For decades, snowmobilers across Quebec—and increasingly throughout North America—have come to know the CKX name mile after mile. First recognized for its snowmobile helmets, then for its technical riding apparel, boots, gloves and, more recently, innovative products like the Titan AMS, the Quebec-based manufacturer has become one of the industry’s most influential brands.
Yet few riders know the story behind the name.
This is how a small company founded in Quebec’s Centre-du-Québec region grew into one of North America’s leading developers of powersports apparel and riding equipment.
It All Began in 1967 with a Passionate Entrepreneur
The story of CKX actually begins long before the brand itself was created.
In 1967, a 28-year-old entrepreneur named Gilles Soucy was temporarily sidelined from work after injuring one of his fingers. Rather than waiting to recover, he saw an opportunity. Snowmobiling was booming across Quebec, and Soucy began selling snowmobile clutch systems to meet the growing demand.
At the time, snowmobiling was experiencing explosive growth. Manufacturers were appearing across the province, trail systems were beginning to take shape, and the demand for replacement parts and accessories was increasing rapidly.
Soucy quickly recognized the tremendous potential of this emerging market.
He founded Gilles Soucy Inc. (GSI), the company that would eventually become Kimpex.
In the early years, he travelled from dealership to dealership with what was essentially a rolling warehouse, selling parts directly to dealers and repair shops. That close relationship with retailers allowed him to better understand the industry’s needs while building the foundation for what would become one of Canada’s most successful powersports companies.
The Birth of Kimpex
Roughly a decade later, in 1978, the company reached an important milestone.
Rather than remaining solely a distributor, Gilles Soucy invested in his own manufacturing capabilities and began producing snowmobile parts under the Kimpex name.
That decision would permanently change the company’s future.
Kimpex rapidly expanded its product catalog, supplying not only snowmobiles but also ATVs, motorcycles, side-by-sides and other recreational powersports vehicles.
Today, Kimpex remains one of North America’s largest distributors of powersports products, offering more than 90,000 products through a network of over 3,500 dealers across Canada, the United States and Europe.
1983: The Birth of CKX
The year 1983 marked another major turning point.
Kimpex officially launched a new brand dedicated entirely to rider protection and apparel: CKX.
The very first product introduced under the CKX name was a snowmobile helmet.
At the time, rider safety was becoming an increasingly important topic, and demand for purpose-built snowmobile helmets was growing quickly.
CKX chose to focus on developing products specifically engineered for Canada’s harsh winter riding conditions.
It proved to be the right decision.
Over the years, the brand steadily built a reputation by offering products that combined excellent value with performance tailored to the realities of North American winters.
From Helmet Manufacturer to Complete Riding Equipment Specialist
Although helmets were the foundation of the CKX brand, the company didn’t stop there.
Over the following decades, CKX gradually expanded its lineup to include a complete range of riding equipment, including:
- Snowmobile apparel
- Boots
- Gloves and mitts
- Goggles
- Technical base layers
- Balaclavas
- Specialized riding accessories
The goal was simple: design a complete equipment system created by riders, for riders. That philosophy—developing products through real-world testing and rider feedback—continues to shape every new CKX product today.
Innovation Becomes Part of the Brand’s DNA
For many years, CKX earned its reputation as a dependable manufacturer of quality riding equipment.
Then the company shifted its focus toward innovation.
Instead of simply following industry trends, CKX began introducing products that fundamentally changed the way snowmobilers approached winter riding.
That strategy would eventually redefine the brand’s image and position it as one of the industry’s leading innovators
2016: The Titan Redefines the Snowmobile Helmet
If one product has shaped CKX’s modern identity, it’s undoubtedly the Titan helmet.
Introduced in 2016, the Titan represented one of the biggest innovations the snowmobile industry had seen in years.
Until then, riders generally had to choose between two compromises.
Traditional full-face helmets offered excellent protection against wind and extreme cold but often became hot and restrictive during physically demanding riding. Motocross-style helmets, favored by mountain riders, provided outstanding ventilation but sacrificed warmth and weather protection during long trail rides or harsh winter conditions.
CKX set out to eliminate that compromise.
The company introduced what it described as the first modular helmet designed specifically for backcountry snowmobiling, combining the ventilation of an off-road helmet with the protection and adaptability required for winter riding.
The concept quickly caught the industry’s attention.
Several key innovations helped separate the Titan from everything else on the market:
- A removable, drop-down muzzle that allowed riders to quickly adapt to changing conditions.
