In snowboarding, there are Greats and there are Legends. Mikey Rencz is definitely part of the latest and we’re honored to have him on our team. To celebrate our partnership with Monster and the legend himself, we got in touch with Mikey and got to know a bit more about him.
From his upbringing in Banff at a very young age to filming over 20 video parts all the way to unlocking a Monster sponsorship and jumping into the unofficial snowboarding hall of fame, keep scrolling to check out our interview with Mikey Rencz.
Photos by Colin Adair & Matt Bruhns
How did you get into snowboarding? I was in a ski program in Banff Alberta and we would eat lunch at the bottom of the halfpipe every day. I just saw that snowboarding looked like way more fun. I ended up skipping lunch with the ski club and hiking the halfpipe with a snowboard. The snowboard culture was the thing for me and I was hooked. You’ve been in the game for a long time. At what age did you film your first video part? 10 years old, my first video was called the search for mountain Jimm. I’m not sure if it’s on Youtube at this point, we gotta get it on there if not, some good footy in there. How many video parts do you have under your belt? Over 20 for sure. What’s your advice for people hitting the backcountry for the first time? Well the backcountry is my favourite place, but you have to be very respectful. There are gnarly experiences that happen all the time but ultimately once you have one good experience you’ll be hooked. You’ve been on Burton for 27 years. How does it feel to be on a team for longer than the actual age of some newer riders? It’s amazing. So stoked and thankful for all the good times. so rad to see all the new kids coming up and absolutely ripping. the Burton family is a real thing and I’m so grateful to be a part of it. What’s your favorite Burton Setup these days? Custom 170, Cartel X, SLX. AK everything.
How did the Monster sponsorship come about? I actually rode for another energy drink company but all my friends rode for Monster, it seemed like such a better fit for me and such a fun company to be involved with, so stoked to be a part of the Monster crew.
What’s the 8 Mile crew? That was our original house in Whistler. It was just a shit hole that we lived in that ended up being where everyone would party. It was so sick. I slept on a couch the while time. There was only 1 bedroom, but we all slept in the living room. It was great. Can you explain what leg jail is? Leg jail is basically wearing jeans. Or anything out of the sweat pant family. Comfort is key, don’t lock up your legs.
Are you working on a video part at the moment? We’re doing a new video for next fall, we’ve got a good crew together. Mikkel Bang, Gigi Ruf, Sollors, Danny Davis, Elena Height and more. I think we should be able to put together something fun. What’s next for Mikey Rencz? Any plans for 2022? just the same scene really, except now I’ve got my son in the mix, so just enjoying the ride with him!
