What Radar Skis does

Radar Skis is a privately held, US-based manufacturer of handcrafted waterskis and supporting water-sports equipment, headquartered in the Seattle area (Snoqualmie, WA) with manufacturing concentrated at the Radar Lab facility on Radar Lake U.S.A. The company was founded by Herb O'Brien and is led in R&D by Matt Rini, supported by a 14+ athlete team of world champions, record holders, and coaches across the US, Canada, Sweden, and England. Its product portfolio centers on six ski series - Vapor (premium competition), Senate, Lyric (women's-specific), Union, T.R.A. (junior), and Open Water - plus trick skis (Graviton), and is extended by a broad accessory catalog including BOA-equipped boots, heat-moldable Intuition-lined platforms, gloves, life vests, tubes, kneeboards, ropes, handles, bags, apparel, neoprene, and dog accessories.

Radar Skis differentiates technically through proprietary composite construction: PMI foam and PVC cores, an exclusive AeroCore polyurethane formulation, Textreme spread-tow carbon with Innegra dampening fiber, and Sigmatex ultra-high modulus carbon, alongside geometric features such as the Attitude-Control Tunnel. Select skis embed NFC chips for consumer information access. The business model is a hybrid DTC e-commerce store on radarskis.com (logistics outsourced to Square One Distribution) plus an authorized dealer network that delivers custom boot fitting and warranty handling, with product pricing ranging from $4.99 accessories to $1,299.99 premium competition skis and bundled ski/boot packages in the $899-$949 range. Revenue is concentrated in one-time unit sales across recreational and competitive skiers, with no subscription, services, or B2B revenue disclosed.

Commercially, the company is brand-led and community-driven, operating the Radar Nation program, the Spraymakers podcast, the Radar Nation Tour, the annual Herb's Cup competition (9th edition in 2025), and an extensive professional athlete sponsorship roster. The firm self-describes as the number one selling ski in its market and operates in a niche segment with no public financials, no disclosed funding, and no institutional investor ownership evident in the source data.

Name

Radar Skis

Legal name

Radar Skis

Website

https://radarskis.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Radar Skis is a privately held, US-based manufacturer of handcrafted waterskis and water-sports equipment (boots, gloves, vests, tubes, apparel) sold directly via radarskis.com and an authorized dealer network to recreational and competitive water skiers globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Snoqualmie

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Waterski Sales: Direct sales of handcrafted waterskis through e-commerce and authorized dealer network. Products include slalom skis, trick skis, and junior skis across multiple price tiers.
2. Boots Sales: Specialized water ski boots with BOA fit systems and heat-moldable Intuition liners sold as standalone products and in packages.
3. Accessories and Apparel: Gloves, vests, ropes, handles, bags, neoprene gear, and branded apparel including hats, hoodies, and t-shirts.
4. Packages and Bundles: Pre-configured ski and boot combinations sold as complete packages at bundled pricing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Radar Skis designs and handcrafts premium waterskis in its Radar Lab facility using advanced composite materials (PMI foam, PVC cores, carbon fiber from Textreme and Sigmatex, and Innegra dampening fiber). The core lineup spans slalom, trick, junior, women's-specific, and all-mountain ski series, sold as standalone units or in pre-configured ski-and-boot packages. Revenue is generated through direct-to-consumer e-commerce and a global authorized dealer network, supported by accessories including boots, gloves, life vests, ropes and handles, tubes, kneeboards, bags, and apparel.

Product overview

Radar Skis is a waterski equipment manufacturer offering handcrafted waterskis as its core product, supplemented by a comprehensive accessory portfolio including boots, gloves, life vests, tubes, kneeboards, ropes, bags, and apparel. The product lineup is organized around six main ski series: Vapor (premium competition), Senate (versatile performance), Lyric (women's-specific), Union (all-mountain), T.R.A. (junior competition), and Graviton (trick skiing). Each ski series features multiple construction options (Alloy, Graphite, Lithium, Pro Build) at various price points. The company operates Radar Lab, its manufacturing facility where products are made using technologies including PMI foam, PVC core, Aero Core, All-Terrain Core, Textreme carbon, Innegra, and Sigmatex Carbon. Select products feature NFC-enabled chips for consumer information access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Radar Lab: Research and development facility where new foams are tested, different carbons are sourced, and the latest shapes come to light. Home to the company's core innovation team.
• Radar Nation
• Spraymakers

