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K2. The ARC Collection. Made in the USA

Philpug

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k2_2122_arc-lp_header-banner

ADVANCED. RESOURCE. COLLECTIVE.
WE’RE PROUD TO INTRODUCE A LIMITED COLLECTION OF SKIS AND SNOWBOARDS, MADE BY HAND, ONE-AT-A-TIME IN THE ADVANCED RESOURCE COLLECTIVE LOCATED IN DES MOINES, WASHINGTON.


Screen Shot 2021-03-23 at 3.36.33 PM.png


OUR STORY

It all started with a shop. A garage. A barn. An island. It started with an idea and a belief. It took victories and transcendence. Madness and mistakes.

Since 1962, we’ve been tinkering at the base of the Cascade Mountains in our home state of Washington. With first-class terrain at our disposal, we test products in the most extreme conditions with no shortage of fun.

Now let’s jump to 1987. Our engineers leveraged their knowledge in materials, design, and shape to introduce the Gyrator - a revolutionary new snowboard. While other ski manufacturers shunned snowboarding, we not only embraced it, but also ingrained ourselves in its culture. We haven’t turned back since.

For our employees, K2 is a second family bound together by one common goal: to design, develop, and produce the best possible snow-sliding devices in the world. It starts with unwavering commitment. And after prototyping, trial, error, and repetition, these products come to life and go to market. It all starts here, at a shop at the base of the Cascades.

Known as the Advanced Resource Collective, our custom “shop” is that and so much more. The ARC is a visible representation of K2’s dedication to the research and development necessary to produce the world’s best skis and snowboards. It’s a space to gather, to test product, to brainstorm, to prototype, and now, it’s a small-batch production facility.


LEARN MORE

 
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Big J

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Wonderful news. When I was a kid (almost 50 years ago) they made all of their skis on Vashon Island Washington. Across Puget Sound from Des Moines where I once lived. I can remember getting blem skis (as a kid) someone pulled from a dumpster for $10 a pair. Many were the K2 Holiday skis that were white. I currently have some K2 skis made in China that have zero quality issues.
 

gwasson

Mid Atlantic banana belt dweller
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k2_2122_arc-lp_header-banner

ADVANCED. RESOURCE. COLLECTIVE.
WE’RE PROUD TO INTRODUCE A LIMITED COLLECTION OF SKIS AND SNOWBOARDS, MADE BY HAND, ONE-AT-A-TIME IN THE ADVANCED RESOURCE COLLECTIVE LOCATED IN DES MOINES, WASHINGTON.


View attachment 129087

OUR STORY

It all started with a shop. A garage. A barn. An island. It started with an idea and a belief. It took victories and transcendence. Madness and mistakes.

Since 1962, we’ve been tinkering at the base of the Cascade Mountains in our home state of Washington. With first-class terrain at our disposal, we test products in the most extreme conditions with no shortage of fun.

Now let’s jump to 1987. Our engineers leveraged their knowledge in materials, design, and shape to introduce the Gyrator - a revolutionary new snowboard. While other ski manufacturers shunned snowboarding, we not only embraced it, but also ingrained ourselves in its culture. We haven’t turned back since.

For our employees, K2 is a second family bound together by one common goal: to design, develop, and produce the best possible snow-sliding devices in the world. It starts with unwavering commitment. And after prototyping, trial, error, and repetition, these products come to life and go to market. It all starts here, at a shop at the base of the Cascades.

Known as the Advanced Resource Collective, our custom “shop” is that and so much more. The ARC is a visible representation of K2’s dedication to the research and development necessary to produce the world’s best skis and snowboards. It’s a space to gather, to test product, to brainstorm, to prototype, and now, it’s a small-batch production facility.


LEARN MORE


The price of the Distruption TI2 is pretty high. :geek:
 

Tom K.

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Very cool. I remember when my VO Slaloms came straight from Vashon Island, if I remember correctly.

Each one individually marked with a flex value.

I will admit that I generally enjoyed the softer ones.
 

Dougb

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Wonderful news. When I was a kid (almost 50 years ago) they made all of their skis on Vashon Island Washington. Across Puget Sound from Des Moines where I once lived. I can remember getting blem skis (as a kid) someone pulled from a dumpster for $10 a pair. Many were the K2 Holiday skis that were white. I currently have some K2 skis made in China that have zero quality issues.

Same as me, @Big J. Growing up in Seattle, ALL we skied in the 80s were K2s. Add to that some Levi’s and Vaurnet sunglasses and we thought were the s#*t.
 

fatbob

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I call BS. After years of claiming that "designed in the US" was what mattered and that made in China was just fine suddenly they are pumping out a message about small batch made in US quality. Are they just trying to trash the rest of their skis made over the last 20 years or trying to jump on an premium bandwagon that was specifically a difference from the likes of K2.

Still nostalgia sells......

These things can't be designed to make money, K2 is after all geared to high volume not boutique/ bespoke but to create a halo effect that makes the core lines look both good value while bringing back a bit of made in USA association.
 
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PowHog

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Now if they could rivet some leather to the top sheet the sticks would smell like the interior of a new sports car.....highly tempting that is. :duck:
 

markojp

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Call BS if you will, but there are a lot of customers around Seattle who will not consider a made in China K2, quality build or not. IMHO, with everything going on there (human rights issues, south China sea stuff, trade problems, etc....) , I think the days of made in China K2 skis is nearing the end. I give it 5 years max.
 

James

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Willing to give K2 a chance after being pissed at them for a long time.
Not, it is not inexpensive but the price also includes a Marker Piston plate and X-Comp 16 binding.
That’s a good point. Put those on a Stockli and uh... that’s expensive.

B2D0CE75-6590-43D2-995D-9534E68D53B7.jpeg

This core construction is interesting. What do you know about it? There’s really little to no glue strength on that end grain butt joint in the center. Maybe that’s the point.

Is that really one ski? I would think two, but then it’s asymmetrical. Just seems too wide for a 106.
 
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Philpug

Philpug

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I suggested K2 build a halo ski/collection back in 2018...

OK...it sounds like the crux of the issue is that K2 is perceived as being a US brand but are being produced elsewhere... So, how does K2 get your loyalty back?... Is it building a halo collection here in the U.S.?
 

Ken_R

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Call BS if you will, but there are a lot of customers around Seattle who will not consider a made in China K2, quality build or not. IMHO, with everything going on there (human rights issues, south China sea stuff, trade problems, etc....) , I think the days of made in China K2 skis is nearing the end. I give it 5 years max.

Made in China or not the K2's of the past decade at least (even some of the Mindbenders) looked subpar in build quality / finishing. I think they have addressed some of that recently from what I have seen and these new Made in The USA skis will help capture some of their long lost cred here in the US and Canada. K2 has lacked focus over the years. They seem to have been working very hard recently to design new and exciting products. It is cool to see. Back in the day (late 80's, early 90's) K2 skis had a great rep and were even in Podiums worldwide. I used some of their skis during those years.
 
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Philpug

Philpug

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I don't understand the ARC acronym...especially since that is synonymous with Atomic. I would seen them tie in one of their own iconic acronyms like VO or KVC.
 

markojp

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.... or Boeing's version of Skunkworks.
 

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