{"id":2020156,"date":"2026-06-30T21:12:16","date_gmt":"2026-06-30T18:12:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2020156"},"modified":"2026-06-30T21:12:16","modified_gmt":"2026-06-30T18:12:16","slug":"the-pow-paddle-a-ski-pole-for-snowboarders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2020156","title":{"rendered":"The Pow Paddle: A Ski Pole for Snowboarders"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<figure id=\"attachment_414291\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-414291\" style=\"width: 734px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"wp-image-414291 size-full lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAoAAAAIFAQMAAAB4ft4LAAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAD9JREFUeNrtwTEBAAAAwqD1T20JT6AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA4GyjlQABYLuC\/QAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"517\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/IMG_9282-e1782857089136.jpg?resize=640%2C517&amp;ssl=1\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/IMG_9282-e1782857089136.jpg?w=734&amp;ssl=1 734w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/IMG_9282-e1782857089136.jpg?resize=300%2C242&amp;ssl=1 300w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-eio-rwidth=\"640\" data-eio-rheight=\"517\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"wp-image-414291 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/IMG_9282-e1782857089136.jpg?resize=640%2C517&amp;ssl=1\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"517\" data-eio=\"l\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-414291\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Pow Paddle could help snowboarders easily navigate traverses and flat spots without unstrapping. | Credit: Pow Paddle Instagram<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"code-block code-block-1\" style=\"margin: 8px auto;text-align: center;display: block;clear: both\">\n<!-- GAM 71161633\/SNWBR_snowbrains\/article_hrec_1 --><\/p>\n<div data-fuse=\"article_hrec_1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>For years, the unwritten rule of snowboarding has been simple: no ski poles required. <\/strong>But a new invention is challenging that tradition, and it might make sense for snowboarders around the world.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Pow Paddle, described as a \u201csnowboarder\u2019s ski pole,\u201d aims to solve one of the biggest frustrations in snowboarding: getting across flat terrain without unstrapping. <\/strong>Invented in Durango, Colorado, by snowboarder Ken Black, the Pow Paddle was developed as a family project alongside his wife, Sandy, and son, Ashton, a student at Fort Lewis College.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Unlike traditional ski poles, the Pow Paddle was designed specifically for snowboarding. <\/strong>It features a carbon fiber shaft with a stainless steel, wave-shaped paddle tip that helps riders push, balance, and maintain speed in traverses, flat sections, and even deep powder. Its wider paddle lets snowboarders generate forward speed while keeping their natural sideways stance, with the paddle compacting snow behind it to generate an extra push.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cThe paddle allows for you to\u2026 use your horizontal movement a little bit more, while standing up straight,\u201d Ashton said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/articles\/fort-lewis-college-student-launches-ski-pole-for-snowboarders\/\"><em>Durango Herald<\/em> article<\/a>.<\/strong> \u201cWhen you do propel through powder, it kind of [works] like a shovel \u2026 it compacts the snow behind it, and then allows you to propel off that powder.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"code-block code-block-16\" style=\"margin: 8px 0;clear: both\">\n<div id=\"sb-newsletter\" style=\"background:#2B2E3A;border-top:3px solid #D7424E;padding:26px 24px 22px;margin:28px 0;,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;width:100%;display:block\">\n<p>    @media (max-width:600px) {<br \/>\n      #sb-newsletter { padding:18px 20px 14px !important; }<br \/>\n      #sb-newsletter h3 { font-size:14px !important; white-space:nowrap; }<br \/>\n      #sb-newsletter .sb-body { font-size:12px !important; margin-bottom:8px !important; }<br \/>\n      #sb-newsletter .sb-proof { font-size:11px !important; }<br \/>\n      #sb-newsletter .sb-form-row { flex-wrap:nowrap !important; }<br \/>\n      #sb-newsletter .sb-form-row input { font-size:12px !important; padding:9px 10px !important; }<br \/>\n      #sb-newsletter .sb-form-row button { font-size:12px !important; padding:9px 12px !important; }<br \/>\n    }<\/p>\n<div id=\"sb-form-wrap\">\n<p style=\"font-size:13px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:2px;text-transform:uppercase;color:#D7424E;margin:0 0 9px 0;,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif\">SnowBrains Newsletter<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color:#ffffff;font-size:19px;font-weight:700;margin:0 0 6px 0;line-height:1.25;,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif\">The snowsports journalism skiers trust.