The U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team is hitting the slopes this season decked out in some dripping new Italian threads from Kappa. The 2023 U.S. Ski & Snowboard Collection debuted on November 28, as Kappa and the U.S. Ski & Snowboard team announced a new 10-year partnership.
U.S. athletes will sport this official new apparel on the slopes, at races, and in freestyle competitions on their way to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina, Italy, and beyond — and you can sport it, too. As part of the announcement of its new partnership with the U.S. Team, Kappa is offering similar consumer versions of the team’s collection, embossed with team logos and bursting at the seams with American steaze.
The announcement followed the end of a 33-year partnership between the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team and Spyder Outerwear. Spyder, based out of Boulder, Colorado, was once described by the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team as the “‘perfect partner’ for the Alpine ski team.”
But nothing lasts forever.
In May 2022, Spyder’s partnership with the team came to an end, and the relationship with Kappa began. This will be the first time that a single outerwear and racing suit brand will appear on the uniforms of all U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes. The partnership will extend through the 2026 Winter Games in Italy to 2030.
Kappa x U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team: Breath Deep Threads
According to Kappa’s press release on its new apparel for the team, the concept behind “Breath Deep” has to do with the benefits of controlled breathing.
“This helps athletes achieve mental focus and relaxation, reinforcing their belief in their own capabilities,” Kappa wrote. “Unifying athletes globally, Breath Deep promotes resilience, determination, and the pursuit of excellence.”
That’s some solid marketing. But when you get down to the bare bones of the apparel, Breath Deep is about keeping our athletes warm, dry, and looking fresh to death when they’re out there crushing the competition.
Kappa describes it as “premium gear for alpine adventures.” The collection includes ski jackets, ski pants, fleece sweaters, ultralight down jackets, heat-sealed windproof, waterproof down jackets, cotton T-shirts, tracksuits, and other logo-emblazoned accessories.
In total, there are 48 products in the collection — all of which are available on Kappa’s website right now. Prices range from $1,200 (for the 4CENTO 400 Kombat GS Race Suit) down to $40 (for a 4CENTO Cold US Neckband).
As part of the new partnership, Kappa also signed three U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes as brand ambassadors. Hanna Faulhaber (Olympic freeskier and reigning world champion), Chase Josey (two-time Olympic snowboarder and World Cup champion), and Alessandro Barbieri (a “rising talent” on the U.S. Snowboard Team rookie halfpipe team) will represent the brand in a Kappa global marketing campaign.
If you want to support the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team (or to give people the impression you might be on it), it’s worth sussing out some Kappa gear. It’s the beginning of a new era of (Italian) apparel for America’s raddest snow athletes.
