Snowboarding started as a counter-culture movement – a rejection of the rules, the uniforms, and the exclusivity of the ski establishment. In the early days, if you rode a snowboard, you were likely wearing gear repurposed from a charity shop or thrift store, or made by a friend in a garage – not a corporate logo’d jacket.
Today, the landscape looks very different. The ski and snow sports industry has consolidated. Ski resorts, especially in North America, are increasingly owned by massive investment groups like Vail Resorts and Alterra, and many beloved gear brands have been swallowed by multinational conglomerates like VF Corporation (owners of The North Face, Vans) or private equity firms.
But the foundations of snowboarding, that independent, “us against the world” spirit, is far from gone.
There remains a thriving ecosystem of independent snowboard brands that are still owned by riders, families, friends and small businesses that refuse to bow to the pressures of corporate industry. When you buy from them, you aren’t just buying a jacket; you are funding the next team movie, supporting a local event, and keeping the creative control of snowboarding in the hands of snowboarders.
So if you’re in the market for new ski or snowboard apparel, and you’re hoping to keep your money closer to the sport and away from guys in suits who don’t really GAF about snowboarding (at least not past the bottom line) then these are the brands you need to look out for.
What makes a brand ‘independent’?
When looking at our brands on this list, the criteria is basically that they are not owned by one of the big venture capital backed corporate behemoths. While some of the independent snowboard brands we have included are kinda big these days and make lots of money, arguably they invest a lot of that back into the community in various ways, rather than feeding shareholders dividends.
As such a few of our independent snowboard apparel brands might come off as a bit controversial, but we think they’ve all earned their place
This means we’ve excluded anyone owned by the following companies:
- VF Group: Originally known as Vanity Fair Mills, these are the US-based sports apparel behemoths who own Vans, The North Face, Eastpak, JanSport and Icebreaker.
- Amer Sports/Anta Sports: Finnish/Chinese conglomerate who own brands including Arcteryx, Atomic, Salomon, Peak Performance and Armada Skis.
- Authentic Brands Group: American corporation who have sucked up many of the surf, skate and ski brands including Volcom, Spyder, Roxy, Quiksilver, DC and Billabong.
- Elevate Outdoor Collective: Austrian/US-owned and venture capital backed holding company who own legacy ski and snowboard brands like K2, Volkl, Ride Snowboards and Line skis.
- Essilor-Luxxotica: Italian giant who own many designer brands such as Chanel, Versace, Prada and Ray Ban – and popular ski/snowboard apparel brands like Oakley and Bliz.
- Investcorp: Bahrani based VC mega corporation who own goggle brand POC .
- Kontoor: US spin-off from VF Group who own various clothing and apparel brands including Helly Hansen.
OK – as you’ll see those are the big guys. And you might be miffed to see some of your fave snowboarding brands on there (Ride, North Face, Volcom, Arcteryx, Oakley and DC being seen as pretty much core or key snowboarding brands). But…
Does it matter if a brand is VC/corporate owned?
When it comes to choosing whether to buy independent, or if you don’t really care who owns or makes your gear, it all comes down to personal choice and preference. While skiing and snowboarding are very much all about the image and the bling, both sports are also more accessible than they’ve ever been. This means that for many people finding the cheapest and best quality gear is way more important than who made their apparel.
But in the age of growing corporate impact on both the ski/snowboard industry and our daily lives, more people than ever are trying to find ways to make sure their money doesn’t end up in the pockets of corporate investors.
Basically, it might matter to some, and not so much to others. We’re not here to judge, we’re just here to give you the info you need to make a decision.
OK, lets get into the list…
Burton Snowboards
It is impossible to discuss independent snowboarding without starting here. Founded by the late Jake Burton Carpenter in a Vermont barn in 1977, Burton is the company that effectively industrialized the sport. Despite its massive global size, it remains a privately held, family-owned company, now led by Jake’s widow, Donna Carpenter.
