Grassroots Powsurfing - World Wide

9 boxes shipping out to 7 different countries.

After deciding a few years ago to test the waters for the public's acceptance of this thing we call "powdersurfing" we couldn't be happier with the results so far.  We made a big push this season to spread the word in whatever ways we could. Having limited time and few resources or connections, we decided the best thing to do was to let the riding and the concept speak for itself.   We did this thru the creation of a few short films (The Powsurf Chronicles) and repurposed some of our existing video content.  The power of social media was our biggest ally.  People saw something that sparked their interest and it opened their eyes to something familiar but new.  The parallels within powdersurfing and other forms of self expression such as skateboarding, snowboarding, and surfing are an obvious connecting force for like minded people.  Videos were shared and word spread rapidly all over the world.

                  Emiliano was one of the first of a number of Italians to see the light.  -Italian Alps.

                                                    Ready for action in Hokkaido Japan

There seems to be a mixed bag of reasons for the acceptance of powsurfing.  Some people seem to view powsurfing as a refreshing departure from the overly plastic and manufactured state of "snowboarding" today and a return to the essence of riding pow.  Some see the potential and freedom inherent to a sport where the rider and board are independent of each other.  Perhaps it becomes more legit in their eyes because they are actually balancing (riding) on a board rather than having it strapped on, acting as an extension of their body. Others may have noticed that the ski industry that looked down on snowboarding for decades now owns 80% of it, and they want to get away from that. Some people are just surfers and skateboarders at heart and they know a good thing when they see it. There is a clear connection to the true soul of snowboarding and of riding boards in general.  Others may be intrigued by the fact that we choose to offer limited runs of an environmentally friendly handmade product rather than mass producing huge runs of disposable boards made from toxic chemicals in sweatshops overseas. Whatever the reason, we are stoked that people are digging what we are doing here.

We think that the biggest factor in powdersurfing's acceptance is the fact that it is pure.  Driven by a personal quest for fun and a passion for self expression.  You don't need a ski lift or a $1,500 kit of snowboard, boots, bindings, and matching clown suit.  You just need a board, warm clothes and some inner drive. Once you have tasted the sweet nectar that is powsurfing, you will be back for more, by whatever means necessary.

Bryan Iguchi - Tasting the nectar .

WORLD WIDE

Reaction has been overwhelmingly positive and this positivity has no borders.  Our boards are now spread all over Europe.  Italy, Spain, France, Austria, Germany, Norway, Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Greece, and the UK.  The Japanese embrace the concept of powsurfing and are perhaps the most enthusiastic and accepting of all.  Canadians of course are into it, some stick with a pad and a rope on a snowboard deck (noboarding) while others are taking the next step and ditching the rope and snowboard for a board that is shaped and designed for a true bindingless experience.

Big Thanks to Go Insane specialty shop in Hokkaido Japan for keeping its shelves stocked with powsurfers this winter season.

                                    Hokkaido Japan - These guys brought the whole quiver!

If you're not falling down, you probably aren't learning.  These guys know the drill. -Japan 

USA

It seems that we have shipped more boards out of the US than we have shipped within the US.  Within the US, the East has come up surprisingly tough ... Conneticut, Rhode Island, New York, Vermont, and North Carolina to name a few.  The wester states have been surprisingly weak considering the ample powsurfing conditions that exist.  Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Arizona, Montana... pretty much every state west of Colorado has bought at least a board or two.  We would have expected a lot more in these areas, but it has been a relatively dreary winter season across much of the US.

It could be the combination of a lot of factors.. a poor US economy, the "Americans are lazy" stereotype, the "Americans like cheap plastic crap" theory, maybe it looks to hard, or maybe people are just content without the extra challenge or unbeatable feeling that comes from powsurfing.  We think that they just need a little more exposure to powsurfing and a chance to give it a try.  Everyone that has set foot on our boards in the right conditions has been instantly sold on it.  People just need a little taste... So as we grow, we will make it a point to make sure that people get that opportunity.

