Posted November 16, 2009 | Filed Under American Made, Featured
Written by Peter Kray | Comments: 2
Telluride, Colo. (Shred White and Blue)—High in the Colorado mountains in the storybook shred town of Telluride, Colorado, Pete Wagner is quickly building his own legend with a bomber brand of custom-built skis and snowboards.
In a craftsman-centered workshop powered completely by wind, sun and soul, Wagner Custom Skis and Snowboards are built to be tough, fun, and customer-centric in that every ride is built to the exact needs of the buyer. With fresh snow falling across the Rockies and the stoke starting to steamroll for the season just begun, we caught up with Pete to talk about his own personal mission to create a uniquely American ski and snowboard brand.
Shred White and Blue: So how did this whole custom ski idea get started?
Pete Wagner: While working as an engineer in the golf industry, I developed a custom-fitting system and software platform for designing, analyzing, manufacturing high-tech golf equipment. During this time, I bought a new pair of skis which received great reviews from various ski buyer’s guides, but never worked well for me. With so many choices when buying skis, how does one know that they’re buying the right product? I realized that I could apply my fitting system knowledge and design insight to help skiers find their perfect equipment.
SWB: With the big brands putting so many great skis on the market, why would I want a custom-built pair of boards?
PW: You want a custom-fit pair of skis because, like custom-fit ski boots, you’ll be more comfortable. This translates into skiing with better balance, control, power, and efficiency. Wagner Custom skis are ultimately about skiing your best and having more fun on the snow.
SWB: What role does Telluride play in the kind of skis you make?
PW: Telluride plays a big role in the durability and craftsmanship that is found in every pair of Wagner Custom skis. The terrain around Telluride is notoriously tough on skis because it’s steep and boney with lots of natural obstacles and features. In response, Wagner Custom skis are built by expert hands, in small batches, to precise tolerances from tough hardwood cores, oversized steel edges, and extra thick base material. The results are incredibly durable, workhorse skis that can hold up to the abuse of the San Juan mountains, maintain their liveliness and energy over many seasons, and take more repairs and tunes.
SWB: Do you foresee a time when every major mountain or range has its own custom brand, as they seem to in Microbrews and often even apparel?
PW: My guess is that we’ll see a cycle similar to the shakedown of boutique snowboard factories in the 1990s. Many small custom companies will emerge and, overtime, the cream will rise to the top. The best-managed companies will survive and the weaker operations will disappear.
SWB: By listening to what your customers are asking for, what have you learned about what skiers want most from a pair of skis right now?
PW: Simplicity is king right now. We talk to a lot of people who want one ski that can do it all over a broad range of terrain and conditions. People don’t want to second-guess themselves about whether they’re on the right ski that day. People don’t want to travel with several pairs of skis. Many people are looking to simplify their quivers and fall in love with one ski that will work well in any situation.
SWB: What kind of boards do you build for yourself?
PW: I have 2 pairs of skis. My powder/AT skis are lightweight and floaty with a 172cm length and 110mm waist. My resort/hardsnow skis are versatile and nimble with a 175cm length and a 90mm waist.
SWB: What’s happening in the market right now that has you believing that you’re well positioned for the future?
PW: These days, people are being more thoughtful about the items they purchase. People want to be on equipment that will help them ski their best. People want to know where their products are coming from and they want to feel good about the companies they’re supporting. Wagner Custom tries to be very transparent about who we are, what we do, and how we can help people have more fun skiing.
SWB: Bonus Question – Can I visit the factory?
PW: Yes! We’re proud of what we do and are happy to show it off. Because we don’t use molds, we truly create a new design for each customer (that’s a unique length, width, sidecut, tip/tail shape, camber, flex pattern , stiffness, materials layup, and graphic.) People are always impressed when they see our high-tech computer-controlled equipment, our ultra-premium grade raw materials, our solar-powered factory floor, and our precision-crafted products.
FOMO: Check out WagnerSkis.com
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Ok the gear looks super tight and I want to ride the bacon board but I am still curious about how you make snowboards using solar power and wind. Do you know?
Wilbo – The Wagner Custom shop is heated with the big solar thermal array on the top of our factory. We buy wind produced electricity from farmer-owned wind turbines in the Midwest (this is part of a Native Energy project). This is the power we use to run our machines.
For more information, check out http://bit.ly/4ocCPF.
Pete