Shaper Summit 2023 Recap
The Shaper Summit is at the top of the list of our favorite events in the snowboarding industry. It is put on by one of Jackson Hole's long time legends Rob Kingwill, aka "Kinger'' and is centered around the pure joy and stoke of snowboarding. Kinger opens the door to all brands no matter how big or small, from industry giants to custom shapers to come together and share in each other's work and ideas that drives the progression of snowboarding. It is the only event where you are invited to ride, rate, and share your thoughts on the boards of brands other than the one you work or ride for and anywhere else would be considered a competitor.
The Shaper Summit is held in Teton Village at Jackson Hole and this is the perfect resort for an event like this. JH offers over 4,000’ of vertical and 2,500 skiable acres with everything from steep alpine terrain, exciting trees, Stash Parks, and wide open groomers, and that is just inbounds. There are also 3,000 acres of some of the best backcountry you could ever hope to find right outside of the resort gates where you are able to ride back to the lifts and go get it again. With all this variable terrain you are really able to put all these boards to the test, finding different strengths and weaknesses and figure out what the shaper was going for with the design.
The best part about the SS is when Kinger rallies everyone together for the annual “Mob The Mountain”. Everyone that is involved with the event grabs one of their favorite decks and heads up the Bridger Gondola to charge down together in a show of stoke and support of each other, our love for snowboarding, and in memory of those we have lost, but through snowboarding have forever left an impression on our lives. Jake Burton is always recognized, but there was a little extra charge at this year's MTM for our crew as we Mobbed for our team rider and good friend Herman Neal who we lost in October. Imagine the energy of roughly 100 rippin snowboarders all charged up, yelling, jumping, laughing, slashing, and spraying everything and everyone in the path of the Mob as we all rip down the slopes and through Dick’s Ditch of Jackson Hole! It is absolutely amazing! There aren’t a lot of events that bring together so many snowboarders with different riding interests and styles together, and truly capture the culture of snowboarding like Shaper Summit.