Products and services

• Vapor Waterskis Premium slalom ski series built with PVC core, Sigmatex Carbon construction, Bio Resin, True Feel Base, Enduro Tip/Tail, and Attitude-Control Tunnel technology; offered as the most popular ski in the company's lineup for performance-focused water skiers.
• Senate Waterskis Alloy and graphite construction slalom ski series offering a balance of performance and value for recreational and competitive skiers.
• Lyric Waterskis Women's-specific slalom ski series with tailored flex patterns and constructions designed for female athletes.
• Union Waterskis Versatile ski series designed for all-mountain performance with adaptable boot mounting systems.
• T.R.A. Waterskis Junior/youth competition ski series scaled from adult designs for young competitive skiers; includes the Lithium-constructed Vapor TRA junior competition ski born from a scaled Vapor mold and priced at $1,299.99.
• Open Water Waterskis Collection designed for free-ride and open water skiing conditions separate from course slalom use.
• Graviton Trick Ski Trick-specific ski with a single clean radius for efficient roll and drive between tricks, featuring True-Center Mounting for hand and toe tricks, Textreme Carbon, Corflex construction, and Race Base; Joel Poland signature model priced at $769.99.
• Waterski Boots Boot lineup including Vector BOA, Prime, Lyric BOA, and ARTP models with heat-moldable Intuition liners and multiple closure systems for performance water skiers.
• Waterski Gloves Glove line including the Lyric-A Boa ($139.99) with Ariaprene-backed Amara palm and BOA dial fit system and the Podium slalom glove ($49.99) with double-layer Amara palm and Velcro-Lock closure, designed for grip and hand protection during slalom skiing.
• Life Vests and Impact Vests CGA-approved life vests and impact vests with waterski-specific arm openings, Smart Segmentation, 2-Way Stretch Neoprene, and Manhattan Tailored Fit.
• Tubes and Inflatables Recreational towing tube products including the Orbit ($799.99), Asteroid ($599.99), Wave Rider ($299.99), Reef Lounge, Cloud, UFO, and Galaxy tubes for family boating activities.
• Kneeboards Kneeboard products for crossover watersports including the Mission, Hawk, and Magic Carpet models, available individually and in package options.
• Ropes and Handles Tow ropes and handles including the BarLock system that eliminates handle rotation along with mainlines and complete control packages.
• Bags Ski bags including padded slalom wheelie bags, gear bags, and neoprene sleeves designed to protect waterskis during transport.
• Apparel Lifestyle apparel including hoodies, t-shirts, hats such as the JGS 5-Panel Hat ($39.99), change ponchos, and other neoprene branded products.
• Neoprene Neoprene apparel including John Tops, Long Sleeve Shorties, and spray legs designed for warmth and protection during water skiing sessions.
• Dog Accessories Pet safety accessories for water including dog vests, collars, and leashes designed for use on and around the water.
• Ski and Boot Packages Pre-configured ski and boot combinations sold as complete packages at bundled pricing, including the Alloy Senate w/ Prime & ARTP Package ($899.99) and the Alloy Senate w/ Double Prime Package ($949.99).

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Intuition (Heat-Moldable Liners)coreTechnology or IntegrationExclusive partnership for heat-moldable Intuition ski liners. Provides custom fitting capability for Vapor boots. Home-Fit Kit ($19.99) available for consumer self-fitting, while professional fitting handled by authorized dealers.
• BOA Fit SystemcoreTechnology or IntegrationRadar exclusive partnership for BOA dial fit system used in gloves (Lyric-A Boa, Vector BOA Boot) providing evenly tightened fit across backhand with quick micro-adjustability.
• TextremecoreTechnology or IntegrationSpread tow carbon fiber supplier enabling reduced weight and increased strength in Radar skis. Provides consistent flexing and enhanced durability.
• SigmatexcoreTechnology or IntegrationIndustry-leading carbon fiber manufacturer. Computer-controlled looming process enables use of ultra-high modulus carbons with precision.
• Square One DistributioncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution and fulfillment partner handling order processing, payment collection, and shipment for Radar Skis e-commerce operations. Contact: (425) 369-6850.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• MasterCraft Boat Holdings: Performance towboat OEM whose boats drive demand for premium skis and wakeboards; not a product competitor but a key ecosystem player whose unit sales are a leading indicator for Radar's premium ski demand.

Direct peers

• Liquid Force: Wakeboards, wakesurf boards, and water sports gear brand with comparable athlete-sponsorship and dealer-based distribution. Competes for overlapping tow-sports consumer wallet share.
• HO Sports: Parent of Hyperlite and other water sports brands; manufactures water skis, wakeboards, kneeboards, and towables. Closest direct competitor in skis and towables, with overlapping dealer channels.
• Connelly Skis: Manufacturer of water skis, kneeboards, and wakeboards competing head-to-head in slalom, trick, and combo ski categories against Radar's Vapor, Senate, and Graviton lines.
• CWB Board Co. Wakeboards, wakesurfers, and water skis distributed through dealers and pro-shops; comparable in go-to-market and target customer even if smaller in scale.
• Ronix Wakeboards: Closely related water sports brand selling wakeboards, wakesurfers, and accessories; cross-linked from radarskis.com navigation and historically distributed through the same Pacific Northwest ecosystem. Directly comparable premium-positioning, athlete-driven brand model.
• O'Brien Watersports: Long-standing waterski and towable brand founded by Herb O'Brien (same founder as Radar Skis), making it a direct legacy competitor in slalom and recreational water skis.
• Hyperlite: Wakeboard and wakesurf brand under HO Sports with premium composite construction and athlete-driven marketing; competes for the same boat-owning, performance-oriented customer.

Regional players

• Jobe Watersports: European-headquartered water sports brand offering skis, wakeboards, and towables; competes primarily in EMEA and provides a regional benchmark for Radar's international expansion plans.

Emerging players

• Follow Wakeskates: Specialist wakeskate and wake brand with a focused, athlete-driven premium positioning; comparable as a smaller niche premium water sports brand targeting performance enthusiasts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@radarwaterskis
• Facebookfacebook.com/RadarSkis
• Instagraminstagram.com/radarskis
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/radar-skis

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Radar Skis