Stuck in Western Australia during Covid, with border closures blocking him from experiencing his beloved snow, Jonathan Paige (JP) found himself making skis in a back shed in the desert.
The Oklahoma-born entrepreneur had spent back to back winters between the USA and New Zealand working in snow making and cat grooming in Taos, New Mexico and ski field maintenance and ski patrol at Temple Basin. Snow was what he knew best.
A covid hobby soon turned to a ski industry passion as he and his Aussie business and life partner, Stephanie, became obsessed with creating the best skis they could while utilising local timbers. And so the research began.
They settled upon Alpine Ash (one of the tallest trees in the world) as a signature element for its mechanical properties similar to hardwood with flex and strength. They combine it with Australian grown Paulownia for the core and skis are then reinforced with Jarrah, a hardwood native to southwestern Australia, for the sidewalls.
“We had a friend who owned a timber mill and had really good literature on Australian woods. He pointed us in the right direction,” says Stephanie who reveals they source Alpine Ash from a local timber mill in Eden for their Desert Skis core, now made in their Jindabyne workshop.
Desert skis are hand built to order and boast a four product line (the SAG 95, RAZ 99, TOS 104 and 110) with single full-wrap steel edges and a high-performance Durasurf 4001 base to provide maximum durability while Aussie-made triaxial fiberglass gives the skis perfect combo of strength and responsiveness.
“We test the skis ourselves in the New South Wales ski fields and backcountry, and have a friend who tested them in Japan when we were developing them,” says Steph.
“Our friends in New Zealand and the USA have all skied on Desert Skis with great feedback. In Jindabyne we even have a local ski patroller who uses them throughout the season.”
Interested in securing a pair of Desert Skis for your quiver? Hit them up in Jindabyne but call ahead to make an appointment at their Leesville factory to grab a demo pair to try on your next snow trip.
