After Decades of Making Skis, LINE Launches Its First Snowboard

LINE is making a…snowboard?

This morning, the freeskiing-focused brand rolled out the Lateral , its first snowboard. Billed as a jib-oriented tool for beginner and intermediate riders, the Lateral costs $479.95, is available in three sizes, and features a camo-print top sheet.

The question is, of course, why would a brand that’s focused on skiing for several decades bother with making a snowboard?

“Because between skiing, skating, and snowboarding, our team has been showing us that as long as you’re out there for the fun of it, it doesn’t matter what you’re riding,” a blurb published on LINE’s website about the Lateral reads. “The Lateral is more than just a board; it's a tribute to the sport that inspired us and a celebration of the creative crossover between skiing and snowboarding.”

Taking LINE’s historical origins into account provides some more context in the absence of super-precise answers.

LINE, at its outset, was all about doing things differently. Its founder, Jason Levinthal, was sick of the stuffy atmosphere skiing espoused in the 1990s and, as a skier himself, wanted to get in on the freestyle flavor snowboarding offered—but he didn’t want to give up his two planks.

So, Levinthal began pressing skis in a garage (some of the materials he used were donated by Function, a snowboarding company, adding a bit of full-circle flavor to the Lateral’s release). First, he made exceptionally short ski-boards before leading the full-length twin-tip ski charge with The Ostness Dragon.

Since then, LINE’s remained a brand that prioritizes freeskiing’s core audience, purveying skis produced with input from snowsports luminaries like Eric Pollard (Levinthal and Pollard have since embarked on new adventures outside LINE). If you spot something wacky on the hills, odds are good LINE had something to do with it. Adding a snowboard to that repertoire makes perfect sense.

LINE is also part of the Elevate Outdoor Collective, which includes several snowboarding brands, like Ride Snowboards and K2 Snowboarding.

It won’t be the first brand to straddle the worlds of skiing and snowboarding, either. K2, as noted, makes skis and snowboards. So does Rossignol, Salomon, and Lib Tech. With the launch of the aptly named Lateral, that crossover market has gotten a bit bigger.

We've gotten in touch with LINE to learn more about how the Lateral came about.

Related: Nation’s Biggest Ski Resort Will Limit February Weekends to Passholders Only

Be the first to read breaking ski news with POWDER. Subscribe to our newsletter and stay connected with the latest happenings in the world of skiing. From ski resort news to profiles of the world’s best skiers, we are committed to keeping you informed.

Submit your best clips for a chance to be featured on POWDER. Tune in and watch handpicked, high-quality ski videos streaming all day long on POWDER TV , and subscribe to our YouTube channel .