ABOUT THE DESIGN
Confronted with the disadvantages of the present types of snowboard bindings, Belgian designer Peter Van Riet, an enthusiastic snowboarder himself, came up with the idea of developing a new type of binding himself. "The patented Beyondsnow™ binding facilitates stepping in and enhances comfort and safety for the snowboarder. At the step-in the straps lie open alongside the binding. When stepping into the binding, the pressure of the foot sets off a built-in mechanism causing the straps to be automatically moved into position across the boots. They are then locked manually. The binding allows more freedom to move than other bindings, is easy to use and compatible with all the different kinds of boots."

In 2006, a test-worthy prototype was developed and tested in collaboration with the engineering bureau Verhaert New Products & Services. The concept was presented successfully in Munich at the ISPO trade fair, Europe's most important trade show for winter sports articles. In order to respond to demand from snowboarders, different bindings will be developed and offered in the near future.



Function: snowboard binding
Dimensions: length 31 cm, height 30 cm, width 19 cm
Weight: 1.1 kg
Materials: various DuPont™ Zytel® and Hytrel® materials, EVA metal
Techniques: injection moulding, die cast, metal stamping

Prize
One of twenty selected entries for the International Composites Design Competition, the travelling exhibition

ABOUT THE DESIGNER
Peter Van Riet (born 1970)
Beyond Products

Pourbusstraat 25
B-2000 Antwerp
Belgium
t: +32 3 237 96 53
f: +32 3 237 96 53
e: peter@beyondsnow.com
w: www.beyondsnow.com

ABOUT THE AWARD
The International Composites Design Competition salutes designs in which composite materials have been used to the best effect and in an intelligent and innovative manner. The competition was open to professional designers from all over the world: individual designers, design agencies and corporate designers. The entries were divided into two categories. The first category comprises products that were brought to market between 1 January 2003 and 1 September 2006. The second category comprises experimental yet production-feasible prototypes. The winner of each category will receive EUR 7,500.

Composite materials are no longer exclusively used for high-tech applications in aviation and space travel; they are also eminently suitable for everyday objects. Thanks to their unique properties (lightness, strength and rigidity), they are much favoured among designers. In addition, they make great savings in costs and energy, both in their manufacture and in their use. Depending on the types of composites used, they offer a high degree of freedom of form and texture, aspects which are appreciated above all by designers.