Skip to main content

Search

My Visit
Donate
Home Smithsonian Institution

Site Navigation

  • Visit
    • Museums and Zoo
    • Entry and Guidelines
    • Maps and Brochures
    • Dine and Shop
    • Accessibility
    • Visiting with Kids
    • Group Visits
      • Group Sales
  • What's On
    • Exhibitions
      • Current
      • Upcoming
      • Past
    • Online Events
    • All Events
    • IMAX & Planetarium
  • Explore
    • - Art & Design
    • - History & Culture
    • - Science & Nature
    • Collections
      • Open Access
    • Research Resources
      • Libraries
      • Archives
        • Smithsonian Institution Archives
        • Air and Space Museum
        • Anacostia Community Museum
        • American Art Museum
        • Archives of American Art
        • Archives of American Gardens
        • American History Museum
        • American Indian Museum
        • Asian Art Museum Archives
        • Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, African Art
        • Hirshhorn Archive
        • National Anthropological Archives
        • National Portrait Gallery
        • Ralph Rinzler Archives, Folklife
        • Libraries' Special Collections
    • Podcasts
    • Stories
  • Learn
    • For Caregivers
    • For Educators
      • Art & Design Resources
      • Science & Nature Resources
      • Social Studies & Civics Resources
      • Professional Development
      • Events for Educators
      • Field Trips
    • For Students
    • For Academics
    • For Lifelong Learners
  • Support Us
    • Become a Member
    • Renew Membership
    • Make a Gift
    • Volunteer
      • Smithsonian Call Center
      • Ambassador Program
      • Museum Information Desk
      • Docent Programs
      • Behind-the-Scenes
      • Digital Volunteers
      • Participatory Science
  • About
    • Our Organization
      • Board of Regents
        • Members
        • Committees
        • Reading Room
        • Bylaws, Policies and Procedures
        • Schedules and Agendas
        • Meeting Minutes
        • Actions
        • Webcasts
        • Contact
      • Museums and Zoo
      • Research Centers
      • Cultural Centers
      • Education Centers
      • General Counsel
        • Legal History
        • Internships
        • Records Requests
          • Reading Room
        • Tort Claim
        • Subpoenas & Testimonies
        • Events
      • Office of Human Resources
        • Employee Benefits
        • How to Apply
        • Job Opportunities
        • Job Seekers with Disabilities
        • Frequently Asked Questions
        • SI Civil Program
        • Contact Us
      • Office of Equal Opportunity
        • EEO Complaint Process
        • Individuals with Disabilities
        • Small Business Program
          • Doing Business with Us
          • Contracting Opportunities
          • Additional Resources
        • Special Emphasis Program
      • Sponsored Projects
        • Policies
          • Combating Trafficking in Persons
          • Animal Care and Use
          • Human Research
        • Reports
        • Internships
    • Our Leadership
    • Reports and Plans
      • Annual Reports
      • Metrics Dashboard
        • Dashboard Home
        • Virtual Smithsonian
        • Public Engagement
        • National Collections
        • Research
        • People & Operations
      • Strategic Plan
    • Newsdesk
      • News Releases
      • Media Contacts
      • Photos and Video
      • Media Kits
      • Fact Sheets
      • Visitor Stats
      • Secretary and Admin Bios
      • Filming Requests

Burton Backhill snowboard created by Jake Burton

National Museum of American History

Object Details

Burton Snowboards
Description (Brief)
This wooden Burton Backhill snowboard was designed by Jake Burton. Jake Burton Carpenter began designing snowboards in 1977 and today Burton is one of the largest manufacturers of snowboards, equipment and apparel in the world. Burton, as he is known, had competed with the Snurfer, the predecessor to the modern snowboard but knew improvements could be made for a smoother ride. A few modifications and the addition of foot bindings led Burton to enter the biggest Snurfer contest in the country with his own board. Technically he won the event but was disqualified because he had not used a Snurfer which, up until then, was the only snowboard allowed in the competition. The Backhill board was introduced in 1979 and was the first board to offer graphics, regular and goofy foot stances and binding adjustments you could make without any tools. It was during this time that snowboarding was not allowed in resorts and snowboarders had to walk up the mountain and ride on the “back of the hill” to make a run with their snowboards. Later snowboarders were allowed on the slopes if they were registered with the resort and carried an identification card. In 1985 only 5 percent of the U.S ski resorts allowed snowboarding and just two years later that jumped to 95 percent with Burton making it possible with their board, binding and boot innovations.
Credit Line
Burton Snowboards
1985
ID Number
2010.0240.01
accession number
2010.0240
catalog number
2010.0240.01
Object Name
snowboard
Physical Description
wood. maple (overall material)
rubber (overall material)
metal (overall material)
nylon (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 52 in x 10 11/32 in x 4 in; 132.08 cm x 26.289 cm x 10.16 cm
overall: 51 1/2 in x 11 in x 5 in; 130.81 cm x 27.94 cm x 12.7 cm
place made
United States: Vermont
See more items in
Culture and the Arts: Sport and Leisure
Snow & Surf
Sports & Leisure
Exhibition
Change Your Game
Exhibition Location
National Museum of American History
National Museum of American History
name of sport
Snowboarding
level of sport
Amateur
recreational
Record ID
nmah_1400986
Metadata Usage (text)
CC0
GUID (Link to Original Record)
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746b0-f543-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Related Content

  • Winter Sports

There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
View manifest View in Mirador Viewer

Footer logo

Link to homepage

Footer navigation

  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Get Involved
  • Inspector General
  • Records Requests
  • Accessibility
  • EEO & Small Business
  • Shop Online
  • Host Your Event
  • Press Room
  • Privacy
  • Terms of Use

Social media links

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn

Get the latest news from the Smithsonian

Sign up for Smithsonian e-news

Get the latest news from the Smithsonian

Email powered by BlackBaud (Privacy Policy, Terms of Use)
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Back to Top