Seattle, WA (January 31, 2012) – In a special very early release coming out mid-February 2012, GNU re-evolutionizes snowboarding with the most technologically advanced snowboard ever, the new GNU Impossible Asym. Sym. Sync. Pickle. Balance through asymmetry is taken to the next level, with the Impossible’s new asymmetry for ducks then combined with Mervin Mfg’s latest and greatest technological innovations. Customized core construction, sidecuts and contact angles are designed to allow the body and board to synchronize into perfect harmony through nearly “imperceptible perfection.”

In addition to Asym Sym Sync, elliptical EC2 camber/banana with Magne-Traction underfoot creates a fun, all-mountain ride. Impossibly strong, ultra-lightweight magnesium fiber, rugged Bio Beans topsheet material, black and blue swirl sidewalls, lightweight Colombian Gold eco wood core and a sintered base combine are brought together in the Gnu Impossible for the most technologically advanced snowboard being built today.

Asym Sym Sync is designed with the body’s asymmetry front to back, but symmetry side-to-side in mind. Snowboard turn mechanics are completely different on your toe side than on your heel side. The Duck Asym of the Asym Sym Sync balances the amount of board contact behind and in front of your feet for stable, balanced pop and float.

On the heel side, a shorter contact length allows for turns and reactions with power that are taken at an inherently lower angle. A softer flexing core construction on the heel side allows the board to flex into a tighter arc at a lower angle. On the toe side, anatomically its possible to tip a board up into a very aggressive angle of attack. The Asym Sym Sync’s mellower toe side sidecuts and longer contact are designed to balance this asymmetry creating toe edge stability and a range of turning arcs that align perfectly with the heelside turns. A firmer flexing core on the toe side provides added stability and control necessary with finely tuned toe side turn mechanics.

Curious Science and Anatomical Facts:

Available in 155cm only, for mid-February 2012 very early season release. Full size run and greater availability fall 2012.

TECH SPECS:

• Twin Asym Sym Sync. Freestyle Shape and Geometries
• EC2 BTX Eliptical Banana Camber combo
• Magne-Traction
• Magnesium Fiber
• Asym Columbian Gold eco core
• Bio Beans Topsheet
• Sintered Base
• Size: 155
• Flex: 6
• Price: $799.95US, $849.95CDN

Learn more at www.gnu.com

Seattle, WA (January 30, 2012) – It was a big week in Colorado for riders on Mervin Mfg’s Gnu and Lib Tech snowboards. Gnu rider Forest Bailey won his first X Games gold in his first X Games appearance by winning the street competition. The next day Jamie Anderson won her third X Games gold in slopestyle riding a Gnu Ladies Choice. Later that night at the TransWorld SNOWboarding Rider Polls, Lib Tech riders took home major honors with Jamie Lynn receiving the ‘Legend Award,’ Travis Rice winning ‘Men’s Rider of the Year,’ and Eric Jackson’s part in People’s “Good Look” winning ‘Men’s Video Part Of The Year.’

What a long strange trip it had been for Forest Bailey who arrived in Aspen only an hour before the elimination round for X Games street. The street course dominated by rail and box features, provided a change of scenery for Bailey who’d just come off two weeks of riding powder at Mt. Baker in Washington.

What a Long Strange Trip It’s Been, Forest Bailey Wins Gold at X-Games!

“I never thought I’d even come to X Games in my whole life, but I guess we’re here and I guess gold will do,” Bailey told ESPN.com after winning. The Vermonter won on his signature Gnu Forest Bailey Psychedelic Park Pickle featuring banana between the feet for catch-free freestyle performance, Magne-traction for unreal edge-hold and asymmetric sidecuts and construction.

Jamie Anderson Wins Gold on her Gnu Ladies Choice at X Games, Thats Two for Gnu!

Jamie Anderson is now six-for-six in podium finishes in women’s snowboard slopestyle at the X Games. She dominated the competition posting a 95.33 in her third run, the highest score ever in a women’s X Games snowboard slopestyle final. Due to the freshly fallen snow, most of the competitors struggled to keep their speed over the series of jumps, but Anderson was able to manage the conditions for the top spot on her Gnu Ladies Choice with pickle tech, C2 Power Banana and Magne-traction.

