I first met Mason Davey, the co-owner of Weston Snowboards, on a boot pack out to the Jackson Hole backcountry. I happened to be on one of his Backwoods snowboards that I was testing as a part of the Jackson Hole PowWow, a powderboard test where board shapers get together and compare notes on unique shapes.
Boardroom: A look into the life of a Rocket Scientist splitboard revolutionary
Phantom Splitboard Bindings, designed to be used with lightweight alpine touring ski boots, have quickly become a go-to for splitboard mountaineers around the world. In addition to Phantom providing a cool new product, its story is unusual. With a marketing plan based almost entirely on word-of-mouth sales, Phantom has successfully grown in the years since its founding. What’s even more interesting about this revolutionary company is that founder John Keffler is a full-time rocket scientist.
Hard versus Softboots: Which Setup is Right for You?
This month’s cover features splitboarder Mark Hartley descending a puckering face outside of Revelstoke, B.C. And Hartley, who proudly rips on a hardboot setup, is intimate with the debate between traditional, soft snowboard boots versus plastic-shelled alpine-touring ski boots. As Hartley puts it, that debate can be quite controversial. “Softbooters seem to see hardbooters as […]
The Splitboard Boot Revolution: Burton’s Tourist
Meet the Burton Tourist, a new, touring-specific splitboard boot due out this month. Built off the design of the iconic Ion, Burton’s team-favorite freeride boot, the Tourist offers a rearward flex for more efficient skinning and a crampon-compatible Vibram sole featuring a heel welt, positioning it as the ultimate all-around splitboard boot for going up and down the mountain.
