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	USA	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
Atomic	alpine skis, ski jumping skis, twin tips, bindings, ski boots, ski clothes	Austria	1955	Major alpine brand, purchased by Amer Sports.
Authier	skis	switzerland	1900	hand built skis with some models guaranteed for life
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	Firebird design remains a standard from 1973 into the 1980s. Introduced the "Thermo" with temperature-sensitive materials.
Dynamic	alpine skis	France		Famed for their VR series race skis from the 1970s. Purchased by Atomic, and now part of Amer Sports.
DPS	alpine skis	USA	2005	DPS introduced the world’s first and only Pure prepreg carbon fiber sandwich ski.
Dynastar	alpine skis	France	1963	First to introduce vibration-damping in the 1980s. Purchased by Rossignol.
Elan	alpine skis, ski jumping skis, mogul skis	Slovenia	1945	Produced a variety of products, notably skis and boots. 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	USA	1955	Another early metal-laminate design from just after Head. After being joined by Billy Kidd in the late 1960s, Hart became a major brand though the 1970s and 80s. Currently makes custom hand-built skis to order.
Head	alpine skis, ski boots	USA	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 USA 1970 s to 1980 s. Famous honeycomb construction with trademark bright green logo.
Hexcel	skis	USA	1970 s	trademark honeycomb construction with well known bright green logo ski graphic
Icelantic Skis	alpine skis, twin tips	USA	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	USA	1962	In 1962, K2’s founder, Bill Kirshner, was the first person to feature a fiberglass wrapped torsion box in a ski to effectively create the first modern ski. Over the last 50 years K2 has grown into a major conglomerate that is constantly developing new ski technology. 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. Re-introduced in 2007.
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	USA	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.
Miller Ski	alpine skis	USA	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, USA	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	USA	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.
Nishizawa	skis	Japan		Long time manufacturer from Japan that is no longer in business. Sold in USA 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	USA	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	USA	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	USA		Well-known brand in the US during the 1980s. Purchased by K2, owners formed the short-lived Research Dynamics.
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.
Swallow	alpine skis	USA	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	Started as a binding company, but made a famous foray into boots during the 1980s, and finally to skis in the 1990s. Another major conglomerate of the 1980s/90s, along with K2, Head and its primary competitor, Rossignol. Salomon owned Volant, Dynamic and non-ski sporting company Mavic and Arc'Teryx. Purchased by Adidas in 1997 and sold to Amer Sports (owner of Atomic, Wilson, Suunto and some other brands) in 2005.
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	USA	1970s	Entered the field by marketing to the "hot dog" (freestyle) skier, and became a well-known brand in the 1970s.
Voit	alpine skis	USA	1966	Used a new fibreglass/epoxy technique that was well-liked but very expensive. Exited the industry after only three years.
Volant	alpine skis	USA	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.
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	USA	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	USA	1969	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 some time in the 1970s. 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	USA	1980	Designed for downhill skiing in the early 1980s by a NASA engineer but were then discovered to be more useful in the freestyle genre of skiing. They are now the use by predominantly freestyle skiers.
K2	USA	1962	K2 began production of alpine ski boots in 2013.
Lange	USA	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. 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 Eric Giese. 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 returned to the US and became Full Tilt, while late model designs are produced by their Italian assemblers as Roxa.
Rosemount	USA	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 Raichle as the side-effect of a larger deal. Raichle ended production.
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 1980, and was a major success through the 1980s. When the rear-entry design rapidly fell from favour around 1990, they 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