Jamie Lynn: Transworld Legend Award Acceptance Speech

The crowd went wild as Lynn, Rice and Jackson took the stage to accept awards at TransWorld Snowboarding’s Rider Polls. The ‘Rider of the Year’ nod was Rice’s second for the year, after also receiving the honor in Snowboarder’s February issue. Congrats to Bailey, Anderson, Lynn, Rice and Jackson from the entire Mervin Mfg crew building boards near Canada in Carlsborg, WA.

Eric Jackson Wins Video Part of the Year at the 13th Annual Riders’ Poll Awards

Travis Rice Wins Rider of the Year at the 13th Annual Riders’ Poll Awards

“The entire Mervin team feels truly grateful to be recognized for doing what we love,” says Ryan Hollis, GM of Mervin Mfg. “We’ve been building boards since 1977 and have always had our retail partners first of mind. We feel lucky to be able to maintain a healthy business for them and us, especially in rough times.”

The men and women working at Mervin are true board builders with a mission to innovate and improve the sports they participate in and love. Mervin brings real innovation including Magne-traction and banana technology, making snowboarding, skiing, skating and soon surf, easier and more fun for everyone. The company has been building ecoMotional boards near Canada in the USA since 1977.

“Mervin was the clear winner for brand of the year – it was an open ended survey and they dominated with responses such as ‘anything Mervin,’” says Mike Lewis, Editor-in-Chief of TransWorld Business. “Mervin crushed it in 2011, helping keep specialty retail special.”

Specific to supporting specialty retail, Mervin uses Shopatron, which sends online orders directly to shops. The company also actively enforces minimum advertised pricing and Internet sales in an effort to protect specialty retail.

According to SIA RetailTRAK™ data produced by the Leisure Trends Group, Mervin brands have the highest sell-through of major snowboard brands with very strong margins and enjoyed the most volume growth of any other snowboard brands on the market last season. Both Lib Tech and Gnu moved into the top five snowboard brands sold at retail last season with early season sales indicating that they will both keep their top five positions for the current season. The study also states that Mervin dominates price-points between $400 and $699 at retail.

Retailers can preview Mervin Mfg products from Lib Tech, Gnu, Roxy, Bent Metal and Freedom Dolly during SIA at the following booths: Lib Tech 1307, GNU 1507 and Lib Tech NAS 4235.

Seattle, WA January 5, 2012 – GNU re-evolutionizes snowboarding with the most technologically advanced snowboard ever, the new GNU Impossible Asym. Sym. Sync. Pickle, arriving in stores in September 2012. Balance through asymmetry is taken to the next level, with the Impossible’s new asymmetry for ducks, which is then combined with Mervin Mfg’s latest and greatest technological innovations. Customized core construction, sidecuts and contact angles are designed to allow the body and board to synchronize into perfect harmony through nearly “imperceptible perfection.”

In addition to Asym Sym Sync, elliptical EC2 camber/banana with Magne-tration underfoot creates a fun, all-mountain ride. Impossibly strong, ultra-lightweight magnesium fiber, rugged Bio Beans topsheet material, glow in the dark sidewalls, lightweight Columbian Gold eco wood core and a sintered base combine are brought together in the Gnu Impossible for the most technologically advanced snowboard being built today.

Asym Sym Sync is designed with the body’s asymmetry front to back, but symmetry side-to-side in mind. Snowboard turn mechanics are completely different on your toe side than on your heel side. The Duck Asym of the Asym Sym Sync balances the amount of board contact behind and in front of your feet for stable balanced pop and float.

On the heel side, a shorter contact length allows for turns and reactions with power that are taken at an inherently lower angle. A softer flexing core construction on the heel side allows the board to flex into a tighter arc at a lower angle. On the toe side, anatomically its possible to tip a board up into a very aggressive angle of attack. The Asym Sym Sync’s mellower toe side sidecuts and longer contact are designed to balance this asymmetry creating toe edge stability and a range of turning arcs that align perfectly with the heelside turns. A firmer flexing core on the toe side provides added stability and control necessary with finely tuned toe side turn mechanics.

