Nivis Gear

What Nivis Gear does

Nivis Gear is a boutique technical outerwear company that designs and produces limited-run ski jackets, shells, and lifestyle apparel targeted at active male skiers and style-conscious outdoor consumers seeking alternatives to mass-market brands such as The North Face, Arc'teryx, and Patagonia. Operating under the legal entity Frigus Brands, LLC and founded in 1998, the company is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, runs with a team of 1-10 employees, and ships products directly to consumers and through a curated network of specialty retail partners.

The product portfolio centers on five core jacket platforms — the Protego Pro Shell ($600), Protego Ski Jacket ($400), Protego Shell ($400), Tendo Jacket ($300), and Everyday Puffy ($185) — supported by a Serica Quarter Zip midlayer, a Patch Hat accessory, and an extensive line of more than 40 customizable velcro patches covering US state flags, country flags, and novelty designs. Technical differentiation is anchored in proprietary materials science: the MaxAliento hydrophilic membrane delivering 20K-25K waterproofing and 20K-30K breathability, a 3-layer 4-way stretch nylon/elastic blend with 142x113 weave and 400 filaments, 100% seam-sealed construction, PFAS-free C0 waterproofing, Primaloft Gold 60g recycled insulation, and specialized components including Aerogel-lined phone pockets (originally developed for aerospace applications), RECCO passive avalanche transponders, weighted storm-ready hoods, sleeve-mounted RFID ski pass pockets, and articulated sleeve construction.

Nivis operates a hybrid distribution model combining direct-to-consumer sales through a Shopify e-commerce platform and an affiliate program (15% commission, 30-day cookie, average order value approximately $435) with wholesale distribution through specialty retail partners across ski resorts, outdoor specialty stores, and fly fishing shops in California, Colorado, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, and Utah. Production is led by a manufacturing partner in Clifton, New Jersey — with more than 50 years of experience including Team USA Olympic opening ceremony apparel — enabling USA-assembled SKUs (Protego Ski Jacket, Everyday Puffy), while select components are sourced from overseas partners. The firm is privately held, founder-controlled, and has not disclosed external institutional investment.

Name

Nivis Gear

Legal name

Frigus Brands, LLC

Website

https://nivisgear.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Nivis Gear is a boutique technical outerwear company designing and producing limited-run ski jackets, shells, and lifestyle apparel in the USA. The brand sells direct-to-consumer through e-commerce and specialty retail partners to active outdoor enthusiasts seeking alternatives to mass-market brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Technical Skiwear and Outerwear

NAICS

Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (31599)

SIC

Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)

akta.pro primary industry

Ski & Snowboard Apparel Retail (Outerwear, Base Layers, Gloves, Socks) (CRAMAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Outerwear & Cold-Weather Apparel Manufacturers (CRAAAAAI)

Keywords

• Technical skiwear
• Ski jackets
• Technical outerwear
• Winter apparel
• Outdoor clothing

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Technical Outerwear Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of premium ski jackets and outerwear through e-commerce website and retail partners. Products include shells, insulated jackets, and puffies at price points from $185 to $600.
2. Accessories and Customization: Sales of custom patches ($10 each) and patch hats ($40) for personalization of jackets. Average order value approximately $435 with affiliate program generating additional revenue through commissions.
3. Wholesale Distribution: B2B sales to specialty retail partners including ski resorts, outdoor specialty stores, and fly fishing shops across multiple US states.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Nivis Gear manufactures boutique technical skiwear and outerwear, producing limited runs of high-performance ski jackets (shells, insulated jackets, puffies), a quarter-zip midlayer, a patch hat, and interchangeable velcro patches. Products are designed in the USA and feature proprietary materials science including the MaxAliento hydrophilic membrane with W25k PFAS-free waterproofing, 3-layer 4-way stretch fabric, aerogel-lined phone pockets, and RECCO avalanche reflectors. Items are priced between $10 (patches) and $600 (Protego Pro Shell).

