Jonathan and Steph Paige, a couple based in Tasmania, Australia, have turned a passion project into a small business crafting handmade skis from Australian-grown timber. Their brand, Dovetail Skis, utilizes locally sourced woods like Tasmanian oak and celery top pine, combined with modern composite materials to create durable, high-performance skis.
The process is largely manual, involving precise woodworking, layering, and pressing techniques. "You could probably get a job at a big company in Europe or the US and have somebody show you the ropes," Jonathan Paige noted in an interview, highlighting their self-taught journey. They began experimenting in a backyard shed, gradually refining their designs through trial and error.
Their work represents a niche in the ski industry, emphasizing sustainability and local provenance over mass production. While small in scale, their operation supports local forestry and appeals to skiers seeking unique, handcrafted equipment. The couple continues to produce skis to order from their Tasmanian workshop.
