Ass Gasket
This genius idea was inspired by sitting on a ski hill chairlift with a cold, wet butt one too many times. Now, it’s a sell-out product that can hardly stay on the shelves.
The Designer: John Trousdale
John Trousdale (skier and tinkerer) was tired of spending perfect powder days on the slopes with cold, soggy, droopy drawers. It was from this discomfort that his brilliant idea for Ass Gasket was born.
The Problem and Opportunity
John knew he had a great idea to provide skiers and snowboards with bum protection, so he researched the competition to see what was already available. From there, he created a rough sketch, designing something much better than what was on the market.
The initial design was based on a reference photo that used straps and buckles. John’s improvements included using Velcro and elastic so his product was more comfortable and able to self-adjust whether sitting, standing, or crouching.
The biggest challenge in bringing John’s vision to life was ensuring the design would fit different body types, including men, women, and children, and ultimately make his design out of an eco-friendly neoprene.
The Goal: Design and create a comfortable product that provides butt protection against the wet and cold of the slopes for skiers and snowboarders of all ages.
The Obstacle
John needed to figure out a way to make his product adjustable to different body types and be easy to use while wearing ski gloves.
The Project
Because John came in with a reference image and clear notes about what he wanted to change and improve, he moved right into the pattern-making stage.
Timeline
The whole process took about six months from start to finish. Most of that time was spent testing the product on skiers and snowboarders to perfect the design and function.
The Process
Pattern Review and Product Details
While developing a pattern for the product, Heather helped John improve the design with a few development tweaks. One change involved creative Velcro placement. By putting the Velcro straps at an angle, the garment could be tightened more securely for a better fit and increased comfort. The other change involved adding a dart on the sides to better contour the more athletic shape of a skier’s butt.
Testing the Product
John spent time testing his design with real users in the field. Once he was confident his product fit real people and performed adequately in the field, he was ready to move on to the tech pack stage.
Preparing for Manufacture
Once the fit and design were perfected in the base size for each body type (men’s, women’s, and children’s), Heather had to determine the unique nature of the pattern grade for each one and then put together the tech pack, thus preparing John for manufacture. Because he was adequately prepared, he quickly found a manufacturing company to partner with and was even able to find his eco-friendly neoprene!
Outcomes
John launched his product, Ass Gasket, to the market, and has sold out each season since. He’s also created a culture and community around his customers known as “Gasketeers.”
Conclusion
Gasketeers everywhere are saying Ass Gasket is the best thing to happen to the butts of skiers and snowboarders since the invention of the chairlift.
Do you have an idea to improve a product? Have reference images ready to go? Book a consultation with Heather to discuss pattern-making. Not sure where you are in the process? Check out our “How It Works” page for answers.