, since I've been doing all the asking?

We couldn’t do it without the support from all the contributors which helps make our collections happen season to season. I am truly grateful for all the contributions of energy, talent, and input. They help create the plains in which is the Interior. Also our full length film titled SHAPESHFTR will be releasing this Fall, new teaser drop soon [Ed. It's out now, check the IPP blog for some parts and other news].

Every time I type 'IPP' I think, "You down with IPP? Yeah, you know me." If that makes me a dork, I'm OK with it.

Me too. Bridges yelled that at me once in the Hood parking lot as we drove off. Been meaning to make him a custom shirt since. I'll add you to the list.

The crew. Are you down? Photo: Dan Mullins

Lucas Magoon and Harrison Gordon From Snowboarder Magazine's "Resolution"

noreply@blogger.com (BoredYak) — Wed, 14 Dec 2016 01:17:00 +0000

You need to watch this. If somehow you made it to this page without watching Gooner and Har Gor get after it in the Snowboarder Movie: Resolution, you're just doing things wrong. But I'm here to set you right. I don't know how much longer it will be available, but it's still there now. If they let me embed, it will appear below. Check for cameos from Jake OE and a groovy Japanese cop. Best soundtrack this season for sure. Watch it now, thank me later.

Product Test: Thermoses

noreply@blogger.com (BoredYak) — Fri, 02 Dec 2016 01:41:00 +0000

What do you know about vacuum insulation? What you might know by the trade name 'Thermos' is a broad category of drinking vessel that makes use of literally nothing to keep your beverage of choice either hot or cold. When I say 'literally nothing' I mean exactly that. Between the inner and outer walls of a vacuum bottle there is no foam, no water, not even any air; hence, nothing to transfer heat to or from you beverage. Does it work? That's what I sought to test. Let's go!

Drinkware, unite!

The following is a somewhat-scientific test of several different vacuum-insulated containers compared to non-vacuum containers. On the vacuum side we have HydroFlask, Stanley, Miir and Avex. On the 'other' side we have a plastic bottle, an aluminum bottle, a glazed ceramic coffee mug, and a glass pint glass. Scroll down to 'Conclusions' if you don't care about the data.

Hypothesis: Vacuum-insulated containers work better than non.

Method: Read temperature of vessel with IR thermometer. Heat water to boiling in electric kettle. Add about 8 oz. of hot water to vessel. Re-take temperature. Seal if applicable. Re-take temperature after six hours (two hours with non-vacuum vessels) and every two hours after until water is back to room temperature.

Results: Thermoses work. Here's what's up. All temperatures are in Fahrenheit and all fills are to 8 ounces with water.

Hydro Flask 12 oz bottle

Temperature empty: 67.2
Temperature with liquid: 158.6
After 6 hours: 120.9
After 8 hours: 110.3
After 12 hours: 96
After 24 hours: 77.3 (still noticeably warmer than room temperature)

MIIR 32 oz Howler

Temperature empty: 66.3
Temperature with liquid: 151.9
After 6 hours: 100.8
After 8 hours: 92.3
After 12 hours: 81.5
After 24 hours: 70.9 (pretty much back to room temp.)

Stanley 16 oz Travel Mug

Temperature empty: 66.1
Temperature with liquid: 146.8
After 6 hours: 102.4
After 8 hours: 94.9
After 12 hours: 83.9
After 24 hours: 72 (again, nearly room temp.)

Avex Highland Autoseal 20 oz Travel Mug

Temperature empty: 65.5
Temperature with liquid: 147.4
After 6 hours: 102.9
After 8 hours: 94.6
After 12 hours: 84.2
After 24 hours: 72 (nearly identical numbers to the Stanley mug, similar design)

Hydro Flask Vacuum Insulated Pint

Temperature empty: 69.7
Temperature with liquid: 139.3
After 4 hours: 76.4
After 6 hours: 68.3 (not nearly the performance with the open top)

Standard glass pint glass (aka what holds your beer at the bar)

Temperature empty: 69
Temperature with liquid: 134.3
After 4 hours: 70.4
After 6 hours: 66.9 (aka room temperature)

Ceramic coffee mug

Temperature empty: 67.8
Temperature with liquid: 131.3
After 4 hours: 69.2
After 6 hours: 66.9 (as expected)

Mizu single-wall aluminum bottle

Temperature empty: 67.2
Temperature with liquid: 146.8
After 6 hours: 68.6 (aluminum is a good conductor of heat)

Plastic Nalgene-style bottle

Temperature empty: 66.5
Temperature with liquid: 155.3
After 6 hours: 70.6
After 8 hours: 70.4 (plastic is not much better)

I did one more test with a 64 oz Hydro Flask Growler just to see whether having so little liquid (still 8 oz) in such a big bottle would affect performance. Here are the numbers. I'm not sure why I didn't test at the same intervals.

Temperature with liquid: 166.4
After 6 hours: 99.5
After 12 hours: 88
After 24 hours: room temperature (not as good as the Hydro Flask 12 oz)

Conclusions:

Thermoses definitely work. Looks like the numbers are pretty close here, but Hydro Flask might have a slight edge.

Pro tips:

All of these bottles have been machine washed. A lot. Because I'm lazy. If you want the absolute max performance out of your thermos, hand wash it. At least if that's what it asks for.

One good way to get the best performance out of your chosen vessel is to prime it. If you want your coffee to stay hot for the max amount of time, pre-heat your thermos with some boiling water for a few minutes before dumping it out and adding the coffee. Starts hot, stays hot.

Fill it up. As you can see in the 12 oz vs. 64 oz Hydro Flask test, less air space leads to less heat loss. And why wouldn't you want to fill it anyway, right?

The Avex and Stanley models both have push-to-drink auto-sealing buttons. Klutz proof!

I tested heat because it takes less time for water too cool than it does to warm. These containers keep liquids cold even longer than they keep it hot.

Real pro Mark Sullivan (founder of Tailgate Alaska, among other things) suggests keeping a shitty thermos with you in your sleeping bag on winter camping trips. It trickles heat out all night long and that keeps you a little warmer in your bag.

Bode Merrill's "Reckless Abandon" Premiere at evo, Portland

noreply@blogger.com (BoredYak) — Fri, 21 Oct 2016 20:19:00 +0000

What else do you need? A trailer?? OK.

Reckless Abandon: A Film by Bode Merriill and Jon Ray from Snowboarder Magazine on Vimeo.

Snowboarder Magazine: Resolution

noreply@blogger.com (BoredYak) — Tue, 18 Oct 2016 22:01:00 +0000

I'm not going to fuck around. Just go watch it, buy it and watch it again. The roster is heavy. You get rails, jumps, big mountain, pow, methods, heli, sleds, dabbing, fuckery, good music, the whole she-bang. Gooner, Grendys, Bang, Louif, Blum, Har Gor, Terje, Jamie Lynn, Guch, Ben Ferguson, Rencz, Blauvelt, Danny Davis, tons of cameos like Bryan Fox, Austin Smith and Shaun White (mmhmm, that guy). Shots get got by John Cavan and Colton Morgan. Peep the intro below and catch a premiere coming to a theater near you: Venice, November 4 or Mammoth, November 11. Whichever way, make it your resolution to check this one out.

The SNOWBOARDER Movie: Resolution - Intro from Snowboarder Magazine on Vimeo.

Runway Films' Full Moon Trailer Drops

noreply@blogger.com (BoredYak) — Sun, 04 Sep 2016 02:10:00 +0000

The ladies at Runway are ready to rock with their multi-year, Kickstarter-backed project. Check the teaser below and pencil in the premiere date nearest you.

Runway Films presents Full Moon from Runway Films on Vimeo.

Discover Chile With Jake Blauvelt

noreply@blogger.com (BoredYak) — Fri, 02 Sep 2016 16:31:00 +0000

Here's three minutes of Chilean pow with natural style master Jake Blauvelt. Enjoy!

Discover Chile with Jake Blauvelt from COLLAB FILMS on Vimeo.

ExplORe

noreply@blogger.com (BoredYak) — Fri, 02 Sep 2016 03:02:00 +0000

Here's a little story about roadside snowboarding in Oregon. I can get behind this as a good start to September. Coming soon, premiere season. It won't be long now.

ExplORe - Roads Less Taken - Trailer from Ilusive on Vimeo.

Volcom 'Holy Stokes!' On Tour

noreply@blogger.com (BoredYak) — Sat, 28 May 2016 17:40:00 +0000

Ladies and gentlemen, this is not to be missed (even though I regretfully did). Find a tour date here and call up your crew (worldwide!) Hi-res skateboardsmanship at its finest. No harness or net. Prepare to be amazed, befuddled and possibly perplexed. Or maybe just stoked.

SIA and More

noreply@blogger.com (BoredYak) — Wed, 27 Jan 2016 18:05:00 +0000

Oh boy! I definitely haven't been the most prolific writer, well, ever. But recently, I've been feeling especially slow. Thank you for your patience. At times I feel like I'm losing my mind and the words are going with it. I'm sure it's temporary. Just gotta get back on the horse. What better way to remount the steed than the good ole snowsports industry tradeshow, SIA?

Right now you might be thinking to yourself, "But you weren't that prolific after last year's SIA, what's new this year?" Well, I'm glad I'm telepathic enough to hear you ask yourself that question, so I can provide the answer. Perhaps because of last year's shortcomings, I feel I owe it to you (and to myself) to produce more this year. It's what I should have done last year anyway. It wasn't snowing enough to ride as much last year, so why didn't I write more? I had the material. I had the time. I just got lazy. Sometimes that inertia is hard to overcome. But here I am.

In a stroke of 'better late than never,' here's a brief wrap up of 2015's SIA.

GoPro accessories everywhere. More sticks and mounts than a polo match.
Burton didn't have a booth, they had their own venue. Seriously. They held down a three-level warehouse/rave venue for the week and ran shuttles back and forth to the convention center. They're doing the same this year.
Mervin didn't have a booth, they had a suite next door at the Hyatt. That one was weird. Not GNU weird, just strange. It was a two-bedroom hotel suite casually decorated in Lib Tech and GNU boards, bindings and clothes. They have a small booth this year.
Skullcandy didn't have a booth, they just ran the show at the Hyatt bar. DJs and banners included. Same deal this year.
Highlights from the on-snow demo were the Nitro Quiver MTN - a charging, all-mountain ripper - and the GNU Zoid - a directional, asymmetrical charging ripper. Also, I was a fan of the Electric EG3.5 goggles. It may be personal preference, but they fit my face well and the tupperware-like press-and-seal was intuitive, quick and confidence inspiring.
A lowlight from the on-snow was the Lib Tech DUH - two edges per side (one inner, one outer), so different I probably should have ridden it more to truly understand what was going on, but with the time I gave it, it seemed like a big swing and miss.
Airblaster and Celtek (two companies that gave me walk-in meetings after I didn't schedule appointments with them) knocked it out of the park. Both of these rider-run companies are crushing the big dogs.

Now I'm off to the current SIA show. Look for a little something from me on YoBeat in a few days. Until then, check out this bib roundup I did for Transworld (remember what I said about Airblaster?). Drop any requests you have for SIA in the comments.

How To Bring Out the Style

noreply@blogger.com (BoredYak) — Fri, 15 Jan 2016 00:19:00 +0000

Recently, Vans announced that they're bringing back the Hi-Standard series. In said contest series there will be "no rotations over 720 allowed." Check out the schedule and come find me at the June 6 stop on Mt. Hood.

Give 'em the boot.

I remember when Air and Style enforced a 540 rotation cap in the past and I remember some spine-warping shifty spins coming out of that comp. I wonder what it will be like this time. Will the big multi corking names be invited only to see the rest of their trick bag? Or will it be a bunch of local kids with style for miles getting one-footed or/and handplanted? Details are mixed on the setup. One part mentions big air another hypes up the "Van Doren Rail Best Trick". One would hope the setup is as creative as they're hoping the riders get.

Who would you pick in a contest where there's a 720 rotation limit? Jed Anderson is up there for me. He can do everything. Jumps, rails, handplants/drags. He won the Burton Canadian Open Halfpipe in 08/09 with about the most stylish Tricks on tricks, ya herrrd? Who you got?

Here's another thought, when the hell did it come to this? I know, the 'style vs. spins' fight has been going on forever. But when did the first contest organizer say, "Ya know what, no spins over 720"? Maybe just make the judging reflect what you want to see. If this 'sport' had promoted style from the beginning, it wouldn't have been a problem. If you scored an X-Games pipe run that featured six double corks the same as one where the rider fell on his first hit, and the best McTwist won, riders would get the point real quick. You might even see a different crop of riders and you'd definitely have a different fanbase. Maybe I'll start a mini-air series to go along with Bode's mini-pipe comp.

Another thing it reminds me of, a video game I had. I don't remember what it was called, but I remember different levels having bonuses for different tricks. One level would say, "This level you get bonuses for nosepresses." It's the kind of game where you need a certain amount of points to clear a level. Guess what? You still got more points for the giant flipping spinning video game tricks than you did for any nosepress you could ever do. I don't know what that rant had to do with anything, other than arbitrary judging. Hopefully it doesn't turn into who can do the best 720.

Where's the line? Who knows!? Can you get a big contest together an just have dudes chuck methods? They did that at the X-Games, too. Once. Then they busted out the triple corks right after. So long as it's a contest, people will get good at whatever wins.

You want to see a fun contest. Go to the Baker Banked Slalom. Wait for it. Not the race, though. The sub-contest doesn't get much hype, but it's the best game in town. It's a handplant contest on a mini-hip. Best plant gets a ticket to next year's LBS. Other cool tricks get swag from the sponsors. It's just a bunch of shreds hiking a nice hit and getting rad. Anybody could do it anywhere. It reminds me of when I started snowboarding. We either used a picnic table or a shiiiiity little jump. And we'd hike that all day. Mini-jib and micro-air.

The Vans Comp will be nothing like that, but it could be worth watching anyway. Check it out starting January 16.

Snowboard Magazine, Gone 'til September

noreply@blogger.com (BoredYak) — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 04:37:00 +0000

Last year I published this piece about how early some snowboard magazines put out their final issues of the season. Well it turns out this year they were all rushing to be the first one done again. Shout out to Snowboard Magazine for winning the race. If I understand the final words from their editor correctly, they're done for the winter. In her column, Inside Line, editor in chief Susie Floros had this to say, "Accept nothing as a constant - except change. Drop into the unknown, or at least the last issue of Volume 12."

Maybe print isn't the right medium for snowboarding. It's expensive and clunky, everything that you're reading about happened a year ago, the pages get torn in the mail so you can't properly turn them at your leisure. How do you miss the boat like this, though? I got this issue in mid-December, a week before winter officially begins in the Northern Hemisphere.

Here's a little more about Snowboard Magazine. They put out four issues each year from August to December. That's not many issues, but does that sound like a snowboard magazine timeline? Yeah, I'm getting stoked, but what about January through April? At least March. Come on! Don't your advertisers want to sell me shit in February at least!? Like those jackets languishing on the 40%-off rack. Here is a direct quote from the subscription page on their website, "We'd love to make more issues, however we'd prefer to shred during the winter than make more magazines." Aside from being a poorly constructed sentence, it's a sentiment I can get behind. But what's wrong with shifting your publication schedule so you can get people stoked to go shred during the actual winter months? If change is the only constant, maybe their schedule will change next volume.

Pray For Snow With Mt. Hood Meadows

noreply@blogger.com (BoredYak) — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 05:05:00 +0000

UPDATE: Meadows added a limited slope opening. The Buttercup lift will be turning from 3-7pm and will include a park setup with five rails. Lift tickets are just $10 and for those over 21 that will get you in to the Pray For Snow party as well.

Opening soon or opening now? Either way we need more snow. Get to Mt. Hood Meadows and make it happen this Saturday, November 21 from 11 in the morning 'til 11 at night. That's right, on the mountain. The place where we want the snow. Earlier in the day, until 5pm will be all-ages as various food, drink and retail establishments will offer discounts and previews of the coming year. Then comes the sneak preview dinner with Meadows' new executive chef, Matt Stine, and owner, Matthew Drake. Finally, the Pray For Snow Dance Party with music by Hit Machine also featuring fashion shows, raffles and a slide show from staff photographer Grant Myrdall. Doors at 7:30, 21+ Get up there and party down!

Envision everything you see covered in snow. Except the band, that would mean a faulty roof.

Pray For Snow With Timberline in Portland

noreply@blogger.com (BoredYak) — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 21:35:00 +0000

The snow's falling everywhere, but who couldn't use a little more? Timberline Lodge and 10 Barrel Brewing are getting together tomorrow in Portland for the standard superstitious Pray For Snow Party. It's a rail jam and religious service all rolled into one with music, dancing, food and drink. The proceeds even go to charity. That oughtta get the lifts crankin'!

If this doesn't bring the snow, what will!?

Deeper Look: Scarpa Furia

noreply@blogger.com (BoredYak) — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 05:38:00 +0000

Sometimes I write articles for other venues and they don't turn out like I want them to. Case in point, this climbing gear guide for Outside Online. You'd never know how much work I put into that thing by the '10 words and a stock photo' turnout. I set up several photo shoots and wrote, well, at least twice the words. Anyway, I've got more, so here it is.

