Photos: The North Face
A major change is coming for the Stifel U.S. Ski Team and the broader U.S. Ski & Snowboard program. Beginning with the 2026-27 season, The North Face will replace Kappa as the organization’s official performance apparel partner. The new agreement launches an eight-year relationship that will run through the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
U.S. Ski & Snowboard and The North Face announced the partnership Tuesday. Both organizations described the agreement as a long-term collaboration centered on athlete performance, innovation, and preparation for the next two Winter Olympics — the French Alps 2030 and the 2034 Games in Salt Lake City.
Under the agreement, The North Face will provide competition outerwear and training apparel for athletes, coaches and staff across all 11 U.S. Ski & Snowboard disciplines. That includes alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, freeski, freestyle, ski jumping, snowboard and Para disciplines. In addition, athletes will wear the new kits during World Cup races, World Championships, official training camps and Olympic and Paralympic competition through April 2034.
Meanwhile, the announcement also marks the end of the organization’s apparel partnership with Kappa. During recent Olympic cycles and World Cup seasons, Kappa’s race suits and podium uniforms became closely associated with the Stifel U.S. Ski Team.
Focus turns toward the 2030 and 2034 Olympics
Looking ahead, The North Face said the partnership will focus heavily on high-performance technical development for elite competition in demanding mountain environments. The company also plans to equip athletes with outerwear, base layers, mid-layers, training apparel, bags and accessories designed specifically for year-round use across the national teams.
“The partnership between U.S. Ski & Snowboard and The North Face brings together the best of our two organizations, with our long shared commitments to elite mountain and adventure sports athletes,” Dennis Seydel, chief marketing officer at The North Face, said in the official release.
Additionally, Seydel said the brand is proud to support “current and future generations of ski and snowboard legends” as they prepare for international competition.
U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO Sophie Goldschmidt said the organization views the partnership as more than a uniform agreement.
“The North Face is synonymous with innovation, performance and a deep respect for the mountains, which are values that align perfectly with U.S. Ski & Snowboard,” Goldschmidt said in the release. “This partnership is about more than outerwear; it’s about equipping our athletes with world-class gear that supports them from training to competition as we build toward 2030 and 2034.”
Athlete-tested technology will headline the new kits
According to the release, The North Face plans to build the team collection around athlete-tested products and proprietary technologies. Those include Futurelight, Cloud Down insulation, Futurefleece, DotKnit and DryVent, alongside Gore-Tex materials.
Furthermore, the company said those materials already have been refined through collaboration with U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes and tested in extreme mountain environments.
Fans also will see a consumer collection tied to the partnership. Beginning in Fall 2026, The North Face plans to release a commercially available U.S. Ski & Snowboard-inspired apparel line through select retail locations and the company’s website.
Ultimately, the agreement pairs one of the most recognizable outdoor brands in the world with one of the most successful national ski and snowboard programs entering a pivotal Olympic decade for winter sports in the United States.
Information in this article was provided through a joint press release distributed by U.S. Ski & Snowboard and The North Face.
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