In this section of our web guide, we'll explore mountainboarding, also called dirtboarding, off-road boarding, or all-terrain boarding.
Mountainboarding is an extreme sport combining snowboarding, skateboarding, and surfing. It involves riding a specially designed board with pneumatic tires and bindings over various terrains, such as grass hills, dirt trails, and skateparks.
Mountainboarding was pioneered in the early 1990s by people looking for a way to snowboard during the off-season. The first commercial mountainboards were developed by Jason Lee and Patrick McConnell in 1993, leading to the establishment of Mountain Board Sports (MBS) in Colorado.
The sport quickly gained popularity in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia, albeit as a niche sport. Early mountainboards were simple, with wooden decks and metal frames, but they soon evolved to include more sophisticated components like pneumatic tires and advanced steering mechanisms.
Contemporary mountainboards consist of a deck, which is the board itself, typically made from durable materials like wood or composite; trucks, which are the steering mechanisms that allow the board to turn and carve; bindings to secure the rider's feet to the deck; four wheels with pneumatic tires designed to handle rough terrain, and sometimes brakes, although these are generally reserved for big mountain riding.
Riders also use protective gear, including helmets, knee pads, elbow pads, and wrist guards.
There are four main disciplines in mountainboarding. Freestyle involves performing tricks on slopestyle courses with jumps, rails, and other features. Boardercross (or BoarderX or BX) is a race format where riders navigate a course with jumps, berms, and other obstacles. Downhill mountainboarding focuses on high-speed descents on steep, rugged terrain. With Big Air mountainboarding, riders perform aerial tricks off large jumps. Freeriding refers to non-competitive mountainboarding over natural terrain, including woodland.
Mountainboarding competitions are held worldwide and include local, regional, and international championships. Notable competitions include the World Boardercross Championships and the World Freestyle Championships, which attract top riders who compete in various disciplines to showcase their skills and push the boundaries of the sport.
Some powered mountain boards are gaining traction among the boarding community. Small gas or electric motors are attached to allow mountainboarding to be done on flat ground or to climb hills rather than being confined to downhill surfaces. This could become a more common practice in the future.
Topics related to mountainboarding are appropriate for this category. However, online retail sites should be submitted to the proper Shopping & eCommerce category.
Recommended Resources
Founded by three friends in 2005, the ATBoarders group aimed to be an alternative online mountainboard media to rival the mainstream, promote the sport and have fun. The group attended events and competitions, wrote articles, and made videos. When one of the group members died in 2009, the group disbanded. ATBoarders is back, with one of the original members, plus two others. The collective of mountainboarders produces content related to the sport, including videos and events.
https://www.atboarders.com/
Bugsboarding Mountainboard Centre
Bugsboarding is a well-known mountainboard center in the United Kingdom, located in Gloucestershire. The family-run outdoor activity center offers a variety of extreme sports activities, including mountainboarding, dirt scooting, and grass sledging, although its core activity is mountainboarding, dealing with all skill levels, with a wide range of slopes and tracks, including a beginner's slope and a slopestyle course. Activities, prices, and directions are posted.
https://bugsboarding.co.uk/
Dirtheads is a community organization of mountainboarding enthusiasts who host various events, including the Intergalactic Planetary Mountainboard Open in Canton, Pennsylvania. The event features a range of competitions, such as freestyle, time trials, and downhill racing, offering an adrenaline-packed experience for participants and spectators alike. Their courses are designed to challenge and excite mountainboarders, with a ¾-mile track that winds through a wooded canopy.
https://dirtheadsmtb97.com/
Four Wheel Ride is a New Zealand importer of MBS Mountainboards and all-terrain longboards, offering a variety of mountainboards and accessories, catering to enthusiasts who enjoy riding on diverse terrains like grass fields, dirt tracks, and city streets but designed for downhill sports. The site features its products, as well as photographs and several videos featuring these sports and an overview of various types of landboards, safety guidelines, and contact information.
https://www.4wheelride.com/
MBS Mountainboards is an American brand based in Colorado, in the United States. They have grown to become the leading manufacturer of mountainboards and mountainboarding accessories. MBS Europe is part of Maxtrack and has been distributing MBS Mountainboards in the United Kingdom for more than a decade, with its offices and warehouse in the UK. With French, German, and Spanish speakers and agents throughout Europe. The history of mountainboarding and an informational blog are included.
https://mbseurope.com/
Founded in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1993, MBS Mountainboards is a pioneer in the sport of mountainboarding, known for its innovative and high-performance mountainboard products, designed to extend the snowboard season year-round. MBS offers a variety of boards suitable for varying skill levels and terrain. Its website also highlights places to ride, information on choosing the right board, learning and action videos, a photo gallery, and scheduled events.
https://www.mbs.com/
