In the Kit Bag: Volcom
Volcom, founded in 1991 by Richard Woolcott and Tucker Hall, applies surf, skate and snowboard culture to ski and snowboard outerwear. An honest look.
Volcom is a boardsports brand first, outerwear maker second. That’s not a criticism, it’s the reason their ski and snowboard gear has a particular character that appeals to a specific kind of skier.
Who they are
Volcom was founded in 1991 by Richard “Wooly” Woolcott and Tucker “T-Dawg” Hall after a snowboarding trip to Tahoe. The idea was a clothing company tied to the three boardsports the pair loved: snowboarding, skateboarding and surfing. It was started with $5,000 from Richard’s dad, run initially out of Richard’s bedroom in Newport Beach and Tucker’s bedroom in Huntington Beach. First-year sales were $2,600.
The brand’s mantra, “True to This”, is used as a rallying cry for “persistent rebels and creatives that follow their passions.” In 2022, Volcom became the official outfitter of the US Snowboard Team and produced their uniforms for the Beijing Winter Olympics.
What they make
Volcom’s outerwear range covers jackets, pants, bibs and accessories for both skiing and snowboarding. The brand has a distinct aesthetic, typically looser, more lifestyle-led than pure performance ski brands, though the technical specs are serious where they need to be.
Who it’s for
Volcom is well-suited to:
- Snowboarders and freestyle skiers who want kit with a boardsports identity
- Skiers who prefer a relaxed fit over a close-cut performance silhouette
- Buyers who want kit that crosses over from mountain to après-ski more easily than dedicated ski brands
Less suited to:
- Skiers seeking pure performance or race-inspired fits
- Buyers who want a minimalist or traditional look
What I’d buy right now
Volcom’s recent collections include a mix of shell and insulated jackets with decent spec sheets. Look for their higher-specified jackets in the 20,000mm waterproof tier for main outerwear, and the standard shell lines for layering flexibility. Their bibs are well-regarded in the snowboard community and translate well to skiing if you like the style.
Specific products shift across seasons, so check current offerings at retail rather than relying on specific model recommendations that may have been discontinued.
Honest verdict
Volcom is a legitimate brand with genuine boardsports heritage, not a fashion label borrowing the look. The outerwear has proper technical credentials while staying true to its surf-skate-snow identity.
For skiers who already know they want boardsports-styled kit, Volcom is one of the most credible options on the market. For skiers who want a clean, minimalist or performance-first aesthetic, other brands are a better fit.