List of ski brands

This is a list of major ski equipment companies, past and present. Today the vast majority of skiing brands are owned by a small number of holding companies. Individual brands are abandoned and re-introduced on a year-to-year cycle.

Skis

The following is a list of companies known primarily for their skis. Most existing companies produce boots and bindings as well.

Name of brand Main products Origins from Established in Notes
4FRNT alpine skis, twin tips United States 2002 At the beginning of the ’00s 4FRNT Founder Matt Sterbenz had grown tired of how bland, sterile, and homogeneous modern skiing was becoming. Sterbenz, along with like-minded disgruntled skiers, took matters into their own hands and formed 4FRNT.
Armada skis alpine skis, twin tips USA 2002 Armada was founded in 2002 by a group of professional skiers and the ski and snowboard photographer Chris O'Connell. Today Armada produces skis, poles, technical outerwear and skiing-related softgoods. They also produce many articles of gear.
Atomic alpine skis, ski jumping skis, twin tips, bindings, ski boots, ski clothes Austria 1955 Founded by Alois Rohrmoser. Major alpine brand, purchased by Amer Sports.
Authier skis Switzerland 1900 Founded by John Authier. Factory acquired by Olin Skis 1969, then sold to Rossignol. Now owned by a group of Swiss investors. Hand built skis with lifetime warranty = noted silky feel to the turns.
Black Diamond Equipment alpine skis, telemark skis, cross-country skis, ski boots, ski bindings USA 1989 Formerly Chouinard Equipment (founded in 1957), Black Diamond first entered the ski market in the early 1980s with the XCD telemark binding. Today Black Diamond designs and manufacturers skis, boots and bindings for alpine, telemark and touring pursuits.[1]
Blizzard alpine skis Austria 1945 Founded by Toni Arnsteiner. Firebird design remains a standard from 1973 into the 1980s. Introduced the "Thermo" with temperature-sensitive materials.
Coalition Snow women's skis United States 2014 World's first ski company specializing in high-performance skis designed by women, for women.
Dynamic alpine skis France Founded by Jean Michal before World War II. Famed for their VR series race skis from the 1970s. Purchased by Atomic, and now part of Amer Sports.
DPS alpine skis United States 2005 DPS introduced the world’s first and only Pure prepreg carbon fiber sandwich ski.
Dynastar alpine skis France 1963 Launched as a joint venture between Dynamic and Starflex skis, acquired by Rossignol in 1967.
Elan alpine skis, ski jumping skis, mogul skis Slovenia 1945 Produced a variety of fiberglass products, including skis, then sailboats and sailplanes. Started winning on the World Cup circuit in 1964 and became famous as the ski of Ingemar Stenmark. Introduced the first widely used carving ski ("parabolic" or "shaped") in 1992, the Elan SCX.
The Faction Collective Alpine skis, Twin Tips Switzerland 2006 The Faction Collective is a ski and outerwear brand with a determination to make the best freestyle and freeride products on the mountain. Born out of the frustration of not finding the skis they needed, the two founders teamed up to disrupt the snowsports industry by creating skis and outerwear that don’t compromise on performance, quality, innovation and soul.
Fischer alpine skis, ski jumping skis, cross-country skis, ski boots Austria 1924 One of the largest brands through the 1960s and into the 80s, and became a force in the downhill racing market with their C4 design in the early 1980s. Today Fischer concentrates on back-country and cross-country skis.
Hart alpine skis, mogul skis United States 1955 Founded in St. Paul, Minn. by Harry and Hart Holmberg and Ed Bjork, to make metal laminate skis. After Head, Hart became the best-selling American-made ski during the 1950s and '60s. Currently makes custom hand-built skis to order. See Hart Skis in Skiing History magazine.
Head alpine skis, ski boots United States 1950 Introduced the Head Standard, the first successful metal/wood composite ski, and took over the majority of the ski market in the US and UK in the 1960s. Was slow to move to fibreglass, and Howard Head left the company in 1969 handing it to AMF. AMF rebuilt the brand in the 1970s and became a force again, purchasing Tyrolia. Taken over in 1989 and currently owned by Head NV, a Dutch company.

