Tag Archive for: snowskate

Powsurf Chronicles Episode 6 - Canada

A story on bindingless riding just dropped in Canada’s finest snowboard magazine and we were kindly included in the run down of various board options. We are hyped that Snowboard Canada would be willing to work with us and spend a few days in the backcountry gathering images and memories.  We had a blast up there and can’t wait to get back up there for more.

The article gave a run-down of a few board options that exist out there and stated a few characteristics of each brand.  As with any media, things often get confused or missed in communication. We were labelled as the “skate – style” company which we suppose was fair because we make sure that our boards are the least restrictive and are designed to allow the rider to fully take advantage of not having the board attached. They also ollie better and are more agile and controllable  than anything out there and that goes a long way. What was not mentioned is how they handled any and all conditions we threw at them. When all the other boards were either unrideable in the conditions or forcing the rider to grab that dreadful rope for control, our boards were still ruling those conditions. Fully hands free and truly binding free. And that certainly deserved mention. They also produce a unique ride and feel that is much different from your typical snowboard.. much more surf-like (more so than Skate-like) and very agile.. something we are very proud of and something that has taken years of R&D to accomplish. We were a little bummed to be labeled as just the “skater dudes” here, as that is just a small part of what we are about.. but stoked to be included and honored to go powsurfing with Canadian legends that I spent my childhood idolizing.  Watch the video below that was made from the first 4 days of our trip.. and see what our boards are all about!

The Powsurf Chronicles Ep 6 – Canada! from Grassroots Powdersurfing on Vimeo.

Scott Gaffney sending it on his Grassroots Slasher

I hate to be picky.. but the quote used in the article was very misleading..  It was taken from two quotes, and mixed together out of context, missing the entire point I was trying to get across.  I spoke about how I originally started by just taking the bindings off of snowboards to see if it was possible to ride without bindings.   What they left out were my words about how snowboards don’t make good bindingless boards! and they don’t perform well unless it is knee deep blower pow! (this is why so many noboarders use the rope)  This is the whole reason why we started shaping my own and also the reason that our boards look and ride nothing like traditional snowboards. We wanted something that had precision control in varying conditions and allowed the freedom to ollie, spin and flip the board, and have really good control in a variety of conditions.  Snowboard shape and construction did not allow for this and that is why Grassroots powsurfers are built and designed the way they are.

We pride ourselves in offering a variety of shapes to accomodate riders of any size and style. They are so incredibly “surfy” and fun.. much different than a snowboard feel.  We have spent years perfecting them so it’s a bummer when we get labelled so narrowly as simply “the skate style” guys in the article.  All you have to do is watch any of our films and see the boards in action and it’s clear that skate-style riding is only a fraction of what our boards excel at. But on that same note.. skateboarding is the most technically difficult sport on the planet and has progressed leaps and bounds beyond anyone’s wildest expectations.. We hope to do the same for powsurfing.

CHECK THE LINK TO THE STORY ON SNOWBOARD CANADA HERE

Snowboard Canada deserves a HUGE thanks for the article and efforts.  Jeff Patterson and Rob Stevens were instrumental in bringing all these riders together and making these 4 days some of the best days of the season.  Cheers amigos!!  See you again soon.

Our trip to Canada was a blast.. one of the funnest trips of my life.  The film in this article is just 4 days of riding and there is so much more to see!  We will release more footage as time permits from the rest of the trip.

Jeremy Jensen – Mid pillow line.

 

Powsurf Chronicles Episode 6 Canada

The Powsurf Chronicles Ep 6 – Canada! from Grassroots Powdersurfing on Vimeo.

Grassroots riders Jeremy Jensen and Scotty Arnold take a trip up north to powsurf with a handful of Canadian rippers. 4 days of sunshine and dry powder conditions in the Coastal mountains of British Columbia had stoke levels high as ever. Most of our Canadian friends were riding Grassroots Powsurfers for the first time and seeing the stoke and the smiles on their faces at the bottom of every run made the trip that much better.
Riders: DCP, Kevin Sansalone, Alex Warburton, Justin Lamoureux, Rob Stevens, Scott Gaffney, Scotty Arnold, and Jeremy Jensen.

 

The Powsurf Chronicles Season 3 Teaser Thumbnail

Stoked to give you a glimpse into this season’s Chronicles.  ENJOY!

The Powsurf Chronicles Season 3 TEASER from Grassroots Powdersurfing on Vimeo.

Here’s a quick tease of what’s to come in this season’s Powsurf Chronicles short films. Grassroots Powdersurfing was founded in 2007 to create a pure, binding-free powder-riding experience. Drawing inspiration from skateboarding, surfing, and snowboarding, we designed & handcrafted boards that enabled a new style of creativity, self expression and progression. We’ve spent the past 7 years pushing the boundaries of what is possible on our powsurfers and loving every second of it. The Powsurf Chronicles films offer a glimpse of what powsurfing is all about and focuses on the best things in life; people, places, and powder.

Stay tuned for episodes dropping this winter. Visit us at www.powsurf.com to learn more and pick out the right board for you.

Mother nature hit the reset button

Just last week I was telling a friend that this years season came to an end sooner than any year that I can remember.  Well, it’s not over ’til mother nature says it is and she just decided to deliver nearly a foot and a half of pow to the nearby mountains here in Northern Utah.  When the low clouds cleared out on a lazy and rainy sunday afternoon my eyes lit up at the sight of some surprisingly thick white stuff in the upper foothills.  I checked the snotel data and it was reading cold temps and 12 inches of snow and counting!

I pulled out my gear and got on the phone to some friends.. I’m all about these bonus pow days and I would feel guilty if I didn’t seize the opportunity.  At first light the next morning I was on the road, the contrast of the green trees and hillsides covered in fresh white snow made for an awesome drive.  I left a bit earlier than the rest of the crew cause I know that May powder has a really short shelf life, and it turns to muck in a hurry.

CHECK THE QUICKIE VIDEO RE-CAP!

Rolling with a quiver for some late season R&D testing
First run of the day was the real deal.  Light and dry powder
Our powder turned into coastal style muck in less than an hour but still made for some great turns

There was practically no base under the new snow so navigation on the sleds was a bit tricky.  Luckily I had tried to go riding a couple of weeks ago so I knew where the remaining ribbons of snow were at.  I buzzed up to the top and managed to hike a couple of quick laps in the upper fields before anyone else arrived.  I could feel the snow getting thicker every run.  Any direct sun this time of year puts a quick damper on the powder slashing.  So when my friends arrived we sought out the most north-facing tree runs in the area and proceeded to throw around the powder and muck.

hucking some muck around on one of the Phish series boards
The B-line into the “G-spot” is a classic early season shot.. tight entry and high speed thru the apron. We were dealing with early season style coverage so this run was at the top of my hit list.
Grassroots Powsurfers dominate in the powder and the mush.   
DeJaVu – My powsurfing season started and ended in this exact spot.

As the day progressed snow quality plummeted.  Sunny spots became sticky and unrideable and the melting snow in the tree tops began raining down on the snow below.  That’s May powder for you… it doesn’t last long so you gotta be on time.   As a powsurfer, I couldn’t be happier.  Instead of ending on a sour note (last week we were stranded by rocks and dry ground) we got a late season bonus dump and the powsurf season ended in style.  It’s going to be a busy summer dialing in next years boards and accessories so I have a feeling that next winter will be here before we know it.