Spark R&D is stepping it up again this season; seeking perfection based on customer needs and keeping pace with the rapidly expanding splitboarding community. The BLAZE returns again this season with upgraded components and splitboard-specific features for even better performance in the backcountry.

“We’ve always been able to respond quickly to customer feedback in our product designs year after year,” says Will Ritter, Spark R&D owner and chief engineer, “and this year is no different. The biggest challenge for us has always been outfitting our baseplates with excellent straps, highbacks, and components worthy of backcountry missions. We’ve tried a couple of different things the last few years that worked well … but for the next level of quality and performance we just had to wait for all of the planets to align.”

The planets have aligned. Spark R&D is proud to announce that they are working with Burton Snowboards for the manufacturing of their straps, thermo plastics, and buckles.

Again, here’s Will: “We get to design our parts exactly how we want them [specific for backcountry touring and riding] while having access to Burton’s time-tested fabrics, materials and techniques for production. We’re psyched because their reputation for quality binding components is unsurpassed in the industry. That’s what we’ve been aiming for – and we’re stoked.”