Iconic snowboarder Shaun White retired from professional competition following the 2022 Beijing Olympics, with 3 Olympic Gold medals, 15 X Games Gold medals in snowboarding along with another five medals in skateboarding, and a slew of other accomplishments. White is without a doubt the most decorated athlete in the sport’s history. Although he’s done competing, White is far from removing himself from the snowboard world altogether. Quite the opposite, in fact – he recently launched WHITESPACE, a fashion-forward, high-end snowboard brand crafting boards, gear, and streetclothes for snowboarders across age groups.
Photo courtesy WHITESPACE
Shaun White Discusses WHITESPACE and Why the World Needed Another Snowboard Brand
We hope you love WHITESPACE! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to make a purchase.
WHITESPACE snowboards and gear are designed by Shaun White himself, so expect them to pop off booters and carve tight lines in the manner that White pioneered throughout his career. Matador spoke with White about why he launched WHITESPACE, where the snowboard industry is headed, and what still stokes him out about riding after all these years.
Shaun White speaks to the ethos and design of WHITESPACE
Photo courtesy WHITESPACE
Matador: What is WHITESPACE doing that other boutique snowboard brands aren’t? What’s fresh, in your opinion?
White: When I started WHITESPACE, I wanted to make sure I was involved in every single detail when it came to the brand: design, creative, marketing, production of the goods and so much more. Taking so many years of riding, and my personal expertise and vision, offers a level of authenticity and performance for not only professional riders, but also beginners and intermediate levels.
I also made sure to blend high-performance snowboarding gear with fashion-forward designs, creating products that are both functional on the slopes, while stylish off them. As someone who travels a lot of the year with my snowboard bag, versatility is important to me. I want a product you can wear on the mountain, but also around the streets of NYC or LA.
Snowboarding has given me so much and broadened my horizon, and I think Whitepace offers the high-performance functionality that enables riders to progress on the snow and a fashion-informed style that can take them anywhere. That versatility is super important to me. I started riding when I was really young and it was important to me that we have snowboards for the next generation to progress on, and for riders at every level.
Matador: What lessons or skillsets have you brought from your competing days into starting a brand like this?
White: As a rider, striving for the perfect trick or grab and pushing the limits of what’s possible has always been second nature to me. That means making sure that every product or decision we make for WHITESPACE meets the highest standards of quality and performance, with even the smallest details considered.
When I was competing, I always had to adjust to unexpected conditions— whether that was the weather, competition formats changing, or the physical and mental pressures of expectations. I think I’ve taken all those skills and now have put them into the business: the ability to pivot when needed, looking at the evolving demands of product creation, and figuring out any logistical or creative challenges. After a lifetime on my snowboard I have spent an enormous amount of time thinking about the little details, like how to make sure that your car keys stay in your cargo pockets when you’re upside down or how to get just the right amount of pop from a board’s camber to sail over a jump into the sweet spot of the landing, or what kind of sidecut makes for the most fun tree runs, and my brother and I have collaborated to make sure that the products perform to the highest standards.
I am very fortunate to have a team around me who share that same vision. My brother, Jesse, and I have worked together on brands for years. We work well together, and know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. He is one of the main brains behind WHITESPACE, and if there is something that I think may work that he may not always agree with, I trust that he has a different set of skills and expertise than me, and knows what will work best for the company.
Matador: What excites you about snowboarding and the industry around it right now?
White: It’s an interesting time in snowboarding. Since the pandemic, more people have tried snowboarding, and discovered how amazing it is, no matter your skill level. It’s exciting environment. It’s exciting to see more diverse community activation going on, more representation on the slopes and the welcoming vibe that all snowboarders deserve. The more people who get to experience that feeling of sliding on snow, and the ways that it can expand your horizon, the better.
We’ve also seen incredible progression at the top level of the sport, and the boundaries that we used to think existed, no longer exist. They’re building a next level airbag training set up at WyEast Academy in Oregon that will allow riders at the forefront of snowboarding to continue to progress in a safer environment, and the kids who go to High Cascade and Windell’s in the summer will get to experience it ahead of the next winter Olympics. And of course I’m super pumped on the debut of the Snow League this year. Snowboarding has needed an event series like this for a long time, and I can’t wait to see it come into existence.
Matador: Retail store growth forthcoming or is the focus on online sales?
White: We currently have retail partners and direct sales on our website and we plan to expand in both areas.
Photo courtesy WHITESPACE
Check out the coolest products from WHITESPACE
Freestyle Shaun White Pro snowboard
Photo courtesy WHITESPACE
The WHITESPACE Freestyle Shaun White Pro snowboard, designed and tested by Shaun White himself, is iconic of what White wants to do with this brand. It’s built to his specs for pipe, park, and freeriding, and comes in two color combinations and a variety of sizes based on rider weight, ranging from 132 cm to 165 cm. The board boasts carbon construction, a responsive camber profile, and a high-performance sintered base – so you know it’ll fly in the park. It utilizes a directional twin shape, a poplar and paulownia core, triaxial ultra dense weave fiberglass, C4X carbon fiberglass, a reduced sidecut radius, plant-based bio-resin, thermoplastic ABS sidewalls, and water-based inks.
Price: $649
Women’s AMF Twin snowboard
Photo courtesy WHITESPACE
This snowboard, available in two color combinations and a variety of sizes, is designed for women who spend as much time in the park as they do in the trees. It features ultralight carbon-infused fiberglass, a premium sintered base, and a playful camber profile designed to pop off kickers and side hits. Like the Freestyle Shaun White Pro, it utilizes a directional twin shape, a poplar and paulownia core, triaxial ultra dense weave fiberglass, C4X carbon fiberglass, a reduced sidecut radius, plant-based bio-resin, thermoplastic ABS sidewalls, and water-based inks.
Price: $619
Magnetic MD Icon goggles
Photo courtesy WHITESPACE
The Magnetic MD Icon goggles from WHITESPACE, available in four colors, feature an innovative beveled-edge lens with a magnetic changing system for easy lens swapping. The goggles come equipped with a premium injection-molded cylindrical lens for superior strength and clarity, as well as high contrast technology to enhance depth perception. Notable features include OTG compatibility, armored venting, and a silicone-backed strap. White’s focus in creating a pair of goggles was on precision vision, effortless versatility, and comfort in any winter setting – from pow days to flat light.
Price: $299.95
3L Performance 3-in-1 Jacket
Photo courtesy WHITESPACE
This jacket comes in four colors and a variety of sizes, ranging from XXS to XXL. The jacket features a 3-layer waterproof shell integrated with a removable 3L softshell liner. Its components include Bemis® 3L seam tape and YKK VISLON® AquaGuard® Zippers, and it is made with PFC-free Durable Water Repellent. Some additional notable features include Passive Airflow (PAS) venting, a sleeve pass pocket, and articulated patterning. White rides his gear hard, so expect the 3L jacket to last for many years of heavy use — from the park to the backcountry.
Price: $549
Unconventional Athletics hoodie
Photo courtesy WHITESPACE
The Unconventional Athletics hoodie – designed for women, but certainly wearable by all – comes in two colors and all sizes. It’s made with a mid-weight 80% cotton and 20% recycled polyester fleece blend, meaning its free of new plastics. The hoodie features chest and sleeve embroidery, a relaxed fit, a pullover hood, drop shoulders, a kangaroo pocket, a lined hood, no drawcord, and sleeve cuff ribbing. WHITESPACE positions the hoodie as more than just a piece of clothing, but a representation of a mindset that celebrates individuality and nonconformity – as “to the core” of snowboarding as it gets. 
Price: $99