Designed for your needs, refined by your feedback

Co-creation begins at the very start of a product’s journey. Workshops with our partners allow us to draft a shared set of specifications, putting our ideas to the test against their real-world experience.

From prototyping to production, every stage of development is validated through specific tests. Conducted both in the lab and in real conditions, these tests ensure the quality, performance, and durability of our products. For personal protective equipment, additional tests in our design center confirm that every item meets the required standards before leaving our facilities. For this gear, safety is not optional, it’s essential.

And co-creation doesn’t stop at the store. Once a product is in your hands, we collect your feedback and reviews. Your input is vital for helping us continue improving the equipment that supports you in every challenge.

Mountain rescue: co-creation in action.

The year 2024 was marked by a collaborative reflection with Mathieu Brunet and Renaud Chatain from the PGHM in Chamonix. The mountain rescue officers visited our facilities to help us enhance the safety of our textile products by improving the visibility of users. The collaboration focused on color choices, the addition of reflective elements, and the strategic placement of RECCO® receivers.

We have established an ongoing partnership with the GMHM in Chamonix. Following product testing, the collaboration turned to improving the Makalu down jacket. Together, we added interior mesh pockets for drying gloves and optimized the cuffs for better insulation, benefiting from the feedback of experts experienced in polar environments.

Technical partners with diverse expertise

At the heart of our co-creation approach is a group of around twenty technical partners. Made up of climbers and mountaineers, this diverse team brings extensive knowledge of mountain sports. They can be divided into three categories:

The “creators,”

who aren’t afraid to modify their own gear and whose creativity can lead to innovations, like during the development of our ultralight crampons.

The “intensives,”

Who spend long hours in the mountains putting equipment to the ultimate test, perfect for assessing durability in real conditions

The “wise ones,”

whose years of experience and expertise provide valuable perspective on product development. Most are high mountain guides or instructors at ENSA.

A 360° feedback ecosystem

To gather a wide range of perspectives, we also rely on a diverse mix of professional and recreational users. This is essential to minimize blind spots when designing and improving our products.

Locally, we work with the French Alpine Clubs (CAF) of Passy and Chamonix, the CRS Mountain unit of CNEAS, the Concept Pro Shop store, the climbing gym at Les Houches, as well as high mountain guides and via ferrata professionals. These partnerships allow us to collect feedback not only from key contacts but also from their clients.

On an international scale, guides from Latin America and New Zealand are consulted to test the versatility and reliability of our products across different seasons and conditions.

For recreational users, our co-creation platform and Instagram page are effective tools for quickly gathering objective data on customer needs and usage. We use this input to define new product features, validate design choices, and improve existing products.

Co-creation in action: the Wilder skis

A range designed and developed alongside experts

From the very start of the project, we partnered with three high mountain guides from the Chamonix valley. From defining the specifications to preparing for commercialization, their involvement allowed us to validate the reliability of the product at every stage of development. Together, we designed three ski models precisely tailored to the needs and practices of users.

An alpine crossing as a real-world test

In early 2023, Simon Wuilmart and Guillaume Maret set out from Salzburg in Austria with our Wilder ski prototypes. Their goal: to cross the entire alpine arc independently, passing through the mountains of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and France. The ALP project, short for Austria to Littoral Path, pushed boundaries: 550 kilometers and 80,000 meters of elevation over roughly a hundred days of adventure. A true test of the quality and performance of our skis over exceptional terrain and duration.