The elephant in the room though is that a lot of people in the snowboarding community semi-hate Burton, despite their rider-focused ethos. This is due to a mix of issues such as their own corporate behaviour, perceived lowering of quality standards and some issues with keeping prices high. They’ve bought brands such as Anon, Forum Snowboarding and FourSquare.
BUT… They are still the big independent snowboard brand that has kudos with most in the industry.
Burton is a certified B Corp and a leader in fair labor practices. They have aggressively removed “forever chemicals” (PFAS) from their softgoods and offer a lifetime warranty on jackets and pants.
In terms of riders, the team is a “Who’s Who” of history, from Shaun White to Mark McMorris, Anna Gasser, and Zeb Powell. This in itself is a source of controversy with many of these boarders seen as semi-mainstream sellouts by some.
686
Founded in 1992 by Michael Akira West, 686 (pronounced “six-eight-six”) began as a collegiate project at USC and has remained independently rider-owned and operated ever since. West is still deeply involved in the design and direction of the brand.
Their vibe is a mix of technical innovation meets street style. They are famous for inventing the “Smarty” 3-in-1 cargo pant and tool belts.
They are Climate Neutral Certified, meaning they offset their entire carbon footprint. Their “Reclamation Project” focuses on upcycling old gear to keep it out of landfills.
686 also back riders such as Forest Bailey who has long been the face of their style, alongside heavy hitters like Mary Rand.
Patagonia
While not exclusively a snowboard brand, Patagonia is the “North Star” for independent outdoor business. Technically, the company is owned by a non-profit trust (the Holdfast Collective) dedicated to fighting climate change. They have no shareholders to appease, allowing them to make radical decisions like repairing gear for free to prevent you from buying new items.
Patagonia have always been a serious, ethical brand, designed and built for the harshest environments and long lasting durabilty.
Despite not being aligned with any industry recognised sustainability initatives, Patagonia are one of the most transparent of the outdoor apparel providers with some solid credentials.
Their ambassadors are activists first, riders second. Legends like Marie-France Roy and Gerry Lopez represent their snow/surf ethos.
Nidecker
A unique independent here – and an indicator of the smaller corporates who have been gobbling up smaller brands (a la Burton). Based in Switzerland, the Nidecker family has been manufacturing since 1887 (originally making wooden wheels). While they are a (very) large business, they are not a public corporation. They remain a family-owned business that has acquired several rider-driven brands to give them a safe harbour from private equity sharks.
Some of the brands under Nidecker’s umbrella are:
- Jones Snowboards: Founded by big-mountain legend Jeremy Jones. While backed by Nidecker’s manufacturing power, Jeremy retains creative control. They are leaders in the “1% For the Planet” movement and pioneered the “Re-Up” board recycling program.
- ThirtyTwo: As of May 2024, the Nidecker family acquired ThirtyTwo (and Etnies) from founder Pierre-André Senizergues. While no longer “owner-operated” in the garage sense, they remain in family hands rather than a venture capital portfolio.
- Rome SDS: Born from a rebellion against Burton by founders Josh Reid and Paul Maravetz, Rome is now also under the Nidecker umbrella, ensuring its legacy continues without corporate interference.
Picture Organic Clothing
In 2008, three childhood friends from Clermont-Ferrand, France – Julien, Jérémy, and Vincent – decided to start a brand that was 100% committed to sustainability from Day 1. As such, they are the gold standard for eco-transparency. Think of them a bit like the European Patagonia, with most of their products on snowsports and mountain activities.
They use bio-sourced polyester (made from sugar cane waste) and offer a lifetime repair warranty on zippers, buttons, and seams. Their distinctive colour blocking and styling offers a very European, fitted technical aesthetic.
As for their industry kudos, they back several French snowboarders including Thomas Delfino, Juliette Willman and Aurilien Lardy. And they also make some great snowboarding videos too…
Dope Snow/Montec
This might seem like a controversial inclusion, but in fact, RideStore, a Swedish owned online retailer, is still very much independent and rider owned. Ridestore was founded in 2006 by two brothers, Emil Andersson and Linus Hellberg, who started out selling other snowboarding brands but decided to make their own gear. Today they make Dope Snow and Montec, both quality rider focused apparel brands.
