RigStrips on 'Shark Tank': Here's how you can buy $50 solution to secure skis and snowboards
DENVER, COLORADO: After failing to sell lemonade, headphones, and hammocks, two friends' new concept landed them on October 26's edition of 'Shark Tank'.
We've all experienced it: a day with fresh snow, your heart racing, your skis leaning against the car, and then the dreaded gear shuffle. It's never a smart idea to lean your reliable skis against your car and hope they stay in place.
Instead of staying upright, they are more likely to turn into renegade paint-scratching missiles. Two ski bums fed up with the post-shred scrape blues came up with SnoStrips by RigStrips.
What is RigStrips?
SnoStrips is a revolutionary magnetic (or sticky) strip that adheres to your automobile, making it a secure refuge for your skis and snowboards. Forget blankets and bungee cables.
You won't have to wince every time the wind blows, or a thoughtless bystander knocks your board. Though, let's face it, that alone is cause for celebration, SnoStrips is more than simply a paint job saver.
It's all about convenience, peace of mind, and maintaining the original appearance of your vehicle.
The RigStrip is based on a straightforward idea. The "strip," which is made of durable, weatherproof plastic, is attached to the side of a vehicle using an adhesive back or magnets.
Once installed, it offers a secure location to lean bikes, skis, snowboards, and other objects against the car without coming into contact with the paint. The equipment is kept from toppling over and injuring itself by scratching the car's paint job while doing so thanks to a number of slots.
There are two distinct variants of the RigStrip: the SnoStrip and the SunStrip. Each variant has holes made to accommodate certain equipment, although both are adaptable enough to be utilized with a range of equipment.
For example, the SunStrip offers room for fishing rods, mountain bikes, and weapons, while the SnoStrip may hold skis, snowboards, and other winter outdoor gear. The Snostrip has an adhesive or magnetic back; however, the Sunstrip only comes in a magnetic variant.
While the magnetic RigStrip is simple to install or remove as needed, the adhesive type, which is ideal for fiberglass RVs, adheres to the vehicle more firmly. Both types, according to the manufacturer, stay safe when traveling at high speeds and in bad weather; however, the magnetic version could come loose while going through a vehicle wash.
The RigStrips team advises mounting the SnoStrip and SunStrip on the rear quarter panel, over the wheel well; however, they may be mounted on any area of a car. This spot also lessens the possibility that the side of the automobile would unintentionally collide with the edge of a ski or bike frame.
When removing additional equipment from the truck bed, trunk, or rear storage space, it is also practical.
Who are the founders of RigStrips?
Steven Graf and Zhach Pham, the founders of RigStrip, claim that they had the concept after seeing their skis fall to the ground in a resort parking lot. They looked for a means to stop that from happening again because they knew that their outside equipment was costly and occasionally brittle.
They made the decision to develop and construct a product themselves after failing to locate anything that met their demands. Their entrepreneurial career was undoubtedly influenced by their time spent in the Rocky Mountains.
An outdoor enterprise made sense because they knew they wanted to launch a business eventually, and their favorite memories were of being outside. They were excited about the prospect of releasing a unique product when the SnoStrip concept was introduced.
Since they had attempted (and failed) a few previous product launches, they began to think of ways to address this issue. Their motivation to act and make RigStrips a reality was motivated by this excitement.
Zhach was getting ready in the lot on a spring day. Zhach didn't want to put his skis on the muddy ground after removing them from the car.
When Steven (the co-founder) sat on the tailgate to put on his boots, it pushed the car sufficiently that Zhach's skis slid down the side, taking a piece of paint with them. Zhach had leaned them against his Honda Element without hesitation because he had done it so many times previously.
Following that, it was bizarre to see several additional skis and boards leaning against automobiles in the same parking lot.
Zhach graduated from Hopkins High School with a high school diploma. He later graduated from Colorado College with a bachelor's degree in economics.
Zhach started up at IRIS as an assistant teacher. He later worked with RED as an intern in the Partner Marketing Internet division.
