Built Different: Surface Skis

Surface skis was the rebellious brainchild of Mike Schnieder, a board shop owner in Utah. Uninspired by the boring graphics and generic shapes of skis in the early 2000s, Mike set out to create something different that represented the way he and his friends saw the sport of freeskiing.

As Surface evolved, they championed the skinny-pants, rock-influenced skiing style of the early 2010s, led in large part by Banks Gilberti. They also set themselves apart with their distinctive “3-Stage Rocker”—a ski design featuring an eye-catching hinge-point kink that often fooled passing skiers into thinking the skis had snapped on either side of the bindings.

In recent years, Surface has resurfaced in a big way, showing up on the feet of skiers in the grittiest street clips in the scene. They’re backing some of the most authentic, culture-driving, true-to-the-core skiers out there, riders who are pushing the sport in the rawest, most creative ways. By backing underground riders, Surface aren’t just making skis, they are helping shape the culture from the ground up.

We hit up Jason Arens, Surface bigwig, freeski judge and one of skiing’s greatest minds to run us through Surface’s story.

What’s the story behind your brand?

Surface was started around 2003/4 by Mike Schnieder in the Salt Lake City area. The early focus was on unique ski shapes and experimenting with some of the first noticeable (kinked) rockers in skis, especially for park skiing. The brand dove into the park realm, supporting tons of riders (myself included) and gaining traction in the community. The brand had a bit of a hiatus around 2012–2015, with skis produced in very limited capacity, before trying to resurge around 2018. I got involved when our owner wanted to inject new energy into the brand. We redesigned the lineup, targeting park and street skiing, since there weren’t many brands focusing specifically on that style, and we wanted to make an impact.

What sets your skis apart from the rest?

Initially, it was wild rocker patterns and obvious kinked rockers. In recent years, our focus has shifted to making the most durable park skis possible—fun to ride in the park and on the streets, and built to handle whatever skiers can imagine.

Who are your skis made for?

Primarily park skiers, but really our skis are for everyone—whether you’re spending all your time in the park or just getting 1–2 days on the hill a year. Built for street skiing but rideable by the masses.

What challenges have you faced and how have you overcome these?

It’s always a challenge to figure out how to progress, keep improving the product, and strengthen community support. It’s an ongoing effort, but it’s incredibly rewarding to see people out in the wild enjoying the skis.

What’s next? What can we expect in the future?

We’ll continue building and staying in business—which is a feat these days! Big developments are happening, including new skis and shapes, but I’ll keep some surprises under wraps for now. Expect more support for skiers, more projects, more events, and of course, skis that let everyone get out there and have fun on snow.

You can check out Surface Skis for yourself on their website and social media.