Drop into romesnowboards.com to check out the new 1/1 Agents and reverse-cambered 1985 Artifacts, the new late 70s-era Bowery-influenced Libertine boots, the new neon-light 390s that fit seamlessly on the Artifact, and of course the new outerwear collection, featuring the Draggers Only and Vagrant jackets.

After a tour through the product collection, stop into the new Syndicate section with more ways than ever to get involved in the SDS: post videos easily or enter the Local GNAR contest on ShredTV, post your thoughts on “This Is Snowboarding” alongside Bjorn, LNP, snowboard magazine editors and shop owners, enter the Flophouse Gallery contest to win a grip of boards for you and your crew, or send your feedback on Rome gear easily through the Test Center.

Another new addition to the site is the SDS Blog, a place where you can hear the interests, opinions, and rants of artists, designers, reps and other people deep inside the SDS as they spout off about snowboarding, art, and non-snowboarding topics.

For those bathroom moments when you’d rather flip a page, sign up for the new Rome catalog that started shipping last week—delivered free to your door as always.

Click here for more info:  MountainCreek.com

This one has been buzzing around the internet and message boards for a few weeks now, but I got it on good advice that a certain “diamond shaped streetwear brand” will be venturing into the board making business this year.  I’ve been told that the initial offering may consist of one “Fishy” powder specific deck and another “Twin tipped” park orientend board.  No details on the tech behind these boards or the team that will be riding them but hopefully more to follow after ASR in San Diego. 

HR

August 15th 2008 a torrential downpour of rain and low temperatures collided into the state of Colorado bringing an early sign that winter is right around the corner. Over a foot of snow was reported to have fallen in certain Colorado Rocky Mountain zones. Is it all ready time to wax the old snow shredder? Independence Pass and Eisenhower let me in on a lil secret. Another big winter is on the way for CO!

Story and photos courtesy of eesa

We had the opportunity to spend time with our good friend and shred pal Patrick McCarthy a couple two-three weeks ago and here’s what went down!

So we were rolling through Bellingham on our way from Hood to Whistler when we stopped by Patrick McCarthy’s house (we should say one of Patrick’s cribs – he’s quickly becoming a real estate mogul in the great Northwest). 

Not only was it Patrick’s birthday, but he had just finished editing his part in the Mack Dawg film Down With People AND he also was hellamperstokerfested on his new sig model from Option Snowboards. Could it get any better than this?  We didn’t think so, until Patrick threw down the ‘you play croquet’ bait.  Play it?  We fucking own it (actually we were talking through our asses, but when someone challenges you to anything you step up and act like you invented the damn thing).

So we rolled out to the backyard, where the most ridiculous croquet course was laid out.  Normally, croquet fields are set-up in a fairly standard/regulation lay-out.  Not this course, among the objects to navigate were a underused fire-pit/flower garden, we couldn’t tell what the hell it was, an up-hill shot, tons of down-hill shots ultimately leading you to the front yard to the other post.

Game on.
 
First game wasn’t even close, I was on fire and even made a double wicket-downhill banked wall shot that had McCarthy feeling the heat.
 
Second game all McCarthy, it was destruction at its finest.

Best of three rubber match was on.  The match was neck-and-neck all the way up to the final shot, which unfortunately for me, Patrick made.  Hell it was his birthday and it was his home court, but next time McCarthy, I’m bringing my mallets and you’re going down.

Happy Birthday Patrick and if you haven’t gotten a chance to check out Patrick’s shredding antics pick up a copy of the Mack Dawg flick Down With People due out this fall.

Get out to the Brooklyn Banks this weekend to check out the 5Boro Back to the Banks Contest

Click to enlarge

As I’m sure you’ve all probably heard, US snowboarder Randall Stacy was buried in a avalanche earlier this month while riding out of bounds in Bariloche, Argentina.  Here is some video footage from our good friend YouTube of the actual rescue. 

Further reports are scarce but it seems like Randall will recover fully.  Resort officials credit the fast response and recovery to the fact that he was wearing an electronic beacon.  Just another example of how important it is to be properly trained and prepared before heading into the back country.

Looking for a new pair of board shorts or hot new shades for your summer vacation?  Why not have your purchase make a difference?  Project Blue & The Surfrider foundation are putting part of the proceeds on purchases of selected items toward preserving and cleaning our oceans. 

Learn more at: Project Blue

Click here to read and interview with Project Blue founder Vipe Desai on EXPN

So my last posting on NoBoarding started quite a flurry of controversy.  I have to say that I apologize and may have been a little quick to judge our bindingless bretheren.  Since my last posting I have done my homework, spoken with some actual NoBoarders and got my facts straight.  The recent photo sequence of Johan Olofsson NoBoarding an Alaskan chute in September’s Transworld and the corresponding video footage of him in Aesthetica have sealed the deal for me…  Anyone who steps in the backcountry with one of these is legit!

Get your NoBoarding fix at:  http://www.noboard.ca

I recently had a conversation with Richard Edwards of Lak PR in regards to my recent posting about the Meadowlands Xanadu project.  Richard was kind enough to provide me with the following updates regarding the Xanadu project:

The ski hill entertainment feature will officially be called the Xanadu Snow Park.  The ski slope itself will be divided lengthwise into four separate runs of varying difficulty.  Temperature will be kept at 28 degrees 24/7 and snow melt will be recycled to produce new snow each day.

As with a ski resort, there will be a ski shop and an après ski lounge.  The idea is that visitors can rent equipment and try it out on-site before they buy. 

Richard also informed that although no official pricing information has been released “Visitors will be charged based on the actual time they spend on the slope  — the clock stops if they want to take a break and leave for awhile.  Rates will be set by the market, but will be “family friendly.”"

Although construction is continuing to move forward on-schedule, the official opening for the Snow Park has been postponed until summer of 2009.

I will continue to keep you posted as more information becomes available.

HR