Weston Snowboards, an independent rider-owned, industry-leading snowboard manufacturer based in Minturn, CO, will be undergoing a rebrand to Weston Backcountry. The change comes as Weston Snowboards expands experiential events to build community around backcountry riding.
“At Weston, the backcountry is more than just steep terrain plagued by avalanche danger. With the right knowledge and equipment, it is a place where people can recreate safely and be at peace in nature with a community of like-minded individuals,” said Leo Tsuo, Owner of Weston Snowboards. “The backcountry is a playground waiting to be discovered, rebranding as Weston Backcountry allows us to help more people get there.”
In 2012, when Weston was first founded, it existed as a small, backcountry retail shop in Minturn, CO. It was a place that served as basecamp for the local community – an inclusive place to gear up, educate and rally to chase fresh pow lines and the quiet of the forest shared with friends.
Weston’s efforts to bring people of all backgrounds into the backcountry is continually expanding. Over the last few years they’ve been teaching Splitboard 101s and hosting Splitboard Meetups for free at retailers and breweries all around Colorado as they continue to help foster the community and break down barriers to entry.
Starting in the 2018/19 season, they will also be expanding their outreach into providing guided backcountry experiences for customers through partnerships with local guide operations. Weston’s brand experience manager, Ben Hilley, is leading the charge.
“We’ve joked for some time that we’re a practically a guide operation that just so happens to make rad splitboards and snowboards so it’s only natural that we embrace providing these experiences to our community,” said Hilly.
Weston continues to strengthen its partnerships with the National Forest Foundation and AIARE (The American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education) – releasing boards this season to benefit both groups. Through the rebrand, Weston also hopes to move closer to its mission and vision of protecting the places where they play and providing education to keep backcountry enthusiasts safe.
“This rebrand also brings us in closer alignment with our partners, and closer to our mission of protecting the places we play and providing education to keep backcountry enthusiasts safe,” said Sean Eno, marketing director. “We want to be closer to our community while changing perceptions around the backcountry at the same time.”
A full calendar of its new guided experiences is available HERE.