Colorado shred Bob Aubrey lost his powsurf virginity on a trip to Japan.  He caught right on and he's never been the same since.

Edred repping Colorado

It seems like people don'r realize how easy it can be to find great powsurf terrain and stashes.  It is so scalable either way, small and easily accessible terrain can be really fun and a breeding ground for creativity.  You can get more "skate-like" in the smaller stuff and take advantage of any bump or log.  Big terrain is just epic, just like with snowboarding, this is the dream terrain... high speed - high consequence big wave powsurfing.  We aim to educate and open the world's eyes to what powdersurfing is all about.  If we get them to experience even for a few seconds the feeling we get from riding these boards then our job is done, and powdersurfing can live or die within them.

Skylar G had no trouble getting his first turns in on some slushy wet sierra spring pow

Chris G from Splitboard.com getting his feet wet for the first time in the Sierras.

It pays to have a sled to get you up to where the pow is at in the late spring. The Cheetah Factory Racing racks are rigged up here to make it work.

Grassroots Powdersurfing is stoked to be working with ex pro snowboarder Dave B at Cheetah Factory Racing this summer to create a rack designed to carry powsurfers and snowboards.  

Jason H. getting in touch with his inner sledneck for the first time.

Take note of the shit eatin grin on Jason's face..... thats what we are talking about!

SIBERIA!

As I was typing this Russia was added to the list.  Ivan is the proud owner of the first Grassroots powsurfer in Siberia.  (Thanks for your help Sergey)

Sergey and Ivan taking the dogs for a walk to some remaining patches of snow in Zheleznogorsk, Krasnoyarsk krai, Siberia

Ivan couldn't wait for next years powder to arrive, he went right out and found something slidable.

The Guch is one of many snowboard legends that have caught the bug.

 We are stoked to get boards in the hands of snowboard, skate, and surf legends.  Their credibility is huge and this will really help people see the light. A little taste is all it takes and if people have even a fraction of the amount of fun we have riding these decks then this could really blow up.

Here's to the future.

Goods In The Woods! - The Powsurf Chronicles Episode 2

Technical difficulties have created a bit of a delay on the release of our Chronicles Episodes but with the purchase of a new computer combined with severe sleep deprivation and blood shot eyes.. we are getting things back on track.

"Goods in the Woods" is a flashback to last years epic la nina winter season.  We didn't see many sunny days for a few months there but the snow stacked up like never before.  Stormy days forced us into the woods where the visibility improved and the snow was epic.  Enjoy a few minutes of virtual faceshots on us!

Buoloco.com Interview and story

I had watched many interviews with top snowboarding pros over the years on Buoloco.com and I was stoked to get the call from Eduardo for a quick ichat and story.

Check it! 
http://www.buoloco.com/web6/content/powdersurfing-jeremy-jensen

Grassroots Powsurfing on ESPN!

We were super stoked when the writers for ESPN.com contacted us for a story.  We provided them with a grip of unseen photos and some very detailed answers to a list of questions about what we are about and why we do what we do.   They decided to start the new year off proper by running our story on the first day of 2012.

Check the story here. Titled "The Powsurf Chronicles take snowboarding back to it's bindingless roots"

While the photos did not make it into the story (??) and many details were left out of the responses, we were pumped to have a story ran on such a major media outlet.  Editing is necessary... especially when someone like me is rambling on and on about this obscure activity that is foreign to most people (powsurfing)... but it's a bummer when points get missed or lines are used out of context.  Journalism is a double edged sword.. Things can get pretty twisted around and the readers of these stories don't realize this.  The response to our product, the films, and powsurfing in general has been overwhelmingly positive and it feels good to know that we are spreading stoke and opening minds in the world of snow sports.  The few negative reactions we have seen are mostly due to misunderstandings.  Dealing with the media is a funny thing.

SLOPE Magazine - double pager!

