About Us
THE STORY OF GRABS
THE Need
Skiing is freedom in motion, but sometimes the smallest piece of equipment can hold you back.
Traditional ski poles haven't evolved in decades. They are clunky, awkward to use, a hassle to take on and off, and the fixed straps can cause injuries.
For a sport built on creativity and progression, that never made sense. This realization led to a sketch that would change how skiers connect with their gear.
The IDea
What if a pole could move with you, not against you?
What if it could hold when you need it, release when you don’t, and disappear the instant you grab your ski?
That idea became the foundation for GRABS. A ski pole built for control, creativity, and freedom.
A pole designed with a single goal: to feel like an extension of your body, not an accessory in your hand.
The Innovation
At the heart of GRABS lies a simple but powerful innovation:
- A precision-engineered magnetic connection that redefines how poles attach and release.
It’s seamless. Secure when you need it, out of the way when you don’t.
Open your hand midair, grab your ski, and land clean. Your poles stay exactly where they should.
The craft
Every detail of GRABS is designed with purpose.
We rethought where the weight lives, shifting the center of gravity upward for effortless handling in the air and smoother rotation during grabs and spins.
The pole’s ultra-light construction and minimized tip weight create a sense of weightlessness that enhances flow, precision, and control.
Each component, from the ergonomic handle to the magnetic release, is built to deliver equilibrium. The pole responds instantly, almost intuitively, following your movement rather than resisting it.
Crafted from high-strength, lightweight materials and tested under the harshest alpine conditions, GRABS is designed to endure. The modular design allows for easy maintenance and future upgrades, in line with modern sustainability standards.
Built in the spirit of Scandinavian design:
Minimal. Functional. Enduring.
GRABS combines precision engineering with timeless simplicity.
Because true innovation isn’t about adding more; it’s about achieving perfect balance.
Born in Norway - the land of skiing - GRABS is the creation of two minds united by performance and design.
Birk Ruud is an Olympic Gold Medalist, X Games champion, World Champion, and a pioneer of modern freeskiing. He has spent his career pushing the boundaries of creativity and control, and knows exactly how equipment can unlock or limit what’s possible.
Thomas Bache-Wiig is a Cornell-educated architect and product designer with over 30 years of experience in design and manufacturing. His work blends precision, simplicity, and craftsmanship, transforming Birk’s idea into a piece of functional art.
Together, they’ve reimagined one of skiing’s most overlooked tools, and built something entirely new.
The founders
Born in Norway - the land of skiing - GRABS is the creation of two minds united by performance and design.
The founders
Birk Ruud is an Olympic Gold Medalist, X Games champion, World Champion, and a pioneer of modern freeskiing. He has spent his career pushing the boundaries of creativity and control, and knows exactly how equipment can unlock or limit what’s possible.
Thomas Bache-Wiig is a Cornell-educated architect and product designer with over 30 years of experience in design and manufacturing. His work blends precision, simplicity, and craftsmanship, transforming Birk’s idea into a piece of functional art.
Together, they’ve reimagined one of skiing’s most overlooked tools, and built something entirely new.
The belief
Skiing isn’t just about speed or turns.
It’s about expression, flow, and freedom. That moment when you are in sync with the mountain.
GRABS was created for those moments.
For skiers who chase progress, who move differently, who see skiing not as a sport, but as form of expression.
Because every great trick and every new line begins with the right GRABS.