PoetSkis Co-Founder Lee White began experimenting with the concept of shaping poems to mirror the flowing lines of ski tracks in early 2000. His poetry wasn’t just written, it was crafted into physical forms, where movement of words on the page echoed the motion of a skier carving through snow. These uniquely shaped poems soon became a form of visual art, inspiring the idea of putting these ski track-shaped poems to life on skis as limited edition art pieces. White calls the style of poetry Zen Koan Archery where stream of consciousness word play intersects with precisely aimed paradox to invite reflective insights. For White, ski tracks are calligraphy where the body is a brush and gravity a hand.

In 2017 Lee met Co-Founder Chad Weir at a scientific health conference where Chad was the producer and Lee was a speaker. In his talk, Lee shared a story of healing from a crippling injury and still skiing like a teenager which Chad resonated with as he had to take years off of skiing to recover from a crippling head injury, only to find a renewed sense of joy and freedom when coming back to the snow capped mountains. Throughout the week, they crossed paths several times, and quickly discovered they shared many similar values and interests. During the final wrap up dinner, they connected deeply around their shared love of skiing, a passion for the mountains and a shared perspective on how the ski industry had evolved. Another colleague shared that Lee was also an accomplished poet and philosopher. At this, Lee - despite his imposing 6'3" Viking-like stature - became shy and reserved. With great hesitation, he shared his poem "Come Run Savage" with the group, and everyone, especially those who shared a love for the mountains, was deeply moved.

Soon after, Lee and Chad found a kindred partner in Evan Fair, a custom ski and snowboard maker with over 15 years of experience crafting bespoke skis and snowboards in his shop near Comox, where Lee resides. Evan helped them produce a limited run of skis featuring Lee’s poem, "Come Run Savage," and the original ski track poem from 2000 “We”, printed in the shape of a ski tracks. The simple design—white font on a black base, curving and swooping down the length of the ski—was striking. It quickly garnered attention from ski guides and industry professionals, and the entire original set was snapped up in no time.

Later that year we expanded by producing a few snowboards alongside additional sets of skis This was followed by our first collection of hats and T-shirts, which were especially a favourite of the younger crowd. PoetSkis remained a passion project until the COVID-19 Pandemic struck in 2020. With increased interest in the brand and a little more time on their hands, Lee and Chad saw an opportunity to use their work as a vehicle for social change. Over the next few years, with the help of passionate and talented friends, the brand evolved into what it is today. Looking ahead, PoetSkis is committed to creating the highest quality products that embody our love for the mountains, disrupting the ski industry with more sustainable practices and connecting and collaborating with talented designers, poets and creatives to help give them a vehicle to share their work. Our mission is to create social change initiatives that help our world become a better place, and to enable, empower and inspire more people to live authentically, to find their own voice and to find that ephemeral pursuit of flow.