Tubbs Snowshoe Company

What Tubbs Snowshoe Company does

Tubbs Snowshoe Company is a 1906-founded American snowshoe manufacturer, originally established in Norway, Maine, and now headquartered in Seattle, Washington. The company designs and produces a portfolio of snowshoes organized by terrain category (Backcountry, Day Hiking, Trail Walking) and construction collection (Flex, Tubular), including flagship models Frontier, Wayfinder, Xplore, Mountaineer, Flex Series, Panoramic, Flex VRT, Flex ALP, and the youth-focused Glacier, alongside accessories such as poles, replacement parts, and Snowshoe Kits. Core technology centers on aluminum frame engineering (proprietary Fit-Step geometry), SoftTec flexible decking, the CustomWrap 2.0 binding with integrated Boa Fit System, carbon steel crampons, and women's-specific ergonomic design — a segment the company pioneered in 1998.

Tubbs operates as a brand within Elevate Outdoor Collective Holdings, LP, a multi-brand winter/outdoor conglomerate that also owns K2, Marker, Ride, Volkl, Dalbello, Atlas, BCA, Madshus, and Line. The legal operating entity is K2 Sports, LLC (Washington, USA) for the US market and EOC Europe GmbH (Penzberg, Germany) for the EU. The company monetizes primarily through direct e-commerce (tubbssnowshoes.com serving 18+ countries across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific) and a global wholesale dealer/retail network, supplemented by a seasonal Pro Program membership for industry professionals (retailers, instructors, ski resort staff, guides, outdoor educators). Pricing is not publicly disclosed; shipping is tiered ($9.99-$14.99 standard, free over $100), with Pro members paying flat $20 shipping. Customer reach is split across recreational trail walkers, day hikers, backcountry users, women's, men's, and youth/family segments, with marketing executed through blog content, email, social (#ShowUsYourTubbs), YouTube tutorials, ambassador programs, and community events such as the Romp to Stomp Out Breast Cancer Snowshoe Series. Authorized after-sales service is delivered through Mountain Soles & Outdoor Threads, the brand's OEM repair center.

The company has changed hands multiple times as part of the K2 Sports portfolio — acquired by Combined Transportation (2001), Onex Corporation (2007), a group led by Foxconn founder Terry Gou (2017), and most recently by Jenni N. (2020), which restructured the assets into Elevate Outdoor Collective. Tubbs holds registered trademarks for Fit-Step, SoftTec, CustomWrap, and Tubbs Snowshoes, and licenses Boa Fit System technology inbound. No public revenue, headcount, or financial figures are disclosed.

Name

Tubbs Snowshoe Company

Legal name

K2 Sports, LLC

Website

https://tubbssnowshoes.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1906

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Tubbs Snowshoe Company, founded in 1906 and now part of Elevate Outdoor Collective, designs and sells aluminum-frame snowshoes (Backcountry, Day Hiking, Trail Walking, Women's, Youth) via direct e-commerce across 18+ countries and a global dealer network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Recreation Equipment

NAICS

Sporting Goods Retailers (45911)

akta.pro primary industry

Snowshoeing Retail (CRAMAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Winter Sports (Ski/Snowboard) Retail (CRAMABAJ)

Keywords

• Snowshoe manufacturing
• Winter outdoor equipment
• Recreational snowshoeing
• Snowshoe accessories
• Winter sports gear

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales through tubbssnowshoes.com in US, Canada, and select European countries. Products shipped from company warehouse.
2. Retail and Dealer Distribution: Products sold through worldwide network of online and retail stores. Company operates store locator to direct customers to dealers.
3. Pro Program Membership: Seasonal membership program offering discounted pricing to qualified industry professionals including retailers, instructors, ski resort employees, and outdoor educators.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Tubbs designs, manufactures, and distributes recreational snowshoes and related accessories for men, women, and youth, organized by terrain type (Backcountry, Day Hiking, Trail Walking) and frame collection (Flex, Tubular). Products are sold directly to consumers via the Tubbs e-commerce site and through a worldwide network of retail and online store partners. The portfolio includes bundled Snowshoe Kits, trekking poles, and replacement parts, with a Pro Program providing discounted pricing to industry professionals.

