snowboarding craze inspired the feel he was going for. Don moved back home to Los Angeles to start the seemingly endless task, and so the obsession began. Every potential board material and truck combination became victim of endless testing and abuse. Snowboards were put on skate trucks and were projected down local hills with hopes to gain further insight on the future of intuitive skating. The frustration furthered until the breakthrough of bamboo’s amazing strength paired paradoxically with its awesome flexibility and light weight became the backbone of Loaded’s Vanguard board and the rest of the current line of boards. “I wanted to create something unique and that I am stoked on and wanted to ride.”

As of today Loaded has five styles of long boards, which sell for $215- $300, in about 350 stores world wide. They are in the process of reversing back to their original inspiration, and formulating a Snowboard line that captures the companies’ community approach toward all types of boarding. Near the end of last year Loaded furthered their unique approach towards rider/company interaction and held an open call for artists to submit graphics that will replace the current graphic on their Vanguard board. The winner was chosen February 11th, and the new design should be seen in stores by this summer.

When asked “Who is a Loaded Rider?” Don responded that Loaded riders are 14 year old girls and 70 year old men. Loaded riders are very eclectic and diverse; most are progressive and early adapters. These people have the appetite to take long-boarding out of the constraints of being a kook sport and make it grow out of their enjoyment, love and creativity. In getting started as a new rider he reminds us that his boards are intuitive, flexible, and free-spirited. Long boarding is in the peak of its innovation, it is being created as we speak. Its possibilities at this point seem to be as endless as our imaginations.