Airblaster: Snowboarding Gear Designed by Boarders, for Boarders
Airblaster has long stood out with its unique sense of fun and passion, so Source thought it was time for a deep dive into what makes the brand tick.
What makes Airblaster different in the world?
Airblaster is a feeling and a set of ideals, with a company moulded on top and around that. I think that many brands, whether they start this way or not, are basically a set of commercial ideas which spend money to invent and mould a feeling and ideals around the business plan, to ‘tap into’ a desired market. You can buy products from both companies. I hope that when you choose an Airblaster product, you can feel a bit of heartbeat coming through the product. Maybe it’s possible, maybe it’s not. We try our best to make this happen, and believe that intention carries through into the end product. Because we are snowboarders, it makes sense that we try to contribute more to the culture and landscape of snowboarding than what we pull out. If our environment is healthy and happy, we and our friends and cohabitants will be healthy and happy. You vote with your euros, so please buy some good shit with our label on it, and vote Airblaster.
What was the initial vision for the brand when it first launched? How has that vision evolved over time?
The vision was to fly the fun flag in an attempt to bring snowboarding back from the brink of a serious case of taking itself way too seriously. We’re serious about fun. Seriously. The original product line plan from the first Airblaster meeting in Travis Parker’s basement in the early 2000’s was ‘3 T-shirts and a beer koozie’. We make a much greater variety of products today, and it may be less common to run into boarders taking themselves too seriously. They’re still out there, but we’re working to share the results of our scientific research, which clearly indicate that fun and performance are mutually supportive factors, rather than mutually exclusive. Science is real. But having fun with your friends is unreal!
The “Ninja Suit” is a signature item in your lineup. What inspired this product and why has it been so popular?
The inspiration for the Ninja Suit was that gap that happens when you’re getting tomahawked ass-over-teakettle down a powder slope, and your pants and jacket are trying to fly in opposite directions. Things can get loose, so best to keep your pants together with your top. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. Ninja Suit is that. Plus epic après gear.
What sets your brand apart from other snowboarding outerwear brands in the market?
Better products, designed, tested, and perfected by snowboarders, without a single ounce of your hard earned money going to corporations whose only motivation in snowboarding is to extract money from it.
How do you make sure your products work well for snowboarders?
We let our team beat the shit out of their gear and let us know any place where it snags, breaks, or just could be a little bit better. From fit and design, to materials, down into the finer details of colour and print, our team is involved in making Airblaster outerwear the best available.
How does Airblaster approach sustainability in its products and operations?
Since the snowboarders who own and operate Airblaster are all also humans living on earth – most of us with children – sustainability is a massive focus for us. Airblaster is a completely PFAS free company. All of the black taffeta used in our outerwear linings (our largest usage single fabric by far) is either 100% recycled or 100% solution dye (the best option in our opinion). What is on the inside counts (linings, in this case). Externally, close to half of our garments have recycled main body outer fabric, and when we claim ‘recycled’ for an outerwear shell, that means 100% of the yarn is recycled, not like 12% recycled or some BS (which companies will still legally claim as ‘recycled’). For knit goods like Ninja Suit Pro, recycled content is 92% or more; only the Lycra in the knits are not recycled, but you’ve gotta have stretch! We design gear to last, and encourage our customers to buy used when possible, and vote well with their dollars when they buy new gear. Treat your gear well, repair it when necessary, and recycle it properly at the end of life cycle. And of course, please Stay Wild!
How is Airblaster distributed in Europe?
Airblaster’s Europe warehouse is based in Germany with Independent Distributors in most EU countries. Hit up [email protected] for more information on connecting with your Distributor or inquiring on becoming an Airblaster Distributor.
