Cleverness was Neil’s calling card in life. Whatever the occasion, Neil was the quickest wit in the room. (One of his business cards played off the 1960s television western “Have Gun, Will Travel” with his own take: “Have Fun, Will Travel”). His stories are suffused with light-hearted narratives that take sudden twists. His characters tend to be guarded individuals who somehow get caught off-guard. There’s a humorous and irreverent approach to the afterlife and toward religion in general. God and the devil are on opposing surf clubs. In Neil’s telling, it’s the lion that gets thrown to the Christians.

Early in his writing career Neil posed a question to me: If you could choose to be a famous writer or a relatively unknown one—with all other things being equal, including talent and monetary rewards—what would you choose? Fame, naturally, popped into my mind, but after a pause the conundrum sank in. Neil knew it, which is why he posed the question with a mischievous grin (whenever Neil smiled a certain way, you knew he was up to some clever mischief, and Neil smiled a lot). With fame comes all the trappings, all the diversions and what-not. The other choice brings an undistracted devotion to the craft of writing itself. It was the kind of question that could take a lifetime to answer.

Which brings me back to Neil’s original question. Turns out it was prescient of Neil to think of such a choice. With this posthumous collection, Reading the Waves, the answer is here. I like to think that somewhere (hopefully where it’s not too hot) Neil is laughing about it all, about the fame, about the glory, and about how none of it matters so much as the actual words on the page. — Kevin Naughton

Neil had a big hand in making Powder magazine what it became and remains to this day. As with Powder, Surfer and other publications, he combined powerful photography with writing that surprised and hooked the readership with the free form, unencumbered written word. Neil set the bar high and kept it there.

It was and continues to be outrageously fun.

As it should be.” — Tina Cole

Neil Stebbins skyrocketed the direction of Powder in its formative years from 1975, onward through 1986, with his unique blend of smart, relatable, irreverent and ALWAYS FUN perspective, providing a voice that resonates within Powder’s pages to this day. Neil passed on the morning of March 18, 2024 with a dear friend by his side and others all over the world thinking of him. — Dave Reddick, Director of Photography for POWDER Magazine.

In skiing circles, Neil is best remembered as the editor and publisher of Powder magazine. Neil was there for the formative years, turning the magazine into a successful, well-respected, award-winning publication. His résumé included editorial positions at a number of magazines, including Islands, Road & Track, Ski and Surfer (if all these sound too disparate to be possible, Neil pulled it off with aplomb). — Kevin Naughton