Burton unveils US snowboarding team Olympic uniforms

The Sochi Games will mark the third consecutive Olympics where Burton has partnered with U.S. Ski & Snowboard Association (USSA) to create one-of-a-kind uniforms designed for riders, by riders.

The pinnacle pieces of the uniform consist of technical outerwear jackets and pants, and in addition, Burton is also supplying the 2014 U.S. Snowboarding Team with hats, gloves, base-layers and fleece to wear while competing.

"Back in 2006 and again in 2010, Burton stepped up to create the Olympic uniforms because we felt it was imperative that a snowboard company help drive the design around what riders want," said Jake Burton, Founder & CEO of Burton Snowboards.

"Just like for Torino and Vancouver, the 2014 uniform was designed around feedback from some of the best American snowboarders to make sure that the design, fit and vibe represented our sport and our country in the best possible way. I can't wait to see the riders on the podium wearing our uniforms."

To design the uniform for the 2014 Sochi Games, Burton once again turned to America's heritage for inspiration. And nothing represents Americana more than handcrafted patchwork quilts and the American flag, which are both at the heart of the 2014 uniform. After a long hunt, Burton designers found the perfect vintage quilt at an antique fair.

Then, they brought it home to Vermont where it was deconstructed and re-constructed by a veteran Vermont quilt maker in order to get it ready to replicate onto the outerwear fabrics. Following this, Burton developed a method to print exact replicas of both the quilt and a vintage American flag onto the fabric of the jackets. The end result is that the quilt pattern on the jackets looks like it was hand-stitched with patchwork squares – just like the original.

And an exact duplicate of the vintage American flag is proudly featured on the jacket's sleeve. With the design inspiration in place, the next step was to ensure that the outerwear would perform at Burton's best-in-class standards so that the athletes are warm and dry in the unpredictable weather conditions that could be encountered in Sochi.

So, Burton turned to the U.S. Army Natick Soldier RD&E Center to research and develop Burton's all new DRYRIDE Vaporshell laminate, which is showcased for the first time in the Olympic Competition Jackets. The end result is a super waterproof and breathable fabric that can stand up to any weather condition.