So we're running a little "art" contest w/ 5 possible contestants (only 4 spots currently remain) with a 1 in 5 chance of winning a free snowboard of your choice from True Snowboards.

Click here for details. ;)

If you're not going to participate, but you know someone who might just take the prize - by all means, click Forward email on the page linked above & pass the details on to whomever you like.

Go here to join our email list & get news, updates, and cool contest info first!

Cheers,
Richard

 YES, it's time for a new design! If you've seen our original t-shirt, it's lacking a little in the style department. (black logo on white t-shirt, a classic look - but could use some updating!) SO, we've got the approval from HQ to go ahead and have our next t-shirt RIDER DESIGNED! Break out photoshop & illustrator and put your skills to work - 'cause we might just produce your design next! At LEAST one design submitted WILL be produced - maybe more than one... ;) depends on the quality & quantity of submissions. AND, to make it even cooler - it *might be* produced by one of our riders! rider designed, rider produced... get the theme here?? True really IS and will always be a RIDER built brand! 8) (if it can't happen quickly with our rider shirt guy, we may have some produced in the usa for speedy speedy purposes.) and to the WINNER(S): we have a triple 5 prize up for grabs!5 copies of your shirt design! yep, once produced we'll send you 5 so you can wear one, frame one, dress your dog in one & give some to your best buds.$50 in true shop credit to put towards your next true snowboard - yes - this CAN be combined with your sponsorship discount if you have one from us. and last but not least (possibly most, actually!), we will be donating 5% of all t-shirt sales to our local charity of choice, North Shore Rescue, and you'll get the warm fuzzy feeling knowing that 5% of funds from your design go to help train volunteers to save your ass should you ever find yourself lost or completed screwed on Vancouver's North Shore Mountains. More info here: http://www.northshorerescue.com/HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR GRAPHIC DESIGNS: email them to richard@truesnowboards.com All entries will be displayed on our profile in a special photo album. Views & comments on each design will be taken into consideration for judging. Winner(s) will be selected by True based on what we feel are designs that represent what True is all about. By submitting a design you are allowing True Snowboards to use your design in any way we see fit for promotional/commercial purposes. You will be given design credit for the shirt(s) and your name, loopd profile (and website) will be mentioned on truesnowboards.com's shop where shirts will be available for sale - so if you're a full or part time designer, you'll gain some exposure for your talents.

 PHOTO LOTTERY: Submit pics of you on your True Snowboard, or pics of where you stuck a True Snowboards Sticker & we'll add them to our rider submitted photo gallery. Every week we'll do a random draw from those who've submitted pics & that person will get hooked up with some free swag from True Snowboards. Prizes will change depending on what we have in stock, what direction the wind is blowing that day, and of course - what the earth's relative position to the sun is at the particular moment in time that a photo is selected as a winner that week. (duh!) *Note: by submitting pics you're allowing True Snowboards to display them on loop'd, our website, other websites, and also to modify them for use in advertisements online & offline. Don't worry - if we use your pic for anything else, we'll make sure you still look good!

Mount Seymour - North Vancouver, BC, Canada - under the White Tent at the top of the Lodge Chair
Saturday January 31st Approx 10am onward
Bring: your board, bindings & Photo ID and we'll put your bindings on our board(s) to demo.
Draws for PRIZES!
NO TAX & FREE DELIVERY on your True Snowboard w/ a deposit placed during the demo!
5% from all boards sold via this demo will be donated to North Shore Rescue to keep volunteers trained and ready to save your ass year round. 8)
p.s. If you're not in the Vancouver, BC, area but you know someone who is - please feel free to copy and paste this message & pass it on to them via email, morse code, carrier pigeon etc. :p
http://www.truesnowboards.com

 Homies & Homettes,

Our geeks have completed the implementation of some nerdware that does some pretty slick stuff for you, the riders spreading the word about true snowboards. 8)

What it does:

It generates a unique url (link) to our website that's assigned to you. If/when people click it & end up ordering a board from true, as promised, it'll automatically track 10% of the sale in shop credit for you, the rider who referred said board sale to true.

example: someone clicks your link, orders a board from true for $390, the software automatically tracks $39 in true shop credit for you to apply towards your next board, eventually resulting in free boards for those who help spread the word about true.

How to get your link:

Go here: http://truesnowboards.com/na/en/affiliate.htm & follow the instructions.

Where to spread the word:

Everywhere! email, myspace, facebook, everywhere.

Feel free to compose an email stating that true's hooking you up this season for sales & such, so click and find your next stick... and if you're not in the market for a new board right now, forward the message on to others who may be. Something to that effect. People like to know they're helping out a good cause (You!) when they make a purchase.

