Yardsale on 'Shark Tank': Here's how you can buy ski poles that are like none other you've ever seen
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA: For the majority of skiers, the equipment needed for the sport is ranked in order of significance. At the top of the hierarchy are the skis and boots, followed by clothing such as gloves, coats, and snow trousers. Then there are helmets, goggles, hand warmers, skin protection, and more. The simple ski pole is at the bottom of the hierarchy.
Despite being frequently necessary for skiing, it's arguably the least valued piece of gear. The goal of a new ski pole company is to alter that.
Launched in 2023, Yardsale has developed a magnetic ski pole that aims to appeal to skiers in the same way as a windproof jacket or a comfortable pair of boots could. Here's everything you need to know about the brand, its founders, and the products before Yardsale makes its debut on 'Shark Tank' on ABC.
What is Yardsale?
ABC's 'Shark Tank' will feature the magnetic ski pole startup Yardsale on Friday starting at 8/7c. Each of the three ski pole versions that the firm sells has an integrated magnet to make transporting them a little bit simpler.
As previously stated, Yardsale offers three different versions of ski poles: the P1 Mini for children, the adjustable P2 for backcountry days, and the P1 for easy days in resort limits. The snap-together integrated magnets are present in all three variants.
While the P1 small and P2 are only available in two colors (black and alpenglow for the P2, and blue and alpenglow for the P1 small), the P1 is available in five colors: white, green, red, yellow, and blue. Five sizes, ranging from 110 to 130 cm, are available for the P1.
The P2 and P1 Mini are also movable; the P2 can be adjusted from 110 to 135 cm, while the P1 Mini can be adjusted from 80 to 105 cm. All of the attachments are compatible with all poles, and each pair of poles may be personalized with powder baskets, Mag Straps, and a GoPro mount.
Beyond their predetermined colors, all of the poles may be further personalized by altering the color of the shafts, handles, straps, and baskets prior to purchase. Additionally, you may buy additional color options for subsequent personalization once you've chosen your choice.
In the context of skiing, a "yard sale" is a huge wipeout where a skier (or snowboarder) loses their poles, hat, gloves, and skis all over the piste. The name, according to the creators, perfectly captures the spirit of their company, which is to not take skiing too seriously.
Because of Yardsale's unusual modularity, the creators are able to provide their "Yardsale Guarantee", a warranty policy that covers any bends or breaks in the pole shaft. Because they are modular, they can replace just the middle section, reducing waste and giving skiers the confidence to use the product as hard as they want.
Who are the founders of Yardsale?
The Yardsale brand of magnetic ski poles was co-founded by Kelly McGee, a former Apple design engineer. He works as a mechanical engineer and product designer.
He worked for Apple in a variety of product design positions after graduating from MIT, including packaging and iPad. Kelly's focus is bringing careful, minimalist design ideas to fields where outstanding design hasn't had a chance to make a big impression. He seized the opportunity to apply these ideas to a crucial piece of equipment that skiers had long disregarded when Cristina Ashbaugh approached him with her proposal to rethink the ski pole. He also enjoys skiing.
From a design perspective, the fundamental problem they faced was how to make people care about ski poles. To achieve that, Kelly and partner Cristina concentrated on creating ski poles that solved the two main issues with the equipment: the difficulty of getting gloves through their straps and the way the poles jangle and cross over when being carried.
Cristina, a lifetime skier and marketing professional, had an idea for poles with straps that maintained their form in an open loop and that could be readily snapped together. The two tried to figure out how to accomplish these seemingly easy aims for six months. They instantly thought of magnets to solve the pole-crossover problem, but it was a production challenge to get powerful enough magnets into a ski pole's tiny shape. Additionally, it was difficult to preserve the straps' traditional hook-and-loop materials, such as Velcro, in an open configuration.
Kelly began looking into novel materials and other production methods, drawing on his prior expertise working as a product design engineer at Apple on projects like the iPad. Yardsale came up with a system that uses metal injection molding and high-frequency welding to include 16 magnets into the ski pole handles, allowing for simple snapping together for controllable movement.
Even the heaviest ski gloves may slide in and out without getting stuck thanks to the straps' open loop design, which is maintained by 3D knitting and a tougher yarn than other poles on the market. The ski pole set's modular design also enables color customization.
What is the cost and how to buy Yardsale?
Yardsale's poles are priced at $139. Starting prices for the P1, P2, and P1 Mini are $149, $189, and $149, respectively.
The relative simplicity of the ski poles from current companies, which are primarily made of aluminum with rubberized grips and hook-and-loop straps, makes the price rather unexpected. It's unexpected as well since the Chinese facility that produces the majority of the other ski poles on the market also produces Yardsale's poles.
The founders pressured the company to maintain a better production level. According to the firm, Yardsale's poles are the first in the world to include magnetic properties.
The ski poles are available for customization and come with a lifetime warranty, which is why Kelly and Cristina were featured on 'Shark Tank' and why the poles are presently 20% off on the website.
How is Yardsale doing?
Nearly a thousand skiers hurried to get a pair throughout the first month. Overall, the response was encouraging because someone had finally taken the time to reconsider a long-forgotten aspect of the ski industry.
Beyond the fact that the magnets were popular, customers were particularly moved by the idea of fully personalizing their own set. The company's current top priority is to establish itself as a leading brand in poles.
In order to increase their reach within this category they now have extended into children's poles (the P1 Mini) creating a more technical pole for backcountry skiers.
Who will steal the deal?
Kelly and Cristina are preparing for a major moment on 'Shark Tank' when they introduce Yardsale, their personalized ski poles. The episode is highly anticipated as it will provide Kelly and Cristina the chance to present their products to the group of investors, which consists of Mark Cuban, Kevin O'Leary, Lori Greiner, and Daymond John. Special guest Kendra Scott is joining the lineup. Mark seems to be our bet for the duo.
'Shark Tank' Season 16, Episode 3, airs on ABC on Friday, 1 November 2024, at 8 pm ET. Catch the latest episode featuring products like Yardsale, DOATNUT, KOBEE'S, and Sugardoh.
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.