It seems snowboarding was Zoe Kalapos’s destiny. Born in Michigan, she was skiing by the time she was two years old and switched to snowboarding when her parents gave her a board for her fifth birthday.

She was immediately smitten with the new sport, calling it “the best day ever” and proclaiming “I want to snowboard forever!” after making the switch. Her father, a former ski instructor, soon built a snowboard park on the family farm—nicknamed “Mt. Kalapos”—to give Zoe and her brother a place to practice.

After dominating local and regional competitions for several years, her family made the difficult decision for Zoe, her brother, and her father to relocate to Vail, CO. Her mother remained in Michigan to continue her career as a teacher.

The move paid off, as membership in the Ski and Snowboard Club Vail opened up access to more intense training, better competition, and ultimately, a brighter future in the sport. Kalapos has made multiple appearances in the Snowboarding World Championships, spent several years on the Revolution Tour, and is a regular fixture on the Dew Tour.

Her greatest achievement to date was representing Team USA at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. Fulfilling a childhood dream and making her family proud, she competed in the women’s halfpipe event. She hopes to repeat the experience in 2026.

Once spring rolls around and the snow melts, Kalapos loves hiking the trails around Park City with her puppy, Indy. She’s also a passionate supporter of animal welfare charities, environmental causes, and the Pho3nix Foundation, whose outreach programs help children live healthy, inspired lives through sport.

We’re stoked to have Zoe as a part of the CamelBak family. Her passion for snowboarding is exceeded only by her desire to support and inspire others to live their dreams, and we can’t wait to see what she achieves next.