Check out the extended interview from Aaron Biittner for the Inside the Pro Models column in the November issue of SNOWBOARD Mag on newsstands now.

25-year-old SLC native Aaron Biittner rocks a hip-hop influence, baggy pants, and swagger that can’t be duplicated. He blew onto the scene as part of the Technine gang in 2003’s Moment of Truth, showcasing his talent as one of the smoothest jibbers to date, and eventually catching the eye of iconic industry giant DC. Biittner has since landed lead roles with Mack Dawg Productions and been featured in magazines around the world. Sportin’ the DC bling since the brand first launched its line of snowboards, his dedication has now earned him his very own signature pro model. Here are AB’s thoughts on his new ride,

How is this board different from other boards you ridden?

From the start DC just asked me how I really wanted my board to be from improving upon other boards in the line as well as taking inspiration from the better boards I had ridden in the past- on shape and flex- and just used all that and took the best parts of every board I’ve had. It’s cool because I got to be a big part of designing it from the start. It’s awesome looking down and being that hyped. You never know sometimes when you’re designing something if it’s going to turn out right so I got to work with real good people at DC and made it happen proper.

How did you find out you were getting a pro model?

I became involved right away when DC started making boards. It just came about I guess that I was gonna get a board a couple of years into it. Hopefully that means I’m doing my job right.

My board is part of the PBJ line- one of the core sizes in the PBJ line- so it’s going to be a board that isn’t as widely released. More like core shops and the right people are going to be able to get a hold of it.

Being a PBJ does that mean that it is a jib specific board?

My size is a 53 so it’s jib and park specific. We changed the shape a bunch from last season. They made a lot more sizes in the line this year too and they made some mid-wides so there’s a core line then a mainstream line.

Graphics?

I’m just a big fan of good artwork. My main thing was that I wanted it to be cool and whoever was working on it- I wanted them to be proud of the work they did too so I tried not to dictate the whole art and design process too much but I just put together a folder of things that were inspirational for me and saw if anyone else got anything from it. I had some weird wombat pictures in there and random shots and that kind of came together like ‘what if we do a monkey?’…then we came up with some different animals and it was a cool process because we were all working together brainstorming and it flowed pretty well. It’s hard because you want it to be a good representation of you and also something that people can identify with and get stoked on. The main part is I just want it to be cool to look down at. On my board there’s a monkey chilling in the tub at the mountain lab. He’s got his ring on and some DC ice. When we started with the theme of it we started with animals who were native to the Mtn. Lab. Then we began playing off the theory that global warming is going to take over and there’s going to be no more snow and everything is going to get creepy. They’re all messed up all crazy looking and fighting each other. Mine is like the one animal that doesn’t belong there just living it up. The picture I had was of a Japanese snow monkey. On Planet Earth there were these monkey’s chilling in the hot springs and that’s where that kind of came from.

Doing what he does and the Vans Cup in Tahoe last year.

The artist-Mark Penxa-he’s a skateboard graphic guy originally right?

He’s done skate stuff and a lot of cool urban street style. He’s an artist from Detroit.

He’s an artist that they already wanted to use for the line and then you used him for yours too?

I didn’t have any certain direction I wanted to go with artists so it just came about that I’d be a part of that line and try out the pro model thing and see how it worked. I was just open to what DC thought would work best for the whole line. I’m pretty hyped on how it came out and everyone on the team is really stoked on that whole line of graphics. It’d be sick if we all had our own animal.

So the shape on your board- is it the same as all of the other PBJ’s?

Yep, it’s pretty much the same with the new radius to flat tip and tail. It still has a twin tip shape but there are a little bit different materials in the core. The carbon fiber [construction] adds to the pop and the general ride of the board. Compared to last year’s models it’s much more responsive and more fun to ride. It floats better in deep snow and seems more responsive in the pop and edge to edge.

Do you ride that board in powder too?

