Our latest press releases
Olympic Hot Box: Skiers and snowboarders adopt a product made in Eugene
A little bit of Eugene ingenuity will be helping U.S. skiers and snowboarders as they slide across the snow at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, B.C.
The Ski & Snowboard Sauna, a heated box that allows wax to penetrate more deeply into ski and snowboard bases, is an official competition supplier to the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team.
Jim Hill, founder of SportHill, a Eugene fitness clothing company, designed the Ski Sauna and started marketing it in earnest last year.
The device also is used by the Canadian snowboard team, and Hill said he just took an order from the Brazilian ski team. The 2010 Winter Olympics begin Friday and continue through Feb. 28.
Hill said he won’t be attending the winter games, but is excited that his product will be used by competitors.
“We’re thrilled to have the U.S. team and the Canadian team,” he said.
Hill said he first started “fooling around” with the design about a year and a half ago. He coaches local high school cross country skiers, and was looking for a way to save money on wax. He came across a heated box marketed by a ski wax manufacturer, but it cost about $5,000.
Hill said he was “flabbergasted” at the price and figured that it couldn’t be that hard to build his own.
What Hill came up with is a simple metal framework with slats for holding skis and snowboards, sitting atop an electrical heating membrane and surrounded by insulated fabric.
Skis and snowboards are placed inside the box and heated to 121 degrees for several hours. The heat opens the pores of the base material, allowing the wax to penetrate more deeply.
He’s marketing the device through the Web (skisauna.com) and through SportHill’s network of outdoor retailers. The larger shop model sells for $1,195. The smaller portable unit sells for $880.
Olympians also use Hill’s clothing. The Canadian National cross country ski team has been using SportHill clothing for training since 1993, Hill said.
Tim Christie
Ski wax box becoming a hot item
Jim Hill, the owner of a Eugene fitness clothing company, finds growing interest in his new product
Jim Hill, founder of Sport-Hill, the Eugene fitness clothing company, said he was just looking for an easier and cheaper way to apply wax to skis when he designed a simple heated box that would allow wax to more deeply penetrate into ski bases.
Now his device, borne of a hobby, has turned into a business.
Ski Sauna is the name of the box and the business, and it’s starting to catch on among skiers, snowboarders and ski shops. In a marketing coup, Hill announced that he has signed a three-year agreement with the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team, the national Olympic organization for those sports. The agreement means Ski Sauna is the official competition supplier for the USST. Ski Sauna also is a supplier to the Canadian Snowboard Federation.
“The U.S. Ski Team is the top of the heap,” Hill said.
Skis and snowboards are placed inside the box and heated to 121 degrees for several hours. The heat opens the pores of the base material, allowing the wax to more deeply penetrate.
“Anybody who wants to save money on wax, anybody who wants to wax less, will appreciate it,” Hill said.
Hill said he first started “fooling around” with the design about a year and a half ago.
He coaches high school cross country skiers, and was looking for a way to save money on wax. He came across a heated box marketed by a ski wax manufacturer, but it cost about $5,000.
Hill said he was “flabbergasted” at the price and figured it couldn’t be that hard to build his own.
His heating contractor happened to be in his office when Hill was working on the project, and he offered his assistance.
What Hill came up with is a simple metal framework, with slats for holding skis and snowboards, sitting atop an electrical heating membrane and surrounded by insulated fabric. The frames and the fabric are made locally.
He’s marketing the device through the Web (skisauna.com) and through SportHill’s network of outdoor retailers. The larger shop model sells for $1,195. The smaller portable unit sells for $880.
Hill started to market them in earnest this fall. Hill said he’s sold fewer than 50 Ski Saunas, and he’s hesitant to predict what kind of sales he’ll do in the future.
“It’s by no means a large volume item,” Hill said. “It’s a niche item, but the shops that are buying them are getting a lot of use out of them.
“For ski shops that provide waxing services, it can be a nice little profit center for them. For individuals, it can be a way to save a lot of money on wax.”
Berg’s Ski & Snowboard Shop in Eugene was the first shop to buy one, and in the words of Jarl Berg, who works there, “It’s awesome.”
“The key is, it works,” he said.
“For individuals, it can be a way to save a lot of money on wax.”
— JIM HILL, FOUNDER OF SKI SAUNA
Tim Christie
http://special.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/business/22354706-41/story.csp
Coach Discovers the Benefits of Ski & Snowboard Sauna
“Our high school ski team has found that by using the Ski & Snowboard Sauna we double the durability of our wax jobs. The mileage increase may vary depending on snow conditions but we have found it realistic to ski 50+ km on a single waxing after the skis have been through the Ski & Snowboard Sauna at the beginning of the season. This has significantly reduced both the amount of wax we must buy and the time we spend waxing. With over 40 kids, that's really important.
Skis that have been through the Ski Sauna & Snowboard will extrude a lot of wax when they are first skied, especially on cold snow. To get the best glide speed, it is critical that the skis be brushed again after the first few km on snow. You will be amazed how much faster the skis will be after brushing.
We have also found that using the Ski & Snowboard Sauna with a medium cold (blue) base wax will improve the bonding of these hard waxes to the ski base - even when the sauna is only 125F. As a result, the wax will be much less likely to chip out when scraped. It is still necessary to us a hot iron on the blue base wax before using the sauna but the sauna is a big help.”
Terry Smith, Master Ski Racer & Ski Team Coach