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Shaun White has an enviable abundance of energy. The five-time Olympian is launching the first professional snowboarding league in March 2025; he recently partnered with the “Protect the West” environmental initiative through his sportswear brand, Whitespace, and covertly planned a surprise marriage proposal. I caught up with him between a junket to Africa and his popping the question to his longtime girlfriend, actress Nina Dobrev, in New York City.
Retiring with an unrivaled number of gold medals at both the X Games and Olympics might be lifetime achievements enough for some athletes—or the many other records he holds as a pro skate and snowboarder. But it feels like White is just getting started on his most ambitious aspirations to date. His excitement about the plethora of projects he’s working on (and his affable personality) draws you in, with a dedicated entrepreneurism and a passion for giving back—whether to the sport he loves or the rich Western landscape where he grew up.
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The upcoming Snow League is White’s most pioneering project, selecting the picturesque town of Aspen, Colorado, to host its debut. “Aspen has always been one of my favorite places to compete and ride,” he tells The Daily Beast. “I’ve won so many X Games medals there and have so many fond memories of that town. Since my retirement, I’ve also gotten to spend a lot of time there just as a ‘tourist,’” he laughed. “It sounds crazy because I’ve been there so many times, but it was always to compete,” lamenting that he didn’t have time to take in everything the town has to offer while medaling.
Whether as a pro athlete or off-duty “tourist,” White is undoubtedly a seasoned jet-setter with a laundry list of hacks and go-to products to keep his energy up and his stress levels in check. However, his one steadfast travel companion is surprisingly un-sporty. “I usually bring a guitar with me when I travel,” he says. “I won a guitar at a snowboard contest when I was 16 and fell in love with playing. I realize I was never gonna get any better unless I took it with me … now it’s my travel companion always,” White said, while revealing his playlist includes classics like Stevie Wonder and the Beatles but also new music like Grammy-winning Leon Bridges, Sofi Tukker and Jungle.
Scroll through below to check out the Olympian’s travel hacks and essentials for staying calm, focused and stylish while on the road.
While we will be incorporating these hacks into our next trip, we’re also keeping an eye on White’s adventures. Whether the sports he loves or the planet, his dream of leaving it better than he left it is the kind of energy we need more of.
