Zephyr Splitboard Wins Editor's Choice

Venture's Zephyr Splitboard has received the prestigious Editors' Choice Award from Backcountry Magazine!

As the premier backcountry skiing and snowboarding publication in North America, Backcountry Magazine's  endorsement is highly coveted within the snow sports industry. This year's annual product test was held at Crested Butte Mountain Resort, where a selection of boards from top manufacturers were put through their paces both on piste and off.  When the powder cloud settled, Venture’s Zephyr Splitboard emerged as a top choice.

According to Backcountry, "Outstanding tester response, exceptionally high scores, and category-leading overall performance contributed to our selection of the Zephyr as a 2011 Gear Guide Editors’ Choice.”  Additionally, they commented that the Zephyr splitboard is “the elusive quiver of one: an all-season, all-conditions animal that devours all-things powder.”

The solid version of the Zephyr has been Venture’s flagship board since the company’s founding in 1999.  Designed as a versatile, all-mountain powerhouse, it performs well in a range of conditions.  It has also received many accolades over the years, including Future Snowboarding Magazine’s Most Valuable Product award in 2007 and 2008.   

The split version, introduced last winter, was well received by backcountry riders seeking a precise and controlled ride in challenging and variable terrain.  Building on this successful design, the changes for winter 2010/2011 have boosted the board’s performance.  A switch from camber to rocker has had the biggest impact, giving the Zephyr splitboard greater maneuverability and float without sacrificing edge hold or performance in less than ideal conditions.

The Zephyr’s victory follows close on the heels of the Storm Splitboard’s success in 2010.  The Storm is Venture’s best-selling splitboard model, and also won an Editors’ Choice award from Backcountry last season.  

Needless to say, we are stoked to have our splitboards receive such a prestigious honor two years in a row!  Look out for the Zephyr's write up in this year's Backcountry Gear Guide, which will hit the newsstands in September.

 

Splitboarding on RSN

Great short segment on splitboarding that aired on RSN earlier this winter.  Includes a demonstration with a Venture Storm-R splitboard!

Johan Olofsson Joins Venture!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are super stoked to announce that big mountain legend Johan Olofsson has joined Venture Snowboards as a product tester, and will be contributing to product design and development.

Initially an accomplished freestyle rider, Swedish-born Olofsson is renowned for being one of the first snowboarders to take freestyle tricks out of the terrain park and into big mountain environments.  According to an interview in White Lines, “What followed was nothing short of mindblowing…he tackled lines which veterans of the Alaskan heli scene had only contemplated in their dreams, with a speed and fluidity that would change the concept of freeriding forever.” 

In 1996, Olofsson shook the very foundations of snowboarding with his descent of the Cauliflower Chutes in the Standard Films movie TB5.  The ride took him down an Alaskan slope of over 40 degrees and 3,000 vertical feet in just 35 seconds, averaging close to 50 miles per hour.  This feat landed him in the 1996 Guinness Book of World Records and solidified his status as a living legend of big mountain snowboarding. 

Olofsson’s involvement with Venture began last spring when we sent him a splitboard while filming in Glacier Bay National Park for the Teton Gravity Research movie Deeper.  After riding Venture’s Storm splitboard in some of Alaska’s most remote and inaccessible terrain, Olofsson was impressed.  “I like the solid feel of Venture boards and the first try at riding the Storm was a blast.  The rockered shape and snappy turns make it a fun freeride board.  You can slash and throw the tail around in all kinds of places.  I like to have fun on my board and this one helps.”

The primary role Olofsson will play with Venture will be to influence product design and development.  “I’m super stoked to have Johan riding our boards and am looking forward to working with him on continuing to improve our designs,” says Klemens Branner, Venture’s founder and co-owner.  “It’s going to be amazing to have one of the world’s most accomplished freeriders collaborating with us.”   

Olofsson is also excited about the opportunity, especially in regard to developing splitboards.  “I’m always looking into projects that will progress the sport, in this case freeride boards which are getting to be a rare breed in the industry.  The split theory speaks for itself.  Working on this level with Venture makes it possible to create and shape boards quickly, and I hope to get some good shapes out there for you all.”

Welcome on board Johan!

 

 

Make Your Voice Heard in the Senate!

The House passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act a few months ago and legislation is currently in the hands of the Senate. While the details of the Senate bill haven’t been ironed out yet, the fight may come down to a few undecided votes - and our collective voice could help tip the scales.

A strong US climate policy will help protect small businesses, jobs and the vitality of our unique mountain communities that draw millions of tourists each year.

The Protect Our Winters “Sixty Days” website offers an overview of the issues at stake, shows the current voting position of each Senator, and gives you an easy way to send an e-letter telling Senators why passing strong climate legislation is crucial to the economic and cultural well being of mountain communities.

