Robin Van Gyn
Name
Robin Van Gyn
Adventure-mobile
2019 Chevrolet Colorado
Yakima Gear:
OverHaul HD, SkyBox 16, HD Bars (Medium), SupDAWG, Shop Robin's Gear
Lifestyle
Snowboarding and surfing
MEET 'N GREET
From the mountains to the ocean, my life is lived in the outdoors of British Columbia. Through snowboarding, I spend my winters chasing storms, riding peaks, and finding new ways to push my boundaries. Having spent most of my adult life documenting my journey in the mountains, I now seek new ways of being outside and evolving my love for the outdoors!
Favorite Place in the Wild
Anywhere in Alaska; the mountains there are like nowhere else. Every year my goal is just to get back up there by any means necessary.
Pro Tip
Always carry a carabiner! It’s the one travel essential that takes the load off your body and onto the wheels of your luggage. It’s a must for airport travel—attach your board bag at the top to the top of your square roller and tilt forward; you’ll be one-handed and pulling all your gear with little to no weight!
Photo Credits: Austen Sweetin and Bryanna Bradley (Surfing Image)
Fast Talkin'
First Car:
Toyota Tercel
What's your origin story? How did you start out?
I grew up on the ocean in Victoria, BC. We only had snow once a year, but those couple of days were enough to capture my love for being in the snow. At 16, I started snowboarding and have never looked back; that was all, that was all I was going to do moving forward. Even through university, I prioritized snowboarding and made it my mission to make this my life. Ten years later, after climbing the ranks of backcountry filming I am still at it, making sure I’m finding new ways to evolve in my sport and progress backcountry snowboarding in different ways.
ROAD-TRIPPIN' MUSIC
GO-TO ROAD TRIP SNACK
Apples and carrots
Spirit Animal
My dog, Stella
If you could switch bodies with one person for a day, who would it be? Why?
Liz Clark. That woman is so inspirational. Having been self-taught on a boat for so long, I would just love to acquire one inch of her experience on the water.
What would your TED talk be about?
Owning your experience and acting from it.
Any hidden talents?
I can “MacGyver” myself out of almost anything.
What's your guilty pleasure/indulgence?
I love microbrewed beer!
How do you like giving back? What's the cause you're passionate about or your favorite non-profit/organization?
I like to spread the love. There are so many things I care about: the environment, helping other females be inspired and grow, and community support around action sports. I’m involved with Protect Our Winters as an ambassador, but also work on events to raise money for local skate parks, Boarding for Breast Cancer, and the Changing Tides Foundation. These are my favorite non-profits that are doing good things!