When you don’t have the right equipment to navigate the elements, backcountry travel can be unpleasant and cumbersome. In many situations snowshoes are too slow, XC skis are too bulky, and split boards are more than you need. Drift Boards are an innovative new product meant to change the way you travel through the backcountry.

A group comprised of snowboarders and engineers joined forces to develop a product that would bridge a market gap, making for less time hauling gear and more time carving powder. Founder Dave Rupp stated to Digital Trends, “My friend and I were in need of a tool to get us into the backcountry. Going into the backcountry was expensive with the current gear available and it lacked the ability to ride boards that were currently in our quivers. We tried all the methods available — XC skis, snowshoes, and split boards. Each had its place, but wasn’t exactly what we were looking for.  We combined what we thought were the best aspects of all three and Drift Boards were created.”

Drift Boards are an efficient and lightweight solution for moving across snow. They glide like skis, hold an edge on slick traverses, and offer the convenience of snowshoes, combining the best elements of traditional mountain equipment.

Drift Boards are best used for climbing terrain while carrying your snowboard on your back, rather than your feet, so that you can ride the snowboard of your choice. Their technical simplicity means no bindings to rotate, latches to unlock, or skins to situate. These boards allow you to glide across the snow, rather than step, making for an extended range of motion. Their narrow shape offers increased ease of movement and they are much lighter than most snowshoes. Compared to skis, Drift Boards are shorter, making it easier to move around without sacrificing speed. They also eliminate the need for skins — efficiently working with any soft boot. 

Drift Boards are constructed of ultra-lightweight carbon fiber, and weigh in at 3.75 pounds. The product includes durable aluminum bindings that work with any kind of boot, steep nose ramps and built-in skins for traction and glide, webbing straps, and a full heel cup. Heel riser bars offer two different height options. The hardware is completely stainless steel. The Drift Board’s dimensions are 6.75 inches in width by 35 inches in length, making them easy to toss in your trunk, the backseat of your car, or a backpack.

You can pre-order a pair of Drift Boards for $350 on the official Kickstarter campaign page.