DPS Skis (2005), deep dive into the brand history

Social Listening Trends—General Outdoors (for B2B)

1. Participation Is Growing… But Getting Less Frequent

• Outdoor recreation in the U.S. expanded 4.1% in 2023, reaching 175.8 million participants, representing about 57.3% of U.S. residents aged 6 and older.

• However, participation is becoming more casual: core participants (those hitting over 50 outings/year) dropped below 30%, and average outings fell from 87 per year (2012) to 62.5 in 2023.

Implication: The outdoor market is broadening—but brands must explore ways to deepen engagement and adapt to a more casual user base.

2. Adventure Desire Is High—but Many Are Hesitant

• A 2024 survey revealed 58% of Americans want more adventure, and 41% maintain an adventure bucket list. Yet only 11% feel skilled enough to tackle goals like climbing mountains.

• Common barriers: insects (56%), wildlife concerns (40%), and safety fears (36%). Yet interest remains strong, with activities like camping (35%), fishing (32%), and hiking (26%) topping the to-do list.

Implication: Brands can lean into solutions that reduce fear—beginner kits, safety tools, confidence-building content—to convert intent into participation.

Quick Overview: Who’s Outside and What They’re Doing

Deeper dives?

Longtime subscribers will remember that we considered a paid tier / subscription to allow us to delve deeper into the industry. We’ve had a lot of requests again lately, so we’re just taking an initial poll to see what the interest levels would be like. As a quick FYI, the subscription would include:

• BTS on a product launch, from concept, through to pre validation, pre launch, launch etc.

• Access to our AI tools, including our proprietary social listening tool (yet to be named!)

• Access to specific research reports and quarterly white papers based on the research

• Access to a gated community of professionals from the industry

• Access to deeper company dives.

So, the question..

🎿 DPS Skis: The Precision Brand That Rewired the Ski Industry From the Inside Out

There are gear brands that grow loud, and gear brands that grow sharp. DPS Skis falls into the second camp.

If you’ve skied deep powder in the past 15 years, odds are good you’ve either seen—or ridden—one of DPS’s distinctive, wide-bodied, featherlight skis. They don’t just float; they move like liquid through snow. But what most people don’t realize is that DPS didn’t just build great skis—they helped reshape modern ski geometry, materials, and manufacturing culture.

This is the story of a high-performance, product-led ski brand that quietly built a $20M+ business without chasing mass-market mediocrity. And it all started with a designer’s notebook and a dream to ski better.

The Founders: Design Meets Engineering

DPS was founded in 2005 by Stephan Drake, a professional skier and visionary gear nerd, and Peter Turner, a mechanical engineer and ski manufacturing expert with deep roots in composite technology.

Drake’s obsession was simple: make skis that let pros and core skiers ride aggressively in powder and off-piste terrain—but with more agility and float. Turner brought the engineering foundation to make it happen, applying aerospace composites, carbon sandwich construction, and proprietary shaping tools to bring those ideas to life.

Together, they launched something that looked unlike anything on the market: the Lotus 138, a radical, rockered powder ski with a massive 138mm waist and pintail shape that defied traditional camber thinking. It wasn’t just new—it was almost alien. But for those who got it, it was a revelation.

This set the tone: DPS would become a skier’s brand, yes—but more importantly, it would be an engineering brand. A place where design and material science mattered just as much as graphics or ad budgets.

A Brand Built Around Carbon, Not Marketing

One of DPS’s biggest bets early on was carbon. While other ski companies were playing with lighter cores or fiberglass hybrids, DPS went all in on pre-preg carbon fiber laminates—a material that had proven value in aerospace and bike frames, but was largely untested in skis.

It paid off. Their carbon sandwich construction offered the best of both worlds: featherweight weight reduction and edge stiffness. DPS skis weren’t just lighter; they performed better under pressure.

They refined this further with a proprietary “Pure” construction, then added hybrid layups for different price points, opening the door to a wider audience while maintaining performance.

But even as they grew, they never gave up on the product-first mindset. DPS continues to run in-house prototyping and design validation in its Salt Lake City headquarters, which is about 30 minutes from world-class terrain. Engineers can tweak layups in the morning, ski them in the afternoon, and make changes that night. It’s an iterative loop few ski brands can match.

