Venture’s Shape Shack Division releases the pinnacle board in powsurfing: Johan Olofsson’s Snowy Owl Splitsurfer. Olofsson’s limited edition, one-of-a-kind snowboard is handcrafted in Silverton, Colo. by snowboarders. The splitsurfer features the amazing artwork of Shanna Duncan, who has collaborated with Venture on multiple Shape Shack projects. The Snowy Owl is now available through select Venture dealers and Venture’s online store at venturesnowboards.com.
The Snowy Owl swoops down powder lines like a bird hunting its prey. A third-generation splitsurfer with reverse sidecut, a 33 cm waist, “bat wing” tail, and generous helping of straight-line rocker, the Owl is the ideal deck for powsurfers looking to expand their reach deeper into the backcountry. This board has no edges, and there are inserts for touring brackets only. The insert pattern is also flipped for greater ease while skinning. According to Olofsson,
“The Owl was made for quick and shuffling turns, especially in the trees. Compared to the Euphoria it is more in the groove with fatter riding, longer arcing turns and has a solid grip from its fishtail. I would [describe] this board as more ‘tree jazzy’ than the Euphoria, which is slightly ‘alpine metal.’”
Tech – Colorado Core Seamless Split Technology Straight-Line Rocker Sintered P-Tex Sidewall & Edgeless Base Touring Bracket Inserts Only
Specs – Length: 156 cm Width: 33 cm MSRP: $895 USD
Artwork – Each Shape Shack project is also emblazoned with the creative vision of a guest artist. For the Snowy Owl, Venture commissioned original work from Washington State artist Shanna Duncan. Duncan is a revered artist in many circles for her work with the likes of The Levitation Project, Queensryche and Fender Guitars.
“If anyone is familiar with my work, it can get pretty dark, garish and downright gruesome,” says Duncan. “This owl takes a pretty different approach. I appreciate the beauty and movement of this bird.”
But Duncan also appreciates the bridge that art can build between the artist and the end user.
“When I do the graphics for a board, the best thing about it is knowing that that piece of work is going to go on an adventure with someone, somewhere really special. That same train of thought applies to this owl…he’ll be spreading his wings on some mountain with someone who really loves being in his or her own element. I feel like that ties me to that moment in a way…and as an artist, it makes you even prouder of the work you created.”
About the Shape Shack
The Shape Shack is Venture’s experimental division, charged with creating new and innovative board shapes. Each project has a guest shaper and a guest artist, who work together to create a unique, limited edition design.
“You never know where a good idea is going to come from, so inviting new perspectives into the mix is a great way to spark the creative process,” says Klemens Branner, Venture’s owner and engineer. “Taking a new Shape Shack design from concept to reality brings our whole team together. And because we own our own factory we can produce pretty much anything that we can dream up, and then walk out the front door and ride it in some of the most badass mountains in the Lower 48. It’s an ideal setup for experimentation without boundaries.”
For Olofsson, the appeal lies in helping create new shapes that may be a departure from the norm. “The powsurfing aspect that I´ve been working on is a blast, and having the ability to work on a few new rides every year apart from traditionally shaped snowboards is awesome.”
About Venture Snowboards
Founded in 1999 by the husband and wife team of Klemens and Lisa Branner, Venture handcrafts premium quality, award winning freeride boards and splitboards from scratch in Silverton, Colorado in the shadow of the mighty San Juan Mountains. Learn more about the company at venturesnowboards.com.
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