Smokin' Snowboards is one of the most legit brands in snowboarding. It is not owned by some big corporation or a ski company, it is run and owned by snowboarders, for real. Their proud leader and Industry Boss is Smokin' Jay. He is a big dude with a big heart for snowboarding. We sat down with him and threw some questions at him about the company and more. Enjoy!

Most everyone in the business knows you as Smokin’ Jay. Please state your full name.
Jay Quintin.

And your go-to alias is/would be … ?
Smokin'/Smokey/Smoke Diggler depending on what relationship we have.

Before we go any further, watch this swee edit with interviews from the people that make Smokin' happen:

You lived with Shaun Palmer for a bit when you moved to Tahoe over two decades ago. Got a good Palmer story for us?
Shaun Palmer was my first contact when I moved to Tahoe in 1990. I have a few crazy Palmer stories. I remember watching Palmer get into a fight at a house party in South Shore and just start fighting the whole party. He won. I was also the Palmer NorCal rep for a few years when it started. It was great to work with Bob Klein–I learned a lot from him.
 
What makes Tahoe the ideal spot for Smokin’s HQ?
Tahoe is the epicenter of snowboarding, if you ask me. We have 13 resorts and miles of backcountry with literally all sorts of the best terrain a snowboarder could ask for. Our proximity to this is probably one of the keys to our success. We can take a board from design to snow, whether it’s an entirely new concept or side-by-side testing of existing technology, and refine it with an efficiency you can't get anywhere else. Our factory is 30 minutes in either direction from steep natural riding or epic terrain parks. It's a unique situation and our research and design process is quick.
How many people are working the Smokin’ factory these days?
We have a varying staff that fluctuates between 7-12 employees depending on time of the year and our production needs. That includes office staff.
 
Ever had to "shitcan" anybody?
If by shitcan you mean fire then the answer is going to be of course. Who runs a business and hasn't had to at some point? We love our staff and treat them like family but sometimes things don't work out with everyone.  
 
Are you the sole owner of the brand?
I believe that a huge part of the respect we command is because we are privately owned and we don't have to answer to investors. Joe Fontaine and Binky (Christiano Depasquale) earned percentages helping us get to where we are. I am the controlling owner, for sure. Our snowboarding roots are what inspire our brand, design and ethos, instead of the wants of some corporation who hires a few snowboarders to run their "snowboard brand."

You’ve recently added Tahoe killer Nial Romanek to the team. How’s it feel to have one of the new masters of the switch press on the roster?
Nial is such a rad dude. When we met with him for the first time at the factory he was totally into our whole program. Nial is an awesome addition to the team and we are stoked to get him riding with the rest of the crew at Superpark. Nial rode a solid cross section of the various boards we have at the factory and found a combination of tech features and shapes along with his own tip designs that we put together to make his new pro model. The AnNIALator is badass. Let it be noted that Nial Romanek can land in powder as well as destroy the streets. We are super proud to have him riding a Smokin’!
 
It was recently announced that GBP is now officially under the Smokin’ umbrella and that you will be handling their distribution. Could there possibly be a better fit?
When the concept of adding GBP to the program came about, it literally made so much sense it was crazy. The GBP crew is like family and assimilating them into the brand has been seamless. We saw an opportunity to help these guys get their boards in more retailer’s and distributor’s hands through our chain of connections and partners. GBP is growing super fast and we are in it for the long haul with them.
 
Rudyard Kipling once said: “A woman is only a woman, but a good cigar is a smoke.” Are you much of a cigar man?
No cigs or cigars for me. But I do love my woman, Wara. She is the glue at Smokin’ who has been a major part of our success behind the scenes.
 Most burnt Smokin’ rider?
Buck Ferton, for sure. That dude is reckless ...
 
There are a number of smaller board brands trying to crack the mold these days? Are there any that you are particularly hyped on?
Anyone that is willing to try new things and stand for riders taking control of snowboarding is someone to be hyped on. There is so much money and power changing hands in snowboarding behind our backs and between people that have no business having that much control over these things that it is scary. Who seriously wants to support a brand run by the same people that make Mr. Coffee and Crock Pot?  Shouldn't snowboarders be responsible for the future of snowboarding?
Prerequisites for the Smokin’ team?
Have a positive attitude and a clean method. Be weird but not creepy and fit into the family.  If a rider is missing any of those, they are automatically out. Hahaha.
 
What did you unleash at the recent tradeshows (ISPO/SIA)?
We launched the Future Freeride Series, which includes three radical and new shapes and it went bananas. We also released a new girls’ model, The Fawesymmetrical, which combines the shape ideas behind our award winning Awesymmetrical board and the award-winning Vixen. We totally re-tuned the sidecuts and shape but kept the girls’ favorite flex and rockers to make a whole new board and so far it's been all smiles from testers.  

Smokin' has a wide array of board shapes, from camber to the new Thrashrocker. Do you have a current favorite?
The new Jetson, which is a wide twin with a short sidecut and long radius, blends camber underfoot and early-rise rocker through the tips and has totally blown me away. The new Team Asymmetrical with the refined TTX rocker and softer flex is out of this world, as well.

Have you received heat for making longboards?
Not really. People have been pretty receptive to it and we immediately put out some more traditional shapes to fill that need, as well. Even the most hardcore skater or snowboarder can't help but smile when they are bombing a hill on any length or style Smokin' Street Slayer skateboard. Be sure to follow our wheel company @SquareWheelCo.
 
Last words?
We are just snowboarders fighting to keep snowboarding legit. Support rider-owned brands a get more high fives and good karma than you could know what to do with. We are all here for the same reason. Snowboarding.  Let's shred and party because that’s what we live for.
smokinsnowboards.com