If you’re struggling to find skis made in the USA, you’ve come to the right place! We have done all the research to find a complete list of ski brands made in the USA so that you can find the perfect pair of skis that not only assure quality but also support American manufacturing. Beyond our list of ski brands, we’ll also go over our tips and tricks to help you find USA-made skis on your own.
Complete List of Skis Made in the USA
A company born from a middle school classroom, Gilson Snow manufactures skis and snowboards made of the lightest and lowest density hardwood, Pennsylvania Poplar. They use this local material to craft their skis, and the company is passionate about American manufacturing, with all of their skis handcrafted in the USA.
A ski and snowboard manufacturer, Meier makes eco-friendly but high-performing skis made with 100% American wood. The company is serious about keeping manufacturing as environmentally friendly as possible by using plant-based epoxy. They don’t even use plastic when shipping! Meier skis are made in Denver. You can even visit their factory to watch their workers craft skis and snowboards.
If you’re looking for custom skis, Community Skis is a great option. They design and custom-build skis for skiers around the world, and there are zero limitations. You can build your dream skis! All of the company’s skis are made in the USA. You can visit their shop in Mammoth Lakes, CA, to watch the manufacturing process in action.
Looking for water skis made in the USA? Goode produces skis and ski accessories for use in both the snow and the water. Their world-renowned carbon fiber slalom skis and the revolutionary carbon fiber pencil poles have cemented the Goode name in ski production. Goode skis are proudly made in the USA.
Icelantic Skis is so sure about the durability of their skis that their products come with a 3-year bomb-proof warranty. The company works with Never Summer in Denver, Colorado, to produce the highest quality skis possible. All of their skis are 100% made in Colorado.
Moment is one of the largest ski manufacturers in the United States, but the company is still committed to producing everything in its Reno, Nevada, factory. All Moment skis are handcrafted in small batches using the finest materials. By keeping manufacturing in-house, Moment is able to take care of every aspect of its skis’ production from start to finish, ensuring quality over everything else.
Founded in 2007 by a college sophomore who was disheartened by a pair of skis he bought, ON3P started from a humble garage. Now, the company operates an 8,400-square-foot factory just ten minutes from downtown Portland. ON3P proudly builds skis themselves in the United States. They consider themselves “skiers who founded a manufacturing company.”
Praxis Skis handcrafts their skis in the Sierra Nevada. For more than 15 years, the company has been building durable and high-quality skis with CNC technology. They make it a point to test their products and keep their manufacturing 100% in-house to maintain quality, technology, and design control.
Lib Tech manufactures all sorts of boards for sports enthusiasts, including for skiers. Each Lib Tech ski is proudly made in the USA in its state-of-the-art zero-hazardous waste factory. The company proudly has its own American factory where they handcraft all of their products products, including skis.
A small ski manufacturer, Voilé creates splitboards for backcountry skiing as well as standard skis. As their skis are designed for the backcountry, they focus on durable and lightweight skis that perform well across a huge range of snow conditions on diverse terrains. The company is passionate about making its products in the USA and handcrafting its skis with materials sourced domestically.
With around two decades’ worth of experience, Folsom Custom Skis is all about making skis that are a perfect fit for their customer. They tailor their skis specifically for their customer, taking into account not only the skier’s build but also their needs. All Folsom Custom Skis are 100% built in the USA in their private Denver, CO, manufacturing facility.
After hobby-making skis for years, the Thompson brothers founded Shaggy’s Copper Country Skis in 2008. Shaggy’s skis are fully custom-designed and built for each individual skier. All of their skis are made in their small factory in Northern Michigan, and the company is passionate about combining classic craftsmanship with modern technology.
Founded in 2005, DPS manufactures some of the world’s most advanced skis. While they have not always manufactured their skis in the USA, they moved back to the US and set up a factory in Utah in 2013. Now, they are one of the largest domestic ski producers in the United States, employing over 35 workers.
Powder Factory produces some of the world’s best powder skis, and the company is proud to craft its skis right here in the USA with the best quality materials. The skis are made in their 100% wind-powered studio in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.
A small family-owned business that manufactures just 1,000 skis and snowboards a year, Sneva MFG has been making skis since 1994. The company keeps all of its manufacturing in-house, helping to cut down on manufacturing costs, which positively impacts its customers. Sneva MFG is all about making skis and snowboards in the USA using local materials.
A ski and board manufacturer, Parlor got its start in an abandoned funeral parlor in Cambridge, MA. It is now one of the largest ski manufacturers in New England. They believe in the New England tradition of hard work and craftsmanship, and this shows in their dedication to making each pair of skis to order in their East Boston factory.
Since its inception in 1912, Northland Skis has become a premier name in ski manufacturing. The company handcrafts wooden skis in Colorado, and it makes a point to test its products on the mountain in all snow conditions and terrains to ensure durability and quality.
