Dropping in with the Banshee Bungee

Snowboarders see the world differently than most people; a ledge, a staircase, a drop, a playground, artwork can all become objects that should be ridden, bonked, tapped, and enjoyed.  To hit all of these objects you need some type of drop in system, a way to gain speed in tight spots with limited amounts of snow.  One company has set out to give snowboarders the chance to carry less with more speed by creating the Banshee Bungee system created to launch riders in tight spots with enough speed to hit features.

I caught up with Banshee Bungee Founder Kevin Veon to find out more about the Banshee Bungee.

Shay:  What is the Banshee Bungee?
Kevin:  The bungee is a highly elastic cord that launches riders up to 30 miles per hour to open up all kinds of possibilities for snowboarders. It makes urban missions much easier – riders have enough speed to hit features on flat land and the bungee frees them up from having to build or carry ramps.

Shay:How do you set it up?
Kevin:  It works like a slingshot – you tie one end of the bungee to something sturdy (a rail, tree, pole etc…) past the feature you want to hit. Once it’s anchored, you stretch the bungee back until there’s tension and let go of the handle when you’re ready to rip.

[singlepic id=4908 w=400 h=300 float=]

Shay:  What was the reason behind creating it?
Kevin:  The bungee was originally a part of a riverboarding system that Banshee developed. Early on it became clear that the bungee had a place in other board sports as well – we received video from a pro skimboarder who used the bungee at the beach and that motivated us to figure out a way to adapt it for different board sports. It’s funny because even though it was originally designed for a water sport, I think the bungee opens up the most possibilities for snowboarders.

[singlepic id=4909 w=200 h=300 float=]

Shay:  Is the bungee a product just for snowboarders?
Kevin:  Snowboarders, skateboarders and skimboarders have a lot of use for the bungee and we also see it being used by urban skiers, dirtboarders, kiteboarders and wakeskaters. A lot of people use it year-round for snowboarding in the winter and skateboarding when the snow melts.

Shay:  Are there different types of bungee?
Kevin:  We have three bungee packages. The 10-foot Urban Assault package was developed specifically for rails and tight lead-ins, the 20-foot Outlaw Slinger is the original and most popular package, and the Federal Offense is a package with two twenty-foot bungees and two handles.

Shay:  How durable is the banshee bungee?
Kevin:  Let’s just say that it was designed to take a lot of abuse.

Shay:  What is the benefit of using the Banshee Bungee?
Kevin:  For urban riders, the bungee puts any terrain into play. You don’t have to spend hours building a ramp, and you can ride anywhere. We worked with a handful of film crews this winter, and the feedback was that the bungee gave riders enough speed to hit features that used to be out of reach. People who like to push the boundaries of their sport tend to like this product.

[singlepic id=4907 w=300 h=400 float=]

Photo: Cyrus Polk

Shay:  What pros are using the bungee?
Kevin:  Nate Bozung and the Boz Wreck crew have been great friends to Banshee. Yale Cousino and Dave King are part of our pro team, and there are quite a few pros like Mark Frank Montoya and Aaron Bittner who used the bungee to film this winter. We have received a lot of support from people in the sport and we’re extremely grateful for it.

Shay:  Is there such a thing as too much speed?
Kevin:  You’re kidding, right? 🙂

For more information head to Banshee Bungee and check out the Banshee Bungee videos in action.