A proliferation of made-in-America skis and snowboards in recent years has led to coalition building among 14 brands that manufacture rides right here in the USA. Still small and growing, the Ride American Made Skis & Snowboard Colab companies pool their resources and advertising dollars to compete against larger brands that manufacture overseas. For consumers who care where their dollars go and want to support U.S. manufacturing, these brands are an easy alternative choice. Here are 14 of our favorite new models from the bunch. —Sean McCoy
Batalla – All Mtn Twins (On sale for $519.99)
Built at the Epic Planks factory in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Batalla’s all mountain skis are designed for riders who want to spin off pow kickers and ride forward or backward. They have a lot of taper and thus a short effective edge and tight turning radius.
Type: Directional twin
Features: Tip/tail rocker, camber underfoot, poplar core with maple stringers, sintered die-cut base, poured urethane side walls
Specs: 134-106-130 @ 177 cm; Radius 15.9m
Bluehouse – Maestro ($904 retail; on sale now for $499)
Bluehouse Skis began in 2007 and has since grown into a production factory in Salt Lake City. The brand sells direct to consumer. The Maestro is a full-rocker ski for flotation on soft snow and chopping through crud. Bluehouse claims the skis are fine on the groomers and can hold an edge. The Maestro has been a staple in the Bluehouse lineup since its inception and continues to inspire skiers with its imaginative graphics and playful vibe.
Type: Full rocker
Features: Carbon-reinforced vertically laminated poplar core
Specs: 134-118-131; 20m radius @ 189 cm
Fat-ypus – 2014 D’Riddum ($790)
The new 5-point ski design from Fat-ypus is a quick-turning ski because of its shortened edge contact length. The versatile nature of this rockered powder ski allows it to be used on less-than-blower days.
Type: Powder
Features: Rockwell 48 steel edges, p-tex sidewall, vertical laminate poplar wood core, Durasurf sintered base, Die-cut graphics
Specs: 134/143/118/138/129
High Society – Powchickawowwow ($720)
Built in the Never Summer snowboard factory in Denver, this Aspen-based brand has been designing skis since 2003. The Powchichawowwow is a big mountain blaster with a 122mm-under-foot-print. It is available in a full rocker and an early-rise tip. It was awarded an Editor’s Pick from Freeskier Magazine two years in a row.
Type: Big mountain ski
Features: Poplar wood core, rubber foil dampening system, p-tex sidewalls, die-cut sintered base, carbon fiber stringers, tri-axle fiberglass
Specs: 150-122-140 @ 185 cm; Radius 26.4 m
Icelantic – Shaman SKNY ($749)
Denver-based Icelantic has built quite a following with its Never Summer factory-produced planks, and it is one of the better-known USA-made brands. The new SKNY series was developed for on-piste fun, shrinking the width of four popular models. The Shaman SKNY has the same flex and sidecut radius as the regular Shaman, just skinnier. It has a diamond-shape shovel for flotation and torsional rigidity and a tapered design for hardpack days.
Type: Traditional camber carving
Features: Poplar wood cores
Specs: 140-90-110, Radius 15m @ 173 cm
Meier Skis – The Doc ($790)
Meier Skis began in 2009 in a one-car garage. We had a chance to test this ski and loved it (check out my review from last winter). Meier Skis are now made in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, using locally sourced wood, including poplar and beetle-killed pine. The Doc is a steep-mountain, aggressive ski with minimal camber and early-rise tip and tails
Type: All Mountain
Features: Poplar and pine cores
Specs: 140-108-133, 21m @ 180cm
Montana Ski Company – The Soldier ($795 semi-custom)
An all-mountain, versatile ski with blunt nose twin tips, trapezoidal wood sidewalls, and a wood core, The Soldier will get you anywhere on the mountain.The Montana Ski Company builds its skis in Whitefish, Montana.
Type: All mountain semi-custom
Features: Varies
Specs:126-87-110 @ 172 cm
Ramp – Peacepipe 2014 ($719)
The Ramp Peacepipe is designed for charging big open slopes, powder, windblown hard patches, and even speedy groomers. It has early-rise tips with camber underfoot and a fat but curvy profile for versatility. Made in Utah, Ramp uses many U.S.-sourced materials.
Type: All mountain
Features: Bamboo cores, customizable sidecut, Kevlar laminate, pine-based U.S. sourced resin, Crown Plastic sintered base
Specs: 146-112-134 at 179cm
Rocky Mountain Underground – The Apostle ($799)
Made in the Never Summer factory in Denver, the Rocky Mountain Underground Apostle is designed for variable snow conditions and sidecountry charging. The Apostle is a light 5-point ski weighing in at just 7.8 pounds. RMU is based in Breckenridge, Colo., where the skis get extensive testing in Summit County mountains.
Type: All Mountain/Backcountry
Features: Tip rocker with camber underfoot, Military-grade UHMW sidewalls, sintered bases, poplar core
Specs: Five-point – 126-132-105-120-114 Radius 17.3 @ 185 cm
Voile – V8 ($625)
No, it’s not a French company. Voile makes 98 percent of its gear in Salt Lake City, including splitboards, skis, tele bindings, and avalanche shovels. The light Voile V8 ski has a wide shovel tip and narrow tail for float in powder. A tight sidecut radius and shortened running length make it playful and easy to control.
Type: Backcountry
Features: Light and fat at 7lbs 5 oz (176cm), rockered tip with camber underfoot, carbon-wood laminate
Specs: 141-112-123 at 176cm with 17.3 radius
Wagner Custom Skis In Queensland Walnut ($2,050)
Wagner Custom builds skis in a wind and sun-powered factory near Telluride, Colo. Its skis are high-end with prices to match. Choose from many designs, plus extra features such as impact resistance, carbon torsion box construction, World Cup bases, and metal construction (all add to the price). The Queensland Walnut is sure pretty, a quarter-sawn dark brown hardwood with close, medium grain and wavy figure. Custom-designed length, width, sidecut, camber, overall stiffness, and flex pattern.
Type: Full custom skis
Features: Vertical sidewall construction, clear-grained, all-wood core for lively feel, responsiveness, and durability; oversized steel edges and extra thick bases for longevity
Specs: Vary
4FRNT CRJ ($699)
The 4FRNT CRJ is the late CR Johnson’s signature ski. The company calls it playful, fun, and poppy. With a camber-and-rocker design and moderate sidecut it should perform well in varied conditions from powder to hardpack. Proceeds from this limited-edition ski benefit the High Fives Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to helping people who have suffered life-altering injuries.
Type: All mountain
Features: Camber with rockered tips
Specs: 122-112-120 at 180cm
