Empire employee Eric Mercier in the Mongrel jacket.
The essence of snowboarding has always been about anti-establishment. Doing the opposite of the crowd. Screw the popular kids - the preps, the socials, the jocks. Punk rock, man! Skateboarding! Cigarettes and tattoos!! Create your own way! Right?

Well that idea is really just that -- an idea. Because the concept of conforming to non-conformity is not only an oxymoron it defeats the purpose of building a community without walls or barriers. Ok, I'm going to cut this philosophical babble off now before it gets too obnoxious.

Burton made some cool varsity letterman jackets for snowboarding. People like them - even the cool kids. All are welcome.


Burton Teams up with Specialty Shops on Co-Branded Mongrel Jacket

BURLINGTON, VT (February 25, 2011) Burton Snowboards recently collaborated with a handful of specialty snowboard shops in North America to create co-branded versions of the hugely popular 2011 Burton Mongrel Jacket. This exclusive jacket, done in shop specific colorways, features a varsity letter patch of each shop s logo and is now available in super limited quantities only at Wave Rave, Val Surf, Surfside, BC Surf & Sport, Darkside, Empire, The Source and Snowboard Connection.

"Supporting specialty retailers on every level is a huge focus for us at Burton, and a big part of this is creating unique products just for them," said John Lacy, SVP of Global Snow Product & North American Sales at Burton Snowboards. "Riders feel really connected to their local snowboard shop, so we created a classic varsity-style jacket with shop branding and colors, so riders could show their support."

Burton selected eight shops to work with on the project, and each one submitted their own logo artwork and colors to make the jacket truly their own. In addition to shop-specific varsity style logos, this co-branded version of the Mongrel Jacket features 2L waterproofing, a longer team fit and classic street styling. A favorite of Burton team riders for on and off the hill, the Mongrel Jacket also has lightweight, all-season insulation for bulk-free warmth.

Be sure to head to a local shop listed above to snap up one of these super limited, co-branded Mongrel Jackets, available now, retailing for $249.95. And stay tuned for more of these specialty projects, coming down the Burton pipeline later this year.