Season. by Eric Pollard
Eric Pollard, known for his stylish riding and for producing 18 signature models, has made an unparalleled presence in the freeskiing world through his graphic art and filmmaking. Having graced the scene as an icon of LINE SKI since the early days of freeride, Eric has left LINE and launched a new brand, "Season Eqpt.", with his buddy Austin. This season, '21-22, the brand has finally been released in Japan, and its products are attracting a lot of attention.
Eric, who has long been close to the STEEP editorial team, has filmed a video for STEEP users at the Season Eqpt. office at the foot of Mt. Hood in Oregon, introducing the brand and its exciting products.
Let's start by explaining what kind of brand Season is
The brand was created with the idea of uniting the ski and snowboard communities, and the products are non-binary, meaning they are for everyone
As you can see, the product graphics are all black. I know I'm known for being a graphic enthusiast, and I love art, but I still think this is great. I was able to pay attention to the details of the design and incorporate creative elements
But we didn't include any major graphics because we wanted to focus on the longevity of the product
One of the things we try to do as a brand is to encourage our users to use their equipment for as long as possible, which reduces the amount of skis and boards that end up in landfills, which is good for the environment and is a really worthwhile thing to do
The most important thing to me
is simplicity.
A typical brand's product lineup has around 40 models, but we've condensed that into just three.
The three we created are Aero, Nexus, and Forma. The skis and snowboards share the same name. Each is designed to handle different snow conditions.
The Aero is designed for conditions ranging from hard snow to a mix of soft and hard snow, the Nexus is suitable for both hard and soft snow, and the Forma is designed with a focus on soft snow
eqpt. Simplified
"A concise offering of versatile shapes that transcend categories. This translates to better quality and an easier choice for our customers. These three models are the result of a lifelong exploration into shape, width, length, sidecut, flex, camber, and materials."
- Eric
We offer a simple and clear, highly versatile shape that transcends categories. In other words, users can more easily choose higher quality. These three models are the result of a lifetime of exploration into shape, center width, length, sidecut, flex, camber, and materials. – Eric
Forma
Playful and agile, shaped to plane in fresh snow.
It's at its widest, which is obviously a flotation element. This ski is designed specifically for playing in powder. It's surprisingly short, but it's super fun. It really performs well in powder. As you can see, it has a top shape with more entry rocker and a swallowtail. The swallowtail makes it easier to ride the tail, changes the way the ski exits powder, and stabilizes the tail, making it easier to lift the top. You don't have to consciously lift the top
Season Equipment | Forma
Nexus
Designed to excel in all conditions, any day, every day .
The Nexus is 180/183cm long with a 106mm waist width. The Aero is 180cm long with a 96mm waist, so the Nexus is mid-fat. It's a nice combination of high stability and maneuverability, with just the right length and a great flex pattern
The Nexus' entry rocker is significantly more pronounced than the Aero, but it's not as condition-specific. So it doesn't wobble at the top when going over mobile tracks, and it's not useless on hard snow. It really can be ridden in any condition
The Nexus is an all-around model that's great for all conditions. So if you're not looking for something that's specialized, like powder or hard snow, and you can't decide, the Nexus is the one for you. The Nexus is really perfect for situations like this. If you want a ski that can do it all, the Nexus is the one for you
Season Equipment | Nexus
Nexus Size=158,167,177,183,189cm | D=137-106-133 | R=17.5m (183)
Season.
https://seasoneqpt.com/
We call this the Flag. As you can see, the concept comes from the colors of the sunrise and sunset of each day
We tried out different color versions, and we wanted to bring out the experience we've had spending so much time in the mountains
This experience is something everyone can have, so we created flags in the colors of sunrise and sunset to include in our products for everyone
This is a portal. That's what we call it. A portal represents a point of view. Did you notice, this is an old film viewfinder?
Much of what our company has created is based on our experiences and perspectives in the mountains. I've been doing camerawork and filmwork for a long time, and I've been heavily influenced by that world. So I incorporated that into Portal
This looks like a window, facing outside. You frame your subject through it. This is how users view sports like skiing and snowboarding. From our perspective, there's no right or wrong way to do it. Everyone's skiing and snowboarding is different, and they just come down the mountain however they like
eqpt. in common
"I've skied and snowboarded most of my life. I definitely see the difference between the two worlds, but I also see the similarities."
- Eric
I've spent most of my life skiing and snowboarding.
I can see the differences between the two worlds, of course, but I can also see the similarities. - Eric
"One plank or two planks, it's up to you. If you find a three plank option that's cool too" - Austin
One board or two, it's up to you. If you can figure out how to skate with three, that's cool too. - Austin
Season Eqpt aims to highlight the common ground of skiers and snowboarders, amateurs and professionals, young and old, powder days and rain days. We're a community that celebrates winter and the discomfort that comes with it. Cold, dark, and wet conditions bring us purpose, joy, and happiness. This season consumes us, dictates where we live, what jobs we have, and who our friends are. - Eric
Season Eqpt. aims to highlight the intersection between skiers and snowboarders, amateurs and professionals, young and old, powder days and rainy days. We are a community that celebrates winter and all its discomforts
The cold, dark, and wet conditions give us purpose, joy, and happiness. It's this season that drives us and determines where we live, what jobs we have, and what friends we have. -Eric
First time in Japan! An interview unravelling Eric Pollard's way of life and thoughts (Part 1)
Interview <Part 2>
