Hip Snowboarding
What’s the backstory on Hip Snowboarding?
For Hip Snowboarding, the thought to start an apparel brand in snowboarding culminated after a few seasons in and around Tirol, Austria. The idea stemmed from our experience of living in a no frills mountain “barn” that we rented from a local farmer. Laundry, needless to say was rarely, if ever done. When everyone had to huddle in the only heated room that was also used as a drying room, the funk coming off the clothing, mainly the base layers, could be very unsettling. Realizing that there is still a large segment who ride in cotton based thermals because of the comfort from a natural fiber, despite its obvious lack of performance and function, we began our search to find some balance between synthetics (performance) and natural (comfort) fibers that could bridge the gap. In 2011, we setup shop in the Portland area, to get the brand going in the Northwest. We established and continue to work together with a great group of people in the Portland area to create, produce and bring to life a collection of apparel and accessories. We continue to split time in Austria where the concept was conceptualized and continue building upon the base we have over there with our riders, friends and community.
What’s different about your brand?
The whole snowboard industry is packed with companies, which is great. That creativity, I think, pushes the industry’s progress overall. With this brand saturation, to ensure we have some story to tell that will stand apart from the other companies, we focus our message on utilizing unique materials. Through these materials, we developed a range of apparel and accessories that offer unsurpassed comfort. We create a product that not only performs in riding conditions but is comfortable to the point of being unnoticeable to the wearer.
No really, why should people support you and not some other independent brand?
Our niche is where the product meets the skin. The rider can instantly distinguish our product from the noticeable comfort. Amongst our other products, the silky feel of the blended Bamboo Rayon/Spandex fabric used in our Bamboo Base Layers are super comfy, lightweight, and regulate body temp while limiting odor. We really don’t see anyone else in the industry using this material. It’s what separates us from other brands.
Who are you and why do you think you’re qualified to run a business?
My name is David Fitz, founder of Hip Snowboarding. Before I started Hip, I worked in business development for adidas. The experience provided a solid foundation and understanding for the business side of things. Having that background and working with a small team of some really talented friends has enabled me to build and steadily grow the company. But there’s always going to be a learning curve. Without it, there wouldn’t be any sort of progression as you push to test new means and approaches, conceptualize new products, and materials.
What will you do after you get rich off snowboarding?
I’d like to say I have some wild plan if, or for when, I get rich. Perhaps I’d look into buying that barn and converting it into some kind of office for Hip. More realistically, I would just continue with what I’m already doing now. I started Hip because it’s something I’m passionate about and feel that with the products offered, we can contribute to the positive growth in this industry. When I do bring in more income, I’ll be pumped to hit up a few more spots over the winter. Otherwise, the majority would just go back into growing the brand, putting on some fun events and prototyping more concepts until we settle on some new ideas that we could roll with.
http://www.hipsnowboarding.com/
” I wore it to a rail jam and kids literally shit themselves when they saw it. ” – murder mittens
either it really was the best logo of all time, or you have never actually stopped to consider what the word “literally” actually means
I, too, like to spend my Mondays being a grammar nazi on Yobeat.
hey, i understand that mis-using the hell out of the word “literally” is such an epidemic in our culture that it’s usually not worth getting worked up about, but c’mon, the kids “literally shit themselves”? are you fucking kidding me? so a bunch of little kids had to go home early and have their mommies buy them new pants because this kid drew a logo that was so dope that the children ACTUALLY spewed diarrhea all over themselves the moment they saw it?
they like actually literally shit their literal pants
RULE#2: WORDS ON THE INTERNET HAVE ONE MEANING.
Templeton is a disease.
MARDER MITTEN IS THE DUMBEST THING I HAVE EVER SEEN AND AL-PAL IS AN IGNORANT FRAT BOY
You kno what it theeeZ
is the second sentence supposed to be a pun on actual snowboards the company
Murder Mitten is the dumbest name for something i have ever heard. In a state which contains cities like Flint and Detroit which have ridiculously high murder rates, why are you printing that shit on tshirts and hoodies for a bunch of white college kids to wear. A terrible way to represent Michigan in my opinion.
