Who actually makes your skis and snowboards?
We do. For real. How do you know? Come on by our Denver Craft Skiery and you can watch the factory building skis and boards through windows behind our bar.
Will my skis or snowboard look exactly as pictured?
Actual colors may vary. This is due to two things:
1) The sublimation process we use is on a natural wood surface and therefore colors will change and can appear darker according to the hue of the individual trees utilized. We love that each tree has a different color and that it is visible through our durable and clear nylon topsheet.
2) Computer monitors displaying colors differently and everyone can see these colors differently. We try extremely hard to ensure our image is as life-like as possible, but please understand the actual color may vary slightly from your monitor. We cannot guarantee that the color you see accurately portrays the true color of the ski or snowboard.
What are the best skis for a beginner?
Beginner skiers need an all-mountain ski with a decent amount of sidecut. It shouldn't be too wide - under 90mm underfoot so they can start to experience what it feels like to transfer the ski from one edge to the other.
The other important factor is a quality ski. Most basic ski rentals are skis with a styrofoam core, which is fine for the first time or two you try skiing. However, once you start exploring easy blue runs and get comfortable with a little speed, the instability of that foam core will really show itself. Meier skis, like all quality skis, have a wood core for greater stability and will last much much longer. It's really an investment in enjoying your time in the mountains, which is precious.
Specific models for beginner include the Mustang, Mustang Sally, and the Quickdraw. Better yet, these skis can grow with the skier and are also enjoyed by advanced skiers.
What is the advantage of custom skis?
The custom ski discussion is an interesting one. Most custom ski companies ask enough questions to point you down a path towards one ski model, but anyone buying skis should have a similar experience. It's all about your ability level, where in the country you ski (New England terrain is different from Colorado), and your unique skiing style. Do you like to go as fast as the terrain allows just barely in control? Do you like to make beautiful round turns? This will dictate the amount of sidecut and how stiff your ski is. If you're shopping without being asked these questions, or someone says that it's not quite the right ski but it's what they have, we would encourage you to shop more. This is the Meier difference.
We keep our most popular model and lengths in inventory, but we'll never sell you the wrong ski because we can build you the right ski. Not only that, you can also change up the graphic. Too many people shop on graphic and don't enjoy the experience of being on the ski. With Meier we help you find the right ski shape and length first, and then address the graphic. You can buy what we put on the ski, which is called "standard". Or, you can choose another ski design from our extensive library of ski and snowboard graphics, or work with a graphic designer to make a true custom with a one of one graphic. For example, we've seen people put in images from their favorite movies, their dog, kids artwork or their company branding.
Can I change the graphic on the base of the ski?
No. We use the hardest, fastest most durable race base material available. It will typically be an all-black ski base with the MEIER name in a contrasting color. Sometimes, the base is white. While we love customizing graphics, we feel the current material that is available for printing on the base of skis does not meet our high-quality standards as it is softer, which means it is also more easily damaged.
Do your skis include bindings?
No. Bindings may be purchased separately.
I have minor chipping on the topsheet of my skis, what can I do?
We find this happens with skiers that ski with their feet close together, or skiers that spend a lot of time in the park. Metal edges will always chip away at a softer topsheet. If you're local to Denver or are traveling through for our excellent Colorado skiing, we would be happy to clean up the edges at no cost. You can also ship your skis to us for this free repair but you pay the cost of shipping. Finally, you can also do this yourself! The chipping can easily be sanded away with a hand orbital sander (120 grit).
Does Meier Skis have season rentals?
We do not offer season rentals. However, you can demo our skis directly from our Denver Craft Skiery or from a ski shop near you across North America. People usually demo for 1-7 days and can often use part or all of the demo charge towards purchase.
Do you sell ski and snowboard clothing?
We have accessories such as googles, boot heaters and hats, but we do not sell ski and snowboard jackets and pants.
What makes your skis and snowboards eco-friendly?
We love to talk about this! We like to say we were eco-friendly before it was "cool", just because it seemed like the right thing to do.
Ted started with Meier Skis in 2010 when he met founder Matt Cudmore. Together, they moved Meier Skis out of Matt's garage and setup a factory in Glenwood Springs. Ted moved the company to Denver in 2016 and, like most small business owners, does way too many things to list here.
Ted is originally from the Boston area and grew up shredding the mighty slopes of Franconia, New Hampshire.
Michelle joined Meier Skis in 2018 after Ted’s "friendly encouragement" (AKA months of "please work at Meier") finally won her over. It was a twist she never saw coming when she was living her best ski bum life in Beaver Creek and Jackson Hole. With an advertising degree in hand, Michelle started out marketing small businesses in ski towns, which somehow evolved into marketing skis from a big city. These days, she balances Meier duties while managing life with Ted, two adventurous boys, and a dog with zero chill.
Michelle is originally from Michigan and fell in love with Colorado after a 30-hour train ride (each way!) from Holland, Michigan to Winter Park, Colorado.
Brad is originally from Minnesota and has been on skis since he was four years old - which means skiing has outlasted everything in his life except walking. With a background in opening breweries, Brad has an uncanny ability to fix (or build) just about anything
As General Manager, he keeps the front of Meier running like a well-tuned ski, making sure the shop stays on track and guests feel right at home. Whether it’s handling logistics, managing the team, or jumping into a construction project, Brad wears a lot of hats - and usually builds the shelves to store them, too.
Parker grew up in Connecticut and made the move to Colorado in 2016 to attend CU Boulder, where he studied Mechanical Engineering. He joined Meier in 2021 as a ski tuner but didn’t stay behind the scenes for long. He’s now our Director of Production and Engineering, making sure every ski that leaves the shop is dialed.
When he’s not managing production, you’ll find Parker out in the wild doing very important R&D on our skis… and shot skis. It’s all about product testing, after all.
Will is one of Meier’s versatile ski builders, seamlessly moving from the tune room to the press room and tackling the massive task of printing our ever-growing collection of ski graphics. Originally from Connecticut, Will keeps it simple: “I like skiing powder.” Same, Will. Same.
Whether he’s at the resort or exploring the backcountry, he’s always on the hunt for the steepest and deepest lines. When he’s not out chasing fresh snow, he’s making sure your skis are built to handle it.
James grew up in costal Maine, then spent his next decade in Colorado living in mountain towns. He started skiing at three years old and it’s been a big part of his life ever since.
James can usually be found in the press room with a big smile on his face.
Jack is from North Andover, MA. He grew up ski racing on the icy slopes of New England, and moved to Colorado on the search for powder. He has worked in the ski industry for over a decade.
