Christophe Bouvier, Global Chairman and Mountainwear Product Manager.

Which one of us shred lovers never dreamt of becoming a pro rider, and then when comes the end of your short but intense snowboarding career, turn into an industry boss? Well, that’s pretty much what happened to Christophe Bouvier, and this certainly didn’t happen by chance. For this Tech Heads, the boss of the winter product at Rip Curl goes deep into his job, his inspirations, and the line coming up soon. Another passionate guy who makes the snowboard world spin in the good direction.

I’m pretty sure a lot of readers out there are wondering how can they land such a cool job. So how does that happened for you?

Cool you said? Ahah! If you love XLS sheets, hard negociations, and try and make the whole world happy about your stuff in such a difficult market, then I guess it’s a cool job!
I’m actually a former rider and a coach. I did that for about ten years and a lot of trips around the world, before starting at Rip Curl at the bottom of the scale. I was in the warehouse in Australia for 2 years, then 2 other years as a marketing assistant, and another 2 years as a tech rep in Victoria state, Australia. 2 other years as mountain wear product manager for the South hemisphere, then I came back to France doing this job for the Europe zone. And now I’ve been the Global chairman and mountain wear product manager for only two weeks. I guess I love new challenges! But the main thing for me as always been moved by one goal: the ride. It’s the ultimate goal for all of us right? Live the search!

Well I guess everyone has an idea of what a Global Chairman does – or maybe not? But let’s concentrate on your other title: mountain wear product manager: what are the different aspects of this role?

Unlike most companies out there in our business, this role is anyway linked to the brand manager role, as far as the mountain wear division goes. The product manager is in fact the last person to check if everything is ok, and also the first person in charge of the results of his division, so it’s the guy who’s getting his ass kicked by the General Manager and the owners in case of a problem.
My job consist in coordinating, direct and check the good processing of all our mountain product line. So I’m involved at all the stages of the garment production: market research, collection’s structure, design brief, prototype validation, price negociation, sourcing, buys, shipment, inventory, stock… It’s also very important to coordonate well with the marketing departement as well so the communication stays tight and understandable, and also in the spirit of the brand. In short, it’s a bit like being the conductor of an orchestra, as you are taking care of the product from before its birth to its adult age – when sold to the final consumer. And even after sometimes, when a default product is coming back!

With the complexity of your job, what would you say take the most of your time among these different tasks?

Definitely the product development. It’s the stage when the quality of the product is in process. The sales and the feedback from the field is also very important to ameliorate and get rid of all the little problems we might have before we validate the final product. That’s where the feedback is really important. It pretty all together takes from April till November every season.

Rip Curl outerwear girls line 13/14.

Where does your inspiration come from regarding product design?

Observation, talks, being on the ground and feel what’s going on. You can’t be disconnected from the filed, I mean you need to be out there and shred. I have the final word on this but I work with a very good team of people that I really trust. We listen a lot to our riders, especially for the technical aspect of the outerwear. They also have their word on the design. And we also listen to the sales guys, it’s important too.

Rip Curl is a massive company in our industry. Is it not a problem to get reactive on the trends, fashion?

Rip Curl is a big company in surfing, not so much in snowboarding. In fact our team is pretty small and it can react pretty fast for whatever we need – a small limited collection or reacting on trends etc. It’s not all prefect for sure, but it’s good to be part of the Rip Curl DNA, for its roots aspects and its authentic identity. And that’s exactly this mix who makes working at Rip Curl such an unique experience. As of today, Rip Curl is still a private company, even a family company I would say. It’s still managed by its founders, Brian Singer and Claw Warbrick. They built the company during the hippie years of surfing, being core surfers themselves, and with quality wetsuits in mind. The product has always been the main thing in the company, and not the processes. Because of the simple and pragmatic approach, I don’t think we can picture Rip Curl as a massive brand, or heavy in term of processing the product, but it just gives us the chance to imagine maybe more possibilities than others.

Speaking about it, how would you describe the identity of the brand?

Fun, Technology, leadership, irreverence, belief, tradition, Search!

Having such a renowned name in surfing when it comes to technical gear, how was it to transfer this into snowboarding?

I think it’s just a question of respecting your values, which I have depicted in your previous question. If you keep the same line, the same way of seeing things or dealing with issues, then there is a great change the company’s DNA goes into everything you do. The main idea is to create quality and technical product, for the young, fun audience. For example, the Cocona technology (increasing the breathability of the outerwear), mixed with 4 way stretch material and applied on a multi-layer system – the Ultimate Gum Series, this is how we stick to our values of leadership and innovation in technology. This way, we offer one of the best multi-layer system out there in term of waterproofness, breathability and flexibility, that really makes your riding experience more comfortable, with a super competitive price.

What would you say at this stage are the main point of development for Rip Curl in snowboarding?

To focus more and more on quality, innovation, and technology. Even if that means reducing production numbers. We want to keep reaching to the core mountain lover who’s passionate about big mountain and backcountry.

Do you think we will see one day Rip Curl boards or Rip Curl boots in stores?

No, because it’s useless to start diverting into products where you don’t have the necessary expertise. I think it’s a much better idea to put our energy on what we do best, in order to make those strong points even stronger.

Victor Delerue Pro Serie jacket for next winter.

