The first time I met the Sunskis team was at Outdoor Retailer trade show in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2013. I was drawn to their booth, which was constructed entirely of their recycled cardboard boxes. The two young men working the booth were super friendly, and the photos of sailing, surfing, and hiking drew me in.
We bonded over talks about our favorite waves in Mexico, and sailboat living. Tom and Michael are warm, friendly, and intelligent guys with a passion for outdoor living. They find inspiration in the JFK quote:
We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch – we are going back from whence we came.
Sunskis is unique from other sunglass brands in that they aren’t trying to keep up with the Joneses. Rather than compete with designer brands, or sell out to the cheap manufacturing standards of other companies, they charted their own course in the sunglass world. In their words:
“For the Sunski take on eyewear, we wanted pack in great features like polarized lenses, metal hinges, and really cool packaging — all for a price that doesn’t break the bank. Rather than compare ourselves directly to other sunglasses brands, we try to differentiate ourselves completely using our own blend of start-up personality and design ingenuity. The end goal is to provide totally different experience to the many eyewear options that are already out there.”
I am no sunglass expert, but I know that Tom & Mike have created a brand that is functional, stylish, and of course, COLORFUL! Everyone who knows me knows that I love color with a passion.
The fun and funky colorways that Sunskis offer totally capture the essence of California cool.
We asked Tom what keeps them stoked – what fuels the Sunski fire – and this is what they said:
- Swell forecast – good waves and great conditions
- Ski forecast filled with snow and the promise of a mandatory long weekend
- Great friends convened for a backyard BBQ
- Adventure and the right gear collection
- This on stage moment: you’re playing a gig, all of your gear is set up, soundcheck is done, and you have a bit of time to relax before the show starts.
Waves, powder, friends, adventure, and rock ‘n roll?
Yeah, we knew there was a reason we liked these guys. To buy glasses, or catch up with them on social media, visit www.sunskis.com.
Thanks, Tom & Mike! We love working with you and look forward to lots of adventures together in the future.
