ABOUT WHITEDOT MANUFACTURE
White Dot Freeride is the long-held dream of two friends and avid skiers. We'd spent hours on CAD to perfect the designs, not to mention the extensive testing of different shapes and constructions, until in 2008 the time seemed right to set up White Dot Freeride as a company.
We felt that the world-wide ski industry was ruled by large commercial companies that were more focused on driving sales and meeting targets. That's fair enough, as we've all got bills to pay. That's not what we're about though. Yes, we need to earn a living, but for us it's all about the mountains! As far as we're concerned, it's the small companies that drive the industry, as they have the freedom and passion to develop through the use of new shapes and technology.
White Dot Freeride is about the skis that we want to ski, so we won't produce a ski unless it's something that we ourselves would choose to take to the mountains.
We're a small global company. Our operational base is in Chamonix although we are made up of owners, staff and riders from New Zealand, UK, USA, France, Austria, Sweden and Norway.
We haven't got the largest of ranges. However, the skis that we produce with our own moulds are born after seasons of testing different shapes and styles with on-going rider input to get to where we are today. We are always testing skis with new shapes, cambers and constructions with the aim of releasing new and exciting models in the coming seasons.
We believe in skis that aren't just pieces of equipment, but when stepped into they become an extension of you. Not sold by gimmicks, but by quality, performance and construction. Skis that you don't take off at the end of an epic day and simply put into the locker, but rather skis that you thank for the ride and journey they've taken you on.
We're not modest about claiming that we use nothing but the finest materials in our skis – it's a fact that we're proud of. We use the very best materials that we can get our grubby mitts on! However, the materials aren't grubby when they go into production because that would just be unhygienic wouldn't it!
White Dot has exclusively designed our own moulds, so you're guaranteed a unique ride that won't be found elsewhere. We don't make skis for anyone else either, so you know that you are getting something really special.
We've also been on an epic mission to find the perfect manufacturer for these skis - as skis destined to be this good demand perfection without compromise. The European factory that produces our skis was selected after a long and detailed search for just the right supplier. We had to be sure that the factory that we entrusted to produce our skis could meet our strict quality standards. The factory came up trumps with their quality control and post production support. They also came with a highly recommended reference from ISOsport Austria.
Our bases are sintered ISO7200, to produce the high speeds and durability that we demand. Our tip to tail cores are made from ash and poplar for durability, dampening and the correct stiffness. The wood is grown from sustainable forests and milled in close proximity to the factory to help lower our carbon footprint. And, if that wasn't enough, all of our composites are sourced from the very best suppliers in Europe.
We are constantly testing new materials in a joint partnership with a lab that also develops composites used by the worlds largest airline manufacturers. Combine this partnership with the manufacture of our own mounds and cavities, some of the worlds best free skiers and a love for the mountains. It allows us to stay ahead of the pack in our quest to bring the perfect ski within reach of the free skier in all of us.
THE OWNERS
"White Dot Freeride is owned 50/50 by mates"
Andrew Phyn
White Dots' founder. Andrew comes from a Sheep farming family near Taihape, New Zealand. A late starter, he began skiing at the age of 13 on his local fields of Turoa and Whakapapa and is one of the few people to have regularly skied on the Ruahine Ranges.
Andrew runs the behind the scenes side of White Dot Freeride with the support of Natasha his wife, their soon to be born wee baby free skier and then two incredibly annoying (but funny) yellow labs.
When Andrew's not running the company or skiing he's…wakeboarding, thinking about skiing or playing around with shapes on CAD like any other self proclaimed ski junkie would be!
Lloyd Macfarlane
Lloyd comes from central Scotland, just a stones through from the Highlands. Lloyd is the guy that helped make Andrew's dream of White Dot a reality.
In his youth Lloyd spent loads of time on the ski fields of Scotland, although he's spent most of his adult life on oil rigs around the world.
Having visited almost every resort possible in Europe and many in North America, as well as having a wealth of off-piste experience, Lloyd now spends his winter seasons playing with new shapes and designs along with the WDF R&D team.
