Posted by EnjoyWinter on Mar 6th 2025
A Peak Behind the Curtain at Peltonen
The most recent Lumi Experiences trip took a field trip down to the Peltonen Factory in Finland. The guests were treated to a tour of the Factory and learned a secret or two about what the ski brand has in store for their newest racing skis.
In an excerpt from Lumi’s most recent trip, they explain a brief history of Peltonen:
“Not far from the sustainable sauna lies the Peltonen Ski Factory. Peltonen is one of Finland’s iconic brands and they produce all of their skis right in Finland. Started in 1945 by Toivo Peltonen, the brand celebrates its 80th anniversary this year. Peltonen moved into their current state-of-the-art facility in 2011 and has been making big moves to produce world-class skis. The factory’s location in the heart of the Finnish forests makes it easy to hand-select the best wood to go into each pair of skis. Guests toured the facility with Peltonen’s factory manager to learn how skis are made. Proprietary secrets meant no photos near the presses where the layers that make a ski are pressed together, but guests got to learn about all of the steps required to prepare a ski before it’s ready for the snow.”
Read more from Lumi Experiences about their trip to Estonia and Finland
"The Peltonen factory was a surprising hit for me. I hadn't expected to find it so interesting.”
- Lumi Experiences Guest
You might remember from our “Get to Know Our Brands” article, that Peltonen skis are all handmade in a single factory. While this does have a few disadvantages (namely the ability to produce skis at scale), it makes for an intimate and artful process that is unique. Peltonen makes a ski for everyone, simultaneously embracing the ambition for top results and the reality that most skiers participate more recreationally and at a wide range of competitive levels.
Keep reading for a first hand account from Lumi Guest, Rob, on his visit to the Peltonen Factory:
“It had already been a pretty good day on our Lumi trip to Finland to ski the Finlandia. We started out with a great ski, had a really good lunch, then a traditional Finnish sauna with all the fixings–song, grilled sausages, and a very very cold lake if one needed to cool off. But the trip leaders kept promising a surprise to finish the day–what could it be? A quick classic lesson from Iivo Niskanen? Luxury Ice fishing for the midwesterners on the trip? Turns out it was a tour of the Peltonen Ski Factory with the plant manager. Peltonen is the quintessential Finnish ski–but few in the states are familiar with the brand. Many years ago it was sold in the US but for quite a few years it was not imported to the US. Those who I have talked to about Peltonen remember them fondly as some of their favorite skis ever. We arrived at the factory and met the manager who told us that any photographs were strictly forbidden. A little intrigue to spice up the tour. He walked us through the process of manufacturing skis–step by step. A few things struck me. A process that very well could have been boring and dry was actually fascinating. I love skis and particularly old skis but I have to say that there was still beauty in how skis are made. Skis are not just fed into molds and spit out but there is a very human component in how the skis are assembled and the molds are set up which is how the oh so important pressure distribution curve for each ski is created. Skis also need to be finished with love then sorted into matched pairs–which is also performed by skilled humans. Skill or art? I think some of both. Peltonen makes just about every kind of cross country ski you can imagine from their thoroughbred race skis to 240cm skis for hunters. At the end of the tour we got a peek at next year’s race skate ski. The manager commented that it had taken Peltonen a long time to learn how to make a competitive skating ski but they were finally there with a ski that should be one of the lightest and fastest on the market. Don’t sleep on these!”
Rob making sure no question goes unanswered!
Lumi Guest vs. 240cm skis for hunters!
We often in the ski world focus on what the pros are using, without pausing to consider if that is really the best ski for the average recreational or recreationally competitive skier. For example, many of the top racing skis are incredibly light, which makes them faster, but by doing so sacrifices stability. If you do not spend hundreds of hours doing ski-specific training, having a ski with more stability could better facilitate good technique, efficient skiing, and confidence on the downhills. This is just one example, but there are many factors to consider when picking a ski that will work for you no matter your level, and it can be hard to know what to look for - so let EnjoyWinter help select the perfect ski FOR YOU!
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Peltonen Factory Ski Selection