The Montana Mask Project and Good Person Awards

In March of 2020, we made a pretty big shift. We went from manufacturing splitboard bindings and accessories to producing ‘beyond crisis capacity’ PPE masks called the Montana Mask. We manufactured a mold based on an already existing 3D print design and then utilized our injection-molding machines to begin producing thousands of masks a day.
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Split Fitness 2020

aurelien routens splitboarding
When thinking about splitboarding, whether you’re a beginner or an expert, one important premise holds true – your fitness level and preparation should match the mission. As your splitboarding progresses so should your fitness level, technical skills, and a general understanding of backcountry travel.
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Inside Spark: Manufacturing Ibex Splitboard Crampons

Ibex mfg header
Like nearly all of our products, Ibex Splitboard crampons are proudly made in the USA. They are manufactured by a skilled crew in our shop in Bozeman, MT. In our latest installment of Inside Spark, we show how we manufacture our Ibex Crampons - from raw aluminum all the way to a finished product.
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Checking In With the Spark Team

Spark Team Rider Blog Graphic
We checked in with a couple of our Spark R&D Team Riders just to see how they have been doing, staying busy, staying sane, and staying in shape. We mention staying in shape specifically because many of us would still like to do more splitboarding this spring! May can be prime backcountry time, but you
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Spark R&D Montana Mask Press Release

Spark R&D Co-Owner Will Ritter (6)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Spark R&D, the splitboard binding manufacturer based out of Bozeman, MT, has begun production on injection-molded mask parts for the Montana Mask project. The Montana Mask was designed out of Billings, Montana by Dusty Richardson, MD, Spencer E. Zaugg, DMD, and Colton Zaugg in the wake of personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages due to the COVID-19 crisis. It was designed to be an open-source, grassroots movement, where anyone can download the files and print the masks on a 3D printer.
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The Best Splitboard Destinations in the World Bracket Challenge

Splitboard bracket blog header and logo
Yeah, we know there are a lot of different brackets and contests out there. But this one is specifically for the splitboard community! It's pretty simple, first, we need 16 locations, zones, or mountain ranges. You can nominate an area you are familiar with riding as the Best Splitboard Destination in the World using the form below until Monday, April 13th. After that, the tournament field will be set and we'll share the voting opportunities on this page and Spark R&D's social media channels. If your nomination is selected as 1 of the 16 to be in the tournament, you'll win a pack of Spark swag and goodies. If your exact selection (nomination) wins the tournament, we'll send you a set of 20/21 bindings next Fall!
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Spark R&D April Fool’s Day Library

Over the last four years, we've had a lot of fun creating an April Fool's Day video each spring. With everything going on in the world we didn't feel like our heart was in it to create a new video in 2020, but we did want to give everyone a needed chuckle. So, we compiled our last four videos in one place for everyone to easily enjoy.
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Counteracting Heuristic Traps

Heuristics: types of decision making strategies (often thought of as rules of thumb) that simplify decision making by reducing the number of cues analyzed, thus reducing cognitive burden on decision makers and increasing decision efficiency
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Carpe Diem Episode 17

Carpe Diem Ep 17
Carpe Diem is the splitboard driven web series from Spark R&D Team Rider Aurelien Routens. In Episode 17 he explores the Park de Ecrins in France.
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Spark R&D Splitboard Binding Maintenance

Binding Maintenance Blog thumb
Proper maintenance will go a long way to ensuring you get the most out of your Spark bindings for years to come. The two main points we hit on in this short video are: 1) keep your climbing wires lubricated, and 2) check your screws frequently.
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