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A small Scottish company, Lonely Mountain Skis (LMS) produce honest, well-crafted hardwood-veneered skis, beautiful enough to hang on the wall.
Inspired by the raw beauty of the Scottish Highland backcountry, Lonely Mountain Skis are made to withstand the sheer variety of snow you’ll find in the wilds of Scotland where ski resorts are few and dedicated skiers need to find their own fun. To this end, Lonely Mountain Skis are light enough to navigate gulleys and munros whilst being durable to face whatever snow conditions you encounter on your way down.
Made in a workshop in Birnam, LMS sources wood only from FSC certified woodland, which arrives at the workshop as planks of wood. From here, the process involves the wood being created into strips before they’re glued together with sustainable bio-resin, moulded and wrapped in flax. For now, LMS have three different types of ski – the Sneachda, Crua and Ord. Made to order, both the Sneachda and the Crua are good for both on and off piste whereas the Ord has a playful character that works well for jumps and turns.
Whilst studying product design at the University of Dundee, Jamie Kunka, head ski-maker at LMS was inspired by British bushcraft expert Ray Mears when he watched an episode that saw a ski created from a pine tree. With his university workshop available to him, Jamie thought he’d have a go, using solid redwood, steam bent and coated in pine tar.
With a clear knack for creating skis, Jamie was surprised at how well his first prototype worked, although he himself admits that the skis “were a little out of control over the Scottish ice.” Two and a half years later and Kunka’s rigorous testing paid off with LMS wood and natural fibre skis making a seriously smooth ride, capped in a unique hardwood veneer which gives it a retro-cool yet strikingly modern look.
Made in Scotland, these versatile yet tough skis are for the mountain skier who’s not afraid to climb that bit further for the thrill, accompanied by lightweight LMS skis for the downhill.
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