Burton Snowboards is a privately-owned snowboard manufacturing company that was founded by Jake Burton Carpenter in 1977.[2][3] The company specializes in products aimed at snowboarders, such as snowboards, bindings, boots, outerwear, and accessories. The company, whose flagship store is in Burlington, Vermont,[4] was privately owned by Jake Burton Carpenter (also known as Jake Burton), until his death in 2019, and by his wife, Donna Carpenter, who has been active in the business since 1983.[5][4]
Top view of a c. 1981 Burton snowboard in museum condition
Burton Snowboards[6] was founded by Jake Burton in 1977.[4] His co-founder, Dimitrije Milovich, was an East Coast surfer and the founder of snowboard company Winterstick.[7] Their snowboards were inspired by the Snurfer,[4] which was created in 1965 by Sherman Poppen. In 1977, Burton moved to Londonderry, Vermont, where he made the first Burton snowboard in his garage, by hand.[8] Since Burton could not afford proper equipment, he applied polyurethane to the prototype.[9] In 1978, the company moved to Manchester, Vermont.
Jake Burton campaigned for local ski resorts to open their lifts to snowboard riders. In 1982, the Suicide Six Ski Area, now called Saskadena Six Ski Area,[10] in Pomfret, Vermont, was reportedly the first mountain to permit snowboarders,[11] followed by Stratton Mountain, and later Jay Peak and Stowe. When resorts started to accept snowboarders on lifts, the public did too; and Burton became one of the main suppliers for snowboarders.
In 1982, Burton marketed its product at the National Snowboarding Championships, held at Suicide Six. Snow Valley also allowed snowboarders and in 1984 hosted the US Open. In 1985, the National Snowboarding Championships moved to Stratton Mountain and became the U.S. Open Snowboarding Championships, which was owned and operated by Burton. This competition helped legitimize the sport.
In 1985, Burton established the European Division of Burton Snowboards in Innsbruck, Austria. In 1986, distribution began in New Zealand. In 1992, the Burton factory relocated to Burlington, Vermont. In 1994, Burton opened its Japan division in Urawa-shi. In 2014, there were 400 employees in Burlington and 1,000 worldwide.[5]
In 2008, several complaints arose when Burton produced snowboards that had illustrations of self-mutilation and Playboy bunnies. As a result, the Burton Love model was discontinued for the 2012 line and replaced by the Mr. Nice Guy.[12]
As of 2009, Burton owned ten companies that sold snowboards, outerwear, and shoes.[13][14] In 2008, Burton began to make surfboards in Vermont.[citation needed]
For many years, Burton and his wife—Donna Gaston Carpenter, whom he had married in 1983[5]—hosted the Fall Bash, to promote goodwill among company employees and friends.[15] In 2009, the Fall Bash became the subject of controversy after the company attempted to censor the press about it.[16]
In 2010, Burton announced that Burton Snowboards would cease manufacturing in Vermont and move production to Austria.[17] More recently, the company has shifted some of its snowboard production to China.[18]
In December 2011, Burton named his wife, Donna Carpenter, as president of the company.[5] In 2013, Donna Carpenter estimated that the company had 40 to 45% of the snowboarding market, which totaled $236 million. She said that the U.S. market constituted 35% of the company's business, with Europe making up 30%, and Japan and Canada the rest.[5]
In May 2014, Burton named Mike Rees as CEO, while remaining as founder and chairman.[5] In December 2015, Burton named Donna Carpenter as CEO (Mike Rees having left to be closer to family) and John Lacy as president.[19]
In 2016, in light of the company's 40th anniversary, Burton's Chief Creative Officer, Greg Dacyshyn, stated he wished to keep both the sport and lifestyle aspect of the brand going for many years.[20]
Jake Burton Carpenter died at his home on November 20, 2019, due to a recurrence of testicular cancer.[21]
Technology
The first Burton snowboard was the BB1, a narrow board consisting of single-strap bindings with a rope and handle attached to the nose.[22]
The company started using a single-channel binding-mounting system on its 2008 models. In 2009, this system was installed on other snowboard lines. A binding system was created with this system that was designed to give the rider more control and a greater board feels. This binding system, named EST® (Extra Sensory Technology), eliminates weight by mounting the binding to the board from the sides of the binding instead of the middle, getting rid of the middle baseplate.