What product make you the most proud in this coming and yet to discover (in our Product Guide out this summer) 13/14 range?

In term of look, the Victor Delerue Pro Serie jacket. And in term of technicity, the Ultimate Gum Serie jacket.

What are you working on right now?

Winter 14-15 design.

Can you give us a little insight on the design trends for that line already?

A lot of punchy colors, and also some heritage looks. But I can’t tell you more right now… It’s secret you know!

Check Rip Curl’s website.

Steve Pelletier, Product Line Manager and Developer at Nike.

It was clear from the day Nike announced they’d enter the world of snowboard boots, they would do it properly. After a few years in the game now and with the ability to tap into the huge Nike footwear heritage, the boots are – according to all the feedback – at the forefront of performance and durability. It was all this that made us want to meet Steve Pelletier, the boot guru from Beaverton, Oregon.

First of all, I’d like to know about your professional career path, before we enter the specific Nike boots questions…

I fell in love with snowboarding in my early teen years and when I was about 17 I knew that all I wanted to do was work in snowboarding. I started making snowboards at a factory at night when I was 18 to put myself through college, managed a couple snowboard shops after that, did a short stint as a guide at Snowbird, and worked customer service jobs before landing in the world of snowboard boots. During all that time after college I was a sneaker customizer and some people in the company I worked for took notice. This eventually lead me to into testing boots and giving feedback, which naturally evolved into a job making snowboard boots.

Now you are Product Line Manager and Developer for the Nike boots program. Can you explain all the different aspects of your role?

I really think I have the coolest job on the planet. There are so many amazing parts of the job that is difficult to explain everything that I do, but I started in the boot world as a developer, which is basically a boot engineer. Since then, I’ve moved into being a Product Line Manager which is kinda like being a head chef – you decide the menu, the ingredients, and the price and positioning of the products in your line. And then I also get to do a little design, mostly on color and material, which is a lot of fun because that is the place I get to be most creative and working that closely with our riders is one of the most awesome experiences I could ever have.

Nike includes the BOA system on some of the 13/14 boot range: how does this system affect the Nike boots from the experience you have?

Partnering with BOA was definitely a strategic move for us. Those guys are the best – they have insane knowledge of gearing and engineering, and they are a joy to work with. For me, it’s the pinnacle lacing system on the market today. Look for Nike and BOA to keep the relationship going over the next few years.

Last year Nike did already a lot of efforts to eliminate PVC and other environmentally aggressive materials from their boots. How does the line look today in this aspect and how far do you think you can push it?

Actually Nike has taken a stance against PVC for over a decade. It’s nasty stuff. It’s been a priority for us to look at how boots are made and how we can make that process more environmentally friendly. We all want the snow to be around for our children and our children’s children to experience. We want them to be able to enjoy the same things that we all love. At Nike, we’re focusing our efforts in the areas in which we can have the greatest impact, such as the materials we design into our products but also through the process of making those materials and products.

Today we use many environmentally preferred materials that reduce solvents, waste, and water usage. Some of our boots even feature recycled PET synthetic leathers. This is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what can be done and we are learning more every day. I think there is a big opportunity for advances in this area in the years to come, and I think we are ideally positioned to lead this movement in the future.

Another aspect that Nike boots pushed is a better board feel. Which boot would you say really focus on that aspect? Other than a thinner sole, what else can have an influence on board feel? 

For us, our best board feel boot is the Zoom Kaiju. It’s inspired by the Nike Free shoes, which you can basically fold up in your hand. We knew that the Nike Free idea had a special something to it and we modified it to work for snowboarding. What we ended up with was a sole that was stiff toe to heel for power on your edges, but if you press the forefoot area of the outsole, you realize how soft it is underfoot. This allows you to feel your board bend and twist under your feet and puts you more in tune with what is happening while you are riding your snowboard down the mountain.

The Nike Kaiju, inspired by the Nike Free trainer.

It is compatible with dampening as we found a way to sneak an Nike Zoom Air bag into the heel of the boots. So much like a rally car’s suspension, they are tuned so that you can feel everything on the surface you are shredding, but at the same time they offer the protection you need to stomp those big drops and still power through a hand dragging carve or up a pipe wall.

The Nike Free trainer, the inspiration.

All of our boots are designed with great board feel in mind. The Zoom Kaiju is the pinnacle boot for us in terms of board feel, in that it gives you the most feel of any of the boots in our line.

Going further, do you think there could be one day a segmentation between let’s say regular mountain boots, and urban snowboard boots?

It’s definitely possible, but I am going to say that the future of snowboarding boots will be less dictated in terms of which riding style they are good for. A big part of this personal preference. We know that some guys like their boots super soft and forgiving, which would typically be seen as an urban style boot. But then you talk to a guy like Nicolas Müller, who rides gnarly big mountain terrain, a stiff board and bindings, but he likes his boots soft because they allow his body to flow and move naturally. Justin Bennee for example, is an urban rider that likes one of our stiffer models, the Zoom Force 1.

So my point is, it’s all about what feels good for you and your riding style, and Nike Snowboarding has been developing the best answer: it is all about customization.