- A lightweight composite shell that reduced fatigue during long riding days.
- A wide eye port designed around the CKX 210 goggles for exceptional peripheral vision.
- Completely redesigned airflow management.
- Ventilation engineered specifically for the demands of mountain riding.
More importantly, the Titan solved problems riders had simply learned to live with.
Instead of forcing snowmobilers to choose between warmth and ventilation, CKX offered a helmet capable of adapting to both.
The Titan rapidly became one of the company’s flagship products and helped reposition CKX as one of the industry’s leading innovators in helmet design
AMS Technology: Continuing to Push Forward
CKX didn’t stop innovating after the success of the Titan.
Several years later, the company introduced another important advancement with the Mission helmet, unveiled in 2019 as the first model featuring the Air Management System (AMS).
Rather than simply adding more vents, CKX engineers reimagined how air should circulate through a helmet.
The objective wasn’t just to increase airflow—it was to control it.
The AMS was designed to reduce moisture buildup caused by breathing while maintaining warmth in critical areas, improving rider comfort across a wide range of winter conditions.
That technology continued to evolve before eventually making its way into the Titan AMS, which combines everything that made the original Titan successful with a more sophisticated approach to airflow and moisture management.
It’s a perfect example of CKX’s current philosophy:
Don’t reinvent successful products.
Refine them.
Growing Beyond Snowmobiles
More than half a century after Gilles Soucy founded his company, the business continues to expand.
Still headquartered in Drummondville, Quebec, Kimpex now employs more than 200 people and distributes products throughout Canada, the United States and Europe.
Its family of private brands—including CKX, Kimpex, and Commander—has become a major presence in the powersports industry.
While CKX has expanded into ATV, motocross and other off-road disciplines, snowmobiling remains at the heart of the brand’s identity.
Its products continue to be developed with winter riders as the primary focus.
Designed by Riders, for Riders
Perhaps the greatest strength of CKX is how closely the company remains connected to its customers.
Many manufacturers rely heavily on laboratory testing and computer simulations.
CKX certainly uses those tools as well.
But real-world riding remains at the center of product development.
New products are routinely tested by ambassadors, engineers, professional riders, guides and experienced snowmobilers who spend countless hours riding in some of the harshest winter environments found anywhere in North America.
That constant feedback loop explains why many CKX innovations solve practical riding problems rather than simply adding new features for marketing purposes.
The company’s philosophy has always been straightforward:
Listen to riders.
Build better equipment.
Repeat.
Did You Know?
The Evolution of the CKX Logo
Unlike many major brands, CKX has never publicly shared the official story behind the evolution of its logo.
Over the years, however, its visual identity has clearly evolved alongside the company itself.
Earlier logos reflected CKX’s beginnings as a manufacturer of snowmobile accessories, while today’s minimalist wordmark projects a much more technical, modern image that aligns with the brand’s emphasis on innovation, performance and rider-focused engineering.
The clean, angular typography has become instantly recognizable throughout the snowmobile industry and mirrors the evolution of CKX itself—from a helmet manufacturer to a complete technical equipment brand.
CKX Through the Years
| Year | Milestone |
| 1967 | Gilles Soucy founds Gilles Soucy Inc., the company that would become Kimpex. |
| 1978 | Kimpex begins manufacturing its own snowmobile parts. |
| 1983 | CKX is officially launched with its first snowmobile helmets. |
| 1990s–2000s | Expansion into riding apparel, boots, gloves, goggles and technical accessories. |
| 2016 | Introduction of the revolutionary CKX Titan helmet. |
| 2019 | Launch of AMS (Air Management System) technology with the Mission helmet. |
| 2025 | Introduction of the Titan AMS, further advancing airflow management and helmet adaptability. |
A Story Still Being Written
The history of CKX is ultimately the story of a Quebec company that has remained true to its roots while continually evolving.
What began in the late 1960s as one entrepreneur selling snowmobile clutch systems has grown into one of North America’s most respected powersports equipment manufacturers.
Its success isn’t based solely on helmets or riding apparel.
It’s built on a consistent commitment to innovation, a willingness to listen to riders and an ongoing desire to improve every generation of products.
From its very first snowmobile helmet in 1983 to today’s Titan AMS, CKX has demonstrated that world-class innovation can come from Quebec and influence the entire snowmobile industry.
And judging by the pace at which the company continues to invest in research, development and rider feedback, the next chapter of the CKX story is only beginning.
