BINDINGS

[coleslawed]

CAPiTA, Burton, Nidecker. just because a brand gets big enough to purchase other brands doesn't take away their ownerships credentials.

idek what Rider Owned even really means. what's the definition of rider? minimum number of days on snow per year? previously professional rider?

isn't Forum technically "owned" by some capital investor who partnered with Peter & MackDawg? if he rides a board occasionally does that keep them rider owned?

[coleslawed]

I haven't seen a speck of them this year, guessing that's why JP jumped back on the F train.

Even if SC was putting in work...

Peter, JP, JJ, and Duff on Forum. That's too hard to pass up.

It's possible they could get Devun.

Bjorns got his own thing now.

dunno whatever happened to Malami and Yli-Louma

But Forum Five has a ring to it

Wille's a big-time coffee seller these days

https://www.instagram.com/heartroasters/?hl=en
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart_Coffee_Roasters

I think it was a recent Iikka podcast that he said Malmi is still running his Makia clothing line that's pretty big in Finland still.

[C.Fuzzy]

I haven't seen a speck of them this year, guessing that's why JP jumped back on the F train.

Even if SC was putting in work...

Peter, JP, JJ, and Duff on Forum. That's too hard to pass up.

It's possible they could get Devun.

Bjorns got his own thing now.

dunno whatever happened to Malami and Yli-Louma

But Forum Five has a ring to it

Wille's a big-time coffee seller these days

https://www.instagram.com/heartroasters/?hl=en
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart_Coffee_Roasters

I think it was a recent Iikka podcast that he said Malmi is still running his Makia clothing line that's pretty big in Finland still.

Just looked up Makia... givin me Holden vibes.

[Ancahlagon]

I was a huge forum (and dc) fan boy back in the day

I think my riding tastes/interests have changed so much that I don't really care about it today (or any of those expired brands)

but good luck to the PL JP JJ, rider owned* is always good

* is slash (and winterstick) the only other rider "owned" brands out there? I dont count Yes/Jones in that group

I mean the Nidecker brothers all snowboard. What exactly qualifies as rider owned?

[C.Fuzzy]

CAPiTA, Burton, Nidecker. just because a brand gets big enough to purchase other brands doesn't take away their ownerships credentials.

idek what Rider Owned even really means. what's the definition of rider? minimum number of days on snow per year? previously professional rider?

isn't Forum technically "owned" by some capital investor who partnered with Peter & MackDawg? if he rides a board occasionally does that keep them rider owned?

I imagine we're just talking about whether or not there's some story of authenticity to justify their place as a business in snowboarding. It's a personal and somewhat arbitrary line that favors some brand over others and often impossible to hold without some compromise.

Most private brands have investors (weather that be a bank or a seed investors or a monied backer). Many brands go through several rounds of fund raising before they get established and make any money. Some never make money. IMO investments often comes from industry outsiders who can afford to throw money into it for a percentage return and if they make money great, and if not it's a tax writeoff for them to shelter other income.

I know this to be true in snowboarding too. But if a venture is privately held we'll never know how much funding of board brands or videos or outerwear, etc. is really just some extremely wealthy guy in real estate or ranching or chocolates or whatever that can throw money into something and not care what if anything comes back.

In the end, for me, I embrace my arbitrary line which roots against brands like Nike, but on the other hand will not do the same for Volcom even though from a corporate holding and product standpoint Nike may be better, but from a story standpoint Volcom is more true to snowboarding and doesn't 'quit' it.

On the other hand an arbitrary line I'm for the most part over is the 'ski brand' thing, in part because when I went to find kid's gear... outside of Burton... all I found were ski brands. Though this has changed in more recent years, not all that long ago the kid realm was more brands like Ride, K2, Rossignol, Salomon and Burton, that were basically holding this whole segment up. (and then just generic brands like 5150, ltd, spice, etc.) I had to acknowledge that ski brand were in some way allowing kids to get into snowboarding a lot more than 'core' brands were.

I've never ridden a Forum board of my own but I still root for Forum because I like the idea... to me I think Forum and thier story belongs in snowboarding as much as anyone. But despite it being in some sense longer established than many brands and just as core as anything else, I somehow don't have a kindred affection for Never summer. meanwhile one of the first real snowboard boot brands is Northwave, who my feet still pledge allegiance to, but most core folks around here won't take a sniff at (y'all missing out tho imo).

Imo what is core and what isn't is just the story we tell ourselves about a brand. And often those will not hold a uniform true line when put under scrutiny.

(note: I'm jut blah blah talking here... not trying to speak for anyone but myself)

[Ancahlagon]

Imo what is core and what isn't is just the story we tell ourselves about a brand. And often those will not hold a uniform true line when put under scrutiny.

This is it. Core is meaningless. It means only what the individual person has decided it means to them. What bothers me personally is when that definition is then applied outside of ones self to others, and then that personal definition is used to judge others.

The kids boards is a great point, remove Burton, or even keep them in, and Ski brands (collectively) have done more to get kids on snow than "core" brands. Seems like those Ski brands are investing in the future of snowboarding.

Maybe I'm ignorant, but being that Burton is now Donna with Jake gone, do we still call Burton rider owned?

[Spenser]

Maybe misunderstanding, but what are you going for with that? Donna rides all the time.

[michaelangelo]

Cmon man, grasping at straws on Donna comment lol.

[ninja_nate]

Anyone tried a size small Now/Jones binding with a 9.5 boot?

I’ve been super happy with the Jones Mercury (and am looking at pulling the trigger on the Select Pros) but even with the pucks slid all the way to the heel edge, there’s still a decent amount of overhang on the toes. This boards waist width is 25.7.

[Ancahlagon]

Cmon man, grasping at straws on Donna comment lol.

Maybe misunderstanding, but what are you going for with that? Donna rides all the time.

The very reason I admitted I might just be ignorant. I have actually never heard any comments as to how much or really whether at all Donna snowboards. I also don’t follow Burton super close so that’s likely why. I stand corrected then.