At the core of snowboarding lies one constant, compelling need; an itch that pushes every rider to explore new mountains, find new lines, and push any and all boundaries. Adventure. That indescribably hankering that keeps us trekking, seeking, and traveling to carve out another season worth reminiscing about.

The team at ZEAL Optics are all about adventure, and it was in this spirit that we partnered up with the brand for a contest to celebrate the dreaming and the plotting that are going into making this winter your best ever. The photos are in, the judges have spoken, and ZEAL Optics’ “Explore More in HD” contest is officially a wrap.

In order to enter, people simply had to capture a photo of how they are getting ready for winter, add a caption of 50 words or less, follow @zealoptics and tag #ExploreMoreHD. The contest ran from October 16-31, with people uploading shots from around the world to showcase what prepping for winter means to them. Alongside the ZEAL crew, we filtered through every epic photo and chose the three that we thought most pointedly represented the stoke and passion for adventure that are so essential to our lifestyle.

Each of the top three will receive a pair of ZEAL HD Camera Goggles. The grand prize winner will also receive a free, three-year subscription to Snowboard magazine. Winners will be contacted by the Snowboard crew via Instagram.

Drumroll please…

Grand Prize Winner

“Jackass Express!! conquer anything!!!#ExploreMoreHD @zealoptics #exploremore @oakley”

Second Place

“Getting ready for more fun days exploring the bc backcountry with good snow and amazing friends!#exploremorehd @zealoptics”

Third Place

“I love introducing people to my favorite sport! This year there are 10 of us going on our annual trip. Only 4 of us have ever boarded before. #exploremorehd #zealoptics #snowboardmag”