Take our LunarENDOR for example: that boot contains our Adjustable Flex System so you can choose what flex is right for you, whether its about the conditions you are riding on a particular day or just what feels good to you at the moment when you lace a pair of our boots up and say, “yeah that’s just how I like it”. We have riders like Halldor Helgason that take their LunarENDORs and run them over with a truck before he rides them to make them softer, and on the flip side of that coin we’ve Peetu who likes a very stiff boot, riding LunarENDORs in the pipe. Those are 2 guys with as contrasting styles as you can get, both loving the the same boot model, but riding them in a completely different way.

I think it goes back to the roots of why we all snowboard – it feels AMAZING. So much of our sport is based on feel… Why does a backside 1 feel better than a frontside 1? You could argue why all day, but the fact of the matter is it does feel better… So what I’m saying is if someone tells you this boot is good for this and that boot is good for that, take it with a grain of salt. Go out there and experience it for yourself, form your own opinions because I can’t tell you what is right for you – I can suggest something, but you are your own best gauge to know what feels good for your style, ability level, and the day’s terrain you are going to ride.

The LunarENDOR, featuring the Adjustable Flex System and inspired from the Agassi 80′s look.

What other segmentations could come in the future, in regards to the trends and feedback you can perceive?

Like I said above I think more products will be customizable in the future. The opportunity there is huge. What if you can buy one board that does it all… it rips pow, holds and edge in an icy pipe, and smoothly butters off a box? Now think of taking a pow run where you might want a board with more flex and a playful demeanor… so you take your run, slashing pow, hooting and throwing shakas to your bros… then you get near the base of your resort and see the pipe and you’re like “Damn, I’m gonna slay that thing”, so you look down at your board and maybe you hit a button or slide something or whatever and suddenly it stiffens up, it gets more camber and its ready to go 20 feet out on that first hit… that would be something special! Customization is the future. Its bright.

That’s how I feel our LunarENDOR is with the Adjustable Flex System. One boot that can rip it all. I think it will be very exciting to watch products evolve and become easier to use in a variety of ways, in a variety of conditions.

What is the feedback you get from your riders in term of looks and color, and how can it fit to the Nike heritage you want to infuse in the boot range (like the Lunarendor boot and it’s 80s Agassi colors)?

Many of our riders are sneaker heads. Justin Bennee is one of the hardest core sneaker heads I’ve ever met, and at Nike, we have so much heritage to pull from. Honestly this is one of my favorite parts of what I do… working with the riders, seeing what their interests are, looking at the history of Nike to see what I can pull into that inspiration, and finally looking at what we are doing currently not only in Skate and Outerwear, but across all categories at Nike. It’s an endless source of inspiration.

Danny Kass has to be one of the most awesome people on the planet for crazy ideas as well. When you look at the history of some of the things we’ve done with Danny, they are really next level in terms of ideation, craft, and execution. From the first Arbito ZF1 double tongue boot to the latest shark-mouth warplane Zoom DK QS, we’ve been able to do some amazing things. Like I said – best job on the planet!

The shark-mouthed warplane Zoom Danny Kass QS.

Same question on the technical aspect of things: what kind of feedback do you get from your riders in term of flex, dampening etc? And does it differ whether it’s a jibber or a backcountry rider?

For sure it differs… that goes right along with my personal preference theory.

I think to be a snowboard boot guy you need to have a thick skin. You are going to hear things that might not stoke you out, but the good footwear developers and designers will always listen and take that feedback and do something with it, not just cast it aside.

A perfect example is when Gigi came to us and said, “Man I love my Kaijus, but when I hit big jumps they are just too soft for me. It would be cool if we could make a boot with the same board feel, but with a little more support. And what if I could change the level of support based on the terrain I’m riding?”

Right there we were like – THAT’S GOLD. 6 months later we churned out the Adjustable Flex System, which was first seen on the Zoom ITES and is currently in the LunarENDOR. So through a team roundtable Gigi said one little thing and we ran with it, and now its a huge success. That’s just one example, but it happens naturally like that all the time around the Nike campus. As a product guy you just need to never be satisfied with the current state of your product and you have to always be look for those little gems of insight that a rider or tester can provide to make it better. It could end up being the next big thing – you’ll never know until you try it.

Finally, to advise our readers, how important is the ‘out of the box feel’? Back in the days it used to take a while to break one’s boots in but it was the only way to get boots that give you a good fit and last long at the same time. Is it still true today?

We’ve come to a point in time that there are materials and technologies out there that have almost done away with that harsh break in period that used to plague snowboard boots. Now, everyone’s feet are different so there’s always going to be someone with a contrasting opinion, but we have taken pride in the fact that we offer the best out of box fit in the industry – meaning that you can ride our boots straight out of the box without pain or hotspots or the hassle of having them heat molded to reduce that break in period. All of our liners are heat moldable to allow for that custom fit if you need it, but the majority of our riders and testers just lace the boots up straight out the box and shred, which I think is how it should be. Get out there, enjoy the mountains, and spread that infectious feeling of riding with a giant smile on your face and with happy feet in your boots. That’s the experience we are trying to share with everyone.

To read the previous Tech Heads articles: Mervin’s Pete Saari, the Da Kine guys, Burton’s Greg Dacyshyn and CAPiTA’s Ephraim Chui.

 Also check Nike Snowboarding website.

Mike Madlener, Da Kine US Marketing Manager.

