THE HYPE BEHIND POW SURFING
THE HYPE BEHIND POW SURFING
Pow surfing is the action of riding down a snow slope with a snowboard that doesn’t have bindings. This is basically what the first ever snowboards looked like, but with the invention of bindings, it quickly became obsolete. This way of riding slowly resurfaced later in the 90s, but was limited to a handful of people who made their own pow surfing boards. Mostly pro-snowboarders who who searched for that “surf” feeling, but on powder.
Pow Surfing gained momentum in the early 2000s and board makers started to jump in to create a completely different type of riding and one of the best boardsports ever. Simple, low-cost and can be done wherever there is a slope and snow. No bindings, no rules.
Over the course of the last 2 decades, the pow surfing boards have evolved from crude hand hewn shapes to masterful works of art fused by both hand and unique technology. Taking inspiration from surf boards, regular snowboards and even skate boards, brands like Aesmo, Burton, Jones and more came up with their own powsurfs while creating a brand new universe revolving around one of the things we love the most: shredding powder.
POW SURFING 101
To put it simply, Pow surfing is a mix between surfing and snowboarding as the goal is to bomb down snow slopes like snowboarding, but with a bindingless board, like surfing. With pow surfing, any slope can become your wave. All you need is 10 cm or more of snow and hitting 3 turns on your local sledding hill will feel like shredding in the backcountry.
On a more philosophical note, riding binding-free allows for a truly pure powder experience rooted in self-expression and the celebration of snowboarding’s roots. Riding a powsurf forces riders to look at the terrain in front of them with fresh eyes, and although being more accessible than snowboarding, the increased difficulty of not being strapped in turns even the local sledding hill into a nice challenge.
Pow surfing is simple, sure, but offer so many options, depending on how you see it. You can visualize your environment as the largest skatepark on earth; taking full advantage of the fact that there is no connection to your board and pursuing a true skate-style of riding. Snapping ollies, bomb dropping, or spinning and flipping the board under your feet.
You can choose the snowboard-style approach; dropping cliffs, punching chutes, and launching airs just as you did when you were strapped in, but now with greater challenge and deeper sense of satisfaction. The avenues of self expression are limitless and there is a whole new world to explore. Whether you are riding deep in the backcountry or just outside your back door, powdersurfing offers a challenge that can make even the most simple terrain fun again.
THE GEAR
That’s one of the great things about pow surfing. You don’t need much equipment to practice it. Any comfortable boots, waterproof outerwear, a pow surf and a slope with at least 10 cm of snow on it. As snowboarding gear becomes more complicated and expensive, there’s something magical about bringing the experience back down to its fundamentals. You just need a powsurf board, some snow, and a hill.
That being said, higher level powsurfer might need more that your usual Winter equipment. If you're the type of pow surfer who likes to venture in the back country, you might need snow shoes and tech gear, but for those like us who like to keep it casual, regular Winter gear and a board will do just fine.
THE BOARD
A Pow surf is very different than a real snowboard, but its construction is similar. It is made out of glass fiber, has different types of camber and has a wooden core. The bases can be sintered or extruded and there are different levels of flex and response. As for the shapes, there’s a few different ones, but the directional Fish type shape seems to be the most popular.
One of the key components of a pow surf is the foam that’s on top of it. That’s what’s going to give you the leverage to carve and turn in snow. Some brands have full foam pads that cover the middle of the board, some other brands have foam knobs. As long as you have enough grip, you'll be good.
Last but not least, the leash! That’s the only thing that connects you to your pow surf. To avoid loosing your new toy on the mountain or hitting someone, make sure you have a proper leash that’s attaching you to the board.
A FEW OF OUR FAVORITES
The Äsmo Factory Line Fernando Elvira Phantom PowsurfThe Phantom Family became one of the favorite pow surf shapes over the last couple of years. It derives from SI and the Fish family fusing the best attributes of both. A smooth outline makes it friendly and stable to ride whilst the pulled in swallow tail allows it to float and turn on a dime.
SHOP THE ÄSMO FACTORY LINE FERNANDO ELVIRA PHANTOM POWSURF →
The Family Tree Backseat Driver Powsurf
Surf-inspired design meets traditional snowboard construction in the Burton Backseat Driver. If you're wondering, "where do the bindings go?" They don't. This pow surfer is designed to surf without-straps everywhere from your backyard to the backcountry. A spoon nose provides float and flow, working in conjunction with a V-hull in the tail that maintains a loose feeling, but transitions into a strong, powerful turn when engaged. This board is built to push boundaries, and spread the joy of surfing.
SHOP THE BURTON FAMILY TREE BACKSEAT DRIVER POWSURF →
The Jones Mountain Surfer Powsurf
The Mountain Surfer is a next level powder board built to surf the earth without bindings. From backyard hills to full on backcountry descents, the Mountain Surfer offers a whole new perspective on riding powder.
Surf shaper Chris Christenson and Jeremy Jones designed the Mountain Surfer’s complex 3D contours using the same hydrodynamic principles Chris uses to design surf boards. The Mountain Surfer features a Spoon nose for float, a 3D center hull for improved glide and 3D stepped edges for turn precision. The Mountain Surfer has a sintered p-tex base, ABS sidewalls and a wood core but no metal edges or binding inserts. To keep you attached after a closeout barrel, the Mountain Surfer includes a foam deck pad and an eyebolt. The Mountain Surfer comes in two sizes: 142cm and 152cm.
SHOP THE JONES MOUNTAIN SURFER POWSURF →
