Twenty years ago, on a snowy mountainside, Dan Abrams and Greg Steen envisioned something different. Frustrated by the limitations of existing ski gear, the two college friends and Colorado natives asked a bold question: Why can’t there be ski clothes that do it all? This simple yet ambitious idea led to the birth of Flylow, a company now synonymous with durable, versatile, and stylish gear for both hardcore mountain enthusiasts and everyday adventurers.
Flylow’s origin story is as authentic as the brand itself. Abrams and Steen were just a couple of telemark skiers who couldn’t find pants that worked for both resort skiing and backcountry. Mountaineering gear was lacking in style, ski resort gear didn’t last, and nothing else had the fit they wanted. The turning point came when a French skier on the slopes remarked, “You don’t ski fast—you fly low.” With that, Flylow’s name and mission were cemented to create gear with function, purpose, and style.
In 2005, Flylow launched its first products, quickly gaining a cult following among skiers who appreciated their durability and thoughtful design. Over the years, Flylow’s product line has expanded to include award-winning men’s and women’s outerwear, clothing, and accessories for every mountain season.
Co-founder Dan Abrams credits patience as a key lesson from the early years. The beginning of Flylow coincided with the financial crisis, which Abrams considered an asset that forced them to grow the brand slowly and methodically. “When you start a company, there are so many things you want to do, but there are just as many things you can’t do,” says Abrams. “You have to be patient and understand that taking one step at a time is good enough.”
Even as Flylow has scaled, the company’s grassroots authenticity has remained intact. The ethos is still profoundly based in the love of skiing. “The reality is we still have chairlift meetings,” Abrams says. “We're still doing it on the chair lift and on the skin track. We design clothes in Tahoe City and Truckee. Our hometowns are in the Pacific Northwest, Crystal Mountain. We have a crew that runs our website in Jackson, Wyoming, and Denver is where our warehouse and customer service is…We design gear in the mountains, and we test it ourselves.”
Flylow’s design philosophy, rooted in real-world needs, results in Innovations like cross-flow venting, which keeps skiers dry during intense climbs and descents, and durable, repairable fabrics that extend the life of every piece. “For the everyday adventurers, we make gear that will keep you warm, like our Albert and Avery jackets,” explains Abrams. “The inspiration for those was really technical. We wanted to do a very lightweight packable synthetic micro puff for Backcountry skiing but put a light, stretchy, waterproof shell on it so you could eliminate two jackets with one…It’s about durability, versatility, and sustainability.”
In 2016, Flylow expanded its offerings beyond skiing to include spring and summer gear for mountain biking, wake surfing, and lifestyle apparel. By blending technical performance with everyday utility, Flylow has built a loyal following among hardcore athletes and casual adventurers alike.
For Flylow, sustainability and community are more than buzzwords—they’re guiding principles. The company’s commitment to sustainability includes using 80% recycled fabrics, durable water repellents without harmful and toxic chemicals, and cruelty-free down. Flylow’s circularity program, Flylow Leftover Land, in partnership with Geartrade, keeps gear out of landfills by repairing and reselling used products. With this program, Flylow’s devoted fanbase can also trade in their well-worn gear for credit toward something new.
One of Flylow’s most impactful initiatives is The Good Lab, a program that helps non-profits design, manufacture, and sell custom gear to support their causes. “We don’t have as much money as the larger brands...but what we do have is a small, nimble team that cares,” says Abrams. Partnerships include the High Fives Foundation, Protect Our Winters, and local avalanche centers, among many others.
As Flylow celebrates its 20th anniversary, the company is far from slowing down. Recent innovations include an exciting partnership with GORE-TEX and the expansion of mountain lifestyle apparel and mountain biking gear.
Through it all, the Flylow team remains grounded in the mountains where it began, based on strong collaboration and cohesion. “We're all like-minded,” says Abrams. “We're all trying to own our time …a lot of times, you’ll find me punching the keys from 8:00 at night to midnight because it's snowing, the kids are asleep, and I'm going skiing the next day. You work hard and play hard.”
For co-founders Abrams and Steen, it’s still about the same dream they had 20 years ago and sharing it with the rest of the Flylow team: making innovative, stylish, and versatile gear that lets outdoor adventurers fly low and live high.
To learn more, visit FlylowGear.com