TECH SPECS:

• Twin Asym Sym Sync. Freestyle
• Shape and Geometries
• EC2 BTX Eliptical Banana Camber combo
• Magne-traction
• Magnesium Fiber
• Asym Columbian Gold eco core
• Bio Beans Topsheet
• Glow in the dark sidewalls
• Sintered Base
• Flex 5.5-7 Depending on length
• Price: $799.95US, $849.95CDN
• In Stores: starting fall 2012

Seattle, WA (September 12, 2011) – In a special early season, limited release, Lib Technologies unveils “The Art of FLIGHT” T.Rice C2 Power Banana with Magne-Traction pro model snowboard. Every “The Art of FLIGHT” early release snowboard will come with The Art of FLIGHT book including a copy of the film on DVD and Blu-ray™ in a collector’s edition box.  This limited edition package will only be available at core snowboard shops while supplies last starting in early October.

“This is something that we put together to thank loyal Lib Tech fans and snowboard shops. I’ve never heard of a snowboard package this awesome,” Travis says. “I spent the summer photo editing the book and working with Parillo on the art for the boards. For the price of most snowboards you get a limited edition of one of the best snowboards that I’ve ever ridden, a gorgeous book and ‘The Art of FLIGHT’ on Blu-ray™, the way the film should be watched.”

The board features Travis’ favorite C2BTX banana tech rocker/camber combination contours and shapes tested on location during the making of “The Art of FLIGHT.” Travis and Lib Tech worked with Mike Parillo on an art piece that would make this board an instant collector’s item. It comes in both a twin pointy pow (161.5cm) and twin blunt jib shapes (153cm and 157cm).

Travis lead a team of photographers, editors and designers to create The Art of FLIGHT book, an oversized, photo-driven book featuring the stunning images captured and exclusive stories made while filming “The Art of FLIGHT.” Published by Red Bull Media House in association with Mervin Manufacturing, all 200 pages are printed on 100-pound silk finish paper using unparalleled printing techniques. The 5,000 limited edition books, a portion of which are only available as part of the Lib Tech package, will be individually numbered with a hand stamp and sold in a luxurious, 3D, collector’s edition box.

As with all Lib Tech, GNU and Roxy snowboards, Travis’ boards are handcrafted near Canada at Mervin Manufacturing in Carlsborg, WA. Travis has worked closely with the Mervin Experimental Divison to fine-tune his flexes, contours and geometries to all-terrain freeride perfection. Travis’ weapon of choice, his Lib Tech pro model, has been strapped on for wins at King of the Hill, Air and Style, Natural Selection and X Games, while the board itself boasts “Good Wood” and countless “Editor’s Choice” nods.

Register your T.Rice Limited Edition board at www.mervin.com/register and be eligible to win Mike Parrillo’s full sized board art print from Asymbol signed by the artist, Mike Parillo!

Price: $599.95
Sizes: 153, 157, 161.5. Each size features a unique element of Mike Parrillo’s artwork.
Available: Specialty snowboard shops that carry Lib Tech starting this October

Straight out of rehab, Larry and his bindings are back to invite you to demand the sacrifice and strap a few on. Enjoy the new binding offerings, see the sacrificial gallery of oddities, peep the team page, and try your hand at our DIY stencil challenge. Don’t turn this web post into a homicide! See for yourself! BxMxB

“It’s amazing! This board is designed for my riding style and everything I like to do,” Jamie says of the Gnu Ladies Choice. “It’s the best board I’ve ever ridden. I couldn’t be happier!”

No woman in the history of snowboarding has dominated slopestyle and freestyle snowboarding to the extent that Jamie has over the past five years. The snowboarders with jobs at Gnu were very excited to work with her to create the ultimate freestyle performance board.

“It’s been amazing to watch Jamie progress over the years and grow into the rider she is today,” says Barrett Christy, Brand Manager for Gnu Women’s. “She has such smooth style, total confidence, and she loves snowboarding. We worked together to blend her favorite shape, flex, and tech into this really fun freestyle board. I can’t wait to see what Jamie does next on her board!”

Jamie spent her summer at home in Tahoe enjoying California’s extended winter and making subtle refinements to the “Ladies Choice” before introducing it to the world. Then she put it to a final test at the New Zealand Open and came away with first place in slopestyle, her fifth title at the contest and the MINI Creative Use of Space award for her half-cab 5-0 to b/s 180. Looking to repeat a TTR World Tour championship for the third straight year, Jamie is leading the tour rankings following this summer’s win.

