Gex 3 Snowboard

Front of snowboard

The Five Axis Gex 3 Snowboard was a promotional item given away by Game Fan magazine. It is a real life replica of the snowboard featured in Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko. In their September 1999 issue, Game Fan held a Shreddin' The Slopes Sweepstakes sponsored by Crave Entertainment to celebrate the N64 launch of Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko. To enter, participants had to fill out the postcard included in the September issue (alternatively, they could use an unofficial postcard as well) or register on Game Fan's website. One grand prize winner would win: A 3-day trip for two to Salt Lake City, Utah, a replica Gex 3 Snowboard from Five Axis, 2 copies of Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko, and a one-year subscription to Game Fan magazine. Five first prize winners would receive a Gex 3 snowboard and a copy of Gex 3. Ten second prize winners would receive a one-year subscription to Game Fan magazine. The online deadline for the sweepstakes was October 15th, 1999, and the postcard deadline was October 21st, 1999 (with all postcards being postmarked by October 15th, 1999). While six snowboards were given out, only two are publicly known to still exist. The second of which was discovered at a yard sale by u/DavyCrockPot19 on Reddit. While it's unconfirmed, it appears that each promo board had a custom bottom artwork.

Back of snowboard

Front of second board.

Back of second board.

Shreddin' The Slopes Sweepstakes ad

Trivia

• Due to its limited quantity and release, this is one of the rarest pieces of official Gex merchandise.

  

  IGN contest image featuring a mockup of the Deep Pocket Gecko board.

  

  Contest page.

• Technically, this isn't the only Gex snowboard in existence. On December 6th, 1999, IGN held a similar giveaway for the launch of the Game Boy Color port, Gex 3: Deep Pocket Gecko. The grand prize was a snowboarding package that included a custom Gex 3: Deep Pocket Gecko Ride Control 153 Snowboard, Ride snow gear, an Eidos t-shirt, and a copy of the game. The winner of the contest was revealed to be John Liu. However it is unknown whether or not he actually received the snowboard, or if he even still owns it. If he does, he is in possession of one of the rarest pieces of Gex memorabilia in existence but according to a reddit user John liu himself put the snowboard up on eBay for $1200 in 2012 and all there years he kept it in storage it unknown whatever or not if anyone won the auction.