Hexcel United States 1970 s to 1980 s. Famous honeycomb construction with trademark bright green logo.

Hexcel skis United States 1970 s trademark honeycomb construction with well known bright green logo ski graphic
Icelantic Skis alpine skis, twin tips United States 2005 Icelantic Skis was founded in 2005 and focused on American-made skis with a unique top sheet design through artist Travis Parr. The skis are handcrafted locally in Denver, CO at the Never Summer Factory and sold in 4 continents and over 14 countries.
K2 alpine skis, twin tip skis, snowboards, mogul skis United States 1962 Founded by Bill and Don Kirschner to make fiberglass skis on Vashon Island, Wash. In 2001 manufacturing was moved to China and the executive offices to Seattle. In 2007, consumer products company, Jarden Corp, bought out K2 and its subsidiaries.
Kazama skis, ski boots and poles Japan 1912 Kazama Sports International took its name from the family name of its founder, Haruo Kazama.
Kästle Ski alpine skis Austria 1924 Many wins on Kästle all-wood skis in the 1950s, and again on fibreglass in the 1980s, notably with Pirmin Zurbriggen. Purchased by Benetton in 1991 and folded into Nordica. Defunct after the bankruptcy of Benneton. Re-introduced by new investors in 2007. See The Last Great Wooden Racing Ski in Skiing History, page 25.
KONQUER alpine skis, twin tip skis, snowboards, Alpin snowboard China USA and France 2016 Base on a strong production know-how, KONQUER (KNQR)'s ski and snowboard make people dream of more opportunity to master the mountain and its snow.
Kneissl alpine skis Austria 1861 Started ski production in 1919 and becomes Kneissl Ski in 1921. Introduced the composite "White Star" in 1960, sparking a revolution in materials. Merged with Dachstein in 1991 and merged Raichle and Dynafit in 1996.
Liberty alpine skis
Line Skis alpine skis United States 1995 Introduced a radical-sidecut mini-ski in 1995, and then developed this basic idea into the first twin-tip skis in 1999. Purchased by K2 around 2002. Continues to cater to the free ride market.
Madshus cross-country Norway 1906 Only major producer left in Norway. Begins production of fiberglass skis in 1974. Purchased by K2 in 1988. Madshus becomes number two worldwide in Nordic sales in 1997.
Majesty freestyle, freeride Poland Truly independent freeski company. Skis, Ski poles, Outerwear, Softgoods, Baselayers, Accessories.
Miller Ski alpine skis United States 1960s Earl Miller invented one of the first release bindings and equipment used to test them. Started Miller Ski in 1972 in order to produce a design specifically for skiing Utah powder. Of conventional construction but built wide and soft, the Miller Soft revolutionized powder skiing.
Meier Skis alpine, backcountry and free ride skis Colorado, United States 2009 Meier Skis strives to be the worlds most eco-friendly high performance skis in the world. Skis are handcrafted out of locally harvested Colorado aspen and pine beetle kill wood which is showcased using clear topsheet material.
Moment Skis alpine skis, twin tips United States 2003 Founded by Casey Hakansson, Moment Skis started after he decided to build a pair of skis for himself. He started building skis for family and friends and eventually turned it into a business.
Mountain Collective ski passes United States
Nishizawa skis Japan Long time manufacturer from Japan that is no longer in business. Sold in United States during the 1990s.
Ogasaka alpine and cross-country skis Japan 1912 One of the first ski manufacturers in Japan. The company was founded by Hamataro Ogasaka, a furniture manufacturer.
Olin alpine skis United States 1960s Major player in the 1970s and 80s with their Mark IV. Licensed their line to K2 in 1986 and exited the business, brand re-introduced in 2010 and then abandoned again.
ON3P Skis alpine skis, twin tips United States 2006 Headquarters and production factory in Portland, Oregon.
