Why Choose Wagner Custom?

by Wagner Custom / Oct 11, 2024

We know you have a lot of options out there when it comes to skis—and we also know Wagner Custom skis are a big investment.

So why buy Wagner as opposed to mainstream brand skis that are cheaper and faster to get delivered to your door?

Happy Wagner owners
Some happy Wagner Custom ski owners and friends.

Our customers will tell you that a Wagner ski is worth its weight in gold. Sure, mainstream brands are making some good skis, but their ultimate goal is to produce skis that will serve most people at the cheapest cost for them. They’re not making skis specifically for you, and they’re not using the highest quality materials on the market. They make six or eight prototypes a year—we at Wagner make those in a single day.

Wagner is the only company that custom designs and builds 100% of the ski just for you. We tailor the length, width, sidecut, tip and tail shape, camber, rocker, flex pattern, stiffness, graphics, and more than 1,000 combinations of materials to your body mechanics, terrain preference, ability level, and style to create your perfect ski.

At Wagner Custom, we build handcrafted skis designed just for you.
Chris preps a pair of skis to be pressed.

How are Wagners better? Let us count the ways.

Performance

Wagner Custom Skis match your skiing preferences, so you get better, faster. We also use top-of-the-line materials in ever ski, which increases durability and makes the ski perform better in every condition and for every ability level. It’s kind of like the difference between a well-built luxury vehicle and a crappy rental car—you don’t need to be a race car driver to feel that the former drives better than the latter.

Schedule a CallEvery ski Wagner makes also boasts a classic sandwich construction with a wood core and vertical sidewall, which is the best—and most expensive—way to build a ski. They are all hand-built in our Telluride factory, too, with craftsmanship and attention to detail you just don’t get with mainstream brands. Each ski takes roughly 10 hours per pair of labor. “Love and passion go into the skis we build for people, and I think people can feel that,” says founder Pete Wagner.

Versatility

Like bumps? So do Wagners! Hate bumps? So do Wagners!
Like bumps? So do your Wagner skis! 

Because the materials and craftsmanship are so high quality, Wagner Custom skis are more versatile to all conditions than its mass-produced brethren. They’re also made by skiers, who understand the importance of having a ski that can tackle all terrain and snow conditions. We can’t control the weather, but we sure can control the way the ski performs in whatever comes its way. Even if you order a custom ski built for groomers, it will be capable in bumps, boot-top fluff, ice, trees, and anything in between.

Comfort

Skis built for you—and only you—mean less strain on knees, ankles, hips, and knees. Because it’s not built for the common denominator, each design element works in your favor. We take into account your skiing style, terrain preference, ability level, and individual goals and create a ski that’s perfect for you—ultimately making skiing easier and more fun, which, last we checked, is the point of this sport. “On the flex pattern alone, if you get that right, that makes a huge difference,” Wagner says. “It gives you better balance, comfort, control, and the skis will work better in more situations. It makes everything easier.”

Perhaps groomers are more your style?
Perhaps ripping groomers is more your style? We make skis for that, too! 

Longevity

Our materials are superior, therefore they last longer. Sure, Wagners might be more expensive than the off-the-rack variety, but because you won’t need to replace them every few seasons, they end up ultimately saving you money. We also guarantee every pair we make, so if they’re not perfect, we’ll remake them until they are.

If you’re on the learning curve (who isn’t), our skis also grow with you, meaning that you won’t need to upgrade once you improve. “The benefits people feel from getting a proper-fitting pair of skis are that skis will have a bigger ski spot, work better in broader snow types and terrain condition, and are smooth and stable enough to perform at low and high levels,” Wagner says.

Take a lesson no matter what your level!
Skis with a bigger "sweet spot" can help on your learning journey.

Wagner Custom skis, in essence, making skiing easier and more fun, and they last longer, too. After all, that’s why founder Pete Wagner created this business—he bought a pair of skis that were all wrong for him, and realized there must be a better way. He found it, and now he’s bringing it to you, one pair of beautiful, handcrafted, custom skis at a time. Call our ski designers today, and let them walk you through getting your perfect pair!

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Article by Kimberly Beekman

Kimberly Beekman is the former editor-in-chief of the late, great Skiing Magazine (RIP), and a longtime editor of SKI Magazine before that. She currently uses the title of “freelancer” as a beard to ski powder all over the world. She lives in Steamboat, Colorado, with her wonderful daughter and terrible cat.

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