Tech Heads bring you every week or so the head of one of the hidden masters of snowboarding, wether it’s a designer, creative director, developers, product boss or R&D geek. This time we go to see our friends at Da Kine to have a little chat with Bruce Barbour and Mike Madlener, respectively outerwear project leader and US marketing manager. Those two are behind the birth of Da Kine outerwear last year, and carry already a pretty strong team of riders: to just name those on the outerwear program: Elias Elhardt, Shayne Pospisil, Jason Robinson, Forrest Burki, Kelly Underwood, Kasia Rusin and Sami Luhtanen. It was then time to present a first picture after about twelve months of activity in the outerwear world.

Can you present the whole Da Kine outerwear department and how does it work between the US and Europe?

The Da Kine Technical Outerwear program is based in Irvine California. We have a strong team of designers and developers working on this project. We collaborate closely with our offices in Hossegor and Hood River for input and ideas. We really value the feedback and the constant communication keeps the project Global and not just relevant in one region.

Bruce Barbour, Da Kine outerwear Project Leader.

What would be a timeline of your regular day?

We arrive at the office at 4:00 am and work like crazy until midnight and never have breaks and don’t eat…just kidding! We get to the office and work on our projects and review and communicate like any other Da Kine division. We make sure we’re in touch with our two head offices and spend time speaking with the sales departments, team managers and athletes. The athletes have been very helpful developing the technical features of the garments as well as the aesthetics…they are all business when it comes to function!

How would you define Da Kine in term of image and products?

We’re a technical company dedicated to our sports and our athletes. We are all about innovation, function and performance. That’s the thread that runs through every product we make. We’re all dedicated to it because we’re all users of our own products and we all love our sports. We eat, sleep, and dream how to make better product and it’s very satisfying when we’re able to bring something new and improved to the market…but only for a minute because then we begin thinking of the next improvement we could make!

The first outerwear line was technical and functional, and at the same time very simple design wise, which was obviously a statement in approaching the outerwear business. Can you explain this choice?

We listen to our athletes and we know that simple styling can very often be the most practical and functional when combined with technical features and hi-performance fabrics. A simple concept but one that really works and is often overlooked.

Is it the same approach working on bags and gloves, rather than outerwear?

I would say so. As a Company we’re dedicated to function over trend and product that works takes on a fashion statement of it’s own, so I guess that would be our style.

What kind of feedback did you have both from team riders and customers?

The line is being very well received and that has been exciting for us and inspires us to work even harder to maintain our own high standard of Technical Outerwear.

Elhart, Luhtanen and Rusin rocking the Da Kine outerwear goodness.

Can you tell us a few hints about what’s cooking for the next line of products?

The next line you see from us will continue to build on rider feedback adding in some layering pieces designed to integrate with the outerwear shells. We’re also launching a new “Contour” fit for both jackets and pants that is a more streamlined version of our “Standard” fit.

Check the latest edit of Sami Luhtanen rocking the Da Kine outerwear:

And check the previous Tech Heads right here.

Saari does geometry.

 [All portraits: Tim Zimmerman.]

Snowboarding often remembers and praises its action heroes – the riders – but it’s altogether rarer that the guys behind the great machine that is the snowboard industry get a look in. Pete Saari is one of these ‘Deus Ex Machina’, cofounder of one of the most prominent and innovative snowboard factories in history: Mervin Manufacturing. Mervin have been producing boards for over two decades: starting with Lib Tech, Gnu, and Bent Metal bindings, they’ve expanded to also make Roxy’s boards, some outerwear as well as a skateboards and even a their own surfboards – or as they call them , ‘waterboards’ – now. For this latest Tech Heads, we sat down with Pete to get into the brain and veins of the iconic snowboard factory from Washington State.

You are currently VP of marketing at Mervin if I’m right, but I guess it’s a lot more than this considering you’re one of the founders, together with Mike Olson, so what exactly are you involved with in the company today?

My current title is VP of Creativity. I end up doing a lot of different things and work with Ryan Hollis, Dan McNamara and the management team to help with general direction. One of my primary responsibilities is to work with Steven Cobb our CAD master on our snowboard lines and geometries. We work with riders and experiment with new shapes, bottom contours, etc. Steven and I ride every new shape or tweak we make to see how they go and fit into our program. Mike Olson gets involved with this too but, these days he is pretty wrapped up in surf. I also work with our graphic design/marketing department to sort out the board graphics, print material, ads, etc. for everything we do; surf, skate, snow.

What do you deal with on a daily basis?

Day to day I answer e-mails, try to do as much cool stuff as possible, write some words, look at pretty pictures and art and attend the Endless Meeting.

Can you tell us about the origins of Mervin, and the genesis of the brands that compose it?

The Mervin phase of our deal started in the late 80′s. Mike Olson started with “Delbert Pumpernickle Gravity Harness No Guarantee” snowboards, then it morphed into Gnu snowboards around 1984, about the time I started building boards in the horse barn with him. Mervin Winston Leslie III was our surfer friend (at that time there were almost no surfers where we live in Washington State). He was the first of us to fall for a girl and get married. Everyone else called him Win but we liked the sound of Mervin, so when we needed a company name for our factory we named it after him.

We needed a new name because our distributor decided not to pay what they owed us and start the brand Nitro instead… but that is another story. We were bummed, owed the bank a lot of money, so we decided to start Liberace Technologies (Lib Tech) and make and sell every board ourselves again. We put hesh skeleton graphics on every board at a time when hesh graphics were completely dead in skateboarding. We sold to one shop per town and sponsored Matt Cummins and Jamie Lynn.

