Revelstoke’s Big Bend Skis celebrates success

KRIC's Tara Penner recently profiled Revelstoke's Big Bend Skis, here's her profile....

In this era of globalization and mass production, there appears to be a push-back awakening of popular appreciation for the benefits of craftsmanship and personalized creativity that cottage industries offer. Lately we enjoy micro brews, local food and, increasingly, hand-crafted skis. Bigbend Skis, based in Revelstoke, is on the leading edge of this trend with its emphasis on making boards by hand with design input from the buyers.

“Our skis are hand-built and custom all the way. No two pairs of skis are the same and that’s the way we like it,” said Daryl Ross, company owner, designer and builder. “Each pair is a one-off inspired by our customers' needs and wants and our manufacturing process reflects this need for uniqueness and versatility.”

Every step of the process involves a human touching and shaping a component. All the cores are hand-milled using various jigs custom designed and hand built by Bigbend Skis. Buyers are able to add input to the design via the website, plus they can choose wood veneer, house art and even personalized custom graphics for their topsheets.

Daryl has managed to combine a passion for design and years of developing fine woodworking skills with his lifetime love of skiing. After many years working with his hands, he attended SAIT where he studied architectural technology and building science, and afterward opened a design studio for custom homes and renovations. After many years in front of an AutoCAD computer, and translating those designs into actual homes at the business end of a hammer, plus developing patience and precision through the meticulousness of renovations, Daryl felt himself being drawn increasingly to his first love: skiing.

“As a ski racer funded by carpentry,” Daryl said, “I gradually realized that my two lives were dovetailing into building skis.” And with the availability of an open-source manufacturing process and information sharing via the internet, Daryl began wading into the pond of small scale performance ski manufacturing.

“Way underestimated what this would take,” blogs Daryl on his website. “With a LOT of extra help and support, many skis will be built.”

Some of that help and support was provided to Daryl via KRIC by way of an introduction to the National Research Council of Canada's (NRC) cooperative innovation program at the BC Institute of Technology (BCIT). There he was able to receive assistance from engineering students who could offer their help in improving his R&D and testing programs. Daryl has also accessed programs available to others like him in the Columbia Basin Trust’s Manufacturing and Technology Sector (MATS) Project and of course it goes without saying that the British Columbia Innovation Council (BCIC) is behind this all the way with their ongoing support for KRIC and all the programs and events we offer.

As Daryl also blogs: “Stay tuned...the Bigbend Skis story doesn't end here.” If you’re in the market for a pair of new powder sticks, check out Bigbend – beautiful, local and hand-crafted.