American winter gear manufacturer Burton has come out with a range of snowboards that have heated up controversy both on and off the slopes. Their Love™ line of boards feature naked and nearly-nude models inspired by 1970s Playboy magazine models, and are a hit with their core demographic, males aged 18-24. But not so much with parents, politicians and employers at New England ski fields.

Elected officials in Burlington, Vermont, home to Burton, have called on the company to stop making the 'babe boards', which have already been banned from employee use at the state's prime snowboarding destinations, Stowe and Killington. Even the Girl Scouts are speaking out against the snow-bunny centrefolds, calling the gear "distasteful" and saying that Burton is "discouraging young women from trying the sport" with the release of the Love™ line.

Burton's founders have responded, saying the negative backlash is both "hurtful" and "out-of-line", and insist that the free expression of its artists is more important than a few blushing Brownies. The boards are only sold to those aged 18 and over, and are only being stocked in selected core shops.

Here's a taste of how Burton is advertising the products in question:
"Hi. My name is Love™ and I'm on the market for someone who's looking to score serious action, no matter where they like to stick it. I enjoy laps through the park; long, hard grinds on my meaty Park Edges followed by a good, hot waxing. Whether you're hitting it from the front or the back, my mid wide shape, supple flex, and twin tips like it kinky. Keegan and Mikkel love riding me, I hope you will too.

So should constitutional free expression trump offended snow-seekers? Are American ski fields right in banning boobs on boards? Tell us what you think using the comment form below.