K2 Sports Acquires Backcountry Access

Backcountry Access (BCA), a designer and manufacturer of snow-safety equipment, as been acquired by K2 Sports.

“BCA fits perfectly within the K2 Sports family of brands and rounds out our portfolio as we continue to grow our leadership in winter sports,” says Anthony De Rocco, president and CEO of K2 Sports. “BCA is a leader in research, engineering and snow-safety education and has pioneered landmark backcountry safety equipment such as the Tracker avalanche transceiver and Float airbags, among other important innovations.”

According to K2 Sports, pairing BCA’s authenticity and snow-safety innovation with K2’s investment and global infrastructure will bolster BCA’s research and development efforts and create a much wider impact with its commitment to backcountry safety and education.

“Like K2 Sports, BCA carries a pure commitment to upholding and furthering the skiing and riding culture and ultimately, serving the specialty retailer,” says De Rocco. “It’s not just about selling products, it’s about furthering the passion and core philosophy we all share to enjoy snowsports whether you’re in bounds or out of bounds.”

BCA was founded by Bruce “Bruno” McGowan and Bruce “Edge” Edgerly in 1994, with a mission to help safeguard the lives of people enjoying the backcountry through product innovation, scientific research and educational efforts. Along with the Tracker beacon and Float airbags, its products include avalanche shovels, probes, snow study tools, backcountry packs and climbing skins, among other gear. BCA’s headquarters is located in Boulder, Colo. The company employs about 45 people.

BCA founder Bruce McGowan says K2 Sports is committed to keeping BCA operationally intact and that the acquisition will not change BCA’s core market focus.

“K2 Sports gives us a platform to innovate further on a product level while concurrently casting a wider net with our scientific research and snow-safety education efforts,” says McGowan. “We’ll be able to reach and engage more people with a hybrid effort of product innovation and snow-safety education.”

K2 Sports celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2012. The company’s snowsports brands include: K2 Ski, Line Skis, Full Tilt Boots, K2 Snowboards, Ride Snowboards, 5150, Morrow, Madshus, Tubbs Snowshoes, Atlas Snowshoes, Powderidge Snowshoes and Little Bear Snowshoes.