Tom Sims saw the world wide open—as an endless playground urging us to adapt.
He had wild ideas about surfing mountains. And one step at a time—chasing the unknown and the “what if?”—he pioneered a movement. Not just as a champion for the sport of snowboarding but his vision of a lifestyle and culture built around boardsports.
Tom handbuilt the first snowboard.
As early as the 1960s, Tom was exploring ideas about blending skateboarding and surfing with snow. In his 7th-grade woodshop class in Haddonfield, New Jersey, Tom handbuilt the first snowboard. The board is currently on display at the Colorado Ski and Snowboard Museum in Vail, Colorado. In 1963, Tom established the SIMS brand; arguably the first surf, skate, and snow brand in the world.
SIMS revolutionized snowboarding with forward-thinking concepts and rider-driven product innovations that fueled the technical progression of the sport.
SIMS always had a gnarly team. The best graphics. Game-changing product. It shaped an industry and ignited global demand. SIMS built the future of snowboarding—the new and the now. Today, we look back and see we shaped history. It is a deeply held SIMS belief that the riders of the boards are the ultimate authority on product performance.
Photo: Terry Kidwell. Wine Rock, Tahoe, California. by Tom Sims.
Photo: Terry Kidwell, Swatch Worlds, 1988, Breckenridge, CO, by Bryce Kanights.
““Tom’s passion for board sports influenced so many people’s lives. Thank you for everything you did to make modern snowboarding and skateboarding what they are today. Riding for SIMS in the eighties was an incredible time in my life. Tom Sims, snowboarding and skateboarding legend, will live in our hearts forever.””
Rob Roskopp. Mt. Baker, WA. Photo by Bryce Kanights.
Not skiing but surfing and skateboarding.
These were Tom’s roots and informed his entire approach to snowboarding. The distinction was critical. For SIMS, it has always been about freestyle and fun. Not scoring points. And growing outward from this utopian vision of self-expression through radical action, a culture has flourished.
Firsts.
From its inception, Sims has relied on the riders to guide and evolve every product. It is an inclusive, DIY approach that sets the standard, empowering progression in everything from construction and production innovations to tech and product breakthroughs that shifted the paradigm. The first metal edge board, the first pro model; the first double-strap binding, the first folding highback, the first women’s board, and so on. For decades.
““Innovation. That was Tom. He was extremely dedicated and passionate about the development of his brand. For over 25 years we progressed SIMS with so many projects, we always wanted to keep that spirit alive with everything we worked on together.””
Committed to the culture.
Today, SIMS exists to celebrate the past, foster progression in the present, and push snowboarding forward into the future. Committed to the culture and those who live to ride, we pay homage to our founder, Tom Sims, and his inspired vision of life on boards.