So here we go… we are going to post something everyday for as long as it takes to catch you all up on the fun.

Starting with our sweet end-of-the-year Jib party in an undisclosed residential area in Bozeman!
Deep fried turkey and snickers bars? Check.
Ramp built off of shed? Check.
Fun box lit up with Christmas lights? Check.

Take a look: (all photos courtesy of our very own Chris McIntosh)

Enough said!
(By the way, if anyone else has great pics of themselves or their kiddos enjoying their Spark R&D Bindings, send them our way and they might make it onto our website. Thanks for the stoke!)

We are excited to announce that Spark R&D’s Fuse binding has won the ISPO BrandNew Finalist Award for innovation!!! Thank you for all of your votes and comments and support. We couldn’t have done it without you. The sport of splitboarding is growing … and you all are part of the revolution. Be proud.

A little background on the ISPO BrandNew Award:

ISPO (Internationale Fachmesse für Sportartikel und Sportmode) is the 4-Day International Trade Fair for Sports Equipment and Fashion, and has been an annual event for the past 40 years in Munich, Germany. This is where all of the retailers and buyers go to see next year’s products and to decide what to sell in their stores in the next season, setting the trends for the outdoor market. Products and companies awarded the ISPO BrandNew Award are considered THE barometer of future trends in sports. This year there were over 350 applicants for the award.

To enter the competition, the company must be 4 years old or younger. The application process involves a public voting component (the part you are familiar with – thanks for all the votes and great comments!) and then a juried component where a group of 20 international experts test and evaluate the products. There is one overall winner of the entire competition, and then one winner and several finalists in each of 7 categories: Accessories, Eco/Fair Trade, Fitness, Hardware, Sportswear, Style, and Urban Style. Spark R&D won a finalist BrandNew Award in the Hardware Category. We are so stoked!

Where from here?

Will Ritter, the owner of Spark R&D and his wife Becca are headed over to Munich in early February to the ISPO trade show along with all of the other winners and finalists. They will be showcasing the Fuse binding and unveiling some great new innovations for the 2011 season.

Spark R&D has always been dedicated to pushing innovation in the sport of splitboarding. Being internationally recognized for this award is just one more way that splitboarding gets put in the lime light. Again, thank you for all of your support and votes, and your dedication to the sport!

See all of the winners and finalists here!

The new adapters are designed around the smaller Dynafit TLT Speed toe pieces (142 g/piece). These adapters are thicker, which allows us to eliminate the stainless steel inserts used in past models:

The toe piece adapters weigh 32 g/piece  (49 g/piece with all hardware)

Our new heel adapters are also thicker for this year to eliminate the stainless inserts, and adjust in twice as many increments as last year:

The heel adapters weigh 32 g/piece (37g/piece with all hardware)

The adapter kit retails for $65.

Dynafit TLT speed toe pieces are available for $164/pair, shown here on the adapter.

For additional information check out our Dyanfit product page.

Contact your local Spark R&D dealer or visit our online store to purchase.

Live in Boulder?  Like free beer?  Wanna watch shred flix, listen to some live tunes and win some gear while supporting a worthy cause?  Join our friends from Blacksmith Adventure for a fundraiser for the Kyrgyzstan Plan.  Click below for more info.

More on the Kyrgyzstan Plan:

2010 PLANS UNVEILED BY MEMBERS OF THE KYRGYZSTAN PLAN

BOULDER, COLORADO (Fall 2009) – Inspired by the success of last winter’s inaugural expedition, the crew behind the grassroots economic development project, The Kyrgyzstan Plan, have proudly unveiled plans for their follow up expedition in 2010.  Lending their vision, expertise and efforts to the initiation of a lodge-stay/ski touring program in Central Asia’s Tien Shan Mountains, the team aspires to provide families associated with Kyrgyzstan’s community based ecotourism network with a viable source of income during the winter season.