Yeah I ride the PBJ 157- just a bigger board- but the PBJ is not only for jibbing. Depending on the size-mine’s a 53- a short board is much more ideal for the park, riding at slower speeds, and hitting rails but it doesn’t float that good in the powder so you have to size it up a bit. A 57 usually is a little stiffer and a more solid board at higher speeds and landing. The HKD board though is a really good pow board- one of the higher ends.

Dunking for charity at the trade show in Vegas.

You guys are pretty lucky because you have the DC Mountain Lab to test stuff. I could imagine that it’s the ideal environment.

The Lab is insane. It’s been so helpful in so many ways to get people together and talk and with testing stuff out.

First board you ever owned?

A Morrow 125. I was eight. I was skating but I used to rollerblade too. We had a good crew who was into it. My dad’s best friend from Utah -he’s the founder of Winterstick. He’s done a bunch of crazy composites and engineering. He actually had some really cool old skateboards and I got into that early on and got into snowboarding early on because of that too. Somehow I just fell off and went to rollerblading for a little while.

Did your Dad get you into snowboarding then and take you to the mountains a lot?

That was one of the main things growing up. It was like we got to get out of the city and spend time in the mountains. Not enough people take advantage of that here. That’s one of the main reasons my parents came to Utah. My Dad’s from the East Coast and my Mom’s from Wisconsin so we had a different background then a lot of families in Utah- but the main priority was the snow and making sure we got out of the insanity of the city sometimes. That was definitely real helpful growing up and really important.

Utah is crazy because there is the sickest backcountry so close and then the sickest street stuff right there. I actually never even rode in the snowboard park before I started hitting rails. I grew up at Snowbird and started working there when I was 16. I started watching more snowboard movies and saw the rail gardens and cool shit in the city- not necessarily just rails but we were like “we can do stuff out here.” We can go hike (at the resorts and backcountry) and snowboard down (in the city). Then I started going to the rail gardens- the first rails I hit were there.

Chillin’ with Lauri Heiksari.

When did you get started filming?

Around 16 we started cruising around filming at the rail gardens so we could watch ourselves and see how whack it looked. Then around 18 any time when I wasn’t working I would go out with a couple good friends who were into filming. They were always down to go out- not even for any reason exactly. They were just into filming and learning how to edit so we’d just try to go get footage just for fun. Then we started getting more of a crew and more friends starting to get into it and we made these movies- Weapons of Mass Destruction was the first one when I was around 18 probably. I filmed with those guys until I got in with Technine and filmed for Moment of Truth when I was like 20. Then it all started happening way fast all of a sudden. Getting in with Technine helped a lot and learning how they actually did it. They’re on it as far as being able to make stuff happen with maybe not the most resources sometimes. Or being able to help kids out who don’t really have any money. Or kids like me who always had to work and make money. They helped make it happen which is so cool and I definitely owe a lot to them.
Do you do more backcountry stuff now then you used to do with Technine?

No we used to do a lot more actually. Well now last season was probably the best year I had backcountry-wise because we got to travel so much but back when I was filming in Utah and filming with Technine we were doing everything we could all the time. If we weren’t hitting rails one day or if I had a day free I would go hike or double out. We used to do the worst doubling missions like towing into spots you can get to so easily now. Just so naïve not knowing what was going on- just trying to go film and making it happen. Growing up at Snowbird too it’s pretty much like all backcountry. There it’s nothing manmade except for cat tracks and stuff so I’m pretty used to it but last season was the first year I really had available resources and a good crew and everything came together to be shooting in the backcountry more which was awesome. I was stuck in the rail scene forever. Still love the rails though. I actually hit a ton last year.

Round bed in the Playboy Suite in Vegas for DC’s Snowboard launch.

In high school did you already see yourself leaning towards snowboarding or were you planning on going to college?