I bought some stickers and a hoody of that fucking murder mitten website 2 months ago and that sent me a sticker with the letter I missing from it. And it took him 2 fucking months and 7 emails that he sent in all caps talking about being to hungover to get it. Fuck that kid what a loser
This Al-Pal character running Murder Mitten is a terrible person to run a business. I ordered 3 stickers which took 3 months to get here. He mixed up the stickers, AND GAVE ME 2. He didn’t respond to 8 of my 10 emails and then proceeded to mess up the next order. Fuck Yourself.
Murder mitten, the clothing for white private schools boys with daddy’s credit card. Never been to Detroit or Flint.
I don’t understand all the hate here! I once met Al Pal at #Vail and he’s super rad and really professional. I ordered some of those sick die cuts from the website and they fit perfectly around my #Switch bindings.
Flossophy really liked Ashbury’s (and 100 other) logo that much huh? And Hip has to be the worst brand name in a long time.
They’re logo is the philosopher stone. Actually ties in really well. Not just some random triangle thing.
So Ashbury really likes illuminati huh?
geeez what the hating harddddd
Q: What will you do after you get rich off snowboarding?
A: Buy Yobeat off of you and burn it to the ground.
GTFO… Lamez.
really who gives a shit about these dumb clothing companies, they are all the same
The only thing cool about flossophu is that Emily Laplume is part of their marketing scheme. Stay in Tahoe kooks
Lol
Beeasyboards.com
the hip fella seemed pretty level-headed to me, and seems to have a good business plan. not a huge fan of the name, despite its double meaning, though
Why is everything 100% cotton…
I heard that alpal pays his team riders with a brazzers password.
haaaa al pal must have cryed to yobeat about all the hate and made them delete the page
No ones going to mention the stolen logo? Okay.
I’ll sue deez ngghz bitin’
check us out. we don’t put studs on pants pockets. thanks
come on man why’d you have to be a dick. sorry everyone
You don’t even make pants ya damn fool. The tee with that guy thinking is tight tho, it would be cool if he was thinkin about tittiess or weed or some dankass food tho. That’s just my design sensibility coming through tho.
Wait murder mitten doesn’t actually make gloves? Wait their brand is based around you arranging an outline of the lower half of your state to replace a letter in a phrase that means nothing in illustrator one day? And you want people to give you their hard-earned money in support of this?
http://color-blynd.com
Damn yall wild fo all dis. yall all wild. nigga sittin here tryna find his comb n shit and den i see all these niggas hatin an shit yall willin out do fo real
That Flossophy logo looks preeeetty similar to Ashbury’s.
Murder Mitten stole Real Creepin’s logo.
real creepin stole footyfiends logo jus sayn
Didn’t you post an article a couple months back about buying our gear from local shops, and not online. Good luck supporting any of these companies without shopping online, unless you live in the city where they’re based.
Yeah, except these companies are hardly in direct competition with a local shop.
Why isn’t the real oven mitten co. on this? follow us on insta yo @therealovenmittenco, yo
What the heal . snowboard motherfuckers theres only three more weeks fucktards…. bitch in august when your moms in heat
i cant…. i dont even…
man, it’s 2014, everyone just steals everyone else’s logos anyways. literally every company has a logo that looks like another logo.
#neversnakeasnaker
i heard alpal gave himself the nickname alpal…………
yo where’s that photo cred yobeat
^ Fag
All dat shit is gay. cept’ moonshine. its whatevers
U should take a look to Emeneka, is a Chilean brand that make sick outerwear for snowboarders, clothing and accessories (hats, beanies, sunglasses), is a one guy company, he support skateboarders and snowboarders. He just sell trough his facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mnklsc?fref=ts
Regards from deep southamerica. Respect.