Made in the Wasatch: Local Control, Global Impact

In 2013, DPS opened its own Salt Lake City factory, breaking away from OEMs and overseas contract manufacturers. That gave them end-to-end control—over QA, supply chain risk, and R&D timelines.

Then in 2019, they expanded the space to over 25,000 square feet, doubling capacity and committing to local jobs, local sourcing, and shorter feedback loops. At a time when many ski companies were consolidating or moving production offshore, DPS doubled down on staying small and close to the snow.

Today, the facility handles all top-end production, demo programs, and repair work. They still work with select contract facilities for some hybrid models, but all core innovation and tooling runs through Utah.

The result? The most vertically integrated ski brand in the U.S., with a nimble team of about 80–100 employees supporting a business estimated around $22–25 million in annual revenue. That’s a very healthy number for a premium ski manufacturer.

Phantom, Spoon, and the DPS Approach to IP

DPS doesn’t just build skis—they build systems. And they’ve protected that with one of the more unique IP portfolios in the outdoor space.

For example:

• Spoon Technology introduced a convex base that transformed powder turn initiation.

• Phantom Wax is a single-application, permanent glide treatment that removes the need to hot wax—an innovation now licensed by other brands.

These aren’t just gimmicks—they’re sticky, differentiated features that bring users into the DPS ecosystem and create defensible margins in a category notorious for commoditization.

That’s the lesson here for B2B readers: don’t just own the product—own the tooling, the tech, and the user interaction.

The DPS Customer Strategy: Less Channel, More Tribe

DPS has long resisted the pull of broad distribution. Their skis aren’t typically found in big-box stores. Instead, they work with select specialty ski shops, guides, heli-ops, and a thriving DTC model through their website.

They offer:

• Custom builds

• Limited edition graphic runs

• Deep product education

• Direct dialog with skiers and ski builders

This builds loyalty. DPS customers are repeat buyers, gear obsessives, and evangelists. The high-ticket price (often $1,200–$1,400 per pair) filters for intent. And the brand gives them tools—like the Dreamtime builder, ski finder wizard, and video-based tech explainers—to stay engaged.

There’s also strong international pull: DPS has active markets in Japan, Scandinavia, and Austria, where deep powder and premium ski culture are a match for the brand.

Operational Efficiency: High Revenue Per Employee

With a lean team (~100 staff), DPS drives over $220K in revenue per employee—a strong benchmark in outdoor hardgoods. That comes from:

• High average order value

• Premium direct sales margins

• Strong accessory attach (bindings, skins, Phantom, etc.)

• Smart limited drops that reduce stale inventory

They also avoid the bloated line strategies of bigger brands. DPS launches 1–2 new models or tech evolutions per year, not 15. This keeps inventory tighter, forecasting easier, and dealers more confident.

Risks: Niche Saturation and Channel Limitations

Of course, DPS isn’t without challenges. Its greatest strength—being niche and premium—is also its cap. They aren’t trying to be the next Salomon or Atomic. That’s intentional, but it limits growth without additional SKUs, product lines, or price tiers.

There’s also the risk that carbon becomes mainstream—or that competitors eat into the top end with similar build quality at slightly lower prices.

And as ski culture changes—with younger skiers opting for touring hybrids, splitboarding, or even resort park laps—the classic deep-powder design language DPS is known for may need ongoing evolution.

Leadership Today

As of 2019, co-founder Stephan Drake stepped away from the CEO role but remains involved at a strategic level. The leadership team today includes seasoned operations, finance, and R&D talent—many of them recruited locally, with backgrounds in aerospace, cycling, or boutique ski engineering.

The business continues to be privately owned, with no known VC or PE involvement. That’s increasingly rare in the outdoor space—and it’s what allows them to prioritize rider experience over short-term revenue spikes.

Why It Matters for Industry Readers

If you're in outdoor gear, DPS is a brand to watch—not because of how big it is, but because of how well it protects its core.

They’ve scaled without selling out. Innovated without bloating. And managed to turn deep product obsession into a durable, cash-generating business.

For founders, marketers, engineers, and category leaders, the takeaway is clear:

• Make gear that solves real problems

• Build tech you can own

• Stay close to your user

• And don’t be afraid to stay premium