SHRED DOG

What SHRED DOG does

SHRED DOG, now operating as AKOVA, is a Boulder, Colorado-based direct-to-consumer outdoor apparel company that designs and sells premium technical clothing for men, women, and children, with a particular focus on ski, snowboard, and broader outdoor activities. The company was founded in 2017 and is co-owned by Olympic ski champions Julia Mancuso and David Wise. Its product portfolio is organized into four core collections — Legacy (premium expedition-grade outerwear), Elevated (mid-tier performance), Graphene (UPF50+ sun-protective baselayers and active wear), and Element (entry-level kids' line) — plus a Renewed Gear program for refurbished/second-life apparel and an Outlet channel for discontinued SHRED DOG-branded inventory. Underlying technical performance is anchored by a strategic partnership with Toray International Inc. (Japan), which provides proprietary fabrics including Torain 3-layer waterproof/breathable membrane, 3DeFX+ body-mapped synthetic insulation, Primeflex mechanical 4-way stretch, Stunner Stretch Nylon, and Karuishi fleece side panels. Graphene-infused yarns are used in baselayers for thermoregulation and UPF50+ sun protection.

The business model is exclusively direct-to-consumer via the company's e-commerce website — no third-party retail, no physical stores, no marketplace listings — which the company leverages to eliminate traditional retail markup and offer premium materials at price points below comparable traditional retail equivalents (e.g., $465 Men's Legacy Hardshell Pant vs. $650 retail equivalent). Supporting the consumer channel are a B2B team uniform program serving youth ski/snowboard clubs across the West, Midwest, and Northeast US (Palisades Tahoe, Team Summit, Snowbird, Eldora, Bear Valley, Juneau Ski Club, WPRC, PA Freestyle, Holiday Race Team) and one disclosed corporate account (Sotheby's International Realty), plus a digital gift card offering and the Renewed Gear trade-in program. The company maintains a 100% Comfort Guarantee and lifetime warranty. Headcount is 1-10 employees, the company is privately held (AKOVA LLC) with $2,000,000 in funding raised in April 2023, and revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

SHRED DOG

Legal name

AKOVA LLC

Website

https://shreddog.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SHRED DOG (AKOVA) is a Boulder-based direct-to-consumer premium outdoor apparel brand for men, women, and kids, co-owned by Olympic ski champions, selling Toray-fabric ski/snowboard and outdoor gear exclusively through its own e-commerce website.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Apparel

NAICS

Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (31599)

SIC

Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949), Women's, Misses', And Juniors Outerwear (2330)

akta.pro primary industry

Outerwear & Cold-Weather Apparel Manufacturers (CRAAAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Workwear, Uniforms & Safety Apparel Cut & Sew (IMAOAEAC), Climbing & Mountaineering Gear Retail (CRAMAAAB)

Keywords

• Outdoor apparel
• Ski outerwear
• Snowboard clothing
• Technical jackets
• Baselayer apparel

Headquarters

HQ city

Boulder

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: Primary revenue from selling premium outdoor apparel (jackets, pants, baselayers, insulation, accessories) directly to consumers via e-commerce. No third-party retail distribution. Revenue generated through one-time product purchases across Men's, Women's, and Kids' categories.
2. Renewed Gear Program (Trade-in/Refurbished): AKOVA RENEWED program allows customers to trade in used gear for store credit, with company professionally cleaning, repairing, and reselling refurbished items at discounted prices. Circular commerce model generating secondary revenue from gear lifecycle.
3. Digital Gift Cards: Sale of digital gift cards in $25, $50, $75, and $100 denominations, delivered by email. Revenue received upfront before product fulfillment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SHRED DOG (now operating as AKOVA) designs and sells premium technical outdoor apparel — including hardshell jackets, insulated jackets, baselayers, pants, and accessories — for men, women, and children, focused on ski, snowboard, and outdoor recreation. Products are manufactured using proprietary Toray International Inc. fabric technologies and sold exclusively direct-to-consumer through the company's e-commerce website, eliminating retail markups. The company also operates a Renewed Gear program that resells refurbished apparel and a Team Uniform program for youth ski/snowboard teams.

