by The Editors on April 12, 2026
Snowboarding would not be the same today without the hard, caring work of Paul Alden (shown at the SIA Skullcandy booth in 2009). Mr. Alden died April 9, 2026 from injuries suffered after a slip in his home, according to a post from his son, Skullcandy founder Rick Alden. Mr. Alden was 89.
“My father, Paul Prince Alden, passed away yesterday morning,” Rick said on Instagram. “He slipped in his home, striking his C2 spinal cord on the edge of his desk, rendering him immediately quadriplegic. Our sister Carole began compressions immediately, keeping him alive until he could be stabilized on a respirator. . . About 36 hours after his fall, and in accordance with the directives outlined in his DNR order, his respirator was removed.”
In the mid 1980s, at a time when the wild, punk rock kids of snowboarding needed an adult in the room, Mr. Alden was there to communicate with ski resorts in a calm, consistent, persistent, business-minded style that helped open US resorts to snowboarding. While working at Burton Snowboards, Paul’s kind attention to snowboarding and snowboard competition, helped usher in the biggest boom winter sports has ever seen. In retirement Alden went on to be a Level 2 certified snowboard instructor at Targhee for 22 years, bought a ski resort, and consulted with many movers in Action Sports and business. We are forever grateful for his guidance, support, and true love for the sport and all the people involved.
Our thoughts are with the entire Alden family. Especially, his wife of 67 years, Sharon.
by The Editors on April 7, 2026
John Lacy, the CEO of Burton Snowboards is reportedly leaving the company after 29 years, according to story on MSN.com.
A Burton spokesperson confirmed Lacy’s planned departure, saying: “John and Donna have come to a mutual decision that it is time for John to pursue his next chapter beyond his role as CEO. He will remain with Burton through the end of June to support a smooth transition.
Donna Carpenter will apparently step in as interim CEO, as she does. And hey, with AI here, who really needs an extra person on the payroll?
[Link: MSN.com]
by The Editors on March 29, 2026
Core mall retailer Zumiez (aka “trendy clothing chain”) is responding to the failing health of malls by closing 25 stores in 2026, according to a story on KTLA5.
Last year, Zumiez shuttered 17 stores, and CEO Richard Brooks told investors the company plans to close another 25 locations in 2026, 20 of them in the United States. . . He said the closures aren’t a reflection of slowing demand, but rather a strategic shift away from underperforming shopping malls, many of which have struggled to recover foot traffic lost during the pandemic and amid the continued growth of online shopping.
With around 700 more stores to go Zumiez has room to contract for a while before anything gets too worrisome. After all, Tom Campion and Gary Haakenson started with only one store.
[Link: KTLA5]
by The Editors on March 25, 2026
The two corporations who own the global snow resort business with their Super-Mega Passes (Alterra Mountain Company and Vail Resorts Inc.) have been sued (again), this time in the U.S. District Court of the District of Colorado, according to a story in KDVR News.
The lawsuit was filed against Vail Resorts, Inc. and Alterra Mountain Company, alleging the companies unfairly increased prices and used bundling tactics with their multi-mountain season passes. . . “For years, skiers have been told that soaring lift‑ticket prices, reduced choice, and overcrowding are simply the new reality. Our complaint alleges that these outcomes are not the result of healthy competition, but of exclusionary conduct by two companies that dominate access to the most desirable destinations,” said Greg Asciolla, Chair of DiCello Levitt’s Antitrust and Competition Litigation Practice.
The suit basically alleges everything that we called out in our old post “The Sinister Plot Behind The Super Mega Pass,” and. . . no duh.
Vail Resorts, of course, disagrees saying in a statement that: “We believe these claims are without merit. We launched the Epic Pass in 2008 to make skiing and riding more accessible, reducing the price of a season pass by 60%. We’re proud that 18 years later, it’s still one of the best values in the industry, especially following our further 20% price reduction in 2021.”
