#powderjet

PowderJet is giving away a Build Your Own Class

From the PowderJet site

To celebrate our 2nd year of Build Your Own classes, we are holding our first contest ever.

The winner will receive their choice of a Build Your Own Class or a Design Your Own board. We will randomly draw the winner on May 15th at high noon in Maine. Every week we will be choosing a couple of our favorite entries and giving them a limited edition PowderJet Shape Your Own print.

To enter post an image of your favorite shape to social media

The image can be a sketch, a photo of a present or past board, a drawing in the sand at the beach, basically anything

Facebook - post on the PowderJet wall or in a comment on a PowderJet post

Instagram - post your image and tag it #buildyourowncontest

Limited to one entry per social media platform

Et pendant ce temps à Rupert au Vermont, l'ami Jesse Lommis fabrique notre première commande de PowderJet Snowboards qui doivent arriver en boutique à la mi-décembre! 

So about a year ago, I heard rumblings of a small snowboard company in the backwaters of Southern Vermont. Ok, no big deal right?

Well then I heard that they were making snowboards by hand, using US sourced sustainably farmed wood with the same eco-resin that Grain Surfboards uses. Started by Jesse Loomis, former staff photographer forTransworld Snowboarding, the boards are designed to bring it back to the core: riding powder in the side- or backcountry with your bros, especially in those beautiful woods of Vermont. Edges are optional, rockered surf style, and a recycled P-tex version is in the works. Basically these boards ooze cool for those who live snowboarding.

I can’t tell you how surprised I was to receive one for Christmas from my family. Unwrapping the board at Christmas, instantly took me back to when I was a kid, and I received my first pair of my very own skis, not some shitty rentals or later some seasonal demos, but my own skis, the green Rossignol 4s if you must know. Then fast forward to my first snowboard, a BurtonCraig Kelly Air. Or when my wife surprised me with a Larry Mabile Twinzer for my 30th birthday. This thing was on that level.

Full grain wood, gorgeous lines, metal edges so you can take it on the groomers and a base shape to drool over. I finally got the chance to take the board out at Gunstock. First off, this board attracts a lot of stares and questions. From the skiers in the liftlines to the knowing lifties to the kids jibbing the rails, everyone asks. There was a nice dusting on some great groomers after the last Nor’easter tore through town. I rode it as if it was any other board, spun it, and snuck into the woods to really give the board a try, call it a homecoming. The remainder of my time was spent with my daughter, helping her to learn how to shred on the bunny hill.

So what were my first impressions? Like Madonna’s Like a Virgin, it felt like I was touched for the very first time. This thing is ridiculous (the good kind of ridiculous). Of course, I didn’t really get a chance to truly test it on the terrain that it was designed for (that will come), but I’ve ridden enough snowboards that I can quickly give you the good, bad and the ugly.

The good Anyone who loves the shred deserves one of these in their quiver, especially if you like ripping in tight spots like Stowe’s trees or the rock chutes at Snowbird. The board tracks true and straight. It’s durable (at least seems to be, plus it comes with a 2 year old warranty) so you don’t need to pamper it. It even rides great switch. It is also the essence of simplicity. There’s a lot of us who are tired of the bullshit, and are looking for a simpler way. The PowderJet embodies this feeling, as it makes you want to hike up to that little mole hill in the backyard or scope a run off the local golf course.

The bad (well if you call it that) If you are looking for a board to do it all, then you should go elsewhere. The board also requires a bit more backfoot then I’m used to when I traditionally ride. This also had me extending my left (front) foot a bit more than I usually do. If you try railing this board on a groomer like you’re Peter Bauer (assuming that you know who he is), you’ll end up flat on your ass or sliding into home. Based on Jesse’s advice, I mounted the board as I would any other (23.5″, 21 up front, -15 in the back). I also did this knowing that you can pretty much ride a 25″, centered stance with a tiny park deck in powder if it has enough rocker. Of course, there are easy solves to these “issues”. Shorten my stance. Try setting my stance back slightly. Don’t pretend I’m European.

The synopsis When I was riding this board, I found myself employing more back foot, like when I surf or skate. It had what I like to call on surfboards “that skatey rocker feel.” I also kept thinking back to two other boards: The Burton Performer and the original Burton Fish. The PowderJet rides like a Burton Fish, but shorter. The feel is more “real” and “authentic” than today’s snowboards. And when you look down, you remember what it was like on a Performer. At the end of the day, I wanted to ride this more. And I can’t shake that grin on my face when I look at the PowderJet. They cost about $550 so about the same price as a better snowboard.

It’s not a board for everyone, but I’d recommend one for anyone who is still thinking Snowboarding was better when everyone hated us. And I’m seriously considering that this board is traveling with me when I head out west.

PS – Jesse, let me know when you decide to make a freeride or freestyle version of the PJ.

The nitty gritty: Overall Length:  151 cm Nose Width:        29.2 Tail:                      28.45 Waist:                   24.9 Sidecut:               7.4 m