OUR STORY (the short, TLDR version)

1. Direct-to-Consumer Sales: Since 2011, DOWN Skis has pioneered selling high-quality skis directly from the factory to customers, eliminating middlemen and offering competitive prices.
2. Pricing Efficiency: Traditional ski pricing involves multiple middlemen, inflating costs. By cutting out these intermediaries, we offer better value.
3. High-Quality Materials: Our skis feature top-quality materials sourced directly from renowned suppliers, ensuring superior performance.
4. Unique Production: As a fully integrated manufacturer, we control all aspects of design, production, and supply chain, distinguishing us from most other freeride brands.
5. Core Values: We are committed to transparency, quality, and customer value. Our skis are crafted with the best materials available.
6. Mission: Our mission is to deliver exceptional value and quality, helping skiers make the most of their mountain time.
7. History: Founded in 2009, DOWN Skis has evolved through dedication and innovation. We continue to push the boundaries of ski design and customer value.

Now for the full story, continue reading below.

DOWN WITH THE SKI PRICE

Down Skis sells directly from the factory to you, cutting out markups from middlemen. This enables us to price extremely competitively while still delivering the highest quality skis. Did you know that 98% of all skis are still sold through retailers? Since 2011, we've pioneered the direct-to-consumer approach, similar to Canyon and YT Bicycles. We know the bike industry is about a decade ahead of the ski industry, but we're convinced the concept makes perfect sense with skis as well, if not more so. We will continue to pioneer the path of customer value.

HOW SKIS ARE PRICED THESE DAYS

Ski pricing these days is pretty messed up, to put it frankly. The traditional path through multi-level sales organizations (manufacturer to subsidiary/distributor to retailer) involves a minimum of two middlemen before you get your skis—two middlemen that want and need a fair share of the sales price. At DOWN, we cut out all middlemen. We sell, ship, and service customers directly, globally. While this makes our operation a bit more expensive per se, the big savings come from cutting all the transactional middlemen. These savings we pass on to you. As a rough estimate, you can assume that a retailer pays about half of what the MSRP (manufacturer's suggested retail price) is.

Now though, who ever pays MSRP? The high margins are mostly due to inflated MSRPs. Retailers, in a good year, might take a 30% margin, buying skis at half the MSRP and selling them at a discount. The manufacturer and sales organizations further up the food chain also take their margins. Wondering who gets rich along this multi-level sales process is often asked, but it is probably the wrong question. No one really does. The most profitable businesses in the  industry these days will have earnings of around 5-10%, that is, a profit of 5.- for every 100.- in revenue. This profit margin is low compared to other industries like cars or sneakers, where margins can exceed 20%. That said, we think it is not a problem of greed in this industry, but that the whole multi-level sales model is simply outdated in the days of e-commerce, and most importantly, ridiculously inefficient.

HOW DOES DOWN SKIS FIT IN?

Our pricing is pretty straightforward. We are not "cheap," but we focus on delivering the best value package in the industry. We aim to deliver higher quality skis than brands like Faction, 4FRNT, Armada, DPS, and Moment, at prices comparable to their street prices or MSRPs. One reason why we believe the bike industry's D2C models are a bit ahead is that bikes are simpler to compare. Speaking in bike terms, consider any DOWN ski on this page translating to a premium YT or CANYON carbon frame, with components comparable to a Shimano XT groupset, Fox Factory parts, and high-quality wheelsets.

HOW CAN DOWN DO THAT?

DOWN is unlike most other freeride brands on the market, with the notable exception of some (mostly US) peers like MOMENT SKIS that have a similar setup. DOWN is operated under the umbrella of O+ GMBH, a Salzburg-based ski manufacturer. DOWN now finally having a fully integrated mothership makes the difference. DOWN "owns" engineering, design, tool building, the supply chain, and manufacturing. Whereas most competing freeski brands these days are manufactured at Atomic (producer for Armada and Faction), Elan (producer for Black Crows), or Blizzard (producer for Black Diamond). Our unique situation allows us the freedom to source directly and incorporate the best materials into our skis, rather than using what is merely available.

OUR MISSION

DOWN creates originally designed high-quality skis and sells them directly from the factory to you, cutting out markups from middlemen. This enables us to price extremely competitively while still delivering the highest quality skis. We’re here to help you get the most out of your time in the mountains.

CORE VALUES

We keep things real and build honest, straightforward products with a purpose.

All skis feature full-length wood cores, and—getting back to our bike analogy—we are also crystal clear about which ingredients you find in our skis:

• TITANAL from Austrian supplier AMAG
• CARBON from our German partner SGL SIGRATEX
• RUBBER (VDS) from our Austrian supplier SEMPERIT GROUP
• GLASSFIBER from German company SAERTEX
• BASES and TOPSHEETS from our partners at CPS (often referred to as the "P-TEX" company)
• STEEL EDGES from Austrian companies METALLWERKE DEUTSCH and WAELZHOLZ HUBER

We are direct-source partners to all these companies, and enjoy the luxury that none of these partners is further away than 250 km from our headquarters in Salzburg, Austria.

PHILOSOPHY

DOWN is a montage of freeride skiers from all over Europe and the US who understand the current ski company model can be changed for the better.

Over the past decade, we have seen huge leaps in many areas of the industry, and DOWN wants to help continue that evolution through not only our ski designs but our focus on delivering exceptional value to skiers through high-quality production techniques, streamlining supply chains, innovative testing, and our end-to-end customer service. We strive to maintain a small and focused core family of products and customers and are always thinking of ways to do things better for you. Please contact us anytime with your ideas, thoughts, feedback, and opinions at: info@downskis.com.

HISTORY

We are very similar to you. We eat, sleep, and dream about skiing.

This infatuation with skiing and what it brings to the lives of so many is at the core of our little company. That little core pumps in the heart of the Alps today, designing, creating, and testing unique, original, high-quality freeride skis.

We started this (ad)venture to not only create and ski unique freeride skis but to explore what can be done as a small and agile company built on a different platform with a different end-game in mind. The current industry model continues to be dominated by large conglomerates distributing and marketing skis through antiquated practices and processes. We believed this model could and should change. This drive for innovation is part of DOWN's mission, as we are committed to evolving how skis are manufactured, procured, distributed, and supported—and foremost delivering unbelievable value and quality to you.

Down began as a concept in 2005 as the ski industry was undergoing dramatic changes with “indie” companies pushing the boundaries of customer/community-driven design, direct distribution, and construction. The first prototypes were designed and a few skis were pressed in the US until a twist of fate moved “Geo” (American, Down Founder) to Switzerland in 2006. Down went dormant for a few years but the passion for the idea of Down never did.

In 2009, through another twist of fate, Geo connected with Simen (Norwegian, Co-Founder and Head Designer) and proceeded to design the first CountDown 1, 2, and 3 prototypes. From 2009-2011, Simen and Geo tested skis across Europe with a small team of passionate skiers and guides from Norway, Sweden, Italy, Austria, France, and Germany, receiving precious feedback on construction, design, and durability. After some tweaking and tuning, in 2011 Down released the CountDown series for sale to the public and DOWN FREE Sarl was established in Switzerland.

From 2011 to 2019, DOWN saw steady growth, and more importantly, gained a very loyal following of diehard ski enthusiasts that just clicked on the concept of original skis, high quality, and extremely good product value through DOWN's direct-to-consumer sales model.

Following the initial COUNTDOWN series of backcountry freeride models, the brand expanded its offering into specific backcountry freestyle models (THROWDOWN), metal-laminated, directional chargers (SHOWDOWN), and backcountry touring models (LOWDOWN).

Then the world was shocked with COVID, and so was DOWN. The brand went dormant for the 2020 and 2021 seasons, until another twist of fate had DOWN founder Geo and the O+ ski factory in Austria connect. The plan to re-ignite the somewhat dormant brand was born.

Winter '23 saw a return from hiatus for DOWN. DOWN's HQ is now in Salzburg, Austria, and with our setup of owners, riders, old-guard founders, and new factory, we're rooted as probably the most global little freeski company.

We're extremely excited to release three unique and original skis that have been tested, tweaked, and continuously improved for the past 14 years—back are the legendary COUNTDOWN models. We're pleased to introduce a completely new LOWDOWN 87 ski—a product we feel changes the game for how alpine rando skis should ski (down). Following into Winter '24 will be redesigned THROWDOWN and completely new SHOWDOWN skis.

These skis are exclusively distributed directly through www.downskis.com. Alongside the skis, you will find a fine offering of matching bindings, skins, and accessories. We expect these new products to move fast. So all that being said, we are DOWN with you…our skiers, our friends, our partners, and our families…so contact us anytime: info@downskis.com.

THE OUTLOOK

The historical change for DOWN: We are now a ski factory, with all processes from design, production, engineering, tooling, sourcing, shipping, and quality in our own hands. This is unique, and sets DOWN apart from almost all our peers, who are not manufacturers. Production is re-established and DOWN is back for good.

A high focus is being put on durability and what is ultimately more value.