From Burton to the World: Jake's Words, Then and Now
Every now and then, the world gives snowboarding a little more attention than usual. When visibility expands beyond our tight-knit community of riders, we use the opportunity to pull back the curtain, letting people see the heart and soul behind this thing we love.
Our founder, Jake Burton Carpenter, always knew snowboarding was destined for glory, and as stewards of the sport and his legacy, we've once again looked back on his words for wisdom. In 2026, you'll see his vision literally stamped on our athletes' snowboards. These words, originally penned by Jake to the readers of Burton catalogs, were his philosophies about riding, and they transcend time. Forty-nine years after Burton's founding, these are the messages driving us forward.
Bold Graphics, Timeless Words
From Burton to the World is much more than a campaign. It’s our effort to carry the torch of Jake’s vision for snowboarding forward. We sourced inspiration from our archive of catalogs, artifacts of snowboarding culture unique to Burton. After reviewing Jake's annual letters, which he addressed to the community, we identified six of his most impactful quotes spanning decades of snowboarding's evolution. We brought them to our team riders and asked: How does snowboarding speak to you? How are we remembering, and how are we celebrating?
They chose the messages that resonated most with them, along with their preferred color. The result: bold, vertical BURTON wordmarks in six distinct colorways, each carrying one of Jake's quotes, right between the bindings. This was much more than selecting a quote: our team riders chose words that they believe in, that drive them, and that connect them to every other snowboarder on the planet.
Lasting Messages of Wisdom
Jake's words from the '80s, '90s, and 2000s, and 2010s are just as relevant today as when he first wrote them. He just got it.
The quotes appearing on our athletes' snowboards speak to three things: the foundation of what snowboarding is, the philosophy of why we ride, and the invitation to be part of this community.
"Here at Burton, we take our fun seriously." (1989)
The opening sentence of Jake's 1989 letter to the Burton community read, "Here at Burton, we take our fun seriously." At a time when developed snow sports (cough, skiing, cough, cough) felt overly rigid and exclusive, Jake knew that having fun mattered more than conforming to someone else's idea of how things should be done. Don’t confuse the "seriously" part with actually being serious, though. It's about recognizing that fun is essential, that we need it to feel fulfilled. Despite those words being written in 1989, his message rings just as true today. Standing sideways and sliding on snow is all about fun, and as snowboarders, we'll go to great lengths to find it.
“Question: Is snowboarding a fad? Answer: Get serious.” (1992)
A lot of the original naysayers, the ones who didn't want us riding the resorts, the ones who thought you needed to look a certain way to be taken seriously on the mountain, didn't think snowboarding would last. They called it a fad. In the 1992 Burton catalog, Jake addressed this head-on. His letter took a new form that year: the transcript of an interview with an unnamed trade publication. The “journalist” interviewing Jake asked about Burton's team, how long Jake had been riding, what was new for the season; standard interview stuff. Then came the question: "Is snowboarding a fad?"
Jake's response was two words: "Get serious." He wasn't hedging bets. Burton wasn't diversifying its offerings, and there would be no apologies. We were all in on snowboarding, and Jake made it clear that total commitment wasn't a risk, it was the only path forward. Fads come and go. Snowboarding was, and still is, here to stay.
"Riding is Where the Energy Comes From & It's Also Where It Goes" (1993)
If there's anything we want new riders to know about Burton, it's that our rider-driven approach informs everything we do. We're not a business making snowboards. We're snowboarders making tools and equipment for fellow riders. Jake's 1993 catalog letter nodded to this fact, but in true Jake fashion, took things one step further. His words read, "Riding is where the energy comes from, and it's also where it goes."
At face value, he was talking about product design. Riding informs our innovations, and we put those ideas right back into snowboarding. But Jake was also talking about everyone who rides, because progression isn't exclusive to the top pros and tech innovations. Every time a rider experiences the magic of snowboarding, they're contributing to the process that drives everything we do at Burton.
"The best thing about snowboarding is, it's not how you look but how you feel." (2000)
Fun may be what snowboarding is built on, but there's something deeper that keeps us coming back to it. Jake's 2000 catalog letter encouraged riders to turn the lens inward with the belief that, "The best thing about snowboarding is, it's not how you look but how you feel." This isn't dismissing aesthetics. It's a reminder that when you're vibing with your board, your crew, and feeling good, that's everything.
“Have as much fun as possible!” (2009)
The 2009 Burton catalog was a 250+ page beast, but Jake's singular message was short and to the point. He wrote, "Have as much fun as possible!" and signed his name. If a little fun is great, more fun is better, but the snowboarder having the most fun is truly winning. This was Jake's philosophy, not just about snowboarding, but about life. Life is short, delicate, and precious, and you only get one. Jake never missed an opportunity to have fun, and he reminded us to do the same. We carry on that tradition.
“Believe in snowboarding.” (2010)
Believing in something isn't passive. It's not blind faith or positive thoughts. It's a commitment to action. In Jake's 2010 message, he made this clear: "The world around us will always change, but our mission will remain the same. Ride as much as possible, progress the product and the sport, and inspire others to do the same. No matter where your mission takes you, make snowboarding part of it. Believe in snowboarding."
This wasn't philosophical. It was a call to commitment. Believing in snowboarding means actively participating in it, progressing it, and sharing it with others. It means knowing that snowboarding brings good to the world and everyone who discovers it. Jake knew this. The snowboarding community knows this. Our team riders know this. That's why we're so passionate about bringing this sport to the world.
Passing the Torch
Jake lit the spark that became snowboarding as we know it, and for one year shy of five decades, Burton has carried that flame forward. We've led snowboarding through its evolution, from backyard rebellion to global phenomenon, with ground-breaking innovations, countless riders inspired, and endless fun shaping every step. This isn't accidental. It's the result of our unwavering commitment to Jake's vision.