Burton Snowboards' new state-of-the-art research and development facility, located a stone's throw from their Burlington, Vermont headquarters, is an engineering playground for their hardgoods product development teams. Yesterday, over 300 Burton employees, members of Burton's pro team, media and friends gathered to officially unveil the prototype lab.

Photo: Burton.com
Kevin Pearce talking to the crowd about Kelly's
impact on the sport of snowboarding.

As a gesture of full disclosure, I graduated from Burton Univ. in 2003 after a three-year stint involving product warranty, R&D, customer service, and a whole 'lotta snowboarding. A super-facility was discussed only in dreamy terms, and this new prototype lab is a big deal for the company --and the snowboarding industry as a whole.

Photo: PoorMansHeli.com
Craig Kelly in his elements.

In January 2003 I left Burton to pursue an ambitious career goal, and during the same month the entire world of snowboarding lost one of the greatest all-time riders: Craig Kelly. While studying to become a Certified Canadian Mountain Guide with two groups near Revelstoke, British Columbia, Kelly and six others were killed in a massive avalanche that trapped eight others.

Photo: Snowboarding.Transworld.net / Bud Fawcett
Kelly getting rad, as always, and making it look
easy.

Kelly was one of the most impressive riders to watch, and his style is featured in videos such as "Let it Ride," "Smooth Groove," "Board with The World," "Scream of Consciousness," and "Fear of A Flat Planet." He walked away from multi-million dollar deals at the height of the snowboard craze to pursue his passion for freeriding, a move that helped fuel his iconic persona. Jake Burton is quoted as saying, "When I started listening to Craig that was when my company became successful and really took off... when the rest of the industry listened to Craig, that was when the sport really took off."

His riding aside, Kelly was an engineer at heart and fully responsible for the design and development of a number of Burton signature models; including The Mystery Air, The Craig Kelly Air, The CK Slopestyle, The Cascade, and The Omen.

Photo: Burton.com
Master craftsmen, talking shop in the epic shop.

In turn, it's no wonder this new future lab is dedicated to the passionate and progressive spirit of Craig Kelly. By far the most sophisticated R&D facility Burton has ever built, the new space is simply called 'Craig's' and is where engineers can directly implement rider feedback, build prototypes with high-tech, custom machinery, and then take it on-snow the very next day.

The dream is now a reality for the brand, and a reality that Jake thinks Craig would approve --and put to work immediately.

"During the 15 years that he rode for Burton, Craig had a huge impact on snowboard design, technology and the sport as a whole. So it was an easy decision to name the new prototyping facility after him. I think that Craig would be proud that every new board that comes out of our new R&D space reflects his spirit and legacy."

Photo: Burton.com
Protective eyewear is recommended.

In the course of a two-year beta stage for the facility, Burton produced the Nug: a quirky short board that allows riders to downsize 8-10cm from their normal board while allowing riders to work through tight terrain and deep snow with surprising pop and speed stability. The Nug has received a Good Wood award from Transworld Snowboarding Magazine.

Photo: Justin Gural
A big hello from BURlingTON. The view out of 'The
Barn' window, and Burton HQs in the background.

After yesterday's dedication, Craig's will be open to the public for scheduled tours where visitors follow 'Craig's Trail' through the entire prototype development process. The building also includes 'The Barn,' a museum-grade room that showcases archived photos, products and videos from the first 30 years of Burton's tenured history.

Burton Snowboards may not be manufacturing snowboards in Vermont for the masses anymore, but they will no doubt continue to progress the sport of snowboarding in the Green Mountains thanks to Craig's place. Let it snow.

Check out this video, which was presented during yesterday's unveiling, about the facility and its dedication to Craig Kelly.