It is no mystery that there has always been a barrier between men and women. The ski industry continues to be burdened by this barrier. Whether that be through the gear produced or ratios on the slope, it is still an issue that needs to be talked about. 

Jen Gurecki has always seen this barrier in the ski industry. Especially when it comes to gear that is produced for women. 

It was not until one day that Gurecki and a friend were walking down a strip of shops when a proposition was made. 

 

“It’d be really funny if you fucked with the industry and started a snow sports brand,” Gurecki’s friend said.

 

While Gurecki has always had the issue of inequality in her mind, it was on this day that Gurecki knew she could do something about it. 

 

“And, so then I just did it,” Gurecki said. 

 

And just like that, Coalition Snow was born. 

 

Coalition works every day to redefine these barriers in the ski industry and help bring a sense of understanding of women's needs and wants into the snow sports industry. 

 

“Women are diverse. Women want different things just like how men want different things,” Gurecki said. 

 

Coalition Snow Mission

Coalition is an all women’s run snow sport brand that is fighting the status quo for women’s gear in the ski industry. While the industry has historically underestimated women as both athletes and consumers, the market has reflected that. Gurecki reminds us that it’s time for change.

 

“I’ve always noticed inequality and I’m always sort of seeing the world through a social justice lens. That’s always been my life’s work,” Gurecki said. “Then I happen to love snowboarding and powder days so those two things have always existed. Then Coalition, I suppose, was able to bring them together.” 

 

Although women make up 46% of the population that skis, when it comes to equipment, the ski and snowboard industry is still mostly geared towards men. 

According to Gurecki, that is because many still believe that women aren’t consumers within the snow sports industry.

 

“So it is definitely financial,” Gurecki said. “Which is absurd, because women actually represent half of the market.” 

 

The Anatomy of Skis and Snowboards 

The term “shrink it and pink it” was coined when ski producers would shrink the ski, or make it shorter, and then feminize it. It was not until recently that ski brands have started to veer away from this idea when producing women’s skis. But, even then, women’s skis are still being put below men’s when it comes to the anatomy of how they are produced.

 

As Gureki explained, women don’t just need gear that is smaller and looks more feminine, women deserve gear that is just as equal to a man's ski or board. 

 

“I think a lot of the reason is that men are really uninformed about women and they don’t take the time to understand them.” Gurecki said. “Snowsports continues to be predominantly male, so men don’t understand women and they expect us to be monolith.” 

 

The reality is that there really is no specific ski for females. Most manufacturers in the industry make the assumption that women can’t handle the weight and underfoot of a men’s skis or that all women like to ride the same type of ski or board.

 

“You just have so many men working and you have no women in leadership,” Gurecki said. “You have no authenticity and women’s input, or perspective. So there’s just this huge gap in their understanding.”

 

 Many women can handle those more advanced skis or snowboards, especially those who are skiing at the professional level. But, when compared to the selection of advanced skis that men have, the women's selection falls short. For example, it is very rare, especially in a rental shop, to find a women’s ski that goes above 169 cm. In most cases, women who want a more advanced ski, are left choosing a men’s model. This causes women to be put on skis that do not fit them ultimately leading them to feeling not confident when skiing. 

 

 “Women are relegated to the sidelines,” Gurecki said. “If they can’t even figure out how to make adequate gear for us, what does that say about how they view us as athletes, as consumers, as recreationalists?” 

 

What sets Coalition Snow apart.

Equality in the ski industry is not the only barrier that Coalition Snow is helping to redefine but also the economic side of the ski industry.

Everyone who enjoys the slope life knows how pricey it is to get quality gear. Along with the expenses of gear, there are also many other contributors to how expensive snow sports can be; the cost of lift tickets, transportation, food, and soft good type gear like clothing all go hand in hand with the rising costs of being able to ski or board. 

Coalition is helping to reduce that chance of not being able to afford a run on the slopes by launching the Community Care Sale. 

The Community Care Sale gives those who might not be able to afford brand new gear an opportunity to ride on quality skis and board at a price that they are comfortable with. 

 

“You guys gave me an unprompted discount on my Rebels that brought me to tears.” “I always had the cheapest hand-me-down stuff and never any actual equipment of my own. A nice ski set up felt super out of reach for most of my life. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you,” states Teryn Conerd from a comment on Coalitions Snows Instagram. 

 

Coalition teamed up with software and AI company Ergo which is helping Coalition run the Community Care Sale through Ergo’s software. The software allows Coalition Snow to accept the offers and for the customers to check out at their offer price. 

 

“Jen has shared so much about her values and what drove the sale,” Ergo said. “From our perspective, we want to make sure her shoppers are having a seamless experience making offers.”

 

Giving women the opportunity to feel not only comfortable and confident on the gear they ride on but also comfortable and confident with the price that they pay for it, is what helps to set Coalition Snow apart from many big-name ski production companies. 

 

“I think that is what makes us quite different from other companies is that we will take the time to ensure that women are on the right gear.” Gurecki said. “You walk into a ski shop and even currently women are still being told, you should ski something that comes up to your chest. They just still underestimate or don't ask the right questions.”

 

Making Connections.

Coalition Snow also likes to connect with members by hosting in-person events. For example, the Lets Get Far Out program offers exclusive trips to locations all over the world where women can come together and enjoy outdoor activities like skiing and cycling all sponsored and run through Coalition Snow. 

 

“This was something I got excited about, we were coming out of the pandemic knowing that people really wanted to connect in real life,” Gurecki said. 

 

The first trip was in the summer of 2022. Coalition sponsored a cycling trip from Nairobi down to the coast. Last year Coalition officially launched their skiing in Japan trip which starts at the end of January to early February and then also the Bachelorette trip at the end of April which is held at Mt.Bachelor in Oregon. 

 

“I really just wanted another way to connect to people and we know that experiences like this are something that people want to be a part of too,” Gurecki said. 

 

The slopes are not the only place where Coalition Snow likes to have fun though. Gurecki and Jillian Raymond host Juicy Bits Podcast, which is a part of the Coalition Snow brand. The podcasts range from conversations started on a chairlift or trailhead to “dude soup, sex, politics, and equity in the outdoors.” 

Gurecki also likes to connect with members of Coalition by sending out her weekly, Lady Parts newsletter. 

 

“I like having the opportunity to connect with people in a longer form written capacity that allows for nuance in a way that you don’t get on social media.” Gurecki said. “I think that’s something important for people to recognize is that we’re not some big corporation.” 

 

Lady Parts newsletter is sent out every Thursday.

 

Building a Community for Everyone

While most of the products and gear that Coalition creates are specifically made for women, it still doesn’t mean that it’s exclusive. 

 

“There’s men who buy our skis and that’s great,” Gurecki said. 

 

If more men find out about snow sports brands like Coalition Snow then it might help them understand the issues that women face in the industry. This will cause people to talk, which can help bring awareness to the issue of inequality of ski and snowboard gear for women.

 

The issue is not a fact of biological difference, but rather an issue of men not understanding or underestimating a woman's ability to ski or board. 

While the industry has improved since their “shrink it and pink it” phase, there is still a lot to be done in terms of understanding women and what they want when it comes to what is between their feet on the slopes. 

 

“I understand that I can do small things every day that lead to something much larger,” Gureckii said. “And certainly it takes a lot longer for some of those things to happen, but I just choose to infuse that perspective into my work.”