Introducing the Douchebag, an engineered improvement on the bulky, heavy, and awkward gear bags we're all used to. Douchebag photo.
In 2009, a chance meeting in the surf at Stadt, Norway between two Scandinavians brought the ski world something it didn’t know it needed: the Douchebag.
Now, pro freeskiers Eva Walkner and Christine Hargin won’t travel without them. Same for JT Holmes and Nick Goepper, and the whole GoPro Bombsquad. Russ Henshaw called up the company and asked for some Douchebags. Jon Olsson helped to create it.
It helps that the Douchebag doesn’t share much with its namesake. Used for neither hygiene nor insults, it’s merely a questionably-named, highly engineered ski bag, as well as a line of equally efficient, sleek sports travel bags. But now that the company is poised to make a move into North America, they are about to test the real marketability of Douchebags.
While most ski and board bags are bulky and heavy, the Douchebag uses the skis or boards for its skeleton–cutting 7 pounds compared to other bags. The daisy chain roll-up means you can size the bag down to the exact length of your gear, or roll it up entirely once you're done traveling. Douchebag photo.
In a gear category that hasn’t seen any real design love in decades, save the addition of wheels and bulky padding, the Douchebag aims for total disruption. Knocking nearly seven pounds off of the typical padded, wheeled double ski bag, the Douchebag still has bomber protective structure and adjusts to fit any length of ski. Handles and a daisy chain line the exterior for an easy grab-and-toss or a simple lashing to another bag, while extra space at the bottom keeps more weight by the fulcrum of the wheels. What might seem like an insignificantly-small amount of thoughtful engineering has resulted in a huge difference in transporting awkward, heavy ski gear.
The concept was born in 2009 when the two surfers, Swedish pro skier Jon Olsson and Norwegian design student Truls Brataas, found themselves chatting about product design and the misery of dragging ski and surf gear all over the globe. They recognized that ski and snowboard bags in their current form were essentially unwieldy, padded sacks, and that improving on those sacks was a perfect business and design opportunity just waiting to happen.
“We knew we were entering a rigid segment without a lot of innovation,” said Brataas. “All our other gear was so developed: skis, boards- but not how you travel with it. So from the beginning, our plan was to be global company.”
The duo teamed up and spent the following two years researching design and materials, as well as conducting extensive interviews with skiers, snowboarders and airline baggage handlers. In 2012, they had a contest to finally name their new bag. Being guys, skiers and European, they decided on the name that made everyone laugh. Thus, the "Douchebag" was born.
The first year, Brataas and Olsson produced 500 bags and sold out in under two months. Word spread. They made 5,000 bags the second year, and sold out before December. With production doubling in size each year, Douchebags are now sold in 20 countries around the world after launching just three and half years ago.
In addition to their flagship ski-toting tubes, Douchebags also created a line of lifestyle-related bags for clothing and other items that is similarly designed. Douchebag photo.
“The bags do really well in Europe, and nobody cares about the name – but that’s because most people don’t really get the meaning of it.” admits Whistler-based Sven Sandahl, Douchebag’s representative in North America. “The core skier-type user has no problem with the name, but we’re getting mixed signals.”
The bags do really well in Europe, and nobody cares about the name – but that’s because most people don’t really get the meaning of it.” admits Whistler-based Sven Sandahl, Douchebag’s representative in North America. “The core skier-type user has no problem with the name, but we’re getting mixed signals.
Sandahl says that so far, new North American retail clients have picked up the line without a peep on the name, but notes that US ski shops and media have balked in the past. Despite this, Douchebags have gained a loyal following among skiers that appreciate the bags as innovative lifesavers during constant travel with unwieldy gear.
“The ski bag is the lightest and most functional that I have ever used. The combo of the ski bag and my Douchebag Hugger has meant that I have somehow been able to lug 2-3 pairs of skis and two pairs of boots all over the world with me for nearly two years,” said pro freeskier and Douchebag fan Nat Segal.
Can You Sell a "Douchebag" To North Americans?
Douchebag products have names like the 60-liter "Little Bastard" and the 90-liter "Big Bastard" to match their unconventional brand name. Admittedly, the product does get points for style. Douchebag photo.
Despite the popularity among skiers, Douchebag is preparing to launch in North America over the next two years, and its growth is causing Olsson and Brataas to do some introspection. Can the Douchebag name, tongue-in-cheek or not, thrive in a nation and in a language where that name is a biting insult?
“We wondered at the beginning if we could call a company that – we knew it would meet some resistance, especially in the US,” said Brataas. “But we were making a bag for the core of these sports, so then we thought, ‘Yeah, we can call it that!’ But we knew that when we got to a certain stage… we might have to make adjustments.”
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According to Brataas, changing the name is a possibility, but for now, the company plans to go full speed ahead and gauge market reaction. The test for Douchebags is to see whether their product is good enough that people will buy it no matter what it's called – though some may buy it simply because of the name.
“We are not in the business of insulting people – there’s an irony in the name, and we really value feedback from the customers. We see it as kind of a collective. But we are also not trying to be the brand for everyone,” said Brataas. "The mentality around the name is important to us, but we are still learning and we are flexible.”
“Obviously, moving into the US this year we will learn a lot. The company is in a natural evolution, we want people to be able to use it. But people who travel a lot see what works for others. Professional athletes email us all the time; we even have Formula One drivers, motocross racers, pro surfers using our bags. We are a small company from Norway and we cannot afford to pay people to use our gear, but they approach us and say they want to help promote our products because they make their lives easier when traveling.”
The Douchebag products come in a variety of colors and sizes. Their 'Hugger" bag is a backpack/duffel/boot bag that's specifically designed to easily lash onto their larger roller bags. Douchebag photo.
For skiers like Segal, the name is just another attribute.
“I love the name, I think it's smart and funny and I haven't found that it has offended anyone in my travels. Douchebags were launched in Australia nearly three years ago and they’re super popular here, I think people like the cheekiness of the name and love the functionality of the product, it's kind of win-win,” said Segal.
Segal added that “the word 'douchebag' is potentially more offensive in the US but it's also pretty old school - so hopefully people can accept the brand for what it is and get stoked because travelling with ski gear will become that much easier-- no one can complain about that.”
“It’s a balance. We want people to be able to use it, but we are a rebel company too, “ says Brataas. “If we do any changes, it will be because of feedback from our loyal customers. We just want to give the gear that fits a lifestyle, and make it easier for people to live the dream.”
About The Author
stash member Brigid Mander
All things skiing, fun lines, off the beaten path adventures, skid life, telling stories, and obscure vocabulary words. brigidmander.com
Thanos
April 12th, 2019
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