A new ski brand as unique as an ‘Echidna’ is launching in the Snowy Mountains this winter.
Born in the desert and brought to the mountains, Desert Skis are handmade skis using native Australian timbers and geared towards all-mountain skiing, off-piste skiing, and ski touring.
Founded by JP and Steph from the US State of Oklahoma and the coastal Victorian town of Mallacoota, the skis are built to be functional, durable, and unique, with the overall intention of making skiing fun.
The idea to make skis from Australian timbers was born during the pandemic. The couple were isolated in Western Australia and looking for a place to live when they began designing wooden skis in a shed. From pressing the first ski in 2022 to finding their Leesville workshop and establishing themselves in the Jindabyne community, it’s been a journey for the founders.
This winter, they will offer a full range of demo Desert Skis, both with resort-style alpine bindings and touring bindings with skins. They will also take pre-orders for the Northern Hemisphere winter and the 2026 Southern Hemisphere winter.
Historically, the snow industry has seen skis made from wood before, with JP stating, “You either have a wood core or polyurethane foam core, these are the two main types for skis.”
“Wood provides characteristics that are more desirable than foam, but foam is cheaper which you may find in lower end rental skis,” explains JP.
Typically, European timbers such as poplars, beech, and maple are used, but JP and Steph went searching for timbers with similar mechanical properties that they had access to here in Australia.
“The border closures (of the pandemic) eliminated the possibility of skiing. My whole life and many of my friends were centred around the ski industry. Then you find yourself in a place so far removed from skiing. I needed something. That was the push,” said JP on founding Desert Skis.
Desert Skis are proudly an Australian product, and the founders are sourcing everything they can locally to build the skis. In their generously sized workshop in Leesville, Jindabyne, a fine selection of wooden skis hangs high on the walls. “Our skis are made with a composite wood core and Paulownia, often used in surfboards”, explains JP as he points at the smooth surface of timber. “Mountain ash and Victorian ash are the timbers we use the most, with mountain ash possibly superior as it is readily available with good flex qualities and density.”
A striking feature of Desert Skis is the Jarrah sidewalls. Growing only in a small region in south-west Western Australia, Jarrah has proven to create sidewalls that are water resistant and durable. Top this off with silver wattle, Victorian ash, and red gum as the various veneers for the top sheets, and you have a beauty of a ski.
The company will offer three different ski shapes in various lengths, starting from 157cm up to 187cm. The three ski models are called the TOS 104 and TOS 110, the RAZ 99, and the SAG 95. Designed a little narrower, the SAG 95 is a good Australian option. The TOS has two wider profiles, with the 110 being well suited to Japan. The RAZ is a good middle ground at 99 underfoot with moderate tip and tail rocker, making it a playful ski. All the skis feel lively and quick.
“They feel shorter than their lengths so are easier to turn and pivot. They are also softer and absorbing and don’t vibrate because they don’t have carbon fibre in them,” says JP. The price guide for the skis is set to start at around AUD $1800.
For testing the skis, JP and Steph have drawn on various friends and professionals around the world. Ryan Taylor, a ski mountaineer in Hokkaido, Japan, has been prototyping Desert Skis. He is a strong supporter of the ski shapes and has enjoyed testing them in the powder. “Everyone I pass on the slopes compliments me and asks what they are,” said Ryan.
American boot fitter Robbie Forbes has also had the pleasure of testing the skis in his home resort of Taos, New Mexico. “I was instantly amazed and captivated by the simple beauty of the skis,” Robbie remarked. Having tested the TOS model in the challenging terrain of Taos, he was pleased with how they rode. “What I liked about it was how natural the skis felt underfoot. It was like I was skiing on water”.
Creating skis is not for the fainthearted. Starting with building the logs and cores, getting them into the press, cutting and sawing the skis to size, sanding the sides, and removing the resin, it’s a long process.
The duo has built a strong network of supporters, including Zali Offord at the ‘On The Tune’ shop in Thredbo, Geoff, the Montana representative, and Mitch Harrison at Harro’s Snowsports at Lake Crackenback Resort, who have all been supportive.
“They are legends, I will 100% back them,” says Mitch Harrison.
The use of an echidna as the Desert Skis logo is fitting. “We wanted to use something Australian, and the echidna lives everywhere, it’s in the desert, it’s in the snow, it’s all over the place,” said Steph.
“It’s cool to be able to do an Australian product in Australia. I think that’s our trademark.”
The long hours and late nights the couple endure to build Desert Skis is no easy feat, but it’s a great feeling when running testing days with friends on the slopes and seeing the skis in action. “That’s when it hits you and makes it all worthwhile,” says JP.
