March 07, 2013 (Devil’s Thumb Ranch, CO) – Karhu is back in the U.S. after a few years of absence from the market. The brand, which is best known for its line of ski touring equipment, has a huge range of gear for the 2013/14 season, including cross-country skis and boots. The company has now partnered with Craft, known for endurance sport clothing, and is now introducing a new line of eyewear to complete the comprehensive Nordic and back country ski touring equipment line-up.

April 28, 2011 – The Altai Ski Company is born. Altai Skis represent a convergence of utility and adventure in backcountry ski design. Altai Skis’ first ski, the Hok, is a hybrid of ski and snowshoe. The design is short and wide with a climbing skin integrated into its base. The ski allows for easy climbing and predictable downhill control by the user.

The Hok is incredibly maneuverable and easy to use, a great cross between snowshoes and cross-country skis. The skis is designed for use whenever and wherever there is snow and is the ideal tool for the pocket backcountry found out the back door and in nearby parks and woodlands. The ski is equally well suited for exploring the local hills or mountains.

Founded by Nils Larsen and Francois Sylvain, Altai Skis is focused on design inspired by the true spirit and utility of backcountry skiing.

Larsen and Sylvain are ski industry veterans who have worked extensively together in the past. They believe that the easily accessible, everyday backcountry is generally overlooked by much of the current equipment offered. “We believe that the term ‘backcountry’ can and should include the patch of woods behind your house or the hills just out of town. For many of us, this is the most accessible and affordable terrain we can get to on a regular basis.” says Larsen.

The name Altai Skis was inspired by the ski culture found in the Altai Mountains of northern Asia. Since 2005, Larsen has been documenting the indigenous ski culture in the region that dates back thousands of years. The local culture’s go-everywhere, do-everything skis are the inspiration for Altai Skis.

Sylvain brings 12 years of ski design and construction experience with Karhu and Line skis to Altai Skis. His designs are highly regarded in alpine and nordic ski categories.

Larsen has been at the forefront of the backcountry ski scene for the last 25 years and started working at Karhu Skis in the early 1990’s. Together, they developed the majority of telemark, backcountry, and XCD skis that Karhu released in the last 10 years.

More information can be found at the website www.altaiskis.com.

March 11, 2011 – ONE WAY, one of the leading Nordic Sports brands from Finland, is launching a full range of cross country skis and cross country boots for 2012. ONE WAY is joining the Salomon SNS binding system. The Finnish Nordic Sports brand has probably been the fastest growing Nordic Sports brand in the last years with a wide product portfolio in cross country poles, Nordic sportswear, roller skis, Nordic Sports eyewear, technical Footwear and Nordic Walking products.

Many World Champions and medallists in cross country and biathlon are using ONE WAY products, like Martin Fourcade (FRA), Aino Kaisa Saarinen (FIN), and Tord Asle Gjerdalen (NOR), and several World Cup teams are exclusively equipped with OW textiles for their teams, like the French Nordic Team or Slovenia.

From 2012, ONE WAY will offer a full product range in cross country skies and cross country boots. The product range includes high performance racing skies for World Cup and elite ski marathon skiers.

In addition, ONE WAY will offer new ski and boot concepts for young and modern cross country enthusiasts. The cross country sport has developed in the last 2 years very positively towards a younger image.

The new line allows the market and retailers to meet the new consumer demand for new and fresh concepts for skis and boots.

Finland has a strong history in building cross country skis. ONE WAY will follow the tradition, building a new Scandinavian cross country ski brand for the modern consumer in the popular sport of cross country.

ONE WAY has signed a partnership with SALOMON using the SNS binding systems for all their products. The Salomon SNS system is in many countries one of the most popular and technically advanced connection between ski and boot.

Both companies are sharing a partnership and interest in developing the image of cross country sports for young and modern consumers, but as well building a cooperation in new technologies.

ONE WAY Sport OY Chairman of the Board Lasse Korppi: “Adding the cross country skies and boots, ONE WAY will be the most complete and exciting product offer in Nordic Sports world wide, textiles-footwear-eyewear-poles-roller ski- Nordic walking- accesories.”