Product overview

Tubbs Snowshoe Company is a pioneer of the American snowshoeing industry, founded in 1906 and now headquartered in Seattle, Washington. The company offers a unified portfolio of snowshoes organized by terrain type (Backcountry, Day Hiking, Trail Walking) and collection (Flex, Tubular). Core products include the Frontier and Wayfinder for trail walking, the Mountaineer, Flex Series, and Panoramic for backcountry use, and the Glacier for youth. The company pioneered women's-specific snowshoes in 1998, offering both traditional aluminum and modern composite constructions. Products are complemented by accessories including poles, parts, and all-in-one Snowshoe Kits. Tubbs is a member of the Elevate Outdoor Collective family of winter sports brands.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Frontier Snowshoes Trail Walking snowshoe featuring a Quick-Fit binding with easy-pull straps and roller buckle heel strap, aluminum Fit-Step frame, and SoftTec decking for efficient performance on packed trails. Targeted at recreational trail walkers.
• Wayfinder Snowshoes Top-tier Trail Walking snowshoe featuring the BOA Fit System with CustomWrap 2.0 binding, FitStep 2.0 frame, SoftTec decking, and carbon steel recreational toe and heel crampons for flat to moderately rolling terrain.
• Xplore Snowshoes Versatile trail snowshoe designed for comfortable, easy movement on packed trails and rolling terrain. Targeted at general recreational users.
• Mountaineer Snowshoes Backcountry-specific snowshoe with traditional frame design offering excellent flotation in deep snow and aggressive crampon traction for confident footing on uneven terrain. Designed for family-focused backcountry travel.
• Glacier Youth Snowshoes Youth snowshoe built with lightweight construction and simple, secure bindings designed specifically for young snowshoers to move naturally and confidently in winter conditions.
• Flex Series Snowshoes Lightweight backcountry snowshoe series with flexible frame design for technical terrain, easy maneuverability, and packability when not in use. Targeted at advanced backcountry users.
• Panoramic Snowshoes Backcountry snowshoe designed for aggressive terrain and variable snow conditions.
• Flex VRT Snowshoes Performance snowshoe from the Flex collection designed for fitness-focused adventures, steeper terrain, and efficient cardio workouts in the backcountry.
• Flex ALP Snowshoes Alpine-focused performance snowshoe from the Flex collection designed for efficient movement and steeper backcountry terrain.
• Snowshoe Kits All-in-one bundled packages including snowshoes, poles, and essential accessories for complete snowshoeing experiences, designed for beginners and seasoned adventurers.
• Snowshoe Poles Trekking poles designed for snowshoeing to improve balance, provide stability, and offer upper body workout during snowshoe adventures.
• Snowshoe Replacement Parts Replacement parts and DIY parts kits for common snowshoe repairs, available through the authorized repair center Mountain Soles & Outdoor Threads.
• Pro Program Membership Seasonal membership program offering discounted pricing and industry reciprocity to qualified industry professionals, including retailers, instructors, guides, ski resort employees, outdoor educators, first responders, military, and outdoor media professionals.

Quantifiable outcome

• 400-800 calories burned per hour during snowshoeing

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Mountain Soles & Outdoor ThreadscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMountain Soles is the authorized repair center (ARC) for Tubbs Snowshoes, providing parts and services including binding repairs and crampon replacements. They use original Tubbs (OEM) parts and offer DIY parts kits through their online parts store. Located in Milwaukie, OR.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Atlas Snowshoe Company: Direct competitor in recreational and backcountry snowshoes; particularly relevant because Atlas is also a brand within the Elevate Outdoor Collective portfolio, sharing parent infrastructure with Tubbs.
• MSR (Mountain Safety Research): Established snowshoe manufacturer competing across trail and backcountry categories, with similar product segmentation, aluminum-frame technology, and outdoor specialty retail distribution.
• Crescent Moon Snowshoes: Specialty snowshoe maker offering both foam-deck recreational and backcountry models; competes most directly in the trail-walking and family/kids segments where Tubbs is also strong.
• Redfeather Snowshoes: Heritage snowshoe brand with overlapping trail and backcountry product lines, distributed through similar outdoor specialty dealer channels in North America.
• GV Snowshoes: Snowshoe specialist focused on trail, hiking, and backcountry use; comparable in product scope and in its reliance on specialty retail and direct channels.

Broad incumbents

• K2 Sports: Sister brand under Elevate Outdoor Collective and the legal parent entity (K2 Sports, LLC). Although focused on skis, snowboards, and bindings, it shares distribution, marketing infrastructure, and operational resources with Tubbs.
• Black Diamond Equipment: Broader outdoor equipment incumbent with snowshoe and winter traction product lines (e.g., Distance Carbon); competes for backcountry and mountaineering winter spend with a wider portfolio.
• Rossignol: Global winter sports incumbent across alpine, Nordic, and winter boots; competes for the same winter outdoor enthusiast wallet and shares many specialty retail partners with Tubbs.
• Salomon: Large winter and trail sports brand with broad footwear, bindings, and backcountry equipment lines; competes for end-consumer attention and dealer shelf space in winter outdoor retail.
• Atomic: Winter sports incumbent focused on alpine and Nordic categories with global dealer networks overlapping Tubbs' winter outdoor specialty distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tubbssnowshoes
• Facebookfacebook.com/TubbsSnowshoes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tubbs Snowshoe Company