Story
Imagine standing at the top of a steep chute with 2 feet of fresh powder and just the right light to see that perfect line ahead of you. Now imagine looking down and kicking the snow off your skis... skis you designed exactly for these conditions and that you built with your own hands. That was our dream.
Michael Alexander, Founder and Ski-EO

 

The Crown Skis Story

 

Crown Skis was born out of the dream of riding skis that we designed and built ourselves. Over the years this dream has evolved into a vision of a small, skier owned and operated company focused on designing and manufacturing limited volumes of high-performance, customizable freeride skis that are handcrafted right here in our home of Vancouver, BC.

 

Our Mission

 

With an uncompromised dedication to handcrafting the highest quality and most innovative skis on the market, as defined by our ski community, Crown Skis strives to be the example of responsible, sustainable, and just business.

 

Design Philosophy

 

All Crown Skis product designs are conceptualized from the snow up in careful consideration of terrain characteristics and rider preferences. This means that we don't mindlessly copy other ski manufacturers' product line-ups. Instead we start by considering the type of terrain a skier wants their skis to be optimized for and then add to that the feedback from our Crown family (athletes, testers, customers, friends), to inform and evolve our design decisions. The result is a unique and limited line-up of skis created for skiers looking to get the most out of their days in the terrain they most love to ski.

 

Commitment to Sustainability

 

We believe that as skiers and ski manufacturers we have a responsibility to the environment and community we belong to. For us that means finding innovative ways of reducing our environmental footprint and working to making skiing more accessible to skiers of all physical abilities. Our long-term vision is to manufacture the world's first fully sustainable line of high-performance freeride skis for everyone who wants to ski.

 

Crown's History in the Making...

 

2006
  • Crown Skis founders: Corby Petersen, Mathieu Bouvier, Niels Petersen and Mike Alexander start prototyping ski building in the garage on Crown St. in Vancouver
  • Their first ski model is born and named the "Bill"
2007
  • Ski and tooling designs evolve resulting in the much improved "Bill 2.0 & 3.0" models
  • Crown Skis is incorporated and business planning begins
2008
  • Designs are created for the "Beta model" skis which will later evolve into the distinctive Kensho model
  • Ski press 2.0 is build using reclaimed steel enabling faster, more reliable production rates
  • Crown Skis website is launched
  • Production moves into a new shop space in the 450 sq foot basement of a rented house in Vancouver, steps away from Crown St.
  • Crown Skis launches the "Beta Model" in conjunction with the Beta Test Program. This program involved 35 skiers across North America and France testing Crown's product performance and durability
  • Jeff Bos (Vice President of Business Development and Sustainability) joins the company and leads a team of MBA students at Bainbridge Graduate Institute to create a sustainable business plan for the company
  • Crown Skis joins 1% for the Planet
2009
  • Inaugural Crown Skis Family Day at Whistler with 40 people riding Crown and sharing stories après ski.
  • Announcement of the new Kensho model, a Big-Mountain ski designed for skiers who charge hard down the mountain
  • Crown Skis launches the Satori model, an All-Mountain Freeride ski designed for versatility and responsiveness
  • Crown's 2010 topsheet graphics are announced including designs from artists Justin Ritter (Alaska) and Florian Bouvier (France)
  • Crown Skis sponsors the Rossland Film Festival in Rossland BC
  • First custom topsheet skis are finished and look amazing!
  • The Satori and Kensho models are featured in a number of online gear review websites
2010
  • Corby hits the road for 2 Crown Skis demo tours around the BC interior
  • Prototypes built using 75% pine-based epoxy. On-snow performance and durability testing conducted in BC and Alaska
  • Specially reinforced sit-ski specific prototypes built and thoroughly tested over the 2010 season
  • Second annual Crown Skis Family Day at Whistler/Blackcomb
  • Production outgrows the basement shop so Crown moves into a sweet new 1000 sq foot facility in Richmond, BC
  • Mathieu handcrafts the company’s new online look with a new Crown Website (crownskis.com)
  • Redesigned Satori model launched with a shorter turning radius, softer tail and optional rocker, available in a new 187cm length
  • Partnered with Disabled Skiers Association of British Columbia, offering sit-ski specific models for sale for the 2010/2011 season
  • 2011 topsheet designs featuring art by Karen Chan, Ike Wheeless and Val Gudaitis announced on crownskis.com
  • Crown Skis featured in SBC Skier gear guide
  • ... and the story continues