Venture Snowboards: Building in Silverton, CO (Ep. 68)

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We stopped by the headquarters of Venture Snowboards in Silverton, Colorado, to talk to Venture’s founders, Lisa and Klem Branner. As you’re about to hear, Venture does a lot of things different than most snowboarding companies. For example, very few companies are manufacturing snowboards here in the U.S., and even fewer of those companies are starting from scratch — literally building boards starting with raw lumber.

Venture Snowboards on the Blister Podcast
Venture snowboard press & surrounding mountains in Silverton, Colorado

So we talked to Lisa and Klem about why they do what they do, why they chose to build in the tiny town of Silverton, and why it all matters. We also discuss why Klem really dislikes using the term “sustainable” when it comes to building snowboards; why he thinks it’s a bad idea to build snowboards with traditional camber; which current trends in snowboard design he thinks are stupid; and more.

TOPICS & TIMES:

  • When & where did you two meet? (03:00)
  • Klem on making the first board he ever rode (5:04)
  • From grad school to starting Venture Snowboards (7:22)
  • The decision to set up shop in Silverton, Colorado (10:26)
  • Why start a snowboard company? (15:10)
  • Real talk about “greenwashing” in the snowboard industry (16:26)
  • What sets Venture apart: building their boards from scratch (21:56)
  • Advantages & challenges of manufacturing in Silverton (25:42)
  • Why Klem thinks traditional camber sucks and is unnecessary (27:53)
  • Craft beer + craft boards: Venture’s collab with Ska Brewing (38:08)
  • What current trends in board design do you like or dislike? (41:27)
  • The rise of splitboarding and backcountry riding (46:16)
  • Venture’s 18/19 lineup — and why they don’t overhaul their line all the time (48:33)
  • Why should anyone care that Venture boards are built in Silverton? (53:06)

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2 comments on “Venture Snowboards: Building in Silverton, CO (Ep. 68)”

  1. Good podcast. Critical voices are more interesting. Would have loved to hear the “2nd part” about the negative effect of Agent Orange on their business (do they really pay more or just expect to pay more?). Where do they get their fibre glass, carbon etc. from?
    If I’d buy a snowboard, I’d get one of theirs now, that’s for sure.

  2. Agreed Brammers, camber between the feet is as pointless as a 28″ stance on a 150 was. I think the mfgs were sheep again and copied skis that went from rockered to adding a camber pocket under the single boot to enhance tracking ability back, completely forgetting where the pressure was applied in a snowboard. Now rear foot camber makes a rider weight the back foot excessively for hard surface stability when the problem is still the flex pattern.

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