A year later we got Gnu back from the lawyers and money grubbers when they realized Gnu wasn’t worth much if you didn’t want to work hard, so we ended up with two brands. We tried to make Gnu the price point brand, but nobody wanted cheap boards from us so we have been having an internal technology race between the brands ever since.

Quik bought us in the late 90’s, and at some point we thought it might be cool to build some Roxy snowboards so that got started, and we have been working on those boards for over a decade as well…It has been good… Kjersti [Buaas] and Erin Comstock challenged us to build them exactly what they wanted in a board, and Torah [Bright] is an incredible rider who always has great input and a big smile.

Some Lib Tech oldies but goodies.

You guys introduced a lot of industry premieres when it comes to technology: metal edges, metal heel cups, Magne-Traction, Banana, and much more. Do you remember them all? And how they came to reality?

I remember metal edges because it was more than adding metal edges, it was the removal of fins… Actually we were probably not the first to do metal edges or finless (snowboarding evolved in a bunch of places around the world at the same time). But we were on the forefront of finless as snowboarding transitioned from being powder only backcountry to resort chair lift acceptance. When we left the backcountry suddenly we had to deal with ice, moguls, hardpack, etc., so there was some work to be done getting the geometries right. We borrowed technology/geometries from skiing and blended it with curves from surfing. We really were the first company to push deeper carving sidecuts which allowed the boards to have “fin-like hold” when you put them on edge. Our sidecuts were much deeper than what was being used on skis at the time. Eventually skiing sorted it out and also went to the deeper sidecuts in their Parabolic shape ski revolution.

Let’s take MagneTraction for example: could you go in details and tell us how, with who, why it all started?

Magne-Traction the story can be told multiple ways, I am going to tell it this way this time… Mike Olson is a surfboard shaper so wings, bumps and reverse curves on the rail of a board are nothing new in the surf world. Mike Olson always used to ride a 200cm Dough Boy Shredder snowboard. The board worked great with the length, it really bent into a carving arc well, and floated in powder, so much tip and tail that even a wide stance on that board is relatively narrow. Mike’s frustration with the board was that with the sidecut he wanted it had to be too narrow at the waist to for his size 12.5 boots. He always talked about doing a board with three sidecuts; one that went to the front foot, one that was between the feet and one from the back foot to the back contact. We all kind of laughed at the idea and didn’t ever have time to build it.

At the same time Mervin is a freestyle company, but once a year for about two or three months we become a race board company because of the Mt. Baker Banked Slalom… (it’s a good exercise that usually results in some sort of design progress). At the time Temple Cummins had never won the event and was pretty hell bent on sorting it out… he was loving his board’s toe side but felt there was something we could do to improve heelside turns. We all felt like snowboards worked pretty well, but surfboard and skateboards seemed to work better in their worlds. We always felt like the “dead un-pressurable area” between the feet was a snowboard design flaw acquired when ski cambers intended for one pressure point were applied to snowboardings sideways stance with two pressure (feet) points inputing control into the board.

I don’t remember the year right (95ish?) now but, all this was stacking up and we were working on boards for the next year and Mike put the challenge to Steven Cobb (who was then our new CAD guy) to draw up a reverse curve design that would have two extra wide points at the toes to experiment with accommodate bigger feet. Mike thought the high points at the toes would work like little hockey blades (he likes hockey). Steven sat on the idea for a few weeks thinking it would be difficult to make it actually work and then in some late night french fry induced epiphany drew up a serrated edge that ran from tip to tail and presented it to me as a concept he wanted to try. The serrations were all equal sized and it looked a bit strange but I okayed the project thinking it was a bit wack but maybe something might come of it. I gave it some thought and realized that if we toned down the bumps in front of the font foot and had the bigger teeth between the feet we would be solving one of the design problems and bring focus and control to the formerly dead zone between your feet. Steven tested the original stick and loved it and agreed that we need to tone down the outside teeth. We then built about five boards with the new 7 bump Magne-Traction featuring three bumps between the feet that were larger and more aggressive and smaller bumps outside the feet to the contact and got our in house crew together for a weekend test at Mt. Baker… the rest is history.

Well almost… it took a few years to convince people that it really worked. We loved it and knew it made significant difference and was a design improvement but it looked weird and it was change. We started to get competitive results with it with Danny Kass and then a couple years later when Travis Rice got on it he loved it that really pushed it forward as an accepted design. Basically it happened because we are an oversized prototype shop and if we get ideas we are set up to just build them no matter how strange they might look. That ability to actually build your dream boards gets everyone in the shop and all our team riders fired up and thinking so we always have way more board design ideas than we actually have time to build.

Gnu range 2013/14.

In general, would you say that innovation comes first from R&D ideas, or from the input/demands of the riders?

