Voile sent us this video today to help clear up any confusion regarding the company’s origin. Looks like an instant classic, sweet work Voile (and Powderwhores)!
Salt Lake City, Utah – September 24, 2013 – Since 1980, there has been a misunderstanding that we are French company. It might be that fancy accent over over the e, or maybe the over abundance of ‘Merican mispronunciation, but truth is, we’ve cut our teeth in the Wasatch Mountains on the lightweight backcountry gear we make right here in Salt Lake City, Utah, long before many of you were splitin’ peas and ham in your diapers.
With a little help from the folks at Powderwhore Productions, we made this edit to clear up the confusion.
So why do we have a French name? Shoot, Wally the founder told us to save that ditty for a windy day.
About Voile
In 1991, Brett “Cowboy” Kobernik brought a crude prototype of the first splitboard to Mark “Wally” Wariakois, the founder of Voile. At the time Wally was intensely focused on innovating new backcountry ski and telemark binding designs, but he saw the future of backcountry snowboarding in Cowboy’s crude design.
Over the next few years, Cowboy and Wally refined this idea and in 1994 released the first DIY Voile Split Kit. This was the beginning of the splitboard revolution. For the first time riders had a truly innovative and easier way to access backcountry powder.
Voile went on to develop and produce a more refined, adjustable, Voile splitboard interface and Voile splitboard insert pattern. This is the foundation for all Voile splitboards and other splitboard brands that have followed.
Today, Voile is as committed to the growth and innovation of splitboarding as those exciting early days. From the beginning, Voile splitboards and Voile splitboard hardware is proudly made in Salt Lake City, Utah USA.