Consistent with our vision for helping all individuals live their adventure, in 2022 Eddie Bauer released the industry’s first commercially available outerwear for mono and bi-skiers. Before 2022, Eddie Bauer acknowledged a market subset being underserved by the outerwear industry. We recognized the value of making the slopes more accessible to adaptive skiers and assisting those individuals in finding the inner power they may have feared they’d lost.
Working closely with Eddie Bauer skier and professional adaptive athlete Trevor Kennison, we fine-tuned a kit for mono and bi-skiers who are most comfortable sit skiing. Sit skiing is a modified version of traditional skiing, that includes the use of a molded plastic bucket with one or two skis attached, and handheld outriggers for stability. In the back-and-forth process between Eddie Bauer and Trevor, a few necessities became apparent: full-range sleeves with articulated elbows for more mobility to handle the outriggers, full back coverage on the bib to answer for snow spray due to the lower center of gravity, articulated knees to accommodate the bent position, and different seam locations to prevent chafing. In the end, the team produced a ski jacket and a bib specifically designed and tested for sit skiing – a first in the industry.
Since its release, Eddie Bauer has provided 20 kits to its non-profit partner, the High Fives Foundation, but most notably, it won the Product of the Year award at the fourth annual Outdoor Retailer’s Innovation Awards.
A sit-skier for about three years, Dave Sagal started using Eddie Bauer’s Flyline Kit last year and instantly noticed a difference. Prior to our Flyline Kit, Dave said, “I was struggling to find a combination of ski pants and jacket that was warm enough and yet allowed me to get a proper fit that felt comfortable while in a seated position.” Recalling the first few times he used the kit, he was impressed with how the articulated fit of our kit allowed, “…for the strapping of my bucket to be closer and more secured to my body.” And how, “…the adaptive bib was easier to put on from a seated position, especially with the two-way adjustable zipper maximizing access to the lower torso.”
The kit has allowed Dave and other sit-skiers to not only have something designed for their needs, but to also feel more involved in the skiing community. Dave believes, “It has added enjoyment of the ride in a way I didn’t even realize was missing and has made me want to get out even more!”
This one-of-a-kind kit speaks for itself. Eddie Bauer hopes to continue to propel all individuals in their next adventure.