If this issue matters to you, please take the time to send a note to your Senator letting them know you want them to support strong climate legislation this Spring. Make your voice heard!

Ska/Venture Limited Edition Decks

We're hop - hop - hoppy to unveil the limited edition 09.10 Venture/Ska Brewing decks with a sweet Modus Hoperandi graphic! If you haven't tried this incredible IPA, it's time you touched some to your lips! Ska will be giving these puppies away at special events throughout the winter, including our 5th Annual Season Kickoff Party. Stay tuned for more details!

Venture & POW Snowboard Art Competition

Design your own snowboard graphic and help the environment too!

In cooperation with the nonprofit environmental group Protect Our Winters (POW), Venture Snowboards is sponsoring a board graphics competition centered on increasing awareness of the global warming crisis.

Any medium goes – photography, paintings, pencil sketches, you name it – as long as the artwork incorporates the themes of winter, the environment, and activism. So get creative and speak out for the environment!

Entries will be accepted through January 1, 2010, when a panel of judges will select the top ten submissions. The ten winners of this first level competition will receive t-shirts and swag as prizes, and be entered into a second round of judging open to the general public. The winning design will be incorporated into a run of special edition POW boards for winter 2010/2011. The grand prize winner will receive a brand spanking new POW deck emblazoned with their artwork.

Here's the nitty gritty on the competition:

• Submissions are limited to one entry per person.
• Submissions must be received by January 1, 2010.
• Results of the first tier competition will be posted on the Venture and POW websites in mid January 2010.
• Open voting will take place from mid January through late February 2010.
• First tier winners will receive t-shirts and other swag as prizes.
• Second tier winner will be announced in early March 2010.
• Second tier winner will receive a new Venture/POW snowboard.
• Only original artwork will be accepted.
• Employees of Venture Snowboards and POW are ineligible.
• No purchase is necessary.
• This contest is void where prohibited.
• By entering the contest, entrant grants Venture Snowboards and POW perpetual, nonexclusive rights to the artwork.
• Entries will be judged by a panel selected by Venture Snowboards and POW and all decisions are final.
  

Venture and POW logos are available for use in your design. See links at the bottom of this post.

HOW TO ENTER:

Electronic Submissions

• Electronic submissions should be emailed to info@venturesnowboards.com, with the words "POW Contest" in the subject line.
• Please submit electronic entries as jpg files, no larger than 2 MB.
• Please name your file using the following convention: POW_ yourfirstname_yourlastname.jpg
• Include the following information in the body of your email: Full name, daytime and evening phone numbers, mailing address, email address, title of artwork.
• Electronic entries must be received no later than January 1, 2010.
• Incomplete or late entries will not be judged.

Mail In Submissions

• Submissions by mail should be sent to: Venture Snowboards, Attn: POW Contest, PO Box 547, Silverton, CO 81433.
• Include the following information with your entry: Full name, daytime and evening phone numbers, mailing address, email address, title of artwork.
• Mail in entries must be received no later than January 1, 2010.
• Incomplete or late entries will not be judged.

Logo Files
Venture - Vertical EPS
Venture - Vertical PDF
Venture - Horizontal EPS
Venture - Horizontal PDF

POW - Vertical EPS
POW - Vertical PDF
POW - Horizontal EPS
POW - Horizontal PDF

Limited Edition POW Snowboards!

Venture Snowboards is proud to announce a partnership with Protect Our Winters.

Protect Our Winters (POW) is a non-profit environmental organization formed in 2007 by professional snowboarder Jeremy Jones. The organization’s mission is to reverse the global warming crisis by uniting and mobilizing the winter sports community to have a direct and positive impact on climate change.

For the winter 2009/2010 season, Venture will emblazon all its Euphoria powder boards – both solid and split – with the POW logo, and donate a portion of sales from these boards to POW. Get a POW board under foot today, and help ensure there's pow for the next generation of riders!

Check out the POW Euphoria board here.

THINK SNOW!

Old Man Winter Comes Early...With Tap In Hand!

Fans of Ska Brewing's deliciously quaffable Euphoria Pale Ale won't have to wait for the arrival of Old Man Winter before they can tickle their taste buds with that frosty brew...it will be released mid-September this year! What's more, Euphoria will now be available in cans, providing a lightweight, impeccably packable container for everything from your backcountry hut trip to the apres ski tailgate party.

Come dance your best snow dance and celebrate the tapping of the first Euphoria keg with the Venture and Ska crews on September 18th! We'll have live reggae music from A-DUB ROCK and will give away lots of free swag, including a brand new 09/10 Venture snowboard. We hope to see you there!

Ska/Venture Tapping Party
Friday, September 18, 2009
5 - 8 pm
Ska World Headquarters
225 Girard St, Durango, CO