Hidden Gems: Meet Mike McCabe of Folsom Custom Skis

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mike McCabe.

Hi Mike, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was a professional skier through my college years at CU Boulder. I competed in the FWT / big mountain Freeride competitions in the US and worldwide. I also have a long history of an engineering/manufacturing background. As I went through my ski career, I started to see the shortcomings of most skis that were built overseas.

Most of the products I was on either broke very quickly or were just simply a pretty undesirable ride. As I was graduating college in 05/06 I met Jordan who had the framework of Folsom built. Once we joined forces we were able to take 2 years to develop our manufacturing process in-house. The company in 2008. I ran the company with Jordan for the first 3 years then ended up taking over entirely in 2011. I’ve slowly and carefully built this company to be one of the best manufacturers in the business that focuses on doing less and doing a better job. I’ve had an immense amount of help along the way from employees, other owners, and honestly clients.

Not only is Folsom Skis a custom manufacturer that focuses on building beautiful custom skis for the end user, but we are also a company that focuses on developing programs that serve our skiing community all while making the most ethical and green decisions in manufacturing possible.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not even kind of. This is a notoriously brutal industry that is competition-rich and has a track record of unsuccessful brands. Unfortunately, most brands that choose to build their factory from the ground up in the USA don’t make it. There is a very large list of Ski Companies that are no longer around because manufacturing skis in general is very complex, plus wildly more expensive to do in the US.

The 3 biggest struggles are as follows.

1. Finding a clientele that was willing to pay and try a new brand. Generally, consumers are VERY brand loyal so client acquisition is steep.

2. Managing finances. Building skis is brutally expensive here in the US. I like to say the best way to make a fortune in the ski industry is to start with a bigger one. Unfortunately, I have not been lucky enough to just wake up with money, so I’ve had to run a lean company to this day at a very large expense personally. This company has cost me more personal relationships and financial hardship than I’d like to admit to.

3. Keeping the fire alive. Time goes on. I’ve become a husband, and a father and have more responsibilities than I did when I was in my 20s. Not only has life made this project harder but the constant influx of new brands that come into the industry that rely on OEM manufacturing with big financial backing and some star power while just leaning into some marketing rhetoric that is just buzz words and fluff with a mediocre product.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We build custom alpine snow skis directly to the end user right here in the USA. We are independent and have been in business for 15 years… We are one of only a handful of companies that does everything in-house in the ski and snowboard space.

We choose to stay small so we can focus on the finished product and customer service. We want to serve our skiing community and economy for many years to come. Folsom Skis takes the guesswork out of buying skis as we just build the exact ski you need rather than try to fit you in a product that already exists.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Keep doing what we are doing. We will keep being a small fish in a big pond so we can continue to serve our customers and community with the best product and customer service available in the industry.

I foresee a paradigm shift coming as things continue to uncouple in the US and the world. I feel strongly that consumer habits will continue to shift toward companies like Folsom Skis as time goes on for many reasons.

Pricing:

• Full Custom $1650
• Summer Full Custom $1350
• Signature Series (stock skis) $950
• Retail at Powder 7 only $750-$900

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.folsomskis.com/
• Instagram: @folsomskis
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/folsomskis
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCffGwFLUc2fNRYD_gzFLoxA/videos?app=desktop&view=0&sort=da&flow=grid
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/folsom-custom-skis-denver-2

Image Credits
Charlie Renfro, Jonathan Ellsworth, and Mike McCabe