We do a lot of our initial R&D internally (Steven, Mike, Hendo, Pos and myself) so we have a solid base line on what we are making and the feels/performances each board has. Our internal crew thinks about board design 24 / 7 so we come up with some things. At the same time we also have riders who live in the NW (near the factory) like, Jamie Lynn, Matt Cummins, Blair Habenicht, Temple, Barrett that work very closely with the design crew and always seem to have some sort of tweak or new board in the works. Travis always has something cooking and we are starting to work more with Forest Bailey. Most pros are highly skilled, technical, fit and are looking for a board that is very specific to their size or riding needs or something they want to accomplish. Our internal crew is a bit less skilled, and fit (ha) but, equally technical and we are looking for boards that make snowboarding easier or more fun as well as pushing the high end performance limits. A combination of pro or rider input and our own internal team working together is what gets it done. Banana Tech (rocker between the feet) was one that our internal team worked on initially and then once I rode it and knew it was a go we immediately had Jesse Burtner (freestyle jib monster) and Temple Cummins one of the worlds best carvers on it to get their input…both loved it and we knew we were onto something.

If you’d have to highlight one moment of working for Mervin, what would it be? And what would you say you’re the most proud of so far?

There are a lot of highlights, I feel really lucky to have been a part of some good stuff. I think Mike would agree we are proudest of Banana Tech and Magne-Traction because both were significant improvements in snowboard design and made snowboarding easier and more fun for everyone from first timers to pros. There are a lot of other things that made or make me happy along the way…mostly relationships with incredible people that worked with us or still work with us. The riders are always inspiring some obvious ones are: Jamie Lynn, Travis, Danny Kass, Amy Howat, Barrett Christy, Temp and Matt Cummins… it could go on. Forest Bailey, Jesse Burtner, Zach Leach etc. Math Crepel, Jacob Wilhelmson, Hampus, Jasper Sanders, Martin Cernic, Markku, etc. Tommy Brunner, Jamie Pierre, Scott Stamnes, David Bowers were all greats at what they did and have now passed on but, it was a gift to get some time with them. It really feels like the highlights are the little moments with a stupid board of some sort out in nature with friends and family trying to have fun and working out design things or ideas at the same time. I really have been enjoying snowboarding lately… love riding with my 13 yr old son Paavo and his friends or any inspiring riders, feeling their stoke or challenges and absorbing what they are doing with their boards and bodies.

Pete at work.

Jamie Lynn has been a long time rider and graphics contributor. How did it all start with him as a rider, and as an artist?

Jamie was a hesh skater kid from Auburn, Washington. He was introduced to us by Paul Ferrel who rode and worked with us in the 80’s and now runs our binding program these days. Jamie started out riding with a pack of 3 friends in what they called the FGHC Ford Grenada Hardcore as kind of a joke… Craig, Ranquet and the MBHC were not adding any new members and these guys had to fight for respect with the established Baker crew. They had a Grenada and I don’t think they had drivers licenses, or money for lift tickets but, they were on it. All of them ended up working or riding for us at one time – Apostolos Karabotsos “Pos” is still here and he builds all the custom tooling and boards for team and general prototypes or new tooling. The FGHC crew all ripped and in ridiculously close formation at wide open speeds and Jamie started to stand out by going bigger than the rest and landing almost everything. All of them have insane methods to this day. Jamie had a raw fast powerful skate style and was an artist from the beginning. We still have his high school art project painting hanging in our shop, it is a giant painting of a surfer on a purple wave. He started out riding the Litigator and Matt Cummins model and then when he blew up, it was time to build him his own model. He always did his own art or collaborated with artists he liked. Over the years he has continued to develop as an artist, person and rider and is still going stronger than ever. The year after this one will be the 20th year he has had a pro model with us. Jamie has his own style and look which is what really defines an artist. Where ever his art is always looks better because of it. I get a method and front three clinic from him and Pos every year but, I still need work.

The Roxy boards range 2013/14, as seen on ISPO 13.

Mervin always have had, and still today, a strong image of core, tech, snowboard company. Probably the most identifiable to all the snowboarders out there. What is the secret? And how do you manage to always keep in touch with the needs and aspirations of today’s snowboarding?

I don’t think there is any secret we just try and do what feels right. We have always been surfers, skateboarders and snowboarders and built our own equipment. These days we have a big shop that is like a candy store, we have the tools and materials to do whatever we want, so it feels like we need to take advantage of that as much as possible. I think Mike and I never felt like we got enough surfing, skating or snowboarding time so we are as hungry as ever to get out and ride and play with equipment. Over the years we have been lucky enough to attract some really great people to Mervin and that helps keep it fun and keep us on point. Quiksilver has been incredibly good to us, they keep us accountable of course but, in many ways they also let us be completely independent and free to do what we think will work. The best way to keep in touch with where snowboarding is to going is to participate in it as much as possible, ride with good riders, wear tight pants, and if all else fails work harder than anyone else is willing too.

Can you give us a few hints on what the R&D department is working on at the moment? 

We always seem to have more ideas than we have time to build. We have been working on fine tuning a new C2 variation that is called XC2 and the C3 camber dominant Banana tech…both those have been keeping the aggressive full tip to tail railing freeride/freestyle crew stoked. Mike is really wrapped up in the Lib Tech Waterboards surf project and there are a bunch of interesting materials and processes that will also apply to snowboarding spinning out of that world. The snow has been pretty good for the past month here so our R&D department is really into riding pow… we have been building a bunch of different twin pow shapes. Travis has one called the Speedodeeps that’s really fun.

Olson and Saari on the cover of SBC Business Winter 2013 issue.

 Find out all the latest innovations info from Mervin with some very explanatory videos right here.

