HBO Jake Burton Documentary Shows Rise Of Snowboarding
If you are a snowboarder then you know there is a comradery among us. A clan of misfits how were looking for a good time and some thrills began to hit the slopes in the ’80s and ’90s. They were Jake’s kids. Jake Burton is known as the Godfather of snowboarding and Burton snowboards are probably the most famous in the world. HBO released a special this week celebrating Jake Burton and his story. This is a recap and review of the Dear Rider documentary. (Spoilers ahead.)
#DearRider, an @HBO original documentary and true story of how Jake Burton Carpenter turned a childhood pastime into a cultural phenomenon. Catch the premiere on @hbomax November 9th and coming soon to the rest of the world: https://t.co/BxRhSuGECL#RideOnJake pic.twitter.com/8xjsDv3sWk
— Burton Snowboards (@burtonsnowboard) October 27, 2021
The world tragically lost Jake Burton in 2019, but his legacy lives on every time someone straps into one of his boards. The HBO documentary, Dear Rider is an amazing account of his life from childhood to snowboarder legend. From his idea for snow surfing in Long Island as a kid, Burton loved the snow. He took a dream of surfing on land and ran with it. He started his company and never looked back. The film shows the struggles he and his wife Donna went through to get things off the ground and how the evolution of the sport shaped a whole generation.
Those who knew him and loved him tell stories of just how wild and fun he was. His family and friends reminisce about the good times in his life. How involved he was in business and in his family’s life. He was passionate about both work and play. The film shows the hard times as well. His battle through cancer and illness is shown and how he still enjoyed his life despite this. His quote in a letter he wrote was “Have as much fun as possible.”
Top boarders who have spent their careers riding for Burtin spoke about the honor of being on the team. From kelly Clark to Shaun White the best of the best had nothing but nice things to say about Jake and the company. His legacy lives on with each person who straps into a Burton snowboard and points themselves down the mountain.
