Our Story

The BabyBoarder Stick began with one simple goal: help Nate Meckes introduce his 16-month-old nephew, Bond, to snowboarding safely, confidently, and with a whole lot of fun.

Nate is a professional snowboard instructor with more than 20 years of experience teaching riders of all ages and abilities. Growing up, he was told he couldn't start snowboarding until he was 10 - something many families still hear today.

"I knew young children could begin experiencing snowboarding much earlier with the right guidance. I wanted Bond to have the opportunity to discover which winter sport he loved - and with a little encouragement from the family, he chose snowboarding."

Nate built the first BabyBoarder Stick prototype and began using it with Bond on gentle beginner terrain. It gave Nate a practical way to guide the snowboard while helping Bond experience balance, movement, and the excitement of sliding sideways.

The results inspired a bigger question: If the BabyBoarder Stick could help Bond get started, how many other young riders could it help?

Nate placed early prototypes in the hands of other experienced instructors and continued testing and refining the design. Instructors found that teaching young children became more engaging and enjoyable. More importantly, children began developing familiarity with the balance and movement patterns used in snowboarding.

Each round of testing led to improvements, including a stronger base plate, a more rigid handle, and a simpler disconnect system. The result is the BabyBoarder Stick available today: a universal-fit training aid designed to help parents and instructors introduce young riders to snowboarding with guidance, confidence, and fun.

Because the best first day on snow is the one that makes them excited to come back.