Burton Snowboards

So here's the thing about Burton-they basically invented modern snowboarding as we know it. And I don't mean that in some vague, "they were influential" kind of way. Jake Burton Carpenter literally started this company in 1977 out of his Vermont barn, hand-building boards when most ski resorts wouldn't even let snowboarders on the lifts. That's not ancient history, either. We're talking about a sport that went from backyard experiment to Olympic event in basically one generation.

What makes Burton different isn't just that they were first. It's that they never stopped pushing. Take their Channel system, for instance-instead of the traditional four-hole mounting pattern that every other board uses, they created these long aluminum tracks that let you adjust your stance infinitely. Sounds like a small thing, but it completely changed how riders could dial in their setup. And their EST bindings? They eliminated the baseplate entirely to give you more board feel. These aren't just marketing gimmicks-they're actual innovations that other companies have tried (and mostly failed) to copy.

The numbers tell part of the story. Burton holds somewhere between 40-45% of the entire snowboarding market, which in 2013 was worth $236 million. But here's what's interesting: they're still privately owned by the Carpenter family. After Jake passed away in 2019, his wife Donna took over as CEO. She's been involved since 1983, so this isn't some corporate succession plan-it's a family business that happens to dominate a global industry.

And they're not just selling boards. Burton's got this whole ecosystem going-Anon for goggles and helmets, a full line of outerwear that actually works in the mountains, boots, bindings, the works. They've got flagship stores in Burlington (their headquarters), New York, Denver, and locations across Europe and Asia. Plus they run test ride centers where you can actually try the latest gear before buying, which is kind of genius when you think about it.

But what really sets them apart is how they've stayed connected to the culture. They sponsor riders at every level, run the Chill Foundation to get kids into snowboarding, and they're certified B-Corporation, meaning they're committed to social and environmental responsibility. Notice how they didn't just slap "eco-friendly" on some products and call it a day-they actually restructured the entire company to meet those standards.

The brand's tagline is "We Ride Together: For our people, our planet, our sport." And honestly? They seem to mean it. From fighting to get snowboarding accepted at resorts in the '80s to pushing sustainability initiatives today, Burton's been in it for the long haul. They're not perfect-no company is-but they've managed to stay relevant for nearly 50 years in an industry that chews up and spits out brands constantly.