Technology included:
Pickle Tech: Balance through Asymmetry. Jamie knows there’s a huge difference between your turn mechanics on your toe-side and heel-side edges. Gnu’s Pickle Tech asymmetric sidecuts perfectly balance nature’s asymmetry.

Magne-Traction: Serrated edges give great edge hold, slide boxes and rails with ease and allow Jamie to set up for big park jumps with complete confidence.

C2 Banana Technology: Camber / Banana combination contour gives the best of both worlds. Camber at each end offers stability during big landings and takeoffs at speed, while banana goes between your feet for catch-free freestyle, unreal float in pow and great carving even on hard pack and ice.

Also features: Quasi Glass, AG 1 lightweight, poppy, farmed, sustainable wood core and a sintered base

Available this fall in a Gnu early release, limited run
Msrp $539.95
Sizes 148.5cm and 151.5cm

Easy to ride, maximum performance, hand-built by snowboarders with jobs in the U.S.A.

Go to www.summitatsnoqualmie.com to get more info on each event.

Thanks to the amazing support of our sponsors GNU Snowboards, Summit at Snoqualmie, Skullcandy, POW, Oakley, Snowboard Connection, High Cascade Snowboard Camp, Snowboarder Magazine and Poler.

This “ridiculously fun event involving a lot of boxes” is free to enter and will happen on Saturday February 5 at Sanosaka Resort in Hakuba from 11am – 3pm.

The event consists of lining up terrain park boxes in a line to create one super-box that is both challenging and very fun!

In addition to top Japanese snowboarders, pro American snowboarders from Think Thank films will be on-hand. Including Lib Tech’s Jesse Burtner and Ted Borland, Dinosaurs Will Die’s Sean Genovese and Chris Larson, and Ride’s Austin Hironaka and Sam Hulbert.

Come out and meet the riders and try to get to the end of the super-box! Great prizes from Lib Tech and Gnu snowboards, Coal Headwear and Garage 902!

After the event join us at UFO Stadium for a great after-party with all the riders!

Thanks to Lib Tech, Gnu, Coal, Think Thank, Advance Marketing, Sanosaka Resort, Garage 902 and UFO Stadium for making this great event possible!

“I love Gnu boards! They’re the best!” exclaims Anderson. Fellow Gnu rider Danny Kass says of Anderson, “Jamie’s a one-of-a-kind rider. She’s fearless on all terrain and pushing the boundaries of park riding for women around the world.”

With a smile on her face and banana between her feet, Jamie’s one of the most celebrated female slopestyle riders ever. This winter she started off with wins at both Dew Tour stops, the O’Neill Evolution and the European Open on the B-Pro. These wins make her the current leader in the TTR series, as well as setting her up for a repeat Dew Tour championship.

In Jamie’s five years competing in pro events, she’s won multiple Roxy Chicken Jams, Grand Prix events, Burton Open Series, World Cups, Grand Prix and even a TTR overall title, just to name a few. The now 20-year-old was named 2009 Female #1 Rider of the Year by Snowboarder and won TransWorld SNOWboarding’s Women’s Rider of the Year. She also holds multiple X Games golds and a silver. Her first X Games win at 15, made her the youngest Winter X Games medalist ever.

“We are honored that Jamie chose to ride the Gnu B-pro for the last two years, while she was on the open market. Now we’re thrilled that she’s signed on as our first celebrity guest!” says Barrett Christy, Gnu Girl’s Team Captain. “We look forward to working with her to perfect our Gnu girls line.”

Gnu’s unique celebrity guest program provides support to the elite ‘celebrities,’ who the brand shares a mutual respect with. For some it may be a launching point for bigger Gnu projects, for others it may be a meaningful stop along the way to their next sponsor.

Jamie’s current ride of choice, the Gnu B-Pro is fine tuned by Barrett Christy with C2 Banana Technology and Magne-Traction. C2 is the perfect combination of camber at each end and Banana Tech between your feet. The camber gives the board end-to-end stability and pop for big landings, while the banana between feet makes for great carving on hardpack and easy float in power. A portion of Gnu B-Pro sales go to Boarding for Breast Cancer. All Gnu boards are handmade at Mervin in the USA with a bio-polymer top material made from beans and fast growing, farmed, eco wood cores.