The FIS banned SpeedWyre in 1997, claiming that it gave skiers an unfair advantage. US Ski Team members wearing Spyder suits enhanced with SPEEDWYRE captured gold, bronze and fifth place in world championships over the next two years, including two World Downhill Championships by Hilary Lindh and Picabo Street. A “trip wire” formed by a narrow seam on the surface of the legs and arms streamlined the surrounding air flow, significantly reducing wind drag by up to 40% in laboratory tests. In 1994 Jacobs was granted a patent on SpeedWyre, a technology that enhanced race suit performance. Eighteen months later, he bought Spyder back before Hanson went bankrupt. To finance an expansion in 1980, Jacobs sold the brand to Boulder-based Hanson Industries, a ski boot manufacturer. At the end of two years, sales were in the six figures and his kitchen was too crowded. For two years, Spyder operated out of Jacobs' kitchen. The early mail order catalogs included race pants, padded sweaters, Vuarnet sunglasses, bent downhill poles and other racing accessories.

A passionate sports car fan, he borrowed the spelling with a “y” from the Ferrari Spyder. Jacobs recognized this as an opportunity to have a powerful, lasting name and logo associated with his products, and renamed the company. His son Billy mentioned that skiers were calling them “spider” pants, due to their spider leg-like appearance. One of the earliest creations was a navy blue racing pant with yellow striped pads extending from the knee to the hip. This business, named David L Jacobs, Incorporated, began as a small mail order business in his Boulder, Colorado kitchen.Īfter the successful introduction of race sweaters, Jacobs added ski pants to the catalog offering. He believed he could make a better product and sell it to the close-knit race community. In 1978, while Jacobs' sons were in the ski race circuit, he noted that there was only one brand of race sweaters available. He was the first full-time head coach and program administrator for the Canadian National Ski Team from 1964 to 1966. In 1957 he captured the title of Canadian Downhill Ski Champion, and was the top-ranked member of the Canadian FIS Team the following season. At 21, he won the Quebec Kandahar, and from 1957 through 1961 was a member of the Canadian National Ski Team. Spyder is an American Colorado-based manufacturer of luxury, high end skiing & snowsports apparel.ĭavid Jacobs, Spyder's founder and chairman was born in Montreal, Canada, and began skiing at age 13.

Spyder jacket