Never Summer
Never Summer Industries is a Colorado-based snowboard and longboard (skateboard) manufacturer. All boards are built in the Never Summer factory in Denver, Colorado.
In 2010, with just over 70 employees, Never Summer produced 22,000 snowboards, 12,000 longboards, and 2,000 promotional products. Additionally, Never Summer created 6,000 skis for local, partnering ski companies.[1]
Never Summer offers a wide variety of boards specific to rider style and preference. All boards feature a three year warranty.
The company also creates a clothing line in conjunction with the board lineup each year.
History
Before the founding of Never Summer, the company owners were designing and building boards since 1983. Brothers, Tracey and Tim Canaday, started building boards under the company name Swift Snowboards with friend Scott Rolfs. Tim Canaday, age fourteen at the time, was creating the snowboard shapes in his high school wood shop.
In 1991, Never Summer Industries was born after a move back to Colorado. The company is named after the Never Summer Mountains, western edge of Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado and extending into Routt and Arapaho National Forests where there are pockets of snow all year. After another move to Denver in 1993 to be closer to suppliers, Never Summer has taken root and developed into a fully operating manufacturer and international distributor.[2]
Technology
Rocker & Camber
On September 21, 2010 Never Summer was awarded US Patent No. 7798514 for its revolutionary Rocker & Camber design. R.C. Technology is a unique snowboard geometry which incorporates elements of both traditional cambered design and reversed camber, "rocker", design. This technology blends a custom rocker profile with separate camber areas at each end of the board, providing unmatched power and snap out of turns. It also provides better board tracking for high speed stability and massive ollies.[3]
In 2013, Never Summer extended their profiles to include a total of four different Rocker & Camber profiles including Original Rocker & Camber Profile (RC), Directional Rocker & Camber Profile (DRC), Extended Transition Rocker & Camber Profile (EXRC), and Extended Tour Rocker & Camber Profile (EXTRC).[4]
Vario Power Grip Sidecuts
Under the same US Patent No. 7798514, Never Summer create Vario Power Grip sidecut technology. With five angles on the sidecut, including a straight section, the Vario Power Grip sidecut works by adding increased edgehold precisely where it's needed most. Starting two inches outside of each binding and moving inwards towards the center of the board, this technology provides added control and response in any condition.[5]
Other Technology
Never Summer is one of the innovators of P-tex sidewalls, now a common feature on the product lines of many manufacturers.
Distribution
With over 400 certified US dealers, Never Summer supplies them with the snowboards under private contracts. Therefore, their products are only available through outside retailers and not direct from the factory.[6] While product cannot be shipped internationally, Never Summer uses 13 different International Distributors to sell their product outside of the US.
Notes
- ↑ Entrepreneur Magazine "How Never Summer Shredded the Snowboard Industry With Innovation"
- ↑ Entrepreneur Magazine "How Never Summer Shredded the Snowboard Industry With Innovation"
- ↑ Official Never Summer Catalog
- ↑ Official Never Summer Catalog
- ↑ Official Never Summer Catalog
- ↑ Entrepreneur Magazine "How Never Summer Shredded the Snowboard Industry With Innovation"
References
- Official Never Summer Catalog
- Entrepreneur Magazine "How Never Summer Shredded the Snowboard Industry With Innovation"