pretty big news. part of a trend of major players in the smaller backcountry market being bought by mainstream players

Here’s a press release that’s sure to create some buzz! Don’t worry: the BCA brand will continue to thrive, our management team will stay on for many more years, and we’ll remain in Boulder. We’re as excited as ever about backcountry riding and saving lives. This new partnership will enable us to combine forces with a huge industry player so we can focus on our strengths: product development and marketing–yet take advantage of K2′s strengths on such things as finance, accounting, and logistics.

We’re completely stoked to be affiliated with K2, an icon of North American skiing and riding, with a huge legacy of pioneering innovative products and defining North American ski culture. With their dominance in alpine skiing and our leading position in avalanche safety, we see ourselves as a perfect match, especially as they introduce their new line of AT boots and splitboards to the backcountry market.

With this acquisition, K2 makes a strong statement that backcountry is where the industry is going. They’re also making a strong statement about responsibility: if you’re pushing backcountry gear, you should also be pushing snow safety gear and education. BCA is just the company to support that effort: we’ve been living this for over 18 years. With K2 on our side, we can now push the message out even harder!

http://www.backcountryaccess.com/2013/01/07/k2-sports-acquires-bca/

I guess the Bruces wants to cash in their chips. Fair play to them, they’ve done a lot for snow safety which is often an unrewarding sphere.

Not sure how I feel about K2, they seem to be a US accountant led firm who churn out skis in low cost Chinese factories. Tell me if I’m wrong about them? Their backcountry skis always seem first into the remainder bin at the end of the season.

Not the only merger, Black Diamond recently bought Pieps for 8 million euros and took on 2.1 million euros in debt provided Piepe achieve certain targets to 2015.

They’re not alone in using low cost manufacturing, it seems the norm now. They do seem to hit a price point that’s attractive for high volume retailers, if you go to Sport Conrad they’ve a load of current model K2 models at good prices and older ones at good discounts. Their skis seems well regarded, the Coomback for example, and older models like the Extreme were cult skis. That fits well with the BCA gear which also hits attractive prices for each segment, transceivers, airbags etc.

K2 own Marker of course with their dukes etc, along with Full Tilt boots with the new K2 freeride boots which are dynafit compatible.  Along with Marmot clothes which is a quality label at a good price. Looks like a pretty complete portfolio, maybe they’re in the market for dynafit compatible bindings next ? . *

* and helmet cams obviously as the number one essential backcountry bit of gear

The Coomback and Seth Morrison where good skis.

It is true about low cost manufacturing. Someone from Dynafit (and I have no idea if this is true) told me that some of their components were made in China.

It is a complete portfolio aimed at the backcountry as you say, it seems like a good strategy. Personally I’d like to see ski built in the mountains not in an industrial park in Chingchong province. Still my bike frame is Chinese, doh!