SKILLSET Magazine is making moves. Founding Assistant Editor Ben Tirpak is taking over as Editorial Director for all SKILLSET Media following the departure of Jason Swarr, who stepped down to concentrate on a new non-media business launch. SKILLSET’s print version will now be incorporated into Ballistic magazine as a 32-page special section. It’s a perfect magazine marriage, merging the unique, insanely creative, unapologetic, hilarious SKILLSET perspective with Ballistic, the leader in firearms lifestyle content. SKILLSET’s digital media, including its very popular E-newsletter with 130,000 weekly subscribers, will continue unchanged.
“SKILLSET has always been cutting edge with a voice that speaks almost solely to a huge alpha-American audience,” said Nick Seifert, SVP/General Manager of Athlon Outdoors, which publishes SKILLSET and Ballistic. “We are very excited to make it a part of our flagship magazine, Ballistic. The content is perfectly complementary, and this merger will create an amplified voice that will benefit both brands’ steep growth trajectories. Ben Tirpak has been there since the beginning, so it’s in great hands!”
Ballistic is a premium, oversize magazine published six times per year with 140,000 copies distributed per issue. SKILLSET will debut in Ballistic’s June/July 2022 issue.
SKILLSET’s new Editorial Director, Ben Tirpak, is a modern-American maverick. A natural-born leader who excels under pressure, he is a die-hard auto enthusiast with a passion for wrenching on the weekends, an avid motorcycle rider, metal artist, and cycling enthusiast. His love of firearms matches his sense of adventure, and he often bugs out for weeklong survival treks in remote areas of the Southwestern desert or Rocky Mountain West. Before taking the head role at SKILLSET, he was assistant editor for five years. Prior, Ben spent 11 years in the event industry, organizing team building and charity events across the nation.
About Athlon Outdoors:
Athlon Outdoors is the premier content source for shooting lifestyle, personal defense, tactical and self-reliant audiences. Visit AthlonOutdoors.com, Instagram at @AthlonOutdoors or its websites: