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Welcome to a new way to have fun on the snow!
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Premier Edition
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WINTER 2014 | SNOW SKATER & POWDER SURFER 3
E D I T O R I A L
THE REALITY IS THAT IF YOU’RE a long-
boarder and live in a climate that has snow,
you basically have three options. You can
move to a warmer climate, but this can be dif-
ficult. You can sulk, waiting out winter with a
surly disposition, pining for dry roads. Or you
can go out snowboarding, but that generally
requires a hill and a lift ticket. But now there
is a fourth option. Snow skates and powder
surfers combine the best of what long-
boarding and snowboarding provide.
It’s been a slow but steady journey—much
like our world in longboarding. We can go
back to 1964 with the introduction of the
Snurfer—a board that you could ride on snow
that had no bindings. Then 2001 Burton intro-
duced the Snowdeck, over time, gave up on
the idea. It’s taken the passion and persever-
ance of a number of people to keep things
moving forward. Thanks to these visionaries
and stoke spreaders, the underground scene
is slowly, but surely, emerging.
These products are fun. You can ride them
on large and small hills or even a local golf
course or maybe even the neighbors back-
yard! Snow skating and powder surfing open
up a new world to riders. In much the same
way larger boards, softer wheels and tight-
turning trucks changed the way people
enjoy asphalt, snow skates and powder
surfers will change the way we enjoy snow.
Enjoy the ride!
Michael Brooke | Publisher & Editor
HERE’S TO NEW TRAILS!Paul Elkins
Photo: Kurt Reise
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4 SNOW SKATER & POWDER SURFER | WINTER 2014
AMBITIONAmbition boardsare made withCanadian hardmaple, just likehigh-end skateboards. They have a differentshape, though, providing good pop on snow.They are flat, for stability, and channeled fromnose to tail for traction and control. The middlegroove is also wider, which lets you lock ontorails. Topsheets are EVA foam. AddingXtremegrip really makes it into a functionalsnow skateboard in any snow condition. All ourboards are epoxy laminated so they do notdelaminate and so they can endure water andsnow. This year we have come up with newshapes for extra pop and lighter construction.ambitionsnowskates.com
BOYD HILLWe are committedto building the bestsnowskates pos-sible, for anyconditions on theplanet. We strivefor excellence inmanufacturing. Wenoticed that downhill skateboarders havealways gravitated to our longer, powder-spe-cific boards, so we decided to make thelongboard of snowskates this year with the133-cm Mountain Bluebird – a long ski,slightly narrower throughout to allow therider to initiate tight, precise turns. This boardshould come with a warning label because itwill carve downhill at face-melting speeds.Not for the faint of heart, this will be a fastone to get your speed fix. boydhill.com
CHILLER
Nestled at the base of theSelkirk Mountains innorthern Idaho, theChillerdecks shop is dedi-cated to producing trueall-mountain tools thatare binding-free. Years ofcontinuous testing haveproduced skates thatredefine how a riderviews terrain. Ultra-light,deep-concave top deckswith foam grip andXtremegrip spikes pro-vide a secure platform
for the feet. A sliding truck system with quick-release pins provides on-the-fly adjustability.Subs ranging in size from 108-cm play boardsto 162-cm backcountry floaters leave no areaunserved. We build what we ride so we canride where we want. chillerdecks.com
DECEMBERDesperate to continue surfingduring winter flat spells andtired of the winter roads cov-ered in sand, snow and salt,we hiked into the cold moun-tains to improve on what welearned surfing waves andcarving asphalt. We found thatriding bindingless was theanswer. Whether it was onuntracked powder or on perfectly groomedresort mountains, riding snow was finally onthe same level as skateboarding or surfing.We used our backgrounds in industrial tech-nology and board sports to design andproduce traditionally built skate decks andpowdersurfers. Our focus has always beenbuilding decks specifically for snowskatersthat concentrated on lightness, healthy con-cave and a longer wheelbase. These qualitiesgive the rider a greater edge, while retainingimprovements in water resistance (they arebuilt with the snow in mind). All of our hand-made snow craft are designed to connect therider to the mountain with the same freedomskateboarders and surfers have enjoyed fordecades. decembersnowskates.com
ERABOARDFor seven years we have devel-oped and fine-tuned a newcategory of binding-free boardswe call the Eraboard. The Eraboardprovides the possibility and abilityof exploring all parts of the moun-tain on the same board, withoutthe equipment ever holding backyour performance in the slightest,no matter what conditions you arechallenged by. That’s just what theEraboard is about: One board to ride [email protected]
FLORIDA POWDERSKATEWhy Florida Powder-skate? There is rarelysnow in Florida — thehighest elevation isless than 400 feet,and companyfounder Adam Ben-nett left theNorthwest to work inthe Florida Panhandle
for a spell back in ’04. So yeah, laugh it up.Then get some serious fun on a one-of-a-kindpowderskate. Florida Powderskate provides asnow surfing experience like none other. Eachpowderskate is designed and crafted in Cali-fornia to go fast and carve cosmic turns. OurPowderskate collection has a setup for everyrider. Setups include deck with grip, Rockertrucks, Florida Powderskate ski, hardware,and an Ungi Bungi snow leash. Experiencesnow surfing this winter. fpskate.com
FUSEFUSE offers three very dif-ferent types of skates forvery different types ofriding and/or conditions. Westarted out making fourmini skis instead of wheelson a skateboard. This setupis going to be skate-boarding’s closest cousin.Using skateboard trucks,the skis can glide essentiallyflat like a skate wheel,offering stable control. Familiar feel, olliesand flip tricks make for a quick learning curvefor skateboarders.
The FUSE 1X (double deck) is more closelyrelated to snowboarding. A single ski, or sub,mounted below a top deck by “trucks,”comes in a wide range of shapes and sizes.Small models are generally for getting tricksand jibbing at resorts or around town. Thebig models are for raging powder, big lines,drops and jumping.
FUSE Flat decks are the most versatile fortricks in combination with urban setups.Ledges, rails, stair sets, gaps and sketchy sur-vival lines are all part of the fun in gettingdown with singles. fusesnow.com
GRASSROOTS POWDERSURFING
Grassroots Powdersurfing was founded in2007 to create a pure, binding-free powder-riding experience. Drawing inspiration fromskateboarding, surfing, and snowboarding,we came up with a form of self-expressionand progression that had yet to be explored.Our shapes and designs provide unbeatablefloat, control, pop, freedom and agility. We’vedeveloped boards for every type of rider andterrain, maximizing creative potential andproviding a surfy ride and feel unlike any-thing else on earth.
C O M P A N Y P R O F I L E S
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WINTER 2014 | SNOW SKATER & POWDER SURFER 5
HARFANGH a r f a n gS n o w s k a t e sheadquarters arelocated in Mon-treal, Quebec,Canada. As arider-oriented company, we’re dedicated tobringing you the highest-quality snowskateproducts. We proudly support local manufac-turing. All boards are made in Quebec,allowing us to respect our higher standards.The ever-growing lineup includes sub-skis,top decks, leashes, trucks, grip tape, tools,wax, apparel and more. The all-around 43snowskate comes with a 108-cm x 12.3 cm x15.3 cm twin tip, rocker to concave sub-skiand a 7-ply, all-maple 35.5” x 9.375” top deckwith specially designed glue and varnishthat will withstand the worst conditions.harfangsnowskates.com
HOVLANDHovland offers bi-deck snowskatesthat are designed to ride yourwhole resort, from top to bottom.The company is run by snowskaters,skateboarders and snowboardersand has the goal of making the rad-dest snowskates possible, as well ashelping to expand all-mountainsnowskating to resorts worldwide.We manufacture our snowskates atan elite snowboard factory,ensuring that you are going to getthe best build in the marketplace ata fair price. hovlandsnowskates.com
MINUS 7Minus 7 was born outof the dual frustrationof not being able toskateboard six monthsout of the year in theSierra Nevada and asnowboard really not“riding like a skate-board in the snow.” Toput it bluntly: A skate-board doesn’t comewith shackles. Newlydesigned blades andtop decks reflect ouryears of riding andd e v e l o p i n gsnowskates, makingthis our best skate yet.Minus 7 has beenrider-owned and rider-made since July 7, 2007. We operate our owntop deck and blade presses. All snowskatesare built Donner Summit tough.
Snowskating: the soul of surfing, edge ofsnowboarding, tech of skating. minus-7.com
PAROLE BOARDSP a r o l eB o a r d sSnowskatescome in sev-eral differentoptions. Weoffer bothFulcrum and Jail Breaker trucks. They are apivoting truck that allows the ski to flex more.This translates into more pop and a smootherride. Several different top deck options areavailable. The Felony snowskate is a great all-mountain skate. It allows stability on thesteepest black diamonds and pop in the flats.Our decks are real street shredders and makeeasy work of the skate parks. We custom-make each board with attention tocraftsmanship and detail. parole-boards.com
PIONEERPioneer has a snowskatefor every rider. From thebeginner to the expertin the park or in thepowder, Pioneersnowskates do it ALL!Our snowskates arehandmade in the USAand our cores are madeof vertically laminated popular and otherwoods to produce a light and poppy skate.Our newest skate is the 49er! It is an all-mountain skate. A little bigger, it takes on allconditions and is a racers’ favorite! pioneer-snowskates.com
PREDOG
Predog Snowskate is your one-stopsnowskate shop, ded-icated to providingthe highest-qualitysnowskates available. Wejoined the snowskate com-munity in 2006 as anindependent, family-ownedcompany, and we’ve builtsnowskates and designed products for every
aspect of the sport ever since. Whether youride groomers, park, all-mountain or powder,Predog has the perfect snowskate. Our prod-ucts are tested in the Sierra NevadaMountains by snowskaters like yourself todeliver the performance you demand.predog.com
RAYNERayne Longboards have long been regardedas the gold standard for downhill skate-boards and longboards. Hand crafting theirfun-sticks at the base of North Vancouver'sRocky Mountains, Rayne and snow havebeen innately joined from day one. Rayne'spremium Bamboo and Fibreglass construc-tion fits perfectly for high performance funin the snow. Head over to Rayne.com to seetheir lineup of Snowskate Top Decks andbrand new 2014 Pow-surfers.
REBELABMade in North Lake Tahoe,the Lab Rat 137 cm is a powblade that can take youpractically anywhere. Thenose is 10 ¼” wide, pro-viding plenty of float indeep conditions. Thetapered sidecut, down tothe 5 5/8”-wide tail, allowsfor great control on inboundgroomers as well as invarying conditions of theside or backcountry. rebelab.com
RIVALRival Snowsurfis super excitedto introduce toyou the RivalStealth pow-surfer. Thisboard is newfor 2014 andthe result ofmany years ofresearch anddevelopment atthe HurricanePow Lab. Win-ters are spent up above the clouds in thewhite sparkly fluffy stuff, slaying pow stashesuntil legs burn, only to return to the RivalShaping Shack to refine and dial in the per-fect shapes for bindingless pow surfing. Thisboard is the past, present and the future. Thefuture is now. 138 cm x 33 cm, horizontallylaminated Soviet birch, karate tail-kick tech-nology, hydrodynamic channels andpow-specific rocker, hand-built in the goodol’ USA. rivalsnowsurf.com
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WHY WE BUILDBy Bryce Rich | Boyd Hill Snowskates
I happened to camp out with a couple of
other snowskate builders from the Pacific
Northwest. After a few beers, the conver-
sation inevitably went to building. We
talked about technique, materials and
graphics. Then things turned to shaping.
We all agreed shaping was our favorite
part of building. The ability to visualize a
new idea, build it and test it by flying
down a hill on it is not only fun; it also
has the potential to revolutionize a rap-
idly growing sport.
When Boyd Hill started building
snowskates about six years ago, we did it because we couldn’t find the equipment we needed. Every-
thing was either too small, poorly made or didn’t exist. We couldn’t buy the bottom ski (sub) by itself
or find accessories like foam grip or leashes, so we decided to build our own.