To read the previous Tech Heads articles: Burton’s Greg Dacyshyn and CAPiTA’s Ephraim Chui.

Photo: Burton Snowboards.

Outerwear-focussed chinwag with Burton Snowboards’ Chief Creative Officer.

Greg Dacyshyn is Chief Creative Officer at Burton Snowboards, and the man that heads up the whole creative process of the company – from marketing to assessing fashion trends, to board graphics and more. He is, pretty much, the dude. For our latest Tech Heads, we sat down with Greg to talk specifically about the way in which outerwear moves from concept to reality.

[Interview - Youri Barneyoud]

We guess the process of creating a snow jacket is different from a simple fashion garment. But what comes first in the creative process: function and then you see what style can do? Or style first?

For me, that is truly the hardest part of designing outerwear, ie., hitting the perfect balance of form and function. But it’s also the best part. At Burton, functionality is always on our mind. We are constantly figuring out how to make our pieces function at the highest level. But we never waver on style. That is the challenge – to translate an aesthetic into a piece and ensure we don’t jeopardize any functionality. So whether it’s through cut lines, fabric or construction we need to be relentless in ensuring the style is integrated with the performance.  Take AK for instance. It looks like a stealth fighter because it needs to perform flawlessly.

It feels like snowboarding has been at the forefront of urban fashion, especially in the 90s. Now with many influences coming from all sorts of urban sports, blogs, videos etc… What’s your view on fashion and trends in snowboarding?

Just like in fashion or music or art, trends definitely come and go in snowboarding. And I think that all stems back to the fact that it’s an individual sport. From your riding style to your gear, snowboarding is the complete opposite to team sports in that it encourages individual expression over standardization. There’s so much creativity in our sport that it is only natural that looks, styles, colors and prints morph from season to season. Having said that, at Burton we never look in the rearview mirror. If something was hot for streetwear or fashion last season, we don’t hustle to try and bring it in the following season like many others do. We really rely on our own inspirations, riders, DNA and experiences, to set direction and look and feel for the coming seasons.

In that respect, do you think snowboarding has lost its ‘influence’ in the board culture (or the urban lifestyle more generally)? And if so, how can it take it back?

I don’t think snowboarding has lost its influence on any level. And with regards to the ‘urban lifestyle’ culture you refer to, I don’t think it’s ever been our intent to prioritize owning that genre as our ultimate goal. We make a wide range of products for all types of riders from newbie to pro and everything in between. What it comes down to is that we are rooted in snowboarding, having a great time and looking good while doing it. Not urban culture, or any other niche. We are and will always be focused on snowboarding and the surrounding lifestyle first and foremost.  That is what keeps us grounded and authentic.

Where do you find your inspiration mostly?

Definitely it starts with the team. Hanging with these guys is such a great experience and one of the best parts of my gig. I am constantly energized by the time I get to spend with them, both on and off the hill. Their energy and passion for our products and our sport is amazing, and I come off every team trip more inspired than the last. And it’s a good day when all the samples disappear from a team product meeting. That means it’s mission accomplished.

Next, it’s all about getting out of comfort zone and having as much fun as possible. At Burton we are global travelers who charge around the planet 12 months a year, looking to get inspired and get into the mix. In my tenure with Burton I’ve had the opportunity to travel to, and experience some of the most amazing places in the world. For me, it’s not about the quick and dirty trips to knock out some meetings and order room service; it’s way more about immersing myself into the local scene, meeting up with some old and new friends, and hopefully making it back to the hotel alive.

Finally, I’d have to say that to get inspired creatively to build products, you absolutely have to be a product addict. Some might say I have to hit product rehab. But if you’re not a consumer, how can you make products for your consumer? Having a lust for products is key to making them. I am constantly on the hunt for great products, past present and future, and in this quest I get a constant stream of inspiration.

Burton might not have the corest image compared to the eternal small/rider own companies out there. Nevertheless Burton always had that ‘premium brand’ image. How does it work on the long run?

For the long run, it all starts with heritage. While heritage has always been an important factor in long-term success, never before has it been such a critical hallmark. In today’s very fluctuating economy, consumers want (and can really only afford) to invest in brands and products that have a history of quality and functionality. No one is willing to gamble on their disposable income purchases. Bling and flash won’t pull it these days; it’s all about quality, dependability, timelessness, and functionality.

The $100 question: What will be the trend(s) for, let’s say 2013/14 winter collection? You know, our readers always want to be so next year…

What I can definitely say is that we will be continuing to put the needs of the rider first. And while their needs change with the climate and the culture, we know that as long as we focus on them and the sport, that we will continue to stay a step ahead in designing and delivering the right product mix. And as far as what that new mix will be for 2014… well, if I told you I would have to kill you.

Capita’s Designer, Ephraim Chui.

CAPiTA Snowboards has undoubtedly impressed core media and shredders around the globe for the quality of their boards, but also most definitely for the awesome graphics they’ve been throwing into the global mix for over a decade now.

For this first outing of a new series on our site, Tech Heads, we wanted to investigate the graphic mystery behind CAPiTA. So we sat down with the man in charge, art director Ephraim Chui, to ask him a few questions…

What’s your exact title at CAPiTA and Union, and what is your background, personal, artistic and professional? Pretty wide question I know…

On my card it says Art Director, but I haven’t handed out a business card in years! I usually only work with Union when there’s a direct collab between the two brands. And when that happens, I’m still really designing for CAPiTA.