Product overview

SHRED DOG (now AKOVA) is a premium outdoor apparel company specializing in technical clothing for men, women, and children. The company operates a direct-to-consumer model, eliminating retail middlemen to offer expedition-grade gear at lower prices. The product portfolio is organized into three main tiers: Legacy Collection (premium, featuring Torain 3-layer waterproof technology and 3DeFX+ insulation co-designed with Olympic Champions David Wise and Julia Mancuso), Elevated Collection (mid-tier performance), and Graphene Collection (UPF 50+ baselayers with thermoregulation). Core products include hardshell jackets and pants (Legacy 3L, 2.75L, Elevated 2.5L), insulated jackets (Legacy Insulator with 3DeFX+ body-mapped insulation), baselayers (Graphene-enhanced with UPF 50+), and a full range of accessories. The company also offers Renewed Gear (refurbished products) and an Outlet section for discontinued items. All products can be purchased exclusively through the company's website, with a lifetime warranty and 100% comfort guarantee.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Legacy Collection: Premium expedition-grade outerwear featuring Torain technology from Toray International Inc.
• Elevated Collection
• Graphene Collection
• Element Collection
• Renewed Gear

Products and services

• Men's Legacy Hardshell Pant 3L Premium waterproof, breathable hardshell pants with 4-way stretch, featuring Torain 3-layer construction with hydrophobic membrane, thigh vents, cargo pockets, and RECCO rescue technology. Designed for ski and snowboard with articulated knees and boot gaiters.
• Men's Legacy Hardshell Jacket 3L Premium 3-layer hardshell jacket with Torain waterproof, breathable technology and 4-way stretch for ski and snowboard. Features helmet-compatible hood and is part of the Legacy collection designed with Olympic Champion David Wise.

Quantifiable outcome

• Eliminated retail markup enables lower consumer prices while using premium materials
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Toray International Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationStrategic technology partner based in Japan providing proprietary fabric and membrane technologies including Torain® 3-layer waterproof/breathable construction, 3DeFX+® body-mapped stretch insulation, Primeflex® mechanical stretch fabric, Stunner Stretch Nylon, and Karuishi fleece. Toray's vertically integrated structure enables custom textile design for specific performance requirements. AKOVA states 'We are able to create this jacket at a reasonable cost by eliminating retailers and retail markups.' This is a flagship co-development relationship with deep product integration.
• Julia MancusocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOlympic ski champion and Co-Owner of AKOVA. Brings extensive product development knowledge and pushes prototypes to their limits in competition and training. Signature line includes the Women's Legacy collection. 'We are so fortunate to have two extremely decorated and experienced skiers as Co-Owners in this business.' Active in product video content and athlete ambassador program.
• David WisecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOlympic ski champion and Co-Owner of AKOVA. Collaborated on the Men's Legacy Hardshell collection, including signature product with David Wise's direct input on design and testing. Subjected prototypes to extreme conditions in training and competitions worldwide. Key athlete voice in product messaging and videos.
• Youth Ski and Snowboard TeamsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTeam uniform programs for youth organizations including Palisades Tahoe, Team Summit, Mt Rose, Snowbird, Eldora, Sierra Team, Bear Valley, Lake Tahoe School, Juneau Ski Club, Holiday Race Team, WPRC, PA Freestyle. Teams purchase customized uniforms and gear through dedicated team store pages. Creates community credibility and word-of-mouth within ski/snowboard networks.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Helly Hansen: Heritage Norwegian ski and sailing apparel brand with overlapping technical hardshell and baselayer product lines and shared premium positioning.
• Flylow Gear: Independent ski apparel brand with a similar focus on technical hardshells, bibs, and insulation for the backcountry/resort skier — overlapping product mix and price points.
• Burton: Largest snowboard-focused apparel and equipment brand; competes head-on in the ski/snowboard technical apparel category with both DTC and wholesale channels.
• Picture Organic Clothing: Premium DTC ski and outdoor apparel brand with a strong sustainability narrative and bio-sourced materials — closely comparable business model and target customer to AKOVA.
• 686: Snowboard-focused apparel brand with technical outerwear, bibs, and gloves; comparable target customer and product categories in the snowboard segment.
• Strafe: DTC premium ski outerwear brand selling direct to consumer with a small, focused product line — direct comparable in business model and target skier customer.

Broad incumbents

• Patagonia: Major outdoor apparel brand with strong sustainability positioning, DTC and wholesale channels, and overlapping technical outerwear and baselayer categories.
• Arc'teryx: Premium technical outerwear incumbent with broader portfolio across climbing, skiing, and lifestyle; competes for the same premium consumer but with much wider distribution and brand recognition.
• The North Face: Largest outdoor apparel incumbent with deep ski/snowboard product line, global retail distribution, and athlete-driven marketing — sets the competitive ceiling AKOVA is climbing toward.

Emerging players

• Halfdays: Early-stage DTC women's ski apparel brand; similar direct-to-consumer, digitally native model targeting a specific segment of the same winter sports consumer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Shred_Dog_Gear
• Facebookfacebook.com/shred.dog.gear
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shreddog

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

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 SHRED DOG