Level Gloves was founded back in 1989 in Bormio, Italy. Our passion for the mountains and love for winter sports are the cornerstones of our company. The original partners and everyone who has believed in Level Gloves from the beginning come from a sports-oriented background: ski and snowboard instructors, as well as mountain enthusiasts in every sense. The initial idea of Mauro Compagnoni was simple: to create comfortable, protective snowboard gloves with a highly recognizable design.
In fact, in the early '90s, snowboarding began to gain traction not only in the United States but also in the Alps. The first technological innovations were tested a few years after the creation of the initial prototypes. Between 1992 and 1994, wrist protection systems and glove breathability were introduced. Even back then, the design was iconic: Level gloves are instantly recognizable thanks to their colors and shapes, which are quite different from the classic ski world.
Around the mid-2000s, Davide Compagnoni, a former athlete of the Italian National Ski Team, joined the company, and the focus expanded to include alpine skiing disciplines, with attention to the professional and competitive world. The Research and Development team began experimenting with designs and prototypes, leading to the creation of the Racing collection, perfect tools for the most technical and fast disciplines. Thanks to collaborations with athletes like Aksel Lund Svindal, Kjetil Jansrud, Federica Brignone, and Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, Level gloves became increasingly present in the international market.
The hallmark of every model remains its unique design, striking graphic features, and internal construction with particularly resistant protections and fabrics. Over the years, Level Gloves has developed cutting-edge technologies and construction methods to ensure durability, safety, and comfort. In 2012, the Thermoplus certification was introduced, developed in collaboration with the University of Bologna and the Polytechnic University of Turin. This is a heat index that allows for determining the "thermicity" of the gloves, so customers can choose the appropriate gloves for their usage conditions. The close ties with World Cup skiers, freeriders, and mountaineers remain fundamental to the development of each model. Constant feedback between professionals and the company enables continuous growth every year with cutting-edge collections.
The most recent chapter in the company’s history is the Green Choice project. In 2022, the first glove entirely made from recycled and recyclable materials was launched on the market. Level's goal is to offer nearly all products made with over 50% recycled and/or organic materials while maintaining the primary concepts of durability and longevity, making the collection as eco-sustainable as possible. Currently, over 60% of the products meet these criteria. Additionally, initiatives like Clean-up Days are dedicated to teaching children about keeping mountain environments clean. Other collaborations, such as with the Rematrix consortium, focus on a project for recycling and recovering used gloves, aiming to give them a second life by recycling all components to create eco-sustainable materials. The path toward full environmental sustainability is still long, but every step brings Level Gloves closer to a more sustainable environmental impact and a “green” future.
Let’s see a few of the major steps in the company’s growth.
1989 ■ The beginning of the road
LEVEL was the first, in 1989, to study, develop and market snowboard gloves and it was also a pioneer of the Removable Lining System.
1992 ■ First to introduce snowrider protection technology
It was the first to introduce, in 1992, snowboard protection technology and in 1994 it launched its innovative Breathable System. Just a few years later, in 1999, another of LEVEL’s firsts – H&R construction – brought further success. The multi-use snowboard/ski/mountaineering concept was introduced in 2001 at the presentation of the Ski New Trend Collection of gloves with a decorated palm in silicon. The “success of the year” of 2002 was the new, in-glove Kirax integrated reflex stimulator system.
2004 ■ Launch of Overgloves
The year 2004 saw the launch of Overgloves, a range of innovative overgloves to keep hands warm in low temperatures; ideal for women skiers and for athletes waiting their turn during competitions.
2007 ■ Team Issue
The new entry in 2007 is Team Issue, a brand-new range of ultra high-tech, stylish snowboard and freestyle gloves designed with the input of the top riders. The Limited Edition range will be retailed only through leading winter sportswear stores. 2007 is characterized by great international ski successes: LEVEL won 4 golden medals at World Championship in Åare with Patrick Staudacker (GS), Sarka Zharobska (SL) and Aksel Lund Svindal (DH e GS) who also won Ski World Cup.
2008 ■ Bliss collection
In 2008 LEVEL creates BLISS, a highlight of the 2008-09 collection, a line specially designed by women for women who love snow.
2009 ■ New integrated system gloves-poles
In 2009 LEVEL proposed a new integrated system gloves-poles in freestyle and freeride world. Also in 2009, LEVEL presented together with its more representative athlete, Aksel Lund Svindal, the most innovative ski racing glove ever studied.
2010 - 2012 ■ New line & more innovation
The 2010-11 collection develops and launches two revolutionary new technological innovations on the market: it is the first brand to offer a thermoforming system customising the glove fit, optimising comfort and improving performance; it is the first company to offer a new adjustable air wrist support system which can easily be turned on and off. The main novelty of the collection 2011-12 is the new series of models Rocker, dedicated to all skiers who look for new trends. One of the state-of-the-art “Rocker” proposals is the perfect answer to their needs. Furthermore, LEVEL has improved the Snowboard line’s Biomex-Plus® protection, resulting from a constant cooperation between snowboarders and the medical community and biomedical engineers. Among the new models, the gloves specially conceived for the Pro, both in the Ski Racing line segment and in the Snowboard line.
2012 ■ Warmth certification - Thermoplus
THERMOPLUS is LEVELs certification and guarantee for outstanding insulation and heat retention of the natural warmth of the hands even in the coldest of climate conditions. LEVEL created a machine to test the gloves in a series of extreme weather conditions. The results, collected in an efficiency index, report the gloves thermicity values. THERMOPLUS products values aim to be at least 30% higher than standard gloves ones.
2014 ■ New company
In 2014 LEVEL moves to Switzerland, becoming Scheuing Sport AG, to improve its international approach to the markets; in the mean time the new collection redefines the standards of quality and warmth of the gloves.
2016 ■ ISPO award with nfc smart gloves
The glove has NFC (near field communication) tags which control and activate the main functions of a smartphone or an action camera with a single tap. A set of tags are inserted in the glove right under the fingertips, each one prompt to trigger an action when the finger gets close to the smartphone.
2017 ■ Sliding system on racing gloves
LEVEL introduces in the whole Racing gloves/mitts collection the SuperFabric® from MotoGP experience. This material last longer, has higher durability, and is designed for everything from extreme applications to rugged daily usage.
2018 ■ New visual identity
We are proud to announce the new visual identity of LEVEL. With clean, modern and refined letterforms, the updated logo hearkens back to our original identity and speaks to the fundamental tenets of our brand: performance, technology, and essential design. Through flexibility, simplicity and adaptability.
2019 - 2020 ■ Most successful Company
LEVEL becomes one of the most successful glove companies in ski and snowboard competitions thanks to its incredible pro athletes who have won 6 Crystal Globes, 2 X-Games gold medals, 5 X-Games bronze medals.
2022 - 2023 ■ The “Green Choice” project and our commitment to sustainability
The goal is to become a fully sustainable company in the coming years without losing the performance of our gloves. As of today, we have implemented the sustainability of our products, introducing new materials, changing design techniques, and removing plastics from shipping and packaging. Our Research and development team is working to design the best possible product, aiming for the perfect balance between performance and sustainability.
2023 - 2024 ■ Unwavering Commitment to Sustainability
Embarking on a new season in 2023-24, LEVEL continues to pioneer in eco-conscious innovation. Our steadfast dedication to sustainability is more than a commitment; it's a journey towards an environmentally-responsible future. By integrating advanced, sustainable materials and adopting eco-friendly design techniques, we're redefining the performance of our gloves. We've eliminated plastics from our shipping and packaging, proving that high-quality products and environmental stewardship can coexist. Join us as we sustainably shape the world of winter sports.
