# Transparent Glass Snowboards NetworkA Creates Custom Snowboard Gear Out of Tempered Glass By Gil Cohen | Published 2013-02-24 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/snowboard-gear References: [shockmansion](http://www.shockmansion.com/2013/02/22/video-slide-or-shatter-would-you-ride-a-glass-snowboard/) & [youtube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vmZ1QfZ9Skk) Taking one of the most notoriously fragile materials to create custom snowboard gear may sound like a crazy and reckless stunt, but that's what NetworkA is all about. Going to Italy, the number one source of [high quality glass](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sklo), the team got expert glass makers to craft a special snowboard that is [completely see-through](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/visual-instruments-phantom) along with some fittings and decals, as well as perfectly curved edges and a tempering treatment to finish. Grabbing Italian team rider Giorgio "Iannino" Morell, they hit the slopes and felt what it's like to ride on completely transparent glass. While they ice-cold temperature and the pressure of the ride eventually cracked the glass, it was all worth it for the NetworkA team as they got to ride some [surreal snowboard gear](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/aura-collection-2). ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.0/10 - Popularity: 24% | Activity: 57% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Modern](https://www.trendhunter.com/modern) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Transparent Glass Snowboard Gear:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation in the winter sports industry by creating transparent snowboard gear using tempered glass. - **Customizable Glass Products:** Innovative potential in the manufacturing industry to create customizable glass products like snowboards, opening up new markets and design possibilities. - **Extreme Outdoor Adventure Equipment:** Disruptive opportunity to develop innovative and durable gear for extreme outdoor activities, such as transparent snowboards, enhancing the user experience. ### Where This Applies - **Winter Sports:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation in snow sports industry by introducing transparent glass snowboard gear. - **Manufacturing:** Potential for disruptive innovation in the manufacturing industry by creating customizable glass products like snowboards. - **Outdoor Adventure:** Disruptive opportunity in the outdoor adventure industry to develop innovative and durable equipment for extreme activities, such as transparent snowboards. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Bulletproof Transparent Glass Motorcycles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nuclear.md) - [Fashion House Snowboards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/louis-vuitton-snowboard.md) - [Semi-Transparent Electric Bikes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dab-1-transparent-edition.md) - [Candy Bar-Branded Snowboards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/twix-doughboard.md) - [Omni-Condition Snow Goggles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/alba-optics-ski-goggles.md) - [Riproaring Electric Snowboards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/electric-snowboard.md) - [Eco-Friendly 3D-Printed Surfboards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/paradoxal-surfboards.md) - [Connected Snow Sport Goggles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/rekkie-smart-snow-goggles.md) - [Playful Performance-Ready Snowboards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cardiff-snowcraft-the-lynx.md)