Product overview

Nivis Gear is a boutique technical skiwear company producing limited runs of high-performing outerwear designed in the USA. The product portfolio centers on five core jacket products: the Protego Pro Shell (premium three-layer ski shell with 25K waterproofing, $600), Protego Ski Jacket (USA-assembled insulated jacket with Primaloft insulation, $400), Protego Shell (original all-weather ski shell, $TBD), Tendo Jacket (quilted multi-climate jacket with inclusive sizing, $300), and Everyday Puffy (USA-assembled premium puffy jacket, $185). Supporting these are the Serica Quarter Zip midlayer and a diverse Patch Hat accessory with interchangeable velcro patches. The lineup also includes an extensive collection of 40+ customizable velcro patches featuring US state flags (Alaska through Wyoming), country flags (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Switzerland), and novelty designs (Beer, Beer Squirrel, EBITDA, Mushroom, Sasquatch, Ski Dogs, Trout, Wave, Whiskey, Bridger-Teton). Products are assembled at partner facilities in New Jersey near NYC's garment district, with some overseas manufacturing for certain components. All products undergo extensive testing on slopes worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Protego Pro Shell Premium three-layer technical ski shell jacket with W25k waterproofing and 30K breathability, featuring aerogel phone pocket, RECCO reflector, RFID ski pass pocket, weighted storm-ready hood, and 4-way stretch fabric; for high-performance skiers. Priced at $600.
• Protego Ski Jacket Insulated ski jacket assembled in the USA with Primaloft Gold 60g insulation, 2-layer 4-way stretch fabric, 20K waterproof/breathable construction, and storm-ready adjustable helmet hood; for cold powder-day skiers. Priced at $400.
• Protego Shell Original all-weather 3-layer ski shell assembled in the USA with 4-way stretch fabric, 20K waterproof rating, 100% seam-sealed construction, and aerogel phone pocket; for skiers seeking an American-assembled shell alternative.
• Tendo Jacket High-performance quilted jacket with waterproof MaxAliento 20K fabric and 60g recycled insulation, designed for multi-climate use from ski runs to everyday wear; available in inclusive ML and MB sizes for versatile outdoor consumers. Priced at $300.
• Everyday Puffy USA-assembled premium puffy jacket with hand-quilted premium ripstop nylon, 80g recycled insulation, baffle layer technology to prevent insulation migration, and YKK reverse coil zippers; for everyday cold-weather wear. Priced at $185.
• Serica Quarter Zip Technical quarter zip midlayer garment offering layering performance; for skiers and outdoor consumers building a layered apparel system. Priced at $200.
• Patch Hat Embroidered hat with loop velcro for interchangeable custom patches (1.75 inches tall by 2.75 inches wide); for Nivis customers seeking coordinated branded accessories. Priced at $40.
• Custom Patches Velcro-compatible interchangeable patches including US state flags (Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wyoming), country flags (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Switzerland), and novelty designs (Beer, Beer Squirrel, EBITDA, Mushroom, Sasquatch, Ski Dogs, Trout, Wave, Whiskey, Bridger-Teton); for personalizing Nivis jackets. Priced at $10 each.

Quantifiable outcome

• W25k waterproofing (25,000mm) for Protego Pro Shell - highest rating typically only found in deep sea fishing apparel
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• New Jersey Manufacturing PartnercoreOthersManufacturing partner in Clifton, New Jersey located 20 minutes from NYC's garment district. Partner has more than 50 years of experience and has crafted opening ceremony apparel for Team USA at the Olympic Games. Critical for USA-assembled products including Protego Ski Jacket and Everyday Puffy.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Helly Hansen: Norwegian heritage brand producing technical ski jackets and shells with comparable waterproof/breathability ratings. Overlaps directly on ski outerwear product category and price tier, with broader global distribution.
• Strafe: Boutique technical ski and outerwear brand based in Colorado producing premium shells and insulated jackets for resort and backcountry skiers. Closely comparable to Nivis in positioning, price points, materials emphasis, and DTC-plus-specialty-retail distribution.
• Arc'teryx: Premium technical outerwear brand frequently cited by Nivis customers as the comparison benchmark. Competes in the same high-end ski shell category with similar waterproofing ratings, materials science emphasis, and enthusiast customer base.
• Norrøna: Norwegian premium technical outerwear brand producing ski and mountain shells with comparable materials science and price points. Direct competitor in the high-end boutique-technical segment.
• Spyder: Established ski apparel specialist offering technical ski jackets, shells, and race suits. Comparable on product category (ski outerwear) and target customer (performance skiers) though at larger scale and broader price range.
• Flylow Gear: Boutique technical outerwear brand specializing in ski jackets and shells, with similar premium pricing, emphasis on materials performance, and DTC-plus-specialty-retail distribution. Direct head-to-head competitor in the technical skiwear niche.

Broad incumbents

• Burton: Dominant snowboarding and ski apparel brand offering outerwear across price tiers. Comparable on ski/snowboard outerwear category and target demographic, though at much larger scale and broader product portfolio.
• Mountain Hardwear: Technical outdoor apparel brand producing ski shells and insulated jackets. Overlaps on technical outerwear category and performance customer, with broader price range and distribution.
• The North Face: Mass-market outdoor apparel giant with a strong technical ski and outerwear line. Comparable on ski outerwear category and resort/backcountry customer base, though at significantly larger scale and lower price points on most SKUs.
• Patagonia: Iconic outdoor apparel brand offering technical ski jackets and shells. Comparable on technical outerwear category and US outdoor customer base, though at much larger scale and broader product portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nivisgear
• Instagraminstagram.com/nivisgear
• Xx.com/NivisGear
• Facebookfacebook.com/NivisGear

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Nivis Gear