Also, for those with photoshop/graphics skills, feel free to make a banner(s) ad & post it wherever you like. (so long as it's done in a positive manner, of course.)

- Richard@truesnowboards.com

 For all those already rocking our boards on the white stuff, if you've got video footage shot, edited & ready to show the world - we want it so we can show it off! We'll be putting submitted videos on our youtube channel, on our loop'd profile, and possibly on our main website too.

We've decided to use megaupload.com because it's the easiest way to get video from your computer to ours without any special software or hassles.

So, go to http://www.megaupload.com & create a free account. (you may not even need to create an account, as non-members can upload as well.) Then to send us your video(s):


To upload a file just follow these simple steps:

1. Select a file to send by clicking the "Browse" button. You can then select photos, audio, video, documents or anything else you want to send. The maximum file size is 1024 MB.
2. You may choose who you want to send a file to. If you just want to get the link to your file stored on our server, leave the optional fields blank.
3. Click the "Send" button to start uploading the file. You will see the progress of the file transfer. Please don't close your browser window while uploading or it will cancel the upload.
4. If you entered an optional recipient e-mail address, they will be sent the link of the file. They can then simply click the link to your file to download it.
5. If you entered your e-mail address (optional), you will be sent the link and delete link to your file stored on our server. You can share it for example on forums, websites, messengers, etc. 

Our megaupload account name is TrueSnow and the email address is Richard@truesnowboards.com - so if you upload vids to send to TrueSnow or Richard@truesnowboards.com we'll get 'em, download them, upload them, host 'em & post 'em!

For those editing video, feel free to steal any logos off the main site at http://www.truesnowboards.com that you want to edit in anywhere. In the near future, we'll have a page with downloadable images for use in graphic & video editing.

For those with a youtube account, subscribe to our new channel - because that's where we're going to stick as many vids as we can!
link: http://www.youtube.com/user/TrueSnowboardsDotCom

Shoot it cut it chop it proof it upload it show it off!!

True Snowboards is accpeting sponsorship applications from 12/16/08 in Snowboard.

http://www.shredbetties.com/riders/story/doctor_snowboard/

 Doctor Snowboard

Women in the Industry: Liza Brooks

The women in the industry series was created to show girls that whatever their career goals, they can incorporate their passion for snowboarding into an awesome job.  Whether you’re a writer, an athlete, or a total science geek, there’s something out there for you.  So, we were stoked when we came across Liza’s blog, Doctor Snowboard.  We thought she was a great inspiration to women and girls interested in working in the snowboard industry.  Not only is she pioneering the technical study of snowboarding, with an Engineering Doctorate in advanced snowboard design, but she’s also the Technical Director of True Snowboards, the UK’s biggest snowboard company.  Want to hear more?  Here’s her interview: 

How did you get into engineering snowboards?

I am dyslexic and when it came to doing my major project for my degree at Military Uni, I didn’t want to do something on tanks or planes so pitched the snowboard idea and got sponsored by K2 snowboards to complete a research project on the Recon Riser.

Were you an engineer first, or a snowboarder?

An engineer – didn’t start snowboarding till I was at university. I was a kitesurfer in a previous life, but had a car accident when I was 18 so couldn’t fly the big kites anymore due to spinal damage.

What is it like being a woman in such a technical position and a male dominated field - do the boys take you seriously?

I have only ever met opposition once in engineering for being a woman – that guy said I’d never make it to uni! He has now had to eat his words. Most people think its awesome what I am doing, and I have just got a job working for the Engineering Technology Board as a motivational lecturer to schools and colleges.

If you get a crazy idea for snowboard construction, do you get to just make it and test it out? Or are they like… uh… no.

As technical director I can do whatever I want. I have to make smaller samples for testing, as I perform the analysis under laboratory conditions and snow is ever changing. We are looking at some really exciting materials for the near future.

Your blog shows you cutting up snowboards with a chainsaw.  Do you have all kinds of awesome testing methods, or just the chainsaw?

The chainsaw, sadly, was just for a photo shoot for Snowboard UK. The snowboard was actually cut using a diamond tipped band saw! I have various custom built rigs for testing snowboards in the lab at my uni, it’s all very high tech. :-p

What do you think of reverse camber from an engineering perspective?  Just a trend, or is there something valid there?

