Lasse Kjus knows a thing or two about harsh weather. The former Olympic and World Cup champion Norwegian alpine skier spent most of his life battling the elements around the world from Lillehammer to Nagano, Salt Lake City and everywhere in between.
Unable to find a ski jacket that was as comfortable, stretchy and insulated as he felt in his race suit, Kjus and Swiss entrepreneur Didi Serena launched KJUS in 2000. After being the first brand to introduce a stretch ski jacket to market in 2002, KJUS spent a decade manufacturing highly engineered fabrics and products focused on temperature management, so wearers weren’t zipping and unzipping their jackets.
Leveraging its knowhow and technology from the ski slopes, KJUS transitioned into golf by launching its first product line of premium rain gear headlined by the Pro 3L jacket in 2013.
“We figured that if we could keep a skier protected from extreme wind, rain, snow, cold elements and they’re incredibly comfortable and they can move, we can also do that in golf,” KJUS President Brooke Mackenzie said.
A Natural Transition
From the outside, transitioning from ski-focused products to golf seems like a bit of a stretch. The former is done at high speeds in some of the coldest, wettest and windiest environments on the planet, whereas golf is typically played in more temperate climates and at a snail’s pace in comparison.
But the similarities between the two activities, especially as it relates to how a skier and golfer moves, made the expansion of KJUS’ products a no-brainer. While Mackenzie said KJUS receives requests to get into cycling, tennis and horseback riding, creating cold- and hot-weather gear for golf made the most sense due to three significant factors.
Whether you’re speeding down from a mountaintop in the Swiss Alps or are setting up an approach shot on a flat golf course in Florida, unencumbered movement, especially with your arms, is a necessity. Offering protection without hindrance for both skier and golfer is one of the main reasons KJUS got into golf.
While skiing is done in cold temperatures with snow and ice aplenty, golf can be played in a number of locales with unpredictable elements, especially in its homeland of Scotland, so varying temperature patterns and extremes are present in both activities.
Finally, fluctuating body temperatures during each activity was another reason it made sense for KJUS to go from skiing to golf. The body heats up while skiing down a mountain and cools on the lift ride back up while, in golf, one heats up during a swing or while walking to their shot, but cools while waiting their turn or sitting in a cart.
Hot n Cold
Not only has KJUS transitioned from ski to golf but the brand built on protecting wearers from cold-weather extremes has expanded into hot-weather gear. Whether it’s with its half-zip or polo, KJUS warm-weather products take moisture-wicking properties to the next level.
The fiber structure aggressively pulls water off the skin’s surface and pumps it to the exterior where it quickly evaporates, leaving the wearer dry and comfortable. The brand’s VaporTemp technology is specifically placed on the product to further accelerate the body’s natural ability to evaporate perspiration while regulating body heat. Natural minerals woven into the fabric convert infrared and visible light into energy close to your body which increases your tissue’s transfer of oxygen.
Some of its latest products feature collagen through KJUS Moisture Renewal technology that keeps skin hydrated and soft amid harsh conditions.
“We’ve really branched out across all temperatures,” Mackenzie said. “The goal is to keep you feeling amazing no matter how hot or how cold it is while you stay at the perfect temperature inside.”
Acushnet Acquisition
After proudly protecting skiers and golfers from Mother Nature for nearly two decades, KJUS received a massive boost in support and validation, especially in the golf industry, thanks to its acquisition by Acushnet in July 2019.
The parent company of golf industry titans including Titleist, FootJoy and Scotty Cameron wasn’t impressed only with KJUS’ success since it launched but its dedication to creating innovative, performance-driven products to support golfers.
Letting KJUS continue to build its identity and high-end products, Acushnet hasn’t changed much on the consumer-facing side but has taken over much of the back-end logistics including legal and finance.
“They’ve supported us and allowed us to grow but, at the same time, allowed us enough room to stay unique to who we are,” Mackenzie said. “It’s been an incredible partnership.”
Shortly after the acquisition, the golf industry witnessed its greatest boom since Tiger Woods rose to prominence in the late 1990s as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. With millions seeking safe, outdoor activities at a time of stay-at-home mandates and social distancing, golf became the go-to social and physical activity.
Rather than trying to just ride the wave, KJUS used the height of the pandemic to strategically set itself up for success post-COVID.
“It was kind of a great time for us to sit back and think about what we want this new chapter with Acushnet to look like,” Mackenzie said.
The brand, which put a ton of time and energy into research and development, relocated its headquarters from Europe to Boulder, Colo. Obviously more of a hotbed for winter sports, the location near the Rocky Mountains still gives KJUS ample reach on the golf side of the business with easy access to both U.S. coasts as well as the Midwest and South.
With products available in more than 20 countries, a satellite office in Risch-Rotkreuz, Switzerland, and showrooms across the globe, KJUS continues to serve as an innovative and premium apparel ski and golf brand whose priority is to protect the wearer regardless of whatever Mother Nature throws at them from the slope to the course.
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