We got an nice double page spread published in Issue 3 of "SLOPE - The Snowskate Magazine" early 

this winter.  Wooo hoo!  Congrats to Craig Stevenson for snapping the shot, Jeremy Jensen (myself) for dropping the bomb and props to mother nature for suppling a beautiful day in the Utah backcountry and a nice powder filled landing.

We would have loved to see a little write up in there on Grassroots Powdersurfing to go along with the shot that sticks out as one of the best in the mag... but we can't complain.. We appreciate them contacting us and making us a part of this issue in one way or another.  Hopefully we can get some written content in there next time.

If you haven't check out SLOPE Magazine I highly recommend it!  SLOPE is a European online magazine focusing on bindingless snow sports, good friends, and good times.   Bindingless riding is big in Europe and it's only getting bigger.  These fellas are putting out a great looking E-zine every couple of months or so throughout the winter.


SLOPE Issue #3 can be viewed at http://issuu.com/slope-thesnowskatemag/docs/slope_mag_issue_3


Check out SLOPE at http://www.thesnowskatemag.com

Kronicle Magazine - Powsurfing Article

The premier issue of Kronicle Magazine is out and Grassroots Powdersurfing is stoked to have some content in the magazine!  Check out the "Primal Pow"story for the goods!

When Kronicle Magazine contacted me about running a story on our boards I was stoked to say the least.  This would be the debut issue for a new magazine focused purely on backcountry snowboarding and I knew their readers would be the ideal audience for what we have created.

I supplied Kronicle and their writers with a grip of photos to choose from and a lengthy and detailed interview about powsurfing, our boards, and the direction we are headed.  Then I patiently waited for the release of the magazine.

While my photos of Craig and I slaying pow on our Grassroots Powdersurfers dominated the finished article, the written content ended up blending us in with a couple of other companies that were building hand made custom snowboards (with bindings), and of course there were the dreaded relations to "noboarding" in there.   (More on that dreaded relation in a later post)   With 75% of the photos being bindingless riding on our boards, It would have been nice to go into a little more detail about what sets Grassroots apart, but you don't always get what you want.  Although the written article ended up to be mostly about these other companies, we are grateful for the coverage that what we did get and super stoked on the opportunity.  Big thanks is due to Mike Horn, Seth Lightcap, and Jesse Huffman!!  ..and Kronicle Magazine

I would highly suggest you ORDER A COPY NOW!

http://shop.holpublications.com/kronicle-magazine-winter-2012-premiere-issue

 
A peep at the spread.

I never thought I would have my photo in a mag next to Johan Olofsson!

I was pretty stoked to get published in a world wide mag both as a photographer and and athlete.   Technically, it was the second time I have had an action photo of myself published in a major magazine.  The first was a photo of me in the Northface Masters competition at Snowbird a few years back...kicking out a big method off of a cliff onto a bullet proof landing and of course the photo was labeled with someone else's name... just my luck!   They didn't even bother to correct their mistake.  Lame. 

We were delighted for coverage in such a widely distributed magazine.  So much so that we bought our first ever add to run in the mag.  Cost was very high for a small company like myself.. hopefully that investment pays off down the road.

                                     Surely this add makes you want to buy a powsurfer right?

Follow the Snurf - Powdersurfing some serious vert at Retallack Lodge.

Ian and Neil posted this edit the other day.  I'm always stoked on the Provo Bros edits, no matter if they are skiing, snowboarding, fishing, or powdersurfing.  Good dudes doing what they love... I'm all about it. If anyone was wondering how our Grassroots Powdersurfers handle the deep and light pow in some steep lines, look no further (or of course stay tuned for the "Big Waves" episode in The Powsurf Chronicles).

Here you go.. Ian, Neil and friends slaying the deep on their 140cm Slasher and 140cm Powder Shark.
ENJOY!

Summer sweatshop

Production has been in high gear since the season finally came to an end. I've revamped and updated the website, processed hours and hours of footage and photos, and pressed as many boards as possible. I have a grip of new experimental shapes and sizes and I can't wait to take them for a test drive.