Peltonen cross-country Finland 1945 Founded by Toivo Peltonen (1921–2007). Currently owned by Normark Suomi Oy, a Rapala VMC company. Produces competition level skis with advanced nanocarbon technology at the Heinola ski factory, but also markets cross-country skis for all price classes.
Pre alpine skis United States Short for Precision Skis, launched as a second line by K2 and marketed by Scott United States.
Rønning Treski cross-country skis, alpine Norway 1936 Historic producer of mainly cross-country but also other types of skis such as Telemark, Big Mountain, and Hunter. Started production under the Rønning brand in 1936, and is currently the only producer of wooden skis in Norway. Still produces all skies by hand.
SkiTrab ski touring, cross-country Italy 1946 Family run company founded by Giacomo Trabucchi in 1946. Main production volume is in Bormio, Northern Italy. Specialises in lightweight ski touring skis for competition and recreational use.
Rossignol alpine skis, ski jumping skis, cross-country skis, twin tips, ski boots, bindings, snowboards France 1907 Introduced one of the first successful all-round fibreglass ski designs. Built a major conglomerate in the 1990s, including Rossignol, Dynastar, Lange, Look, Kerma and other brands. Taken over by Quiksilver in 2005 but lost money and sold only two years later to its CEO, Bruno Cercley. See 100 Years of Rossignol.
Swallow alpine skis United States 1970s Introduced the "swallow tail" design which claimed major advantages. Disappeared in the late 1980s. Recently re-introduced as a Japanese design made in China.
Salomon alpine skis, cross-country skis, ski boots, twin tips, bindings, snowboards France 1947 Began as a family-owned shop making saw blades, then ski edges beginning around 1947. Expanded to make bindings (1955), then ski boots (1979) and cross-country ski gear, then golf (1985), the alpine skis (1989). Purchased by Adidas in 1997 and sold to Amer Sports (owner of Atomic, Wilson, Suunto and some other brands) in 2005. See Georges Salomon.
Sego Ski Co. Alpine skis, Touring skis, Womnen's skis, park/jib United States 2014 Athlete driven design. Located in Teton Valley Idaho.
Stöckli alpine skis Switzerland 1936 Introduced a wooden ski with a fluted top that left a ridge down the middle. Was one of the earliest companies to introduce a metal laminate ski, the year after Head.
The Ski alpine skis United States 1970s Entered the field by marketing to the "hot dog" (freestyle) skier, and became a well-known brand in the 1970s.
Voit alpine skis United States 1966 Used a new fibreglass/epoxy technique that was well-liked but very expensive. Exited the industry after only three years.
Volant alpine skis United States 1966–1989 Introduced a stainless steel cap-ski in 1989, but was very expensive to produce and went out of business in 2001. Purchased by Amer Sports in 2003 and the brand abandoned around 2008.
Völkl alpine skis, twin tips, ski clothes Germany 1923 Distributed in the 1960s by Sears in the US. Purchased by K2, and in turn, Jarden in 2007.
Wagner Custom alpine skis United States 2006 Small factory in Telluride, Colorado. Makes custom skis using CNC milling machine—customer can have any shape, flex and combination of materials.
Whitedot all-mountain skis, freeride skis, freetouring skis, mountaineering skis, freeski skis, alpine skis, touring skis Europe 2007 Whitedot was created with the intent that we would not make a wide variety of skis, instead focusing our products on specific roles within the mountain’s freeride environments. Whitedot exceeds expectations by maintaining our company ethos and pushing the Purity of Purpose, Clarity of Design, Reliable Performance and Innovative Technology that we have at our very core.
ZAG freeride skis, freetouring skis France 2002 Based in Chamonix Mont-Blanc, introduced the first rockers.