Company overview
Burton factory in 2009, including double chairlift, originally used at a resort, between streetlights
Burton is now the second-largest snowboard manufacturer in the US;[24] and its products are marketed worldwide in over 4,348 stores, 1,536 of which are in the United States. In 2003, Burton allowed several online companies to sell Burton products over the internet. For years, Burton products had been available only through local stores; but the company felt that an online presence would allow buyers to have an alternate way to buy Burton products, instead of having to turn to another brand.[25]
As well as selling Burton products, Burton stores sell several sub-brands which focus on specific market niches. These sub-brands include Anon Optics (snowboard goggles and eyewear), RED (helmets and body armor), Analog (outerwear),[26] and Gravis (footwear, now defunct).[27] In 2005, Four Star Distribution sold four of its snowboard brands to Burton: Forum Snowboarding, Jeenyus, Foursquare, and Special Blend.[28] Burton also owned surfboard manufacturer Channel Islands, but sold the brand in 2020.[29]
The Burton line is split into four categories: freeride, for a big mountain ride; freestyle, for a versatile ride; park, for freestyle disciplines such as half-pipe and slopestyle; and carving, for carving down the sides of mountains. Each of these categories has different levels of performance and price. In 2009, Burton's line included 61 snowboards in men's, women's, and youth models. Board prices range from $300 to $1,500.[4]
In February 2008, Burton acquired DNA Distribution, which includes the skateboard brands Alien Workshop, Habitat Skateboards, and Reflex.[30]
In 2008, the snowboard equipment industry had grown to be worth $487 million.[4] Burton had 40% to 70% of these sales, depending on the category.[4] The average age of employees was 30.
Burton created the Chill program in 1995, to provide children with the opportunity to learn how to snowboard. Since its founding, Chill has provided over 12,000 underprivileged children the opportunity to learn how to snowboard. Because of the 2008 graphics controversy and concern over its effect on youth, a local beneficiary severed its ties with Burton.[33]
Burton created the Learn to Ride program in 1998. It was the only snowboard company to focus on instruction methods and beginner-specific equipment. Its goal was to give beginner snowboarders the best initial snowboarding experience possible, so they would continue to snowboard. Burton has teamed up with the American Association of Snowboard Instructors, the Canadian Association of Snowboard Instructors, and major resorts around the world.[34]
In January 2022, BBC News reported on Burton's expansion into China and highlighted the company's role in promoting Xinjiang as a winter sports destination (ahead of China's hosting the Winter Olympics). Craig Smith, the boss of the company's China subsidiary, told the BBC Burton didn't want to "divorce" itself from the region by refusing to do business there, despite allegations of human rights abuse, including genocide of the Uyghurs.[36]
Allegations that the local Uyghur population of Xinjiang have been used as forced labor to pick cotton has also been observed to be at odds with Burton's membership of the Better Cotton Initiative - an industry body that aims to ensure the global cotton supply chain is free of forced labor.[36]
Related Research Articles
Snowboards are boards where the user places both feet, usually secured, to the same board. The board itself is wider than most skis, with the ability to glide on snow. Snowboards widths are between 6 and 12 inches or 15 to 30 centimeters. Snowboards are differentiated from monoskis by the stance of the user. In monoskiing, the user stands with feet inline with direction of travel, whereas in snowboarding, users stand with feet transverse to the longitude of the board. Users of such equipment may be referred to as snowboarders. Commercial snowboards generally require extra equipment such as bindings and special boots which help secure both feet of a snowboarder, who generally ride in an upright position. These types of boards are commonly used by people at ski hills, mountains, backcountry, or resorts for leisure, entertainment, and competitive purposes in the activity called snowboarding.
Snowboarding is a recreational and competitive activity that involves descending a snow-covered surface while standing on a snowboard that is almost always attached to a rider's feet. It features in the Winter Olympic Games and Winter Paralympic Games.
Shaun Roger White is an American former professional snowboarder and skateboarder. He is a five-time Olympian and a three-time Olympic gold medalist in half-pipe snowboarding. He holds the world record for the most X Games gold medals and most Olympic gold medals by a snowboarder. He has also won 10 ESPY Awards throughout his career in various categories.
Terje Håkonsen is a Norwegian professional snowboarder. He is considered one of the most influential snowboarders in the history of the sport. In the book The way of the snowboarder, Rob Reed wrote that "Haakonsen took the young sport of snowboarding and revolutionized nearly every aspect of it".
Gretchen ElisabethBleiler is an American former professional halfpipe snowboarder. She won a silver medal at the 2006 Olympics.
Jake Burton Carpenter, occasionally also known as Jake Burton or Jakie, was an American snowboarder, founder of Burton Snowboards, and one of the inventors of the modern day snowboard. A native of New York, he grew up in Cedarhurst, New York.
Torah Jane Bright is an Australian professional snowboarder. She is Australia's most successful Winter Olympian, former Olympic gold and silver medalist, two time X Games gold medalist, three time US Open winner, two time Global Open Champion, three time World Superpipe Champion, former TTR World Champion and recipient of the Best Female Action Sports Athlete at the ESPY awards. In 2014 Bright became the first Olympic athlete to qualify for all three snowboarding disciplines; halfpipe, slopestyle and boarder-cross.
