Australian Brothers Launch Kickstarter Campaign to Build ‘Bodyboard for Snow’
Two Australia
Co-Founders Ben and Michael Bateman say that they have been working on their ‘Snoogee Board’ which is designed to combine the control of a snowboard with the thrill of bodyboarding for eight years.
The inspiration for the Snoogee Board came to Co-founder Ben Bateman during a gap year in The United States. He found himself surrounded by snow, but living far from the country’s ski fields.
“I’m an adrenaline junkie, and a bodyboarder since I was 13. I saw people using sleds, but there’s no progression of skill which can be a bit boring. I wanted to merge my love for the waves and the slopes and create the ultimate snow fix,” said Ben.
The duo
They say their Snoogee Board takes the edge control of a snowboard and the functionality of a bodyboard, and not only bridges the gap, but creates a whole new category.
“Snoogee is the only sled that turns and stops on its edges, and the only sled capable of creating resort run and urban sledding (which, until now this has been the exclusive domain of skiing and boarding). Almost anywhere you can ride a snowboard, you can ride a Snoogee Board too,” the brothers say.
Another key element, which the brothers say is unique to Snoogee, is that riders can do more than lay down; they can sit, kneel or stand. The board has been engineered to also provide the responsiveness and comfort needed to land large jumps too.
The board will retail at around $350 US (€309 / £268), but the Kickstarter price available now for advance orders is AU $278 (€175 / £152 / $198 US). Reaching the funding goal on Kickstarter will trigger the production of the first 1000 units.
Last week, the brothers were in Austria to give the board one final ride before going live.
“We hit the slopes of Wildkogel Mountain in Austria, building jumps to get air and carving powder. I can assure you, no other sled on Europe’s sled runs is as versatile or high performing as the Snoogee,” Ben claimed.
