They used to make guns here
Burton Snowboards, being one of the main innovators and pioneers of snowboarding, has a rich history and heritage surrounding it as a company. Over the last 30+ years they have crafted the direction of snowboarding through their efforts in R&D and production, as well as through the development of the sport as a culture and lifestyle. This season Burton has introduced the History Wall, a microsite showcasing their board design throughout the years. From the Backhill in ’77 all the way to the current re-introduction of the Mystery, all of Burton’s design achievements can be seen chronologically through the History Wall microsite.

More images after the jump.

 

Pimp My Slide
Signal Snowboards is pushing the boundaries of board design with Every Third Thurday, a monthly web episode where new board concept and ideas are put together. Dave Lee and the crew at Signal prove that creativity has no limits, encorporating iPads, boomboxes, and whatever else they can think of into a board.

Check the latest episode after the jump.

 

Turn your kid into a snowboarding Jedi
Kids get all the cool stuff these days. Burton Snowboards have collaborated with Lucasfilm Ltd. to drop some Star Wars themed Chopper kids boards this season. There are eight different top sheet graphics in this series that were inspired by the movies. Get’em up before the creepy old dudes scoop them up for their basement collections.

 

Rad Lobster.
Lobster Snowboards is new on the scene, an independent board company created by Hallador and Eiki Helgason. With a focus on Jib and Park riding, the boards have a unique shape, some interesting tech behind them, and a branding all their own. Some shops have even banned some of their boards based on the graphics, so you know they are definitely on to something! Peep Lobster’s website here.
More images after the jump More images after the jump.

 

Nice Lines
Mike Giant has collaborated with burton snowboards this season, adding his classic line styling to the Bullet snowboard and the Spectre pipe glove. Check them out in full detail at Burton.com. More images after the jump.

 

Canadian Heritage
In a rather unusual move, not uncommon with collaborations these days, Burton Snowboards has teamed up with Canada’s oldest corporation, the Hudson’s Bay Company, to produce a limited edition version of the Custom. The board’s graphics are a direct translation of the signature HBC point blanket, which was introduced during the Canadian fur trade in 1780. For more information on the design, visit HBC’s heritage site here. The 158cm board can be purchased from Burton Flagship stores as well as the official HBC store for a retail cost of $795.

 

Worldwide
For their 30th anniversay, streetwear pioneers Stussy got together with Japanese snowboard brand Daylife to collaborate on a commemorative snowboard design. The board features all the design qualities you would come to expect from Stussy, along with an accompanying sleeve/bag to even out the set. The snowboard is available at all Stussy Japan chapter stores in limited quantities. More images after the jump.

Image source: Freshnessmag

 

Handcrafted
Something we don’t see very often in this sport are innovative designs that stray a bit from the norm. Japanese designer Taro Tamai has been designing hand-made boards for over a decade. An answer to the homogenization of board shapes that happened as snowboarding gained mainstream appeal.
Tamai’s goal is no less than to “perfectly blend into the terrain miraculously made of snow and wind, just as if birds flying in the sky or fish flowing in the stream.” The end product of his philosophical approach to the sport is a line of boards renowned for their flexible fins, oversized sized fish tails and ride-ability in almost any snow condition.” More information on these special boards at Gentemstick Snowboards.

Image source: Selectism

 

“Don’t worry about a thing, every little thing is gonna be alright”
As with every season, Burton doesn’t fail to sprinkle exciting collaborations among its already impressive array of shreds. We’ve seen official collaborations with the Warhol estate, Futura, Ducati, and most recently for 2011, legendary singer and cultural icon Bob Marley. The Marley Whammy board was made possible with a blessing from the Marley Estate and it should give you some good vibes and easy feelings on the mountain for sure. Available at Burton Flagship stores next season.

Image source: Rad Collector

 

Live Series Boards & Bindings
We gave you a first look at Endeavor Snowboard Design’s 2011 lineup the other day, now we have a better look at the Live Series, done up by Bristol artist Mr. Jago. The Live Series has always been a show piece for Endeavor. In keeping with this style, they chose to use the Live as Mr. Jago’s canvas for 2011. Having worked with such brands as Addict and Rossignol, and having exhibited his work around the world, it’s clear that his collaboration with Endeavor is a great match. Going to his studio in Bristol, Endeavor selected nine pieces of work from Mr. Jago’s portfolio and photographed them to be used as the graphics for this series of boards and also as the inaugural graphics for the forthcoming Live Series binding.

Image source: Endeavor Snowboard Design