First up, the Scarpa Furia men's climbing shoe. This one's a doozy. Slide it on and it's super lightweight and comfortable right out of the box. How? Scarpa made this one without a midsole. You'll feel that on your first problem, too. Every little nub translates to grip and feeling. Smears become as stable as fist-sized footholds.

See that orange stripe on the sole? That's the Power Connection Band portion of the Active Randing construction. To tell you the truth, I'm not sure I knew it was there exactly. I do know that heel hooks and smears were stable as a room full of horses, though.

The other thing, this shoe is soft. My everyday shoe is the Scarpa Instinct VS and the Furia is definitely more flexible. You can almost grip down on your feet like you're wearing a glove. The rep said that this translates into a less durable shoe that you might not want to wear every day, but when you really need to send, you reach for this shoe. Well, this pair went with the model in the photo because Outside couldn't afford to pay both of us in dollars (it's ok, he's a friend of mine), so I'll have to ask him about durability later. He's wearing them every day and liking them so far (about five months later). He also wore his last pair of shoes 'til his big toe was poking out.

Overall, I give the Scarpa Furia top marks. Most of my climbing is bouldering with a little bit of sport. The fit and comfort of these shoes along with their sensitivity and light weight makes for a premium set of boots. They might not last as long as some other pairs, but if you can afford to have a special set (MSRP $179) these bad boys will get you up there.

Kickstart the Moon

noreply@blogger.com (BoredYak) — Tue, 27 Oct 2015 19:00:00 +0000

The talented women of Runway Films are busy cranking out a movie this year and they're looking for a Kickstart. Internetsters, check out Full Moon: Women's Snowboarding, Past, Present & Future! Undoubtedly the deepest reward list from a women's snowboard film I've ever seen. It starts at the $5-level and moves all the way up to $8 grand! They've got goodies like trips to Baldface, Dakine backpacks and locks of hair from team riders in there. Go check it out and help make snowboarding history: Full Moon Kickstarter

Cool side note, I see this went live last night, which was also a full moon in the astronomical sense. Mad props for that bit of planning (or amazing turn of coincidence)! All the more reason to open your wallets, I say.

NWAC To Host Snow Safety Workshop

noreply@blogger.com (BoredYak) — Tue, 27 Oct 2015 03:21:00 +0000

You. Must. Learn!

Sunday, November 8, the Northwest Avalanche Center will host the ninth annual Northwest Snow and Avalanche Workshop in Seattle. For just $35 attendees get a day full of expert knowledge from North America's premier snow and avalanche experts.You can even get them to throw in a box lunch for just a little more. If you're looking to up your backcountry game, you're not going to find better value than this. Follow the link for more: NSAW by NWAC

Drone Wars?

noreply@blogger.com (BoredYak) — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 18:27:00 +0000

Mt Hood Meadows and Timberline both signed exclusive aerial drone usage contracts with California-based Cape Productions for the coming season. Drone use by the general public remains prohibited at both areas (See policies from Meadows and Timberline) without proper permitting. In exchange, Cape will provide a service similar to what Grant Myrdal provides at Meadows, namely, capturing images of you on certain runs for a fee. Here's how it works:

This is the right time to make this sort of decision. I have seen very few drones at Meadows or Timberline during normal business operations. I saw a few during Snowboarder Magazine's Superpark at Meadows two winters ago and one in the parking lot at Timberline once. That said, drones are are getting easier to come by every year. I wouldn't be surprised to see signs at the resorts that warn of drone usage soon. Now that I type that, I feel like I've already seen these signs.

I think they got it right. I definitely don't want to see someone's drone and wonder whether he or she knows how to pilot it properly while I'm enjoying a day on the hill. GoPoles are one thing, at least they stay close to the operator. Flying- spinning- knife-camera machines up the ante a little.

What do you think? Should people be able to drone where they wanna drone or is a little regulation good? It sounds like the deal is for just one year to start with, so we'll see what happens. If you have strong feelings on the topic, be sure to get in touch with Meadows, Timberline and/or Cape Productions and let them know how you feel. Also, check out Shred Hood's commentary on the issue.

Absinthe Eversince Tour

noreply@blogger.com (BoredYak) — Wed, 09 Sep 2015 18:02:00 +0000

I posted a couple of days ago about the new Absinthe film, Eversince. Well, it turns out, they're already on tour supporting the show. The big premiere was last Saturday in Salt Lake and the tour has eight more dates in the US, followed by a massive European slate. Also, it looks like Nicolas Müller has a full part, so figure out where the nearest showing is and go see it!