Revision Skis co-founder Bill Wanrooy, 36, doesn’t know of another ski company that settles every warranty claim it receives. Most companies’ warranty policies don’t cover damage caused by skiing on rails, boxes or cement. But Wanrooy says it’s hypocritical to market skis for park and urban skiing, and then tell customers those skis aren’t intended for asphalt.
“We’ve been warranting rail damage since the beginning,” says Wanrooy. “We let people know if they have an issue, they can count on us.”
Since launching its two-model line on August 1, 2014, Revision Skis, a company of four based in Colorado and Michigan, already boasts a FREESKIER Editors’ Pick: The Subtraction, a 116 mm powder ski that scored a 10 out of 10 in the category of “playfulness,” which, says Wanrooy, is a perfect fit for Revision’s customer base.
“We are focused on catering to 18-34 year olds who are skiing park at their local hill or getting after it in urban environments,” he says. “Our powder skis are developed for progressive skiers who are pushing the boundaries of powder skiing via butters, skiing switch, and jibbing natural features.”
For its sophomore line, Revision added two models, raised the tip height on the Talismans, Revision’s versatile ski for skiers who flex, bounce and press their way down, and upgraded the bases and edges of the entire line to increase durability. That was based on feedback from customers, guides and clients at Fernie Wilderness Adventures (a cat-skiing operation in Fernie, BC where Revision tests its powder skis) and from Revision’s core team of athletes.
Convinced they represented the future of the sport, Wanrooy reached out to a group of Swedish park and urban skiers known as The Bunch that he’d been interested in since seeing their film, Far Out. What started out as testing prototypes has evolved into a multi-faceted relationship. Revision launched a limited edition top sheet with The Bunch in August that sold out within a week.
“They have a really fresh take on skiing,” says Wanrooy. “And they’re a multi-talented crew. They aren’t just skiers; they have a lot of artistic talent, from painting to photography to editing and music. I can’t put any amount of value on what they’ve contributed to get us where are.”
Bunch member Tobias Sedlacek took initiative to network with major ski retailers in Sweden to secure space in stores and at events, and, says Wanrooy, he helped build Revision’s presence in ways not normally feasible for a small brand. Level 1 athlete Sandy Boville has made significant contributions to Revision’s product development through his urban filming the last couple of seasons and helped build the company’s social media following while growing Revision’s Canadian customer base. And [athlete] Mike King’s business philosophy, industry insight and passion for the sport have been key to developing both Revision’s products and its long-term vision, which includes sustainability.
Revision is working with its manufacturers and suppliers to reduce its ecological footprint. Moving forward, Revision will be carbon neutral: For each ski bought, Revision will offset its carbon footprint by purchasing reforestation offsets through Carbonfund.org for each pair of skis produced. Revision is also working with its suppliers to guarantee the sustainability of its wood by sourcing from Forest Stewardship Council certified forests.
As for Revision’s next steps, Wanrooy will continue to focus on its main customer base: Skiers who think outside the box. He foresees improvements to current models as well as introducing progressive new shapes and sizes down the road.
“We haven’t scratched the surface of being able to take some risks to test more ideas,” says Wanrooy. “We’re excited to let the creativity flow and see what we come up with.”
[su_button url=”https://revisionskis.com/” target=”blank” style=”flat” background=”#0e5589″ size=”5″ radius=”5″]See Revision Skis’ 2016 Product Line[/su_button]
Also read: The Bunch—Skiing’s Band Apart
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