<\/h3>\n<p class=\"sb-body\" style=\"color:#ffffff;font-size:13px;margin:0 0 8px 0;line-height:1.5;,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif\">Award-winning journalism, resort reports, powder forecasts and industry deep dives from the world&#8217;s largest independent snowsports outlet.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sb-proof\" style=\"color:#9ca3af;font-size:12px;font-style:italic;margin:0 0 12px 0;,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif\">Join thousands of snow lovers.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sb-form-row\" style=\"display:flex;gap:8px;flex-wrap:wrap\">\n<p>      <button style=\"background:#D7424E;color:#fff;border:none;border-radius:4px;padding:10px 20px;,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:700;cursor:pointer;white-space:nowrap\">Subscribe free \u2192<\/button>\n    <\/div>\n<p style=\"color:#ffffff;font-size:11px;margin:10px 0 0 0;,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif\">No spam. Unsubscribe any time.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"sb-success\" style=\"display:none\">\n<p style=\"color:#ffffff;font-size:26px;font-weight:700;margin:0 0 8px 0;line-height:1.2;,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif\">You&#8217;re in!<\/p>\n<p style=\"color:#ffffff;font-size:15px;margin:0;line-height:1.5;,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif\">Thanks for signing up. The best ski news is on its way.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>function sbSubscribe() {<br \/>\n  var email = document.getElementById(&#8216;sb-email&#8217;).value;<br \/>\n  if (!email || !email.includes(&#8216;@&#8217;)) {<br \/>\n    document.getElementById(&#8216;sb-email&#8217;).style.borderColor = &#8216;#D7424E&#8217;;<br \/>\n    return;<br \/>\n  }<br \/>\n  var url = &#8216;https:\/\/snowbrains.us5.list-manage.com\/subscribe\/post?u=1f247afab0a546e393c022f9a&amp;id=bcbf6caf6b&amp;f_id=003bf2e0f0&#8217;;<br \/>\n  var data = new FormData();<br \/>\n  data.append(&#8216;EMAIL&#8217;, email);<br \/>\n  data.append(&#8216;tags&#8217;, &#8216;2188762&#8217;);<br \/>\n  data.append(&#8216;b_1f247afab0a546e393c022f9a_bcbf6caf6b&#8217;, &#8221;);<br \/>\n  fetch(url, { method: &#8216;POST&#8217;, body: data, mode: &#8216;no-cors&#8217; });<br \/>\n  document.getElementById(&#8216;sb-form-wrap&#8217;).style.display = &#8216;none&#8217;;<br \/>\n  document.getElementById(&#8216;sb-success&#8217;).style.display = &#8216;block&#8217;;<br \/>\n}\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>The Pow Paddle would be especially effective at resorts with long traverses, such as Purgatory Resort in Colorado, which features flat sections certain riders have coined, \u201cTraversatory.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Related: <em><a href=\"https:\/\/snowbrains.com\/the-only-snowboard-you-need-is-a-directional-twin\/\">The Only Snowboard You Need is a Directional Twin<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Born from the Paddleboard Paddle<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Ken, who has been a lifelong snowboarder, came up with the idea while stand-up paddleboarding during a trip to Mexico.\u00a0<\/strong>When the 2023-24 ski season arrived, he showed up to Purgatory with a prototype in hand, built from an adapted paddleboard paddle.<\/p>\n<p><strong>As a skier, his son Ashton was skeptical at first. <\/strong>He\u00a0was won over after seeing the Pow Paddle in action.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cI started seeing how he\u2019s using [it] in flat sections, how he could use it to go up to the lift, how he could rest upon it\u2026and that\u2019s when we kind of were like, \u2018There could be something here,\u2019\u201d Ashton said in the article.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Within months, Ken, Ashton, and Sandy had filed for a patent and began turning their idea into a business.\u00a0<\/strong>Today, Ashton handles much of the company\u2019s operations while the family prepares for its planned launch for the 2026-27 season. They plan on setting up a demo tent at Purgatory with online sales through Shopify, before eventually expanding into retail stores.<\/p>\n<h2>Building Momentum<\/h2>\n<p><strong>The Pow Paddle has already begun to generate interest from big-name retailers.\u00a0<\/strong>Representatives from REI Durango and Backcountry Experience have expressed interest in the product, as well as adaptive sports organizations and snowboard instructors.<\/p>\n<p><b>The first Pow Paddle was sold at Fort Lewis College\u2019s Hawk Tank entrepreneurship competition.