This company’s unique name comes from its first ski model with a “fat” waist width of a whopping 140mm. That, plus the fact that the ski looked like a platypus bill and tail, came the name Fat-ypus. Fat-ypus proudly handmakes all of its skis in the USA in Breckenridge, Colorado.
Founded in 1999, Venture Snowboards makes snowboards and skis. Lovingly called “super skinny snowboards,” Venture skis have been developed for over a decade, and the company is finally ready to deliver them to the ski community. As with their snowboards, their skis are handcrafted in Silverton, Colorado.
Founded in 2014 by an avid skier, Grass Sticks had a mission to create ski poles that were lighter and more durable than traditional poles. The bamboo ski poles are high-performing and eco-friendly. The company offers a two-year warranty on their poles, and each of their poles is handcrafted by ski enthusiasts in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
Mike’s YouTube Video on American Made Skis
How to Find Skis Made in the USA
Want to do your own research? Here’s our handy guide to finding skis made in the USA, including some things to watch out for.
What Does “Made in the USA” Mean?
Before diving in, let’s define “made in the USA.” According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), companies may only use this label on their product if their product is “all or virtually all” made in the USA. This means the materials used to make the product must be from the USA, and the product must be manufactured and assembled in the country as well.
Want more details? Check out our complete guide on how to find USA-made products.
Materials
Finding skis made in the USA is a two-step process. First, you need to look at the materials used in the construction of the ski.
Wood
Most ski cores are made from strips of various hardwoods, such as poplar, ash, beech, or birch. The great thing about wood is that the USA has a fairly significant wood production (particularly hardwood), coming in second worldwide, just behind China. This means finding locally sourced wood as the wood core for a pair of skis is relatively easy compared to other products and materials.
Fiberglass
Fiberglass is the most common ski laminate. It reinforces the core by providing strength and flexibility. China produces most of the world’s fiberglass, but the USA does produce this material to some extent as well. However, since China’s fiberglass manufacturing is pretty substantial, it’s always double-checking the country of origin of the fiberglass before you commit to a particular pair of skis.
Steel
Skis have steel edges to protect the skis from impact and help with the product’s durability. China produces more than half of the world’s steel, making this country the largest producer of this material. However, don’t worry; the USA is still a leading steel producer, coming in fourth worldwide. While Chinese steel may be cheaper, American steel is three times stronger, reinforcing the importance of finding skis with US materials.
Labeling
Beyond simply looking at the materials, the next step to finding USA-made skis is to look at the label. Thankfully, this is where Title 19 Chapter 4 Section 1304 of the United States Code comes in handy. According to this law, all imported products must be labeled accordingly, such as with a “made in China” or “made in Italy” label. Furthermore, the FTC protects the usage of the “made in the USA” label, so often, finding USA-made skis is as easy as looking for this label on the skis or packaging.
Unfortunately, there are a few things to watch out for.
While the FTC protects the use of the “made in the USA” label, this doesn’t necessarily mean the FTC does the best job of policing its use. As there is no pre-approval process for using the label, it’s up to individual companies to decide whether or not their skis are truly “all or virtually all” made in the USA.
There are also other labels that may seem synonymous with “made in the USA” but are not. Examples of such labels include:
- Made in America – America can refer to Canada or Mexico
- Manufactured in the USA – Only a portion of the manufacturing takes place in the USA
- Assembled in the USA – Only a portion of the manufacturing takes place in the USA
- Made in the USA with imported materials – Since the product is made with imported materials, it is not truly “made in the USA”
- American flag – Just because you see an American flag does not automatically mean the product is US-made
There is another hurdle when it comes to online shopping. No law states that companies must disclose the country of origin of their products online or in advertisements. To be safe, if you can’t find any information on their website about whether or not their skis are made in the USA, it’s best to assume they’re produced abroad. If the skis were truly made domestically, they would proudly advertise this on their website somewhere.
Other Tips
If you’re still unsure if a particular brand of skis is made in the USA or not, here are a few other tips to help you.
Check Amazon
Beyond simply looking at the company’s website for information, check online shopping sites like Amazon. These sites may sometimes list the product’s country of origin on the product page.
Stalk Their Social Media
As “made in the USA” is a selling point, stalk the company’s social media to see if they’ve said anything about their manufacturing process.
Call and Ask
When in doubt, simply call and ask the company! You can use their chat box or call their customer service line to get a quick answer about where their products are made.
Ski Manufacturers Not Made in the USA
What about ski brands that are not made in the USA? These are some famous ski brands that we came across during our research that are made abroad. We’ll continuously update this list as we go.
- Fischer – Made in Austria and Ukraine
- K2 Sports – Made in China
- Salomon – Made in Austria and France
- Atomic – Made in Austria
- Nordica – Made in Austria
- Rossignol – Made in Spain and France
- Black Crows – Made in Europe
- Völkl – Made in Germany and China
- Black Diamond – Made in Austria
- Blizzard – Made in Austria
- Dynafit – Made in Europe