Vail’s math on value, while arguable, is in reality quite wrong. The discounts only appear if you use both inflated daily lift tickets prices and inflated skier days into the equation. If you can’t tell, we hope DeCello Levitt wins this lawsuit, however unlikely that may be, because there should be a cost to ruining the resort experience for everyone worldwide.
For a deeper dive into the lawsuit check out Stuart Winchester’s breakdown on The Storm Ski Journal and Podcast substack.
[Link: KDVR.com]
by The Editors on March 24, 2026
Having told Paul Naude no at least once in our past we can say that it didn’t turn out well for us. Obviously, Rip Curl owner KMD Brands has not yet had this experience and they are about to see how it goes now that they’ve turned down Stokehouse’s offer to buy Rip Curl, according to a story on SGB Media.
“This proposed ownership structure is misaligned with the earnings delivered by the Stokehouse and Rip Curl businesses, given Stokehouse’s immaterial contribution to combined EBITDA and would unfairly dilute KMD Brands shareholders,” the Group said in the Monday media release. “In addition, Mr. Naude, the current CEO of Stokehouse, would be Chief Executive of the combined business, and he would lead the business from California.”
Personally, we’d love to see Mr. Naude in charge of Rip Curl in California. But, in the near term it looks like that is not going to happen. Follow the jump for the full release.
[Link: SGB Media]
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by The Editors on March 18, 2026
Skateboarding street goat Nyjah Huston is launching a new “personal care” line of products called Out There, according to a story on NewBeauty.com.
The aluminum-free lineup is powered by odor-eating probiotic enzymes for up to 48 hours of protection and formulated without parabens, phthalates, sulfates, dyes or aerosols. Debuting products include Clean Body Deo Spray, Clean Body Def Spray and Hydrating Body Wash, all offered in gender-neutral scents like Japanese Shiso, Tonka Amber, Bergamot Wood and Santal Vetiver. With vegan, cruelty-free formulas and recyclable packaging, Huston’s latest venture is built on a simple idea: When you feel good in your body, you’re more likely to get outside and live fully.
Looking good, smelling good. Why not?
[Link: New Beauty]
by The Editors on February 24, 2026
by The Editors on January 23, 2026
It appears that former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding’s run from the law has finally come to an end as shifty-eyed FBI director Kash Patel has officially announced the alleged drug kingpin’s capture in Mexico, according to a story in the New York Post.
Wedding was taken into custody Thursday night in Mexico — where he was believed to be hiding out for more than a decade evading authorities seeking to bring him to justice for running his violent drug empire, officials said. . . “To tell you how bad of a guy Ryan Wedding is, he went from an Olympic snowboarder to the largest narco traffickers in modern times,” Patel told reporters at the Ontario International Airport in California, flanked by US and Canadian law enforcement officials.
Will be interesting to see how this all plays out. Seems the current administration is more interested in theater than true justice. Click the link for more details.
[Link: New York Post]
by The Editors on January 22, 2026
Surf appears to be taking another turn on the catwalk as Louie Vuitton creative director Pharrell decides it’s time to head back to the beach, according to a story on Luxury Launches.
After nailing the luxury segment for luggage, handbags, apparel, and accessories, Louis Vuitton is now giving the world a teaser of surf gear. There is no official launch or over-the-top declaration yet, but the 150-year-old maison may already be the reason your surf fins suddenly look sassy. The glorification of the surf kit continues with a wetsuit that features LV embroidery.
Two words come to mind in no particular order: shark and jump. Then again, that Louie fin would be fire on the Catch Surf. . . .
[Link: Luxury Launches]
by The Editors on January 22, 2026
If you haven’t been paying attention, 2026 is a Winter Olympics year. Not really sure where, but we’re sure GROK knows (ah ha, turns out they are in Cortina, Italy, February 6-22, 2026).
Yesterday, US Ski and Snowboard announced their snowboard team and, not to brag, but we’ve heard of exactly six of the 25 blessed shreds listed. The crazy part is that the US is sending two Parallel Giant Slalom racers. . . finally. Oh, and Jamie Anderson is sadly not on the list.
For the entire athlete list please follow the jump.
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