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Designed, engineered and built by skiers, Folsom Custom Skis, one of North America’s preeminent custom ski manufacturers, is now a 100 percent rider-owned company. With a focus on customized design and engineering rather than production volume, Folsom Custom Skis offer unparalleled individual performance, outlast mass-produced skis and are made responsibly from tip to tail using more than 95 percent of materials sourced within the U.S. As one of North America’s first and only fully-custom ski companies, each ski’s flex pattern, stiffness, camber profile, tip and tail design and graphics are determined on a case-by-case basis and hand-built in Boulder, Colo.
Folsom Custom Skis is owned by six partners, each a diehard skier and some pro-level, including Mike McCabe, master builder; Ryan Prentice, sales and marketing director; Andy Patchin, principal designer; Jordan Grano, founder; and partners, Jesse Durance and Doug Prentice.
“As a professional skier, I went through multiple pairs of skis each season; I simply couldn’t find a pair that could withstand the kind of skiing I was doing,” said McCabe. “Once I tried skiing on Folsom Custom Skis, I was finally able to ride one pair of skis for not only an entire season, but multiple seasons. Our proprietary CAD programming, CNC milling and in-depth, on-snow testing in snow conditions around the world help to make Folsom Custom Skis the most personalized and durable skis out there.”
A library of more than 30 pre-tooled ski shapes serve as the base for customization, however, new shapes can be created for individual clients on a special request basis. Similarly, graphics are also 100 percent customizable. Customers can provide a design or image of their choice to be imprinted on their skis, be it a custom logo, photograph or drawing, or they can choose from Folsom Custom Skis’ robust library of custom graphics. Once commissioned, each set of skis take approximately 10 hours to build once the customer’s skier profile, including skill level, height, weight and ski preferences such as powder, carving, ski-touring, etc., has been assessed. All materials, including the bamboo and poplar laminates used for the core, are hand-selected and inspected before being approved for production.
“Our customers are always amazed at how easy it is for us to create each of their ski profiles. It’s not necessary for them to be knowledgeable skiers, it’s our job to figure it out for them,” says Patchin. “It usually takes us about one hour to assess a skier and then begin the building and design process. This is usually the same amount of time, if not less, most people spend in a store discussing a ski purchase with a sales associate.”
While fully-custom skis start at $1,200, Folsom Custom Skis also offer semi-custom skis, built only during the summer months, as a less-expensive alternative, starting at $850. All Folsom Custom Skis come with a comprehensive two-year warranty. Boasting a long list of both national and international clientele since its launch in 2008, Folsom Custom Skis are the exclusive ski for many high-profile organizations such as the Aspen Highlands Ski Patrol and Challenge Aspen, an adaptive ski program.
“Not only do we sponsor well-known professional skiers such as Chuck Mumford, Kasie Stroshin and Sam Ferguson, Folsom Custom Skis is also a leader in building custom adaptive skis and sponsoring skiers with physical challenges,” said Prentice. “By sponsoring events such as Challenge Aspen or simply designing and building skis for a disabled athlete, we’re able to help make the sport we love possible for everyone.”
New Shapes for 2012
To complement its growing portfolio of custom ski shapes, Folsom Custom Skis has introduced two new additions for 2012.
With the end of days upon us in December, at the end of the Mayan Calendar, Folsom has fittingly created The Rapture, so riders are prepared to slay powder even as civilization as we know it collapses. This all-new design stays true as a powder-specific tool with all mountain capabilities, integrating a rocker/camber hybrid profile that allows you to play in the powder and be comfortable in variable or hard pack conditions. The Rapture is available in four sizes: 196 and 192 centimeters long, with dimensions 152-122-140; and 186 and 182 centimeters long, with dimensions 150-120-138. MSRP starts at $1,300/pair.
Additionally, The Completo (“complete” in Spanish) is a true all mountain early tapered and rockered ski. The Completo sports a slightly slimmer waist than Folsom’s popular Gambit series, offering a more maneuverable platform for days when snow conditions are variable. With camber underfoot and a quick turning radius, the Completo is a quick navigator, yet wide enough to float through soft snow. This is the true one ski quiver, offering complete satisfaction no matter what the conditions dictate! The Completo is available in six sizes: 186, 181 and 178 centimeters long, with dimensions 130-105-118 and a turning radius of 22 meters; and 176, 171 and 168 centimeters long, with dimensions of 128-100-116 and a turning radius of 17 meters. MSRP starts at $1,200/pair.
Like all Folsom Custom skis, The Rapture and Completo will be custom built per individual, with custom flex and camber profiles as well as custom graphics.
About Folsom Custom Skis™
100 percent rider owned, Folsom Custom Skis (folsomskis.com) create custom skis that are designed, engineered and built by skiers. With a focus on customized design and engineering perfection, Folsom Custom's offer unparalleled individual performance, outlast mass-produced skis and are manufactured sustainably from tip to tail utilizing more than 95 percent of materials sourced within the U.S. As one of North America’s first and only fully-custom ski companies, each ski’s flex pattern, stiffness, camber profile, tip and tail design and graphics are determined on a case-by-case basis and hand-crafted in Boulder, Colo. A favorite of clientele from around the world, celebrities and professional skiers alike, Folsom Custom Skis have also received multiple “Skier Choice” awards from Powder Magazine and an “Editor’s Choice” from Freeskier Magazine. For more information browse our website, folsomskis.com, email info[.]folsomskis.com, or call 303-248-3418.
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