Apres Ski Gifts: Shot Skis, Party Skis and Cornhole

Apres ski gifts

Nobody has ever come home from a good ski day and said the best part was the skiing. It was the deck afterwards, the boots still on, somebody producing a shot ski out of nowhere. These are gifts for that part of the day, made from real retired skis and snowboards in Manitou Springs, Colorado.

Apres ski is a different shopping trip from ski gifts generally. Nobody buying here wants a wall hanging. They want the thing that comes out when people are over, gets used badly, and becomes the reason the evening is remembered.

Which is a fairly specific product list: shot skis and party skis, cornhole sets built on real skis and boards, and bottle openers that live on the wall by the fridge. Everything is hand painted, and almost everything can carry a name, a date or a home mountain. Logos work a little differently: a mark goes on as a decal rather than paint, so it stays exact.

Shop apres ski gifts

The shot ski, and why it works

A shot ski is one ski with shot glasses mounted along it, so everybody holding it drinks at the same moment. That is the whole design and it has never needed improving. Two glasses, four, six, however many people you are willing to commit at once.

Ours are built on genuine retired skis rather than blanks, which is the difference between a novelty and a thing worth keeping. The boot glass versions use removable glasses so they wash properly, and the painted versions carry whatever you want on them: a wedding date, a team name, a company logo, the name of a run.

Cornhole, for the deck and the tailgate

The cornhole sets are built on real skis and snowboards laid into the boards, painted to match. They are the piece that gets carried to the tailgate, the reunion and the wedding, and they are usually the thing people photograph. Downhill skis, cross country nordic skis and ski and board hybrids are all available, and a branded version exists for companies and resorts.

Wedding, reunion and party ski gifts

A large share of what we paint now is not really about skiing. It is a date, two names, and a mountain that meant something to the couple. Those go out as wedding gifts, anniversary gifts and reunion presents, and they hang on a wall between uses. Tell us the words and the colors and we will send a mockup before any paint goes on.

How ordering works

Painted party skis are made to order, usually two to four weeks. Some pieces are ready to ship. Local delivery covers Colorado and we ship nationwide to the lower 48. Working to a date? Call 303.775.7273 and we will tell you honestly whether it will land in time.

Frequently asked questions

What are apres ski gifts?

Gifts for the part of the ski day that happens after the skiing. In practice that means shot skis and party skis, cornhole sets, bar and deck pieces, and anything that gets used when people are standing around with their boots still on. It is a real search and a real category, and it is where most of the fun in this catalog lives.

What exactly is a shot ski?

One ski with shot glasses mounted along it, so everyone holding it has to drink at the same time. That is the entire idea. Ours are built on real retired skis and hand painted, and the boot glass versions have removable glasses so you can actually wash them.

Where can I buy a shot ski?

Here. Every party ski is made in Manitou Springs, Colorado, on a genuine retired ski, and painted in the colors, names, dates or logo you ask for. Made to order runs two to four weeks, some are ready to ship, and we ship nationwide to the lower 48.

Are shot skis allowed in bars?

That is the bar decision, not ours, and it varies by state and by license. Plenty of mountain town bars keep one behind the counter. Plenty of others will not let a group bring one in. If it is for a venue, ask the manager first. If it is for a house, a deck or a tailgate, nobody is going to stop you.

Can you put a wedding date or a logo on it?

Yes, and most of what we paint now carries something. Names, dates, home mountains and team colors are hand painted. A company logo is the exception and goes on as a logo decal floated onto the painted background, because a mark has to hold its exact shape and color. Aluminum and plastic appliques are alternatives at different prices. Say what you want when you order, or call and describe it, and we will send a mockup before anything is made.

How many people does a party ski hold?

Most are built for four, which is the practical number for a deck. Two is the compact version and six is the one that turns into an event. If you want a specific number, or a specific length so it fits a wall, say so when you order.

Want something quieter for the same person? See Gift Items. Buying for a snowboarder? See Gifts for Snowboarders. Ordering for a company or an event, see Corporate Ski Gifts. Or call 303.775.7273.