In 2007 Shaun White became the first X-Game Gold Medalist, in both the summer and the winter competitions. How did he do this you ask? He is what we like to call a multi-talented snowboard-skateboarder. Shaun White’s very own line of snowboards costs five hundred dollars to ride in the winter and his skate board deck costs fifty-five dollars to ride summer – but of course, pays for neither. The real question is… what if he did? It seems pretty cut and dry that snowboarding would be more expensive; however like anything in life, it’s just not that simple.
Shaun White’s Burton Shaun White board ($499.95) with Burton Custom Bindings ($139.95) screwed in on top are according to his website, his favorites. Assuming for the rest his brand continues to be his favorite; snug inside his Customs would be his very own White Collection boots ($249.95). To keep this hypothetical Shaun warm he’ll use his Burton Heaven’s Reward Collection – his most expensive look – with a jacket ($299.95) and pants ($199.95); along with his White Collection first layer Union Suit ($99.95) and sock ($24.95). And you can’t forget the most expensive Burton Gloves ($99.95), Under-gloves ($99.95), Oakley Shaun White A Frame goggles ($95.00), and R.E.D. Hi-Fi Helmet ($160.00). Finally, a season’s pass for Shaun’s home mountain in Park City, Utah would be around $475. In general, a snowboard will last two years. (It can actually last much longer, or much less.) This comes out to a yearly cost, assuming with a new snowboard, you’re buying new gear of $1397.33.
When Shaun White is skateboarding, he might use his very own deck, the Birdhouse Shaun White Torch Girl deck ($54.95). However, according to Birdhouse a year’s supply of decks is twelve ($659.40), along with grip tape for each of these new decks (12 @ $5.95; $71.40). Shaun White would only use the best, so take for example Spitfire wheels ($35), Destructo Gold trucks (2 @ $31.95; $63.90) for each new board, as well ($1186.80) and Bones Black Swiss Bearings ($39.95) twice a year. Shaun would use the same R.E.D. Hi-Fi Helmet ($160) for skateboarding as he does for snowboarding with the same life of two years. Most skate parks require a protective gear which can run about $29.99. Luckily, in Shaun’s hometown of Carlsbad, California, he has a free skate park so skateboarding comes to a yearly total of a whopping $2107.49.
Amazingly, skateboarding comes out to be one and a half times more expensive than snowboarding – despite what it seems at first with how pricy a snowboard is! Yet, pros like Shaun White will never have to worry about this again, and we’ll just keep riding.