How rad is it to go to your favorite board shop, lay out big money for a new outfit only to head up the hill and see a bunch of other heads wearing the same thing? It's cool it happens to everyone that's not pro (pros always get next years stuff). Atmosphere can maybe help you with that problem, they are a pretty new company and have some unique designs. I can say from experience that their customer service is top notch, having ordered something, they called me to get measurements to make sure it would fit. So not only do they provide some cool stuff but also good service and a good price. We were lucky enough to talk to Chris Prosser, the founder of Atmosphere so you can hear more from the man himself about their outer wear and soft goods.

Atmosphere team rider Nick Russell with a seriously rad back 7 Japan in Park City sporting the Brush'e pant

SR: How long has Atmosphere been around?

Chris: I started Atmosphere in 1997 in High School, so since then

SR: Where are you from?

Chris: Born in Caribbean, St Croix, then grew up in Connecticut

SR: How did you get into snowboarding?

Chris: Snowboarding is what you do on the east coast when you can’t skate. So in the winters, that’s what we did

SR: Has Atmosphere been like a full time job since you started in 1997?

Chris: It started when I was a junior in High School and I didn’t really take it seriously; it was kind of more of an art project until 2-2.5 years ago. I developed the line when we were living on the beach in San Diego, then we started doing it full time

SR: So you started it full time in 2007, what did you do between 1997 and 2007

Chris: Honestly I just rode snowboards, did freelance graphic design for people and snowboarded, bummed around the world. Went to China, Europe, Canada, Mexico and throughout the US

SR: So pretty much, your life has been snowboarding and graphic design so you had the background to launch Atmosphere full time

Chris: Pretty much, yea

SR: What inspired you to ad another outerwear line to all the choices that are out already?

Chris: I felt it was something…there was no real outerwear out there that I wanted to wear. I love a lot of the brands out there; I love the Holden stuff. I just didn’t see anything that was 100% for me and hoped that some other people felt the same way

SR: Well people seem stoked on the stuff, you have a lot of team riders after only 2 years so obviously, there has been a positive reaction

Chris: Yea, definitely I think we are in a dozen countries right now. I think initially Atmosphere has done well because I snowboard and a lot of my friends had “made” it so it was maybe a little easier jumping off point

SR: What are the challenges?

Chris: There are challenges daily, everything seems to be a hurdle [laughter] I hate dealing with paperwork, sourcing the factories, working with each vendor. There’s the daily struggle in business but over all, what else would I rather be doing?

SR: Like a lame day job? [laughter]

Chris: Not in a million years

SR: So how is it during the tough business climate of 2009?

Chris: It’s surprisingly well, I think it’s a good time for the little brands, we are up 30 something percent

SR: Yea, people may look for something different in hard times

Chris: I think the snowboarding influence comes through, especially in the outer wear. I think that you do not needs a lot of bells and whistles so we don’t put it on our stuff. I try to design the line so each piece has maybe the same vibe, so you can tell where it comes from, then we go a bit wilder on the t shirts. I think people support brands where they know the people there, I feel like kids can tell when people are faking it. I won’t name names but a lot of companies hit a crazy pattern and it just doesn’t work. You should be able to know that as a snowboarder

SR: What about the future?

Chris: Just more, we are going to delve into swim, ladies outer wear, try to keep it fresh, original and unique to itself

Atmosphere just opened a new store in Portland at 537 SW 12^th Ave, Portland, OR

Part design room, part conference room, part coffee break room, you start small but aspire big

Everybody loves sweats, now sweat shorts

Gotta love this shirt, one of the many funny ideas they come up with

 Momo 2 jacket

Mandate 2 jacket

The Surrender 2 pant, otherwise known as the Brush'e

art by Timothy Karpinski

many dope t shirt designs

rad colorways and stuff

They do occasional art shows and other local events
 

Sketchy D rides for Atmosphere check em out at atmosphere-clothing.com