During his three months at Colorado College, he also worked as a groundskeeper. Zhach started working with Roman Road Capital as an Associate in 2015.
Zhach worked as a Sales Desk Concierge for Transamerica for over two years. After that, he joined Personal Capital as an Operations Associate. Zhach was the Product Manager at MojoTech after nearly three years at FinFolio. In the middle of this, Zhach co-founded Spark Sponsor in 2024 and RigStrips in 2019.
Steven, who is SMC and SPOC certified, completed his education at Staples High School before earning a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Connecticut. For one year, he served as the president of Global Brigades, Inc at the University of Connecticut.
Steve was promoted to Research Project Lead at his college in 2014. He also co-founded ParrotMD a year earlier, which closed its doors permanently in 2016.
Before joining MojoTech, where he remains the Product Manager, Steven worked with Cigna for more than six years. Later, he and his close friend Zhach co-founded Spark Sponsor and RigStrips.
What is the cost and how to buy RigStrips?
One of those items that is so straightforward and clear that you'll question why no one has thought of it before is RigStrips. It removes a great deal of aggravation by resolving an issue that has long been difficult for outdoor enthusiasts. The RigStrips website offers both versions for direct purchase, with savings for larger orders.
Their products range between $19.95 and $174.95. People have been raving about the products on their website.
Some people have claimed, "The product you knew you needed but wasn't invented - until now!" Others have called it an "Excellent Addition to my Gear."
Where is RigStrips now?
After four years and four versions, their current SnoStrip model has been improved annually based on input from customers and field testing. Since the initial bumper sticker version, the 23/24 Magnetic SnoStrip season design has advanced significantly, and they are certain that this design is now flawless.
Since each product is designed for a certain kind of outdoor equipment, their patents cover a variety of items. The patents guarantee quality and performance that enables the strips to remain on continuously when not in use (even while driving on the highway in a snowstorm), as well as secure fits for any and all equipment for which the goods are designed.
An enormous 100-liter tote bag (dubbed the "BFT"—Big F***ing Tote") that can hold more ski/snowboard boots than any other bag we've seen on the market, a "Lot Mat" for changing into boots or waders in the lot, and a "TrunkGuard" for wet and dirty gear are also new products this year. The goal of each of these goods is to "enhance a lot of life."
They just opened up shop in Canada, and it's doing great. For the next season, they are also negotiating with a few partners in Europe and Japan.
The company's long-term objective is to become a well-known brand that creates the greatest goods at the nexus of the automotive and outdoor industries.
In addition to RigStrips, they are developing a product known as Flowcart. With the help of this technological solution, anybody may collaborate with businesses to sell outdoor goods online from any location.
Any blog, article, or website may sell a product using Flowcart's native checkout process. Compared to typical affiliate links, this offers several advantages, including retaining site visitors and providing the publisher with immediate rewards or kickbacks.
Who will steal the deal?
On the popular TV show 'Shark Tank', Zhach and Steven are getting ready for a big moment as they present RigStrips, their automobile protection equipment. With special guest Todd Graves joining the lineup, the episode is eagerly awaited since it will provide Zhach and Steven the opportunity to showcase their goods to the panel of investors, which includes Mark Cuban, Kevin O'Leary, Lori Greiner, and Daymond John.
As Zhach and Steven go to the Sharks for help and investment, this might be a game-changer for them and their company. Zhach and Steven are committed to drawing their attention to her ground-breaking idea and persuading these powerful industry figures to invest in it.
To make a lasting impression on the 'Shark Tank' panel and eventually land a lucrative partnership for their business, they are willing to use every instrument available to them and a variety of strategies. Mark could feel good about this deal, as they seemed to be doing well over the years.
'Shark Tank' Season 16, Episode 2, airs on ABC on Friday, 25 October 2024, at 8 pm ET. Catch the latest episode featuring products like RigStrips, Topsail Steamer, BucketGolf, and Life Raft.
For those who miss the episode, it will be available on demand the following day and on Hulu. Additionally, viewers can explore past seasons and episodes on Amazon Prime Video and iTunes.