One of my close friends, T.J., happens to be a master ski builder. When we brought T.J. the idea of
Boyd Hill Snowskates, he pretty much just shrugged and said “OK.” T.J. has plenty of experience with
ideas and innovation, having prototyped the first twin-tip snow skis in the early ’90s. The first model
we pressed was the shape we thought a proper
snowskate should have. We pressed four of them.
They were almost unrideable. We learned exactly
what didn’t work, and it gave us a great starting
point. The next skate we made was a success, and we
still use that model today.
Being a relatively small factory, we have learned
that we have distinct advantages over big companies
and overseas manufacturing. Large companies can
spend a year between prototyping a new model and
shipping that new model to consumers. Anyone man-
ufacturing overseas is stuck with expensive tooling
fees to produce one model, whereas we can have five
new models for the same amount of money and a
fraction of the time. We can have a new shape proto-
typed and on the snow in one week.
Boyd Hill approaches snowskating as skate-
boarding on snow, something that snowboarding
simply has never been. Building our own equipment
and designing our own shapes is our chance to influ-
ence the future of our sport by valuing quality and
superior design. We have an incredibly tight-knit
global community of riders. We have the opportunity
to learn from mistakes made by the ski and snow-
board industries to not only make a better product,
but a better sport.
6 SNOW SKATER & POWDER SURFER | WINTER 2014
WHY
Bryce works on his latest masterpiece.Photo: TJ Sneum
Bryce RichPhoto: TJ Sneum
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WINTER 2014 | SNOW SKATER & POWDER SURFER 7
WHY SNOWSKATES?Zak Brosnihan | Parole Boards
There’s always that next big hill, to raise the bar and chal-
lenge yourself. You look at it a hundred times, and then
one day you get up the nerve to go for it. The rush you
get when you start down a major vertical drop for the
first time … is snowskating. When you’re on a snowskate,
the level of uncertainty and adrenaline you get is
unmatched. Ultimately you will master it, and along the
way you’ll get to experience a true longboard/surfing
feeling: constantly pushing yourself, bombing hills, drop-
ping ledges and surfing powder with nothing to restrain
you. It’s just you, your board and the incline. You’ll be
drawing your lines on the fly, shredding backcountry,
slashing through drifts as you speed down the mountain.
It is truly the most thrilling thing you can do on snow. It
makes the small hills big and old runs new.
WHY I STARTED GRASSROOTS POWDERSURFINGBy Jeremy Jensen | Grassroots Powdersurfing
I decided to start building and shaping my own
boards in 2007 because I had been dreaming of a dif-
ferent type of powder riding. I wanted to float
effortlessly in powder with full control, riding for-
wards or backwards with my feet free to move around
the board and the board free to spin and flip beneath
my feet. I basically wanted to mix my favorite activi-
ties (powder snowboarding, skateboarding and
surfing) into one. Nothing existed at the time that
would allow me to do this, so I decided to start
playing around with creating something myself. I had
experimented for nearly a decade by simply taking
the bindings off of “powder specific” snowboards or
cutting boards into new shapes, but they just didn’t
perform to my standards. It was obvious to me that
boards needed to be shaped and designed specifically
for binding-free riding, especially for the type of
riding that I was interested in. I didn’t want to make
a board that rode like a snowboard. I wanted to
achieve a more “surfy” and “floaty” feel and at the
same time allow the rider to take full advantage of
being unattached to the board. I wanted something
new and different that could open up new avenues
of progression that had yet to be explored. This is why
I started Grassroots Powdersurfing.
Jeremy JensenPhoto: J. Jensen
Christophe GuyotPhoto: Mike Steinhauser
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8 SNOW SKATER & POWDER SURFER | WINTER 2014
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WINTER 2014 | SNOW SKATER & POWDER SURFER 9
“I SKATE BECAUSE OF THE CHALLENGE,
the freedom and the pure radness of it.”
Sound familiar? It must be a longboarder
speaking, yes? Not quite. It is Matt Quam, a
Warren Miller film vet and snowskating
champion, referring to the sport that has
compelled him and an exploding community
of others to free their feet and ditch their
snowboards for good.
What is snowskating, exactly? It is the art of
skateboarding on snow — shredding the moun-
tain on a skateboard deck attached via hinged
metal trucks to a ski, of all things. The size of
the deck and the ski vary depending on snow
conditions, rider preference and skill level.
