As a professional snowboarder, Austin Smith is somewhat enigmatic in that he is hard to define. While the early part of his career was highlighted by his exploits at the vanguard of backcountry freestyle, he has constantly stayed true to his Northwest freeride roots, always showing his innate flow while also sending it whenever a session kicks up a notch. Like still throwing 900’s and frontside inverts in the halfpipe at Mt. Hood

A rider of Austin’s calibre pretty much has his pick of companies to ride for when it comes to boots. Look no further than the section of his resume that says Nike as proof. And while the swoosh no longer offers riders anything to lace up, their legacy is such that some diehard shreds still seek out Zoom Force 1 dead stock or used Vapens. 

Austin is very discerning when it comes to his kit. He won’t just sign on to a program just for the paycheck. In turn, he has spent the past few seasons playing the field, trying a myriad of different boot models in hopes of finding the perfect pair. That search turned into a full circle journey. Austin’s recent connection to Northwave is as sensible as it is sentimental. Not only does Smith find the Northwave Decade the best fit for his foot, but he also aligns with their approach and ethic. He also likes that it is a family-run snowboarding business with a pedigree of building footwear that began in the early 70's. Furthermore, he is quick to point out that most of his early snowboarding heroes, riders like Lucas Huffman, Mikey Leblanc, and Andrew Crawford, wore Northwave’s. But perhaps most serendipitous to this new chapter is the fact that the first pair of boots that Austin ever bought as a kid with his own, hard-earned money was a pair of Northwave Kevin Jones APX 5’s. 

How did you arrive at riding for Northwave?

I was looking for a binding partner for my board company, Season. I wanted something that would be unique but also something I was familiar with. While doing that, I started talking to Drake. We spent a year and a half together making this new Season binding, and the more I worked with them, the more I liked them. Then we started having a conversation about riding for them for their Northwave boots. That's kind of how it came about.

I think anyone snowboarding in the '90s and early 2000s was a fan of Northwave and Drake. The Kevin Jones APX 5 was the first ever boot that I bought, and I had a Northwave poster of Andrew Crawford on my bedroom wall. I'll go out on a limb and say that Northwave was the biggest boot company in the world at that time, which may not be factual, but that's how it felt to me.

And leading up to signing with Northwave, you tried a lot of other boots.

For the last five years, I've been riding as many boots as possible from every different brand. My grand takeaway at the end of the day, after all of my trials and tribulations, is that good boots are tough to make and that people's feet are weird. One boot that is perfect for one person, another person hates. With boots, it's impossible to please everyone. 

I think there’s something to be said for a company that has invested more than thirty years into research, refinement, and development of snowboard boots like Northwave has. 

That was one of the things that piqued my curiosity. I was familiar with Northwave growing up, but they've kind of been off my radar for the last 15 years. What I learned is that they never really left. While they weren’t being distributed in the US, they've continued to be a snowboard company. They’re still owned by the same Italian family, and they never stopped improving and innovating their boots. As things evolve, you see more of these big conglomerates get involved. For me, it's a breath of fresh air to be a part of a family-owned business. I find that super attractive and refreshing.

Is there anything about the Northwave boots that you like in particular?

Out of the box comfort is huge, and I definitely got spoiled with that riding for Nike for about a decade. So first and foremost, I look for comfort. That's why I snowboard, and I don't ski. Northwave achieves that.

What else can we expect down the road from your involvement with Northwave?

I'm working on a boot that will be part of their Decade franchise, which they’ve been making for a long time. Part of the reason I was drawn to Northwave was my nostalgia for the 90’s and early 2000’s. There is a shoe that they’ve been making since day 1 called the Espresso. It’s a very iconic, fat outsole shoe that shares the same profile as their original snowboard boots. I've never worn a shoe in my life that has gotten more comments. People who see it either remember it from when it was originally out, or they have no clue and are just fascinated by it. That’s the vision I am working towards with my Decade boots, but at the same time, I want them to be very technical. I can't say too much at this time, but we have some very exciting stuff in the works. Ultimately, Northwave is a company driven by design and innovation. Maybe I can say that there is a new closure system that will be a big part of my boot. It reminds me of a lawnmower, and who doesn’t love mowing the lawn?