Spyder Active Sports Internships History
David Jacobs is Spyder’s founder and chairman. In 1978, while Jacobs’ sons were in the ski race circuit, he noted that there was only one brand of race sweaters available. He believed he could make a better product and sell it to the close-knit race community.
This business, named David L Jacobs, Incorporated, began as a small mail order business in his Boulder, Colorado kitchen. The early mail order catalogs included race pants, padded sweaters, Vuarnet sunglasses, bent downhill poles, and other racing accessories. For two years, Spyder operated out of Jacobs’ kitchen. At the end of two years, sales were in the six figures and his kitchen was too crowded.
One of David’s early creations was a blue racing pant with yellow striped protective pads. Skiers began calling them ‘spider’ pants, due to their spider leg-like appearance. David renamed the company in 1978. A passionate sports car fan, he borrowed the spelling with a ‘y’ from the Ferrari Spyder.
Now, Spyder is an official supplier to the U.S. Ski Team, a relationship begun in 1989. The Canadian Alpine Ski Team has been outfitted by Spyder since 2002, and the Jamaica Ski Team since 2009. Spyder is the largest ski-specialty brand in the world.
Audio Described Version of CSU graduates at Spyder Design and Fitting (best experienced in Chrome)