\u00a0<\/b>Longtime snowboarder Bo Maloney purchased the paddle for $400, and Ashton walked away with the second-place prize of $2,500.<\/p>\n<h2>More than a Traversing Tool<\/h2>\n<p><strong>While the Pow Paddle was originally intended to help snowboarders traverse, the Black family believes it has other important benefits, too.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Because the paddle has a stable point of contact with the snow, it can serve as a physical support while standing, getting on and off chairlifts, and taking breaks without sitting down.\u00a0<\/strong>It also reduces the effort needed to keep up speed, which Ashton believes can make snowboarding more accessible for a wider range of riders.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Related: <em><a href=\"https:\/\/snowbrains.com\/what-ski-gear-would-you-buy\/\">New Skis, New Boots, and Even New Knees: What SnowBrains Readers Would Buy With $1,000<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Looking Ahead<\/h2>\n<p><strong>The Black family still has significant progress to make before the Pow Paddle reaches consumers.\u00a0<\/strong>The current retail price is set at $329, reflecting its durability, quality, and position as premium gear.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The family\u2019s major focus now lies on transitioning the Pow Paddle from a handmade product to one that has a production mold.\u00a0<\/strong>They are considering taking out a home-equity loan to fund the mold in order to keep the business entirely in the hands of the family.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Wherever the product may be headed, Ashton wants the Pow Paddle\u2019s Durango roots to be central to the story.\u00a0<\/strong>He credits the Katz School of Business, the Hawk Tank experience, and early supporters like Bo Maloney for helping turn his idea into a product.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cIt really was the community that kind of kept us rolling \u2026 It\u2019s really just [about] saying thanks to the community,\u201d Ashton told the <em>Durango Herald<\/em>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_406426\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-406426\" style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-406426 lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAoAAAAFoAQMAAAD9\/NgSAAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAADJJREFUeNrtwQENAAAAwqD3T+3sARQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN3HoAAEwzlS7AAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" alt=\"Mammoth Mountain Main Traverse\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Mammoth-Mountain-Main-Traverse.jpg?resize=640%2C360&amp;ssl=1\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Mammoth-Mountain-Main-Traverse.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Mammoth-Mountain-Main-Traverse.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Mammoth-Mountain-Main-Traverse.jpg?resize=1200%2C675&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Mammoth-Mountain-Main-Traverse.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Mammoth-Mountain-Main-Traverse.jpg?resize=1536%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Mammoth-Mountain-Main-Traverse.jpg?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-eio-rwidth=\"640\" data-eio-rheight=\"360\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-406426\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Mammoth-Mountain-Main-Traverse.jpg?resize=640%2C360&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"Mammoth Mountain Main Traverse\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" data-eio=\"l\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-406426\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Long, flat traverses are a snowboarder\u2019s nightmare. The Pow Paddle might help solve that problem. | Credit: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><!-- CONTENT END 1 -->\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Pow Paddle could help snowboarders easily navigate traverses and flat spots without unstrapping. | Credit: Pow Paddle Instagram For years, the unwritten rule of snowboarding has been simple: no ski poles required. But a new invention is challenging that tradition, and it might make sense for snowboarders around the world. The Pow Paddle, described [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,267],"class_list":["post-2020156","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-snowbrains-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2020156","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2020156"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2020156\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2020156"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2020156"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2020156"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}