The project, founded in 2008 by Colorado native, Ryan Koupal, 28, seeks to take advantage of the country’s rapidly developing tourism industry and stabilizing economic and political environments.  Representing the project on the local level are Mrs. Anar Orozobaeva with the Kyrgyzstan Community Based Tourism Association and Mr. Zarilbek Nyshan Ullu of the Kyrgyz Tour Service.

Efforts thus far have largely involved the pro-bono publicization of the geographically important and stunningly beautiful country of Kyrgyzstan as a ski and winter tourism destination.  Working with Ellis Smith of Blacksmith Productions, Koupal has released a 6-minute cut to drive home the project’s relevance, importance and vast potential for success.  The cut, available on the project website www.thekyrgyzstanplan.com, tells of Koupal and Smith’s unique pursuit to tell the story of Kyrgyzstan’s developing winter tourism industry.  The full documentary is scheduled for international release in the fall of 2010.

Goals for the upcoming expedition (Jan 20 departure) are to wrap up filmwork and lay the groundwork for actual program implementation in the winter of 2010-11.  During their 3-month stay, the team will scout, plot and map the mountain terrain proximal to a handful of selected mountain villages, establish relationships with local mountaineering guides and aspiring ski guides, and introduce a comprehensive curriculum focused on avalanche awareness and technical skills.  The project’s local representatives will assist in the establishment and management of community relations, and they will also help families apply their hospitality trainings to the new wintertime lodge-stay style of programming.

The Kyrgyzstan Plan development initiative and film project has been featured in Skiing magazine (Jan 09) and is slated for a feature story in the Amersterdam-based Reload magazine in 2010.  The project has received support through in-kind product contributions from BCA, Flylow Gear, Zeal Optics, NEMO Equipment, 22 Designs, Spark R&D, Osprey, Prior Snowboards and Raw Revolution.

Additional sponsorships and financial contributions are needed beyond 2010 to sustain the efforts of our local representatives and team members.  To request additional information or pledge your support or assistance, please contact project founder, Ryan Koupal: ryanjosephk@gmail.com.

Wend magazine is based in Portland Oregon and covers pretty much everything that’s cool (including splitboarding this month).  Known for engaging writing and vibrant photography, Wend has been around for four years and is going strong.  Just announced this month, their digital editions will be available for free from their website to those who register (which is free and instant).  Check it out!

Thanks for stopping by the Spark R&D blog, see ya on the skin track!

Check out our video and vote for us here:

We’re proud to be in the competition, and may the best splitboard-binding company in Bozeman MT within a few blocks of the Filling Station win!

Our friend Josh Dirksen sent us an email about the 3rd annual Dirksen Derby coming up in about a month.  From years past it looks really fun, how could a “snowboard rally race” not be that way?  New for this year is a splitboard division, results will combine time on the way up and on the way down.  If you’re in the area be sure to check it out!

http://www.tetongravity.com//photos/Jeremy-Jonesandhistrusty-Spark-R-Dsrelaxbetweenlines-5074355.htm

We are proud to be involved with ‘Deeper’ and are super pumped to see what comes about next year!

Congratulations to Jeremy and the new Jones Snowboards company. In celebration we whipped up a pair of our new Fuse dressed in appropriate duds.. check out more of Jones here.

PS.. yes, the FUSE are coming!! We have crampons in the store ; )

Click the image below to go to Mammut’s website:

In other news, John and I made our first turns of the year yesterday afternoon, stoked!

It’s been snowing all day today, and they’re calling for more for the next week.  Woo Hoo!

9.30.09 first snow of the season at Spark R&D HQ.  Bring it!

Following up the Backcountry Editors Choice Awarded Ignition II, the Fuse has a pile of improvements. We will be manufacturing the baseplates and heel loops completely in house, offering a solid one piece CNC design, stronger pivots, lighter weight, and a few other benefits. Check out the complete details on our website!

Also be on the lookout for some discounted Ignition II’s.. (check out our home page/store.. hint, hint)