Boots

The following list consists of companies known primarily for their ski boots. Some entries are duplicated from above, but not all. Some, like Head, sell branded boots from other companies and are not listed here.

Name of brand Origins from Established in Notes
Alpina Slovenia 1951 From its roots as Žiri Shoe Factory (est. 1947), Alpina D.O.O. is one of the dominant companies in the Nordic Skiing segment. Alpina also marketed back-country alpine / touring / telemarking equipment. In recent years the company's presence in the Alpine market has fallen off substantially, failing to connect with younger skiers who have flocked to park/trick skiing.
Black Diamond Equipment United States 1989 Formerly Chouinard Equipment (founded in 1957), Black Diamond first entered the ski market in the early 1980s with the XCD telemark binding.[2] Today, Black Diamond designs and manufacturers a full line of skis, boots and bindings for alpine, telemark and touring pursuits. Black Diamond Equipment and Scarpa began a partnership in 1987 that ended in 2005.[3]
Dalbello Italy 1969 Originally a designer at Henke in Switzerland, Dalbello formed in 1974 when Giovanna Dal Bello moved back to Italy. Made conventional front-entry designs, and introduced the three-piece Krypton in the 2000s.
Dolomite Now owned by Tecnica
Hanson United States 1969 Chris and Denny Hanson developed the rear-entry boot while working at Lange, and left to form their own company. Successful during the 1970s, mis-steps during the early 1980s led to their bankruptcy in 1984. Purchased by Daiwa and continues to exist in Japan.
Dynafit Austria 1950 Originally known as Humanic, started making lace-up leather boots in 1950. Started using the name Dynamic for the boots, introduced buckles in 1965, and plastics in the early 1970s. Changed their name to Dynafit when purchased by Fischer in 1973. Purchased by Raichle in 1991, and ended ski boot production in 1998. Returned to the touring market in 2001 after being sold to Salzer Holding.
Full Tilt United States 2010 Created by K2 to manufacture boots using the original Raichle Flexon molds.
K2 United States 1962 K2 launched its first boot production on Vashon Island in 1975. That effort failed. Purchased Raichle Flexon molds and started Full Tilt around 2010; launched a boot line under the K2 label in 2013.
Lange United States 1962 Introduced the first plastic ski boots in 1962, and followed up with a greatly improved model in 1965/66. After 1968, they were a must-have for racers, and rapidly took over the market. Remains a major player to this day, especially in racing.
Nordica Italy 1939 Nordica was formed in Montebelluna, the center of Italian ski boot manufacturing to this day. Entered the plastic ski boot market in 1968, following the lead set by Lange. Nordica pioneered use of the removable, customizable innerboot. Also produces skis and other equipment today. Part of the Tecnica Group.
Raichle Switzerland 1907 A long-time maker of leather boots, Raichle introduced a hybrid leather/plastic design in 1968, the Raichle Fibre Jet, but saw little sales. Followed other plastic designs during the 1970s. Broke out of the mould with the now famous Flexon in 1980–81, a three-piece boot based on designs from Sven Coomer, commercialized by Erik Giese. The Flexon was very successful in World Cup downhill racing and freestyle competition. Purchased by a Swiss banker in 1996, who shortly thereafter purchased Kneissl and merged the brands in 1999. Purchased by Mammut Sports Group in 2000, and both brands disappeared. The original Flexon moulds purchased by K2 and became Full Tilt, while late model designs are produced by their Italian assemblers as Roxa.
Rosemount United States 1965 Another contender for title of "first plastic boot", Rosemount was an all-fibreglass shell with a unique side-opening design. Was in the process of introducing a rear-entry model in 1973 when they were purchased by G.H. Bass, then the United States distributor for Raichle. Rosemount ceased production around 1975.
Roxa Ski Boots Italy 1988 Producing boots for the likes of Raichle and Full Tilt for years, they are now entering the North American Market being distributed by 4FRNT Skis.
Salomon France 1947 Introduced the famed SX series of rear-entry boots in 1979, and was a major success through the 1980s. When the rear-entry design rapidly fell from favour around 1990, they purchased the San Giorgio factory and turned to traditional front-entry designs. Salomon remains a major boot producer today.
SCARPA Italy 1938 Originally shoe and boot makers, SCARPA entered the ski boot market during the 1970s. They introduced the first plastic dedicated Telemark boot.
Tecnica Italy 1960 Formed in Montebelluna in 1960 to produce leather work boots, the company introduced the Moon Boot for apres-ski. They followed this with their first ski boots in 1973. Now controls a large number of brands including Nordica, Rollerblade, Dolomite, Lowa, Nitro Snowboards, Think Pink, Blizzard, Moon Boot, and others.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/about-us/company/origins
  2. ↑ http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/about-us/company/origins
  3. ↑ http://www.telemarktips.com/TeleNews50.html
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