I was born in Hong Kong. My parents immigrated to Canada when I was 7 and I grew up in Vancouver. 4 years ago I moved to Japan, first to Osaka, then Tokyo. In the August of 2011 I moved back to Hong Kong. Full circle.

Growing up, all I wanted to do was go to art school. The fact I got rejected from art school might have been the best thing that could’ve happened. I was super bummed at the time and decided to quit art and apprentice under a Japanese chef. It was tough. Basically lived at the restaurant but Mr. Fukuyama whipped me into shape as a person. Taught me a lot about work ethic, paying attention to details and a love and respect for food.

When did you join CAPiTA and what did you have in mind about the brand’s image?

In the summer of 2000, I met Jason Brown [CAPiTA founder] through his website. He encouraged me to keep painting, went with me to get my first Mac and hooked me up with all the software. A month after I got my computer he called me up and said “Hey, I need a graphic for a board called The Black Snowboard of Death. Tomorrow.” At that point I hardly knew how to draw a circle in Illustrator. The result was terrible, but we’re still using that skull. I credit JB 100% for getting me into design.

Where do you find your inspiration season after season? How are the decisions made at CAPiTA regarding graphics?

This question comes up in every interview and usually I make up something about procrastination and panic. But honestly I don’t know where the inspiration comes from. I could be taking a shit or walking my dog or snoozing on the couch, I’ll suddenly know what I have to do and I just go do it. What I know doesn’t work, is sitting in front of the computer staring at the screen telling yourself, give me an idea. Everybody is influenced and inspired by (for better or for worse) everything they let into their heads. Every time we experience anything, it changes us a little bit. Maybe inspiration comes from that? Maybe that’s why I have a need to travel and “try anything once”.

Blue [Montgomery - CAPiTA boss] and I have been working together for 12 years. There use to be a lot of arguments and heated emails etc. but in the end, I have the much easier job of producing work that’s interesting and beautiful to me. He has the much tougher one of facing the public, explaining it to reps and shop buyers, and being responsible when angry moms call. He’s also pretty stubborn and once he makes a decision, it’s almost impossible to change his mind. Some times he’ll pretend to let me “win one”. But Blue is one of the most intelligent people I know and even though I might not be happy with the decisions he makes 100% of the time, I do trust him with making the right decision 100%. It also helps that he’s been extremely supportive and will defend my work without question if he believes in it.

Who are the artists that you worked with and came up with iconic designs, like the Ultrafear or the Black Snowboard Of Death?

We’ve always tried to work with designers and artists that we’re somehow connected to and who understand and are interested in the brand. CAPiTA is such a complicated and undefined beast, that it’s difficult to ask someone unfamiliar with it to come up with something emotionally relevant. On very rare occasions, ie. with Skinner Davis, do we find someone that doesn’t know the brand, but can produce work that fits. Everything about his attitude, his art, and thought process clicked perfectly. It’s like having a one night stand and finding your soul mate instead.

Artists like TJ Schneider and Corey Smith both rode for CAPiTA and had a huge hand in shaping the company on and off snow. How they felt, the things they created, became a part of CAPiTA’s permanent identity and enriched our story. But we’ve also been working with newer folks that are hyped on us, who understand where we are coming from, and they’ve injected new blood and energy to CAPiTA. High fives to Jari, Jacob, Jono and Tyler.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that even though there are a lot of amazing artists out there, what Blue and I are the most concerned with is that the people we work with from our artists to our manufacturer and reps, all have an emotional connection with CAPiTA. This is something that can’t be expressed in a brief and that no amount of money can buy.

Iconic graphics from left to right: Black Snowboard Of Death, Ultrafear, Dan Brisse PM, Scott Stevens PM.

What would be for you the most iconic CAPiTA design, and can you tell us the story behind it?

The Metaphor and the Merchant of Death skull is probably the most iconic. Both have been with us since the beginning. I personally don’t think there’s a specific board design that’s iconic in my mind. I’m so deep in this shit that I have a hard time separating one year from the next. So the better question would be for you to answer what you think the most iconic CAPiTA design is, and why. I’m really curious about what other people who are not immersed in it every day thinks.

How much say to the riders have? Did they bring some artists in? 

TJ and Corey who’ve both consistently designed a series or two each year, have as much say as I do when it comes to graphics. Meaning, Blue gets the final ok. I think I tend to fight harder on work that’s not my own, because I want to see their vision realized. More recently with Scott Stevens and Dan Brisse’s boards, it was very important to all involved that everyone was hyped on the final product. None of us believe that riders should be forced to ride shit that they’re not stoked on. What the fuck is the point if we can’t even make the 3 or 4 people involved happy?

Any other artistic activities outside CAPiTA?

I’ve recently started painting again. That’s been weird. Therapeutic, at the risk of sounding like a hippy. I also bought a couple film cameras (Contax G2 + T2) after moving to Hong Kong and have been randomly snapping away. You can check out the photos at noneofthishappened.com

Who are the artists you would love to work on a CAPiTA project?

Anyone who thinks what we are doing means something to them.

One of the latest inspiration from Ephraim. See something?

Check CAPiTA’s website for more of their rad graphics and snowboards.