It’s not something I have looked into in any depth. I would love to see a peer reviewed paper on the science of reverse camber just to get a bit more of an insight. I do see how for powder reverse camber might be beneficial, but on the packed piste 5mm or so of camber in either direction is not going to make a difference as the snowboard will be flat against the surface of the snow.  I don’t know of any snowboard that you can’t overcome the camber on with just one finger. My hypothesis is based on the internal structure of the snowboard being of greater importance to the feel of the snowboard than a camber, but as of yet I have not had chance to prove this for peer review.

Any other interesting trends you see coming up? Like, um, clear plastic snowboards?

Clear plastic...like the Makralon snowboard? I think that’s an interesting idea but I know that the material is not suitable for riding on ice, as it states on the site if I remember correctly.  This could be a problem for a lot of snowboarders. Finding a material to replace the base and edges is where I see the future of snowboards. A maintenance free unbreakable base and edge, I believe is achievable. But all credit to the guys, I think the clear board looks sick.

Do you mostly ride the UK dryslopes?

I have ridden dryslopes, although I refuse to ride Dendex again after bending my wrist the wrong way in a quarterpipe fall. I also ride the snowdomes; they are good fun on park nights as you get so many hits in a run. I’m not as good on dryslope as I am on snow.

We’ve heard a lot of discussion on the need for women’s specific models.  Do you think it’s just a marketing ploy, or do women actually have different needs in a snowboard?

The most important thing to remember is as a rule women will not be as strong as men. So they need a softer flex pattern. We make unisex snowboards where the smaller sizes are tuned for smaller riders, and therefore women can use them with ease. Our Deviant 149 is ridden by Samantha Rogers and Cody Hierons. They both find the snowboard ideal for their needs, and Cody sometimes opts for a 154 for Boardercross events. So yes women can benefit from women specific snowboards but no more than they can from a board tuned for smaller people. Its important to make sure your smaller size graphics appeal to both sexes in unisex models which is why the shocking pink is on the Deviant 149.

Dream shred destination?

Well my favourite resort is Morzine in France, but I would love to go to NZ.  I was supposed to be there this season but had a nice chap drive his large van into my car at pace and left me partially paralysed in one leg so I couldn’t go (has since recovered fortunately). 

Pirates or Ninjas?

Ohh Arrrr Pirates!

Final thoughts?

Please check out our website http://www.truesnowboards.com.  We’ve just launched in North America so keep an eye out for us on a slope near you.

Posted by Kelly Vance on 11/11 at 09:09 AM 

 Our sticker guy finally got all sticky with our order & got a couple thousand sticky True Snowboards stickers over to us to start the season off with!

They are 2" tall & 4" wide printed in white on clear backing, and in my biased opinion - they look pretty good! ;)

We'll definitely be sending some out with every order, whether it's a board, hoodie or t-shirt etc.

If you'd just like to get your hands on a few to stick on crucial spots (ie the back window of your car, school locker, best friend's face etc) then you can send us a self addressed stamped envelope and we'll send a few back to ya.

Process:

1.) Put your name & mailing address on a small or regular envelope.
2.) Stick a stamp on it good for regular letter mail within the USA or Canada wherever you happen to be from.
3.) Put it inside another envelope. (fold it in half if you have to.)
4.) Mail it to us. (If you're from the USA you'll need a stamp good to get it to our igloo in Canada.)
5.) Play the waiting game.
6.) Be happy when a few shiny new stickers show up at your door a few weeks later! :D

Our mailing address:

Stickers! @ True Snowboards
9294 116th St.
North Delta, BC
V4C 5W9
Canada

If you need more than three stickers right away, drop a dollar or two in the envelope and we'll send ya 5 more for every dollar.
(This just helps make sure we have enough to go around for the beginning of the season, and those wanting more can pay for them at our cost - 20 cents each - in order for us to restock them for others/events etc. Fair is fair, right?)

Cheers, folks!
RiChArD @ tRuEsNoWbOaRdS.cOm

 & i would drive ~150,000 more
just to be the man who drove ~300,000 meters to bring-a-true-snowboards-hoodie to your door
bottle-of-vodka! bottle-of-vodka...

*boo, hiss*

^ and that right there, ladies & gents, is why i work for true snowboards instead of as a parody song writer. heh - but i did make the round trip to whistler a couple days back to meet the guys at o'jeeze design firm/team baked clothing to pick up a car load of oh-so-warm hoodies, and a case of t-shirts, emblazoned with the true snowboards logo. 8)

they'll be going out to their proud new owners asap, then any remaining ones will be offered up for sale.

prices, shipped:

hoodie $37 (large chest print)
zipped $47 (small chest print, large back print)
t-shirt $17 (large chest print)

hoodies are white print on navy blue, t-shirts are black print on white shirts.

- richard @ truesnowboards dot mutha freakin' com 8)