A Split From the Past: Snowboarding’s Fresh Backcountry Tracks

Ryland Bell

In the new issue of Wend, our Survival Kit section, where we showcase fresh gear for the upcoming season, is themed “pray for snow”. Well, Mother Nature has answered our call and it’s dumping snow in the Pacific Northwest. Needless to say, we’re all a little giddy to get up on the mountain since there’s a couple new splitboards lying around the office.

In the past, snowboarders have been at a disadvantage to their skiing counterparts, who stride with the dalliance of a gazelle up mountain slopes thanks to the help of skins. Snowboarders, meanwhile, flounder through powder whilst lugging a board on their backs.

Thankfully, human ingenuity has put those days behind us with the development of splitboarding. The sectional snowboard allows riders to split (imagine that) the board into two skis, which can then be skinned up, allowing for easier backcountry travel. New binding technology from Spark R&D makes the transition from skinning to riding as simple as removing a pin, sliding the binding onto pre-placed plates and re-inserting the pin. Voile just released a similarly designed binding as well, but also features a new quick release rip cord in case of avalanche. With the ease of new split technology, skiers will no longer have to wait and complain while their splitboard companions meticulously prepare for the descent.

With the snow falling and the cost of lift tickets rising, it’s never been a better time to make big turns in the backcountry. If you don’t have a splitboard yet, check out the Survival Kit section in the winter issue of Wend, which showcases splitboards from Prior, Voile, Venture and Burton. For a creative split adaptation that incorporates fishtail design, check out the Poacher from Atomic Snowboards. Can’t imagine shredding the backcountry without the board you’ve grown attached to? No problem. Down The Middle will transform your board of preference into a personal splitboard.

For more information about splitboarding, head over to splitboard.com. With tutorials, news updates, and forums, splitboard.com is the place to go for all things splitboarding. Not to mention the awesome collection of photos, like the ones posted below. Find the rest of the  inspiration  here.