We are involved in a bunch of new media about to hit the magazine stands, the television, and the interwebs this fall. It will be interesting to see how "the masses" react to this stuff. Maybe they love it, maybe they hate on it.. Either way, It won't affect the amount of fun I have surfing the pow.

Grassroots Powdersurfing Sweatshop - Manville, USA

The "Red Rocket"... aka "The Bomb"

Given the MANY hours I spend building these boards, I get pretty attached to them. I have a hard time letting them go really. Hopefully they find find happy homes and live up to their full potential.

Powdersurf Construction - Manville, Utah

WELCOME TO MANVILLE - This is where the Powdersurf Board magic happens.

Manville, Utah- This is where many good things are happening right now. Shapes are designed and created, construction methods are tested, there is blood, sweat and tears flowing here on almost a daily basis (despite sub zero temperatures).

The shark is born. November 2009 - Manville, USA
Literally hours of hand sanding.... makes for major sawdust boogers.

Craig working on some new experimental construction. Super strength and alien lightness.

Checking the rocker on the new PowSkate Model.

There is really only enough room in here for me and a few powdersurf boards.

My fingers are bleeding by the time I get this stuff cutout. Worth it? Yes.

Powdersurfing saved my sanity - Nov-Dec 2009

Jeremy Jensen, Kevin Hornerbrook, and Mike "Cookie" Kerkman getting ready to slash some pow.

Check out "Thanksgiving Breaks" - a little powdersurfing video I made over the turkey day break.

"Thanksgiving Breaks" Powder Surfing from Jeremy Jensen on Vimeo.

The winter season so far has been pretty dismal. It is January 12th and in here in northern Utah we are at about 45% of normal snowpack. This hasn't stopped me from having a hell of a fun winter. Thanks to the powdersurf boards that I have been making in my garage, the season has been awesome. I have been snowboarding three times so far this year and it was fun- but with limited coverage, high avalanche danger and limited shreddable terrain it kind of puts a limit on the snowboarding potential. So losing the bindings was a great decision to pass the time.

Powdersurfing is so much fun and it honestly makes me feel like a 15 year old kid again. Going out every day and doing tricks that have never been done before just makes you giddy inside. Reminds me of landing my first kickflips on a skateboard 20 years ago. Just riding away with a giant grin and looking around and thinking "holy shit! I'm still on my feet!!"

Powdersurfing excites me because there is so much potential. The freestyle and skatestyle influence can truly be taken advantage of on these boards. Over the past couple of months we have been hitting jumps, dropping cliffs, slashing pow, and riding rails and logs. Pop shovits off cliffs, 360 shovits, kickflips, bigspins, log jams, 180s, cabs, etc.....

So many "first evers" have gone down in past 40 days. Super exciting.

There is so much potential with this sport that I fear it is only a matter of time before someone with money rips off our idea and leaves us in the dust. Our construction process is lengthy and expensive (for us poor folk) so it is tough to mass produce- But i am gonna give it my best shot with the resources I do have.

Being able to take advantage of terrain that would feel mediocre on a snowboard is a huge advantage. So much new terrain opens itself up and you begin to see the mountain in a whole new light.

Very little snow this season has forced us to shred the lower angle grassy fields for the first couple of months of the season. Brandon, Dave, and RC hiking up in the cold smoke.

Did I mention these things slash the pow REALLY well?

Jeremy catching a pop- shovit off a kicker that some skiers had built for us.

Dave getting some tail.

Jeremy Jensen - 360 shovit

Jeremy Jensen - Testing a couple of new boards.

Storm is always stoked to get out and shred.

October 4th Surf Session

FIRST POW DAY OF THE SEASON OCTOBER 4th - TONY GROVE!!!

There was just barely enough snow on the ground to make it surfable. Not quite ready for the snowboard in my opinion. I figure if youre gonna be riding mellow slopes with no drops or kickers to chuck off of then you might as well be riding bindingless.

CHECK THE VIDEO BELOW FOR A RECAP OF THE GOODS. Not bad for October!

Getting ready to get some near the "G-spot"