I had college on my mind in high school but I hated high school because I was too bored sitting in class and we had these long classes because they changed us to block scheduling. I was sitting there with so many kids just learning what I had to know then skipping class for a few days. I could handle the tests but wasn’t doing my homework and ended up dropping out when I was 17. I just wanted to work. I’ve always had a job since I was super young. That became pretty important to me to be able to support myself and take some of the burden off my parents and be responsible but of course dropping out of school wasn’t very responsible. I had some crazy talks about it with my parents and ended up taking the GED test and passed it. Then the community college was offering other classes so I could get my diploma. So I just kind of did it that way. I can’t get into Harvard or something [laughs]..but I can still go to college. College would be cool someday but I’m kind of busy right now.

I just want to stay focused and keep working. I catch myself- because snowboarding’s been such a huge part of my life for so long now- I don’t know how to describe it but I catch myself wanting to complain or wanting to take time off and do something else. Then I’m like “wait I’m doing the best thing I could be doing right now.” It’s always good to think about the future and what you’re going to end up doing but I never would have thought I would have ended up doing this. So you just have to take it as it comes. I’m trying not to blow it. Got to have the house if you can make it happen. What sucks about this job and gets the most tiring is eating so horribly and just eating prepared food. You never know what you’re getting exactly. So it’s nice to have that comfort zone at home and cook and take care of yourself.

Posin’ with Torstein Horgmo at DC Snowboards launch at the Playboy Suite.

What other pro model equipment do you have?

A pro model glove with Celtek. The design process is cool because I work with one of my good homies from Salt Lake. He’s super creative and a really good artist and easy to work with. I just go with the flow with him. I can sit there for an hour and come up with some cool ideas and it’s really awesome because we come up with all kinds of cool crazy shit. We used to make these movies called SFK- That’s our crew in Salt Lake- Stupid Fuckin’ Kids. He was the mastermind behind all that too- making the movies and editing. They’re rare but they’re sick if you can find them. Good snowboarding, gangster ass rap music and random shots of porn, tits and naked girls mixed with snowboarding.

That’s how snowboarding used to be…even in magazines too.

Exactly it’s like we’re a bunch of fuck ups on snowboards. That’s what we were doing. We were like “we’re not making these movies for anyone. This is what I want my footage to be because this is the type of shit I want to watch.”

Now it’s a lot more cookie cutter in a lot of ways. Everything has a formula. Because back in the day there were only a handful of people making videos and now it’s like you would never be able to watch all of the videos that are out.

And that’s the bummer about all the videos now too. Everyone tries to- I don’t want to say copy because everyone has their own personality and own style but everyone is trying to come up and make the next best thing instead of just doing their own thing which was what snowboarding was. That’s how it came about. Someone wanted to do their own thing. I wanted to surf on the snow. Not be on the cover of Rolling Stone for winning the Olympics or something. It’s got that place too but I’m doing it for other reasons.

Biittner and posse at Summer X Games.

Well it’s almost a double negative almost because it obviously makes you guys more money in some sort of ways but at the same time it just depends on how it’s done I suppose.

Yeah you have to get creative and somehow stay true to your roots and know the whole reason for wanting to be a snowboarder in the first place. It seems like people forget what brought them into the industry sometimes. Even me. I just find myself in some odd situations sometimes where it’s like “How the hell did I end up doing this?” Or just contests or whatever too. Or it’s like “Who is this guy I have to ride with?” I mean it is a job and you do have obligations like any job so you have to take care of your responsibilities and have fun when you can. That was the cool thing about not being a pro snowboarder. You had freedom to do whatever you wanted with your footage. I think I would still be trying to send my footage to people though trying to make it, trying to make something happen. I was all about just getting free gear. I was like “If I could get free snowboards that would be sick.”

And now you’re name’s on one!

I know it’s nuts. I’m still getting used to it. It’s pretty cool though. It’s a good board that’s really fun to ride. That’s my favorite thing. I was like “I hope I don’t have a board that I don’t even want to ride.”

Aaron’s sponsors include DC, Celtek, Park City, Oakley, Milo Sport, Kicker Audio, and Skullcandy