Romp Skis, initially founded by brothers Caleb and Morgan Weinberg in 2010 in Crested Butte, CO, was acquired by a Midland, TX-based owner of a manufactured housing community. Terms were not disclosed.
New owner Chase Gardaphe, who worked at Flatiron Sports in Crested Butte for the 2007/08 season following college, started his career in manufactured housing in 2008 before going back to school for his MBA.
“I am extremely excited to take on the business of building premier skis for the Gunnison Valley and beyond,” said Gardaphe. “We are thrilled to build upon the legacy Caleb and Morgan started in their garage. The brand is a great representation of the Crested Butte mountain culture, and we look forward to keeping that culture alive.”
The company said the Romp Skis brand “has grown exponentially” over the past decade. Gardaphe will reportedly continue to expand operations at its factory in Crested Butte.
Morgan Weinberg, Eligh Purvis, Andy Shabo, and Jordan Okes will remain core employees at Romp, continuing to build its handcrafted skis. Gardaphe also plans to open a retail shop in the spring of 2024 next door to the Romp ski factory in Crested Butte.
“I’m stoked to work with Chase in bringing Romp Skis to the next level, and I will continue to work with the Romp team to create fun and innovative skis,” said Morgan Weinberg. “Caleb and I are grateful for the Crested Butte community for all the support Romp has received over the past 14 years. The current team at Romp has done an excellent job and will continue to strive to make the best skis possible here in Crested Butte.”
Images courtesy Romp Skis, Chase Gardaphe/LinkedIn
