"Selecting Device was a decision we made with the true rider in mind. We felt Device had fundamentally the best step-in design," states Ride President and CEO Bob Hall. "We will continue our search for ways to constantly improve our product lines, and offer the most advanced boards, boots, and bindings for snowboarders worldwide."

"We couldn't be happier," says Device President and Founder Brett Conrad. "There is incredible value to snowboarders in Ride and Device working together. Device is poised to make the most of Ride's strength in engineering, manufacturing, and distribution. In return, Ride will benefit from Device's years of focus in step-in binding performance." Conrad and Hall were introduced while snowboarding in Vail last April, where they quickly realized the value of working together.

The purchase price was comprised of $955,000 in assumed liabilities, and up to $1.9 million in Ride common stock, based on 1997 Device performance. Device Mfg. Corp. has been located in Boulder, CO since 1995, and will relocate to Preston, WA. The Device product line features Device boots -- including the Xenon Women's boot to be introduced this season -- and Device Step-In Bindings incorporating Device's SBS technology, along with a range of Device Binding Accessories.