Joe Fontaine

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WHO?

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WHO?

Joe Fontaine is a business, marketing, and design professional currently residing in Lake Tahoe California. He graduated from Sierra Nevada College with a double Bachelor’s degree in Entrepreneurship and International business in 2009. Joe began work in the creative arts and marketing industry in 2005; since then he has worked on numerous projects and played an integral role in the development and expansion of the brand Smokin Snowboards of which he is the Chief Creative Officer. Joe’s body of work also includes freelance endeavors for brands such as Porter’s Sports, Moment Skis, South America Snow Sessions, WuRK, Happy Riding Spain, Easyloungin.com, and more.Riding Spain, Easyloungin.com, and more.

“It has always been my dream to be a part of the action sports industry. I am extremely grateful to have had that dream not only come to fruition, but

surpass all expectations of what I thought I would be doing at this point in my life. From being given the creative freedom to express myself, to creating visual representations of the message brands I work with want to communicate, to

having the opportunity to share my passion for the sports I live for with others; nothing is more rewarding than being a part of what you love.”

- -Joe Fontaine

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“Core” brands, what’s all the hype about? What puts one brand at the core of the sport and makes us think others are faking it? Is it where they are made? What they are made from? Where they are sold? who they are marketed to? Who rides them? In a word; yes. All of these aspects are influential in drawing the line in the sand between what people perceive as “the man” and the proclaimed “heart of skiing and snowboarding”.

As somewhat of a winter sports “Mecca”, Lake Tahoe has seen generations of shred enthusiasts migrate here. The populations consist of some of the world’s most talented enthusiasts migrate here. The populations consist of some of the world’s most talented skiers and snowboarders all here to chase the promise of moderate temps, blue skies, and endless powder. Being the breeding ground for a disproportionate amount of up and coming riders and quite possibly the lifeblood for downhill winter sports, it has also developed as one of the strongholds of product design, theory, and production. With a resurgence of do it yourself spirit and the calling for “core” brands people can identify with (whether it be one plank or two), Tahoe has flourished with independent manufacturers. Over the past decade some of Lake Tahoe’s most die hard locals have struck out on their own. From decade some of Lake Tahoe’s most die hard locals have struck out on their own. From basements and garages to design studios and even the back of a napkin in a liftline, they all had a vision for creating the best possible product. With a highly diverse group of individuals from unique backgrounds and influences spanning nearly 2 decades in age, we have a melting pot of different perspectives on how a ski or snowboard should ride, and highly specialized tools designed and tested to meet the demands of those gathered in a subcultural center pushing the boundaries of reality. Perched high in the Sierras we find these manufacturers and brands on the bleeding edge, pushing snowboarding and skiing into the future.

We had a chance to speak with this eccentric bunch, a big dysfunctional shred producing family if you will about their thoughts on where the industry, as well as their own brands are headed. Here is what they had to say…

Smokin Snowboards

Handmade in the USA Handmade snowboard manufacturing is becoming increasingly rare. As the big guys keep feeding the mainstream with cheap boards from overseas it pushes more small premium manufacturers out every year. Despite this trend, Smokin has been able to grow without sacrificing what we believe in. Since the beginning when Jay was pressing snowboards in his basement just 2 blocks from the shore of Lake Tahoe to our new 5,000 square foot facility just on the other side of the hill, the places may have changed but the heart of facility just on the other side of the hill, the places may have changed but the heart of what drives us remains constant. Back when it all started Smokin Jay made every single board from start to finish with the greatest attention to detail. Jay still works in the factory today, alongside a crew of snowboarders that share his passion for quality and a love for the sport. The Smokin factory crew is a tight knit group of people that live for the shred. This is the difference between a cookie cutter snowboard from China or a production run from some mega factory in Austria. What makes our factory so special isn't state of the art machines, it isn't cheap labor with relaxed regulations, and it certainly isn't because it machines, it isn't cheap labor with relaxed regulations, and it certainly isn't because it is easy to make a good snowboard. What truly makes Smokin Snowboards unlike any other factory in the world are the people. Snowboarders building snowboards learn what effects the ride, and making perfect shred sleds can easily shift from a job to an obsession. Please take a moment to check out our factory and how we make it all happen. More importantly, get to know the people that make Smokin special: meet our family.

Porterstahoe.com Blog

Slant Skis Interview

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Trivia

The idea that humans only use 10% of their brain is outdated science. While Our Brain is derived of about 10% neurons which can be recorded in traditional brain scanning, the remainder of our brains are made of Glial cells, which play a vital role in brain function and are recognizeable in modern brain mapping.recognizeable in modern brain mapping.

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C. Joe FontaineMarketing & Design4970 Flick St. Carnelian Bay, Ca 96143Email: Joe@smokinsnowboards.comPhone: 603.289.1625

This is your brain on skittles.