Ridestore also have solid sustainability credentials, with their Bluesign certification, heavy reliance on recycled and sustainable materials and PFC/PFAS free waterproofing. Arguably their gear is as good as any other product on this list, with the probable exception of Burton, Patagonia and Picture Organic.
As for their rider credentials, Dope boast Swedish ski royalty Jesper Tjader, skier Juho Saastamoinen, and snowboarders Moritz Boll, Melina Merkhoffer and Kaili Randmäe among their roster.
Horsefeathers
The story of Horsefeathers began as a high school art project in British Columbia, Canada, in 1989 by Hanuš Salz. In the 90s, Salz moved to the Czech Republic and officially launched the brand with Pavel Kubíček. It is now a major player in the European market but remains rider-owned.
Their vibe is a blend of technical performance and 90s skate style. Their rider team includes the Helgason brothers (Halldor and Eiki) who have been heavily associated with the brand, cementing its freestyle credibility.
Like many on this list, Horesefeathers focus on recycled materials and minimal chemicals in their production. They are Bluesign approved and they keep their carbon footprint low by making all their clothing close to home in Europe.
Airblaster
Founded by pro rider Travis Parker and friends in a basement, Airblaster exists to remind us that snowboarding is supposed to be fun. They rejected the “too cool for school” attitude of the early 2000s in favor of bright colors, “Stay Wild” energy, and their iconic Ninja Suit base layers.
They are a quiet leader in sustainability, having achieved a 100% PFAS-free line—a massive feat for a small brand.
Howl Supply
Established by pro snowboarders Darrell Mathes and Nima Jalali, Howl started because they couldn’t find gloves that looked good and actually worked. They have since expanded into a full line of apparel and technical streetwear. Their vibe is dark, edgy, and street-influenced.
Their team is stacked with style icons like Jed Anderson and Spencer Schubert.
Bern
The ski helmet industry tends to be dominated by the corporate giants, but Bern are a unique independent brand focused on headware protection. Founded in 2004 by Dennis Leedom, Adam Goodwin and Josh Walker in Massachussets, USA, Bern has remained true. to it’s independent roots.
Bern was also trusted in it’s early foundational years by Olympic Snowboarder Seth Westcott and today is one of the trusted helmet brands with a solid lineup of ski helmets.
Beyond Medals
What happens when you get bored of the Olympics? You start Beyond Medals. Founded by Swedish pros Kevin Backstrom and Tor Lundström, this started as a web series documenting their travels after they grew tired of the rigid national team structure. It has evolved into a highly sought-after clothing brand.
Think high-fashion meets oversized parka street style. It is currently one of the trendiest brands in the European scene.
Holden Outerwear
Originally founded by pro rider Mikey LeBlanc, Holden was one of the first brands to bring “street fashion” to snow. Today, it is owned by Patrick Nebiolo and has pivoted toward “Eco-Luxury.” Their line up includes high-end materials like cork and performance wool. These are designed to be jackets you can wear to a nice dinner in Aspen as easily as on the hill.
Yuki Threads
Based in Australia, Yuki Threads is a 100% rider-owned brand that focuses intensely on the supply chain. They are incredibly transparent, using GOTS-certified organic cotton and visiting their factories to ensure fair labor standards. They bridge the gap between mountain life and everyday street apparel.
SunGod
When it comes to eye protection, SunGod are one of the best independent brands for snowboarders and skiers. Their owners Ali and Zoe Watkiss have built a strong eyewear brand from their UK base with the company having a presence in Switzerland too. If you’re looking for premium snow goggles with B-Corp certification then SunGod are a solid choice.
The best way to be sustainable…?
While many snowboard and ski brands push their sustainability credentials, whether you’re buying independent or VC backed, the best thing is to make your gear last. Buy the best quality you can afford and take care of it to ensure it lasts longer. Personally I do always aim to buy independent snowboard brands but whatever you do, try to keep your global impact to a minimum.
Read more: Who are the coolest snowboard brands? and Ski gadgets guide.
