Burton Snowboards

Burton factory in 2009, including double chairlift, originally used at a resort,[6] between streetlights

Burton built the world's first snowboard factory. It is the largest snowboard brand in the world.[7] The first snowboard was a BB1 snowboard, which is a narrow board comprised of single strap bindings with a rope and handle attached to the nose.[8] Burton products are marketed worldwide in over 4,348 stores; 1,536 of those stores are located in the United States. In 2003 Burton allowed several online companies to sell Burton products over the internet. For years Burton had only been available through stores locally, but the company felt that an online presence would allow buyers to have an alternative way of purchasing Burton products instead of having to turn to another brand.[9]

As well as selling Burton products, Burton stores sell several sub-brands which focus on specific market niches. These sub-brands include Anon Optics (snowboard goggles and eyewear), RED (helmets and body armor), Analog (outerwear)[10], and Gravis (footwear, now defunct).[11] In 2005, Four Star Distribution sold four of its snowboard brands to Burton: Forum Snowboarding, Jeenyus, Foursquare, and Special Blend.[12] Burton, a privately owned company, also owns a surfing distributor.

The Burton line is split into four categories: freeride, for a big mountain ride; freestyle, for a versatile ride; park, for freestyle disciplines like half-pipe and slopestyle; and carving, for carving down the sides of mountains. Each of these categories have different levels of performance and price. In 2009, Burton's line included 61 snowboards in men, women, and youth. Board prices range from $300 to $1,500.[4]

In February 2008, Burton acquired DNA Distribution, which includes the skateboard brands Alien Workshop, Habitat Skateboards, and Reflex.[13]

In 2008, the snowboard equipment industry had grown to be worth $487 million.[4] Burton had 40–70% of these sales, depending on the category.[4] The average age of employees was 30 in 2008.[4]

Top view of a c. 1981 Burton snowboard in museum condition

Burton Snowboards[14] was founded by Jake Burton in 1977.[4] Burton was inspired by the snurfer,[4] invented by Sherman Poppen, and modified it to create the Burton snowboard. In 1977, Burton moved to Londonderry, Vermont to make the first Burton Snowboards, which he made by hand in his garage.[15] He couldn't afford the proper equipment—so he applied polyurethane wearing a scuba mask.[16] His co-founder Dimitrije Milovich, was an East Coast surfer and the founder of Winterstick.[17]

In 1978, they moved to Manchester, Vermont. During the early years of the company, four or five workers sold, shaped, and repaired snowboards.

Jake Burton campaigned for local resorts to open their lifts to snowboard riders. The first mountain to have reportedly let snowboarders in was in 1982, the Suicide Six ski area in Pomfret, Vermont. Next was Stratton Mountain, and later, Jay Peak and Stowe. When resorts started to accept riders, the public did too, and Burton was in place to supply them with snowboards.

In 1982, Burton was marketing their product at the National Snowboarding Championships, which were held at Suicide Six. In 1985, the National Snowboarding Championships moved to Stratton Mountain and became the U.S. Open Snowboarding Championships which were owned and operated by Burton. This competition helped legitimize the sport.

In 1983, Jake Burton Carpenter married Donna Gaston, now Donna Carpenter.[5]

In 1985 Burton established the European Division of Burton in Innsbruck, Austria. In 1986, distribution started in New Zealand. In 1992, the Burton factory relocated to Burlington, VT. In 1994, Burton opened the Japan division in Urawa-shi. In 2014, there were 400 employees in Burlington and 1,000 worldwide.[5]

As of 2009, Burton owned 10 companies that sold snowboards, outerwear, and shoes: R.E.D,[18] Gravis,[19] Anon,[20] Analog,[21] Forum,[22] Special Blend,[23] Foursquare, Jeenyus, and most recently Channel Islands.[24] In 2008, Burton began to make surfboards in Vermont.

In 2008, several complaints arose when Burton produced snowboards with topsheets illustrating self-mutilation and Playboy bunnies. As a result, the Burton Love model was discontinued for the 2012 line and replaced by the Mr. Nice Guy.[25]

Each year, Jake Burton has hosted the Fall Bash, to promote goodwill among employees and friends of the company.[26] In 2009, the Fall Bash became the subject of controversy after the company attempted to censor press about it.[27]

In 2010, Burton announced that Burton Snowboards would cease manufacturing in Vermont, moving production to Austria. "[S]imply put, it costs us significantly more to produce a board in Vermont than we are capable of selling it for, and sadly, this is not sustainable in the current economy."[28] More recently, the company has shifted some of its snowboard production to China.

Burton named Donna Carpenter as President of the company in December 2011.[5]

In 2013, Donna Carpenter estimated that the company had 40–45% of the snowboarding business, which business totalled as $236 million. She said that the U.S. market comprised 35% of the business, with Europe making up 30%, and Japan and Canada most of the rest.[5]

In May 2014, Burton named Mike Rees as CEO. Jake Burton remained as founder and chairman.[5] In December 2015, Burton named Donna Carpenter as CEO (Mike Rees having left to be closer to family) and John Lacy as President.[29]

In light of their 40th anniversary in 2016, Burton's Chief Creative Officer, Greg Dacyshyn, stated he wished to keep both the sport and lifestyle aspect of the brand going for many years.[30]

Jake Burton Carpenter died at his home due to a recurrence of testicular cancer on November 20, 2019.[31]

In order to attract rider interest, Burton sponsors professional riders and events. Burton's sponsored professional snowboard team includes Taylor Gold,[32] Shaun White, Jeremy Jones, Kazuhiro Kokubo, Terje Haakonsen, Ellery Hollingsworth, Kelly Clark, Hannah Teter, and Kevin Pearce. Burton has avoided having complete sponsorship with Burton/Burton affiliated brands. For example, Nicholas Mueller rides Burton bindings/boards with Nike boots/outerwear. Burton has come under criticism over its choices regarding team members, such as the removal of David Carrier Porcheron[33] and other riders in 2008.

Burton sponsored the creation of organic terrain parks made of rocks, stumps, and logs. These parks, known as "The Stash" can be found at Northstar, California; Truckee, California; Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Killington Ski Resort, Vermont; Avoriaz, France; and The Remarkables, New Zealand.

Burton Snowboards created the Learn To Ride program in 1998. They were the only snowboard company to focus on instruction methods and beginner-specific equipment. Their goal was to give beginner snowboarders the best initial snowboarding experience possible so they would continue to snowboard. Burton has teamed up with the American Association of Snowboard Instructors, the Canadian Association of Snowboard Instructors, and major resorts around the world.[34]

Burton created the Chill program in 1995 to provide children with the opportunity to learn how to snowboard. Chill worked in conjunction with inner city youth programs to take children and teens to local mountains and teach them to ride over a six-week period. Burton Snowboards provides everything needed for the experience: gear, lift tickets, and instruction. Since its founding, Chill has provided over 12,000 underprivileged children the opportunity to learn how to snowboard. Because of the 2008 graphics controversy and concern over effects on youth, a local beneficiary severed its ties with Burton.[35]

In December 2016, Burton launched a pop up shop on Newbury Street in Boston.[36]

The company started using a single-channel binding-mounting system on its 2008 models. In 2009, this system was installed on other snowboard lines. A binding system was created with this system that was designed to give the rider more control as well as a greater board feel. This binding system, named EST, eliminates weight by mounting the binding to the board from the sides of the binding instead of the middle, getting rid of the middle baseplate. The binding can be adjusted forward and backward to the specific preferences of the user.

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