Here's to craftsmen

Oh I like craftsmen. Especially those who combine art and utility with a personal passion for some weird subset of something or another.

In the past I've written about a maker of musical ice instruments, a kayak builder who uses ancient methods, and I seem to remember some beautiful kooks who crafted an entire orchestra out of vegetables, although damn if I can find the link.

Today, we've got Mike Parris. He was a Carnegie Mellon robotics engineer working on Mars rovers (smarty pants!) when he decided it would be cooler to craft custom skis and snowboards for people instead. Today he runs Igneous Skis out of Jackson, Wyoming. They limit production to around 100 pairs a season which means these are some freaking beauties. 

In 1996, Mike Parris worked as a robotics engineer at Carnegie Mellon. While he developed technology used on the Mars rover expeditions, his friends began building custom skis that would allow them to ride the terrain Jackson Hole had to offer. Mike pitched in with his mechanical expertise now and then to help design the equipment and process, ultimately leaving behind his career in robotics to create handcrafted skis that would forever leave a mark on the ski industry. Igneous Skis was founded by Mike's friend, Adam Sherman, and is now operated by Mike Parris in Jackson, WY where he customizes only 100 pairs of skis each season, carefully tailoring each pair entirely by hand. NeverGroomed.com offers skiers an elite collection of handmade skis designed to perform in the wildest mountains and most demanding conditions. By embracing the labor-intensive craftsmanship of smaller, independent brands, NeverGroomed is making fresh tracks in an industry dominated by mass-produced skis. A film by WZRD @wzrdmedia Produced by NeverGroomed.com Director Galen Knowles @gknowproductions Executive Producer Jason Maupin Additional Cinematography Phil Hessler & Ian Avery-Leaf Grip Nikki Hessler Music Craig Murdock: https://soundcloud.com/craigmurdock Royal Deluxe from MusicBed.com Audio Austin Federa Visit nevergroomed.com/ igneousskis.com/