Coalition Snow: A Revolution in Women’s Skis + Boards

April 21st, 2015 • BY WM

Women’s skis + outdoor gear have come a long way in the last two decades, but the real reality is that the “shrink-it-and-pink-it” factor still exists. Which is exactly why Jen Gurecki stepped into the ring.

“There appeared to be a huge need and opportunity to fill the gap between the average women’s ski and burly men’s skis,” says the Truckee, CA-based co-founder and CEO of Coalition Snow, a new women’s ski and snowboard maker that walks the walk. This women-run company designs women’s skis and boards for intermediate-to-advanced riders from the ground up, specifically for women. Check out Coalition Snow’s Kickstarter campaign here.

We caught up with Gurecki to get the lowdown on why her skis are dialed in better than others for women—plus learn her fav skiing spots, best apres scenario, and the most surprising fact about Coalition Snow.

WomensMovement.com: What inspired you to launch a women’s ski company?
Jen Gurecki: I love challenges and the day-to-day life of an entrepreneur. I also see the world through the lens of a social justice/women’s rights activist, so this was right up my alley.

Not only could I surround myself and learn from amazing women, I also could help to advance women in snowsports. I wanted to be a part of something that promoted women as the bad asses they are, and I thought a good first place to start would be to challenge the status quo by shifting the way we think about women’s-specific hard goods.

I also saw the ability to create a company that was more than just about planks of wood and snow—we are contributing to the movement that women like Lynsey Dyer, Elyse Saugstad, and Claire Smallwood have helped to build through our ambassador program, team riders, and the causes we give back to.

 

WM: How are your skis dialed in specifically for women?
Jen: We went straight to advanced/expert female skiers, asked them what they wanted, and designed around that.

I’m really proud of the fact that we didn’t sit in offices, scouring pseudoscience to discover how women’s bodies are “weaker” than men’s and what that means for ski design. They told us A LOT, but some of their main preferences were a stiffer flex than traditional women’s skis, something that turned on a dime, rocker in the tip and tail, lengths between 165-180 cm, and responsiveness.

All of our skis deliver on that, and depending upon other personal preferences (like length, width under foot, and terrain) they have a few options to choose from.

WM: Which one is your ski of choice?
Jen: I spend more time on a snowboard than on skis (which is why we make snowboards too), but the S<O>S is an all-time favorite among the team because it can handle just about any terrain.

WM: Unique/surprising fact about Coalition Snow?
Jen: We tested our first prototypes on one of the last remaining glaciers in Africa — the Lewis Glacier on Mt. Kenya, that sits at about 16,000 feet.

WM: Your best ski day, ever?
Jen: Oh there’s so many it’s hard to decide. But I think the best is yet to come. I have my eye on Japow:)

WM: Favorite place on the planet to ski?
Jen: Another tough one! There’s so many amazing places in this world. I’ve been on glaciers in Africa, vacations in Europe, heli-skiing in AK, but I always come back to the East Side of the Sierra Nevada. Love that place!

WM: Fav apres scenario?
Jen: Whiskey, lady friends, snowflakes, hot tubs.

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