Snowskaters use skill and balance to stay
on their boards, not bindings. This blows
average observers out of the water but should
come as no surprise to skateboarders and
surfers. It is, after all, exactly where that chal-
lenge, freedom and pure radness come from.
“To be free is a natural balance, a give and
take: understanding your surroundings, situ-
ation and circumstances and controlling your
ride through varying terrain purely by
shifting your feet and not being attached to
anything,” says Jim Spiers, owner of Predog
Snowskate. “It’s an amazing feeling to truly
surf a mountain, without bindings, while
being in total control,” he adds with a grin.
It used to be de rigueur to create your own
“frankenskate” with scavenged and repur-
posed parts and pieces: a shaved-down
B Y M E L I S S A D U G E S P I E R S
THE HEARTOF SNOWSKATING
or FREE YOUR FEET
Alan GerlachPhoto: Justin Majeczky
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10 SNOW SKATER & POWDER SURFER | WINTER 2014
snowboard, a kid’s ski, an old skate deck,
with blocks of wood for risers — whatever
was at hand. Now a host of snowskate-spe-
cific companies (see sidebar) are producing
top-of-the-line, complete skates in a variety
of sizes, shapes and high-tech materials. They
also produce their own snowskate movies,
blogs, competitions and magazines, as well as
a drool-worthy assortment of snowskate-only
accessories, from trucks to leashes to grip
tape to apparel.
The improved equipment, legitimacy and
support of snowskate-dedicated companies
have helped the sport explode internationally,
with enthusiastic snowskate communities
shredding, carving and pushing park/trick
limits across the globe: in Europe, Canada, the
U.S., Japan and more. And while the average
Eric Nelson Photo: Cole Thompson
Eric DebruynePhoto: KA
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WINTER 2014 | SNOW SKATER & POWDER SURFER 11
Matt QuamPhoto: Mikie Farias
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Jeremy JensenPhoto: Craig Stevenson
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14 SNOW SKATER & POWDER SURFER | WINTER 2014
person still may have a hard time wrapping his/her
head around a binding-free mode of ripping down
the mountain, skateboarders often take it right in
stride … or ride. Most snowskaters are avid skate-
boarders in the summer months, and snowskating
makes the perfect winter opportunity for skate-
boarders to do what they love: ride.
Skateboarders are accustomed to that magic
“freedom” thing, says Jeff Nokkeo, a former U.S.
Open snowboarding finalist turned snowskater.
“Like skateboarding,” he says simply, “snowskating
is all about the fun.” There is no dragging, no
uncomfortable footwear, no feeling of being
trapped or tied down by your equipment. Instead,
there is the absolute liberty to change up your
stance, giving you the ultimate flexibility of
“walking the board” to tailor your ride in real
time — no binding adjustments needed. Ride the
front of your board, lie back on the tail, take a
wide stance or narrow it up, all in one run down
the mountain.
Paul ElkinsPhoto: Josh Jackson
Mike SteinhauserPhoto: Xavier Ripoles
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WINTER 2014 | SNOW SKATER & POWDER SURFER 15
Michelle Minahan Hickman, a consistent podium
presence in North American women’s snowskating,
says succinctly, “My favorite thing about snowskating
is that it feels closest to skateboarding. It’s way, WAY
more fun than anything else!”
It seems so obviously right: riding the snow
without bindings, just as skateboarders have been
doing (sans snow) forever. Why has it taken so long
to take hold? Who knows, but its time has definitely
come. The fun and freedom that are at the heart of
snowskating are here to stay, especially for board-
sport aficionados who already identify with that
addictive combo.
“The truth is that it comes from your mind and your
feet,” says Mark “Spicolli” Montgomery, one of the top
North American riders. “[Y]ou can stand on top of a
mountain with nothing binding you down … ride the
whole thing with your feet free and pick any line you
want. Free your feet and your mind will follow.”
Now all you have to do is … ahem … jump on board.
Alan GerlachPhoto: Bjorn RG
Eric Debruyne Photo: Joes
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