When you're building jumps for some of the world's best skiers and snowboarders, you learn pretty quickly that the details matter.
For Charles Beckinsale, founder and director of Stomping Grounds Projects, that's been the focus of his career. From building parks in Australia and around the world to creating Stomping Grounds in Saas-Fee, Switzerland, Charles has spent decades creating the kind of terrain that allows elite athletes to push progression and prepare for the biggest events on the calendar.
“Stomping Grounds started 12 years ago in Saas-Fee. The idea was to create a high-performance camp where athletes competing in events like X Games and World Cups could come and get ready for the competition season.”
Today, the project runs two camps a year, with Saas-Fee hosting the Northern Hemisphere session and Thredbo bringing the project home to Australia.
Built for Progression
Stomping Grounds was created to give elite athletes access to the kind of terrain they need to prepare properly for competition. With high-performance terrain parks becoming harder to find, the camps provide a place where skiers and snowboarders can train, progress and push their limits.
“We’ve found that globally, a lot of terrain parks are winding back at the high-performance level. For these athletes to prepare properly for events, there aren’t too many places where they can access things like 22-foot halfpipes, full-size slopestyle courses and big air venues.”
It's a world where performance is measured in feet, degrees and rotations. But sometimes, it's the smaller details that make the difference.
The Stomping Grounds x Le Bent Park & Pipe Pro Series Sock
That’s where the new Light Cushion Stomping Grounds Park & Pipe Pro Series Sock comes in.
Designed with long days on the mountain in mind, the Park & Pipe Sock combines Le Bent’s Signature Merino Blend™ of merino and bamboo rayon with a purpose-built heel lock and additional padding around the heel and ankle.
For Charles, the heel lock was one of the standout features.
“Yeah, one of my favourite things about the new Park Sock is the heel lock. It’s got that extra padding around your heel and ankle, which really helps reduce heel lift and slippage — especially on take-offs and when you’re jumping.”
Because when you're spending hours in ski or snowboard boots, the last thing you want is your socks moving around.
But it's the breathability of the Merino and bamboo blend that really caught Charles' attention.
“The breathability of the merino and bamboo blend in the Le Bent socks is probably what stokes me out the most.”
For athletes spending long days between the cat, the park and the mountain, keeping feet comfortable is essential. It's one of the reasons Charles has been a Le Bent fan long before this collaboration came about.
“I’ve been a big fan of Le Bent for a really long time. I’ve always bought their socks and base layers.”
A Partnership Built for Athletes
The collaboration started with a pretty simple idea: give something back.
“The partnership started when we wanted to give something back to all the athletes attending Stomping Grounds.”
With some of the world's best skiers and snowboarders passing through the camps, Charles wanted to give them something thoughtful that would actually get used, without creating conflicts with their existing sponsors.
“They’re all pro skiers and snowboarders, so we wanted to give them something thoughtful that we knew they’d actually use, but that also wouldn’t conflict with any of their sponsors. The Le Bent sock was perfect for that.”
It’s a pretty good fit.
Stomping Grounds is about creating the best possible environment for athletes to perform. Le Bent is about creating the gear that helps keep them comfortable while they're out there doing it.
And according to Charles:
“The partnership has been a real hit.”
Bringing Stomping Grounds Home
While Stomping Grounds was born in Saas-Fee, Thredbo holds a different kind of significance for Charles.
He started snowboarding there at 13, learned how to build park there, and has spent around two decades building jumps in the area. When Stomping Grounds expanded to the Southern Hemisphere, Thredbo was the obvious choice.
“We decided to expand beyond Saas-Fee, and Thredbo was the obvious choice because it’s home for me. I’ve been snowboarding here since I was 13. It’s where I learnt how to build park, and I’ve been building jumps in this area for around 20 years now.”
For Charles, bringing Stomping Grounds to Thredbo isn't just another stop on the calendar. It's a return to where it all started.
“It’s a real treat to bring home what you’ve been doing everywhere else in the world. To be able to do it here at Thredbo, where it all started for me, is pretty special.”
Today, Stomping Grounds runs two camps a year: Saas-Fee in October and Thredbo in August.
And whether you're stepping out of the cat at sunrise, lapping a 22-foot pipe or lining up a massive jump, the idea remains the same: build the right environment, focus on the details and give athletes the tools they need to progress.
The new Light Cushion Stomping Grounds x Le Bent Park Sock is one small part of that bigger picture.
A pretty amazing sock, according to Charles.
And we're pretty stoked to have it along for the ride.
Stomping Grounds x Le Bent
Light Cushion Pro Series Snow Sock
Built for long days in the park. Our Signature Merino Blend™ delivers warmth, breathability and comfort, while the precision heel lock keeps your socks locked in from first hit to last.
$59.99
SHOP THE PARK & PIPE SOCK