The Snurfer was the predecessor of the snowboard. It was a monoski, ridden like a snowboard, but like a skateboard or surfboard, it had no binding. According to the 1966 patent by inventor Sherman Poppen, it was wider and shorter than a pair of skis, with an anti-skid foot rest. Like a sled, it had a lanyard attached to the front.
Hannah Teter is an American snowboarder. She is an Olympic champion, having won the gold medal in the halfpipe at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy and silver at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver. She has also won bronze at the 2005 FIS World Championships at Whistler, British Columbia, and has a total of six World Cup victories in her career. In January 2010, Teter was named to the US Team for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. She won the silver medal in women's halfpipe at the Vancouver Games. Teter came in fourth at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
Lindsey Jacobellis is an American snowboarder from Roxbury, Connecticut. The most decorated female snowboard cross athlete of all time, she dominated the sport for almost two decades as a five-time World Champion and ten-time X Games champion. In her Olympic debut at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Jacobellis won the silver medal in snowboard cross but was unable to medal at the next three Olympics until winning gold at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. Jacobellis also won gold in mixed team snowboard cross at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
Armada is an American manufacturer of skis, poles, technical outerwear and skiing-related softgoods, based in Park City, Utah with a European office in Innsbruck, Austria. The company's products are sold in over forty countries worldwide through wholly owned subsidiaries and distributors.
Louis Philip "Louie" Vito III is an Italian-American professional snowboarder. He is an Olympian, Winter X Games, and U.S. Grand Prix Champion.
Jesse Csincsak is an American professional snowboarder, television personality, and founder of the nonprofit organization JSAK Snowboarding, which helps snowboarders with Olympic aspirations to raise money for training, travel, and related expenses. Csincsak owns The Home Check Company, a property management company serving Colorado's mountain communities and the Arizona valley of the sun. He was also a coach at High Cascade Snowboard Camp and a snowboard instructor at Breckenridge Ski Resort.
Peter Line is an American professional snowboarder, snowboard industry entrepreneur, writer, photographer and designer. Line is regarded as one of the greatest influences in the history of snowboarding based on his broad contributions as a professional rider, industry entrepreneur, designer, and media contributor. Line is a six-time X Game medalist, one of few to gold medal in the Summer and Winter X Games, as well as a two-time US Open medalist and a World Snowboarding Championships gold medalist.
Holden Outerwear is an American clothing manufacturer and brand that sells performance outerwear, such as jackets and pants. Based in Venice Beach, California, Holden was founded by snowboarder Mikey LeBlanc and creative director Scott Zergebel. it is now owned by fashion and lifestyle entrepreneur Patrick Nebiolo.
Grenade Gloves Inc is a manufacturer of snowboard gloves/mittens. Founded by professional snowboarders Matt and Danny Kass in 2001, the company specializes in a product line aimed at snowboarders and motocross riders: gloves, outerwear, apparel, footwear, and accessories. The company's headquarters are located in Portland, Oregon.
Eric Pollard is an American snow freeskier and film editor from Welches, Oregon and currently resides in the Hood River region of Oregon. He was a professional skier for Line Skis for over 22 years and now designs skis and snowboards for Season. Always challenging the status quo, he has innovated outerwear, accessories and hard goods for FW Apparel, Anon Optics, Dakine, K2, Causwell and Hest.
The Vermont Sports Hall of Fame is an athletics hall of fame in the U.S. state of Vermont. Above all, induction "is for accomplishments in sports and recreation that generate a great source of pride to the state." Launched as a project in 2011, the Hall of Fame inducted its inaugural class on November 17, 2012. Inductees include multiple Olympic athletes and medalists, professional sports hall of fame inductees, and historical contributors from the state of Vermont or one of its colleges and universities.
Jones Snowboards is a snowboard, snowboard binding, and snowboarding clothing & accessories manufacturer based near Lake Tahoe. The company was founded by renowned freeride snowboarder Jeremy Jones. The company has received numerous awards for its snowboards. Jones snowboards are manufactured in Dubai.
Nidecker is a family-owned Swiss snowboarding company based in Rolle, Switzerland. Nidecker was founded in Etoy, Switzerland, in 1887. They own and operate several snowboard product companies and brands including Flow, Jones, Nidecker, NOW and YES. It is considered the second biggest snowboard company in the world. The company was passed down 5 generations. The Nidecker Group was formed in 2008 by three descendants of Henri: Cédric, Henry and Xavier Nidecker. Henry Nidecker is the CEO of the company.
↑ "Back in the Day". Burton Press Kit (Press release). Burton Snowboards. 2007. pp.3–39.
↑ Helmich, Portland (August 2000). "Chairman of the Board". Business People-Vermont. Archived from the original on February 14, 2012. Retrieved November 2, 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
