Freeskiing isn’t just a sport, it’s a lifestyle. Thus, the people involved prefer clothing that embodies that lifestyle. Tomahawk International, a unique clothing and lifestyle brand based out of Northern California, understands this. The company was started by Jimbo Morgan, who has been making waves in the action sports world for years. From competing in the Olympics as a speed skier, to putting brands like Electric Visual and Skullcandy on the map as their ski marketing manager, Morgan has certainly made his mark in action sports. Team rider Logan Imlach believes that Morgan’s passion shines through in the quality of Tomahawk’s products.
“Tomahawk is a brand run on heart. Jimbo bleeds for this fucking company, and when you have that amount of industry savvy and love going into something, it’s going to be legit,” says Imlach. “It’s so fucking apparent when you hold the gear in your hands, it’s bomb proof.”
Tomahawk’s first print ad actually ran in Freeskier’s February 2010 issue, and featured team rider and part owner Parker White. Since the brand was conceptualized in 2006, Morgan and White, have gone on to lure many athletes that embody the soul of freeskiing into Tomahawk’s ranks, including Ian Compton, Max Hill, Logan Imlach, and John Ware. Imlach also speaks about Parker White’s influence on the brand:
“[Jimbo Morgan’s] right hand man is the king of the Slat Rats and one of my favorite people on earth, Parker White. Parker has gone after people that live and ski in a fashion that truly meshes with the brand. Hard workers and forward thinkers like Max [Hill], [John] Ware and even that goofy, hippie mother fucker that lives in the woods in Vermont [Ian Compton].”
A video profile of Tomahawk team rider and part owner Parker White, from Level 1.
Tomahawk has been around for some time now, but its first products were made available via backcountry.com earlier this year, as well as individual shops this fall. Tomahawk has also just launched its new website and online store, which has a sleek layout and laid back vibe that coincides with the brand’s identity. The site’s homepage features lifestyle shots of riders Max Hill, wearing the Tomahawk Hockey Jersey, and Ian Compton in the Pow Wow Down Jacket.
From the homepage, Tomahawk fans can click on tabs like Happenings for news concerning the brand and its ambassadors; or Tribe + to check out new content from Tomahawk’s stable of athletes. With the launch of its product line and new website, Tomahawk is certainly on the right track moving forward, just take a look at the results of Freeskier’s What brands would you buy? survey, where our readers said they would wear Tomahawk apparel over such established brands as Columbia, Outdoor Research, and Spyder.
Imlach too believes that Tomahawk will be challenging the bigger brands for outerwear supremacy.
“I can’t wait for next year’s cuts to drop. I think that Tomahawk will set themselves up among the biggest players in the game, especially with the fact that we finally have the online store rocking. Go buy some shit and join all of us that have decided to Bleed Black.”
