FULL SEND

Amid winter’s enchantment when the exquisite ballet rhythms of snowflakes intertwine with the Coyote state's majestic peaks, many intrepid enthusiasts seek thrill in such a scenic wonderland. Humans’ adventurous spirit interweaves with nature’s mysteries to defy the bitter weather and depart on recreational adventures to embrace the beauty of alpine landscapes.

An immeasurable diversity of odysseys prevails in the serene haven of the pristine Black Hills, making it one of the favorite destinations for adrenaline-seekers in this area.

Terry Peak is a breathtaking ski resort among the multiple other outdoor destinations available for like-minded folks in South Dakota.

As you make your way through the lodge and take a glimpse out of the windows, you will perceive something extremely captivating—apart from the snow-capped mountains and delighted skiers sliding off the hills — a variety of well-designed skis displayed, mounted to the walls. They are comprised of noticeably distinct materials and will create an eye-catching visual adding an alpine glamor to the panoramic view.

These skis were made by FullSend Ski.

Douglas Bachand, the owner of FullSend Ski, was inspired to start building his skis out of an inner passion for crafting things from scratch.

Kevlar, plastic, resin, fiberglass, wood and metal are the ingredients needed for Bachand to put together into a top-notch recipe that skiers find compelling to purchase. Each piece of the skis is the outcome of diligent artistry, impeccable innovation and scrupulous craftsmanship led by Bachand.

The skis currently offered by FullSend are the fruit that stemmed from Bachand’s radical thinking process of how to create the “perfect ski” for himself.

In fact, the idea originated from Bachand’s crafting of different quivers and pioneering exploration of different flex profiles—the distribution of stiffness and overall rigidity over the length and width of a ski— in order to find one that suits him the best.

“FullSend Ski company was more or less just trying to build kind of like the best skis for me and I wanted to explore like a couple of different avenues with different flex profiles and different ways to engineer them so they better fit kind of like my riding style,” Bachand said.

Bachand gradually became more savvy with ski quivers and how they function alongside developing solid flex profiles tailored to his ski riding style. His ultimate endeavor was to assemble all the best characteristics into one ski, which led to the birth of FullSend Ski company’s final product.

Flex profiles are of uttermost importance for skiers as they determine how a pair of skis would perform on different surfaces. This feature reflects the level of stability and reliance that the skis would have.

As such, this aspect is the one Bachand was committed to excelling at. It is among the most elemental features that distinguish a pair of FullSend skis from other skis found in the market.

Aesthetics are of tremendous importance as Bachand likes using wood veneer on top of the sheets to give a unique customized look. He also stresses the importance of having quality raw materials as they will make up a better final product eventually.

“We cater the flex profiles and cater the stiffness and the composite layup and even the core as well,” Bachand said. “We can build a ski that will match what you want and also it’s gonna look amazing!”

As Bachand was unfolding the engineering steps he went through to attain this outcome, he stressed the crux of experimenting with different materials and figuring out how they all work together to make up a complete functional scheme: FullSend skis that perform marvelously. Recognizing that minor changes could lead to an entirely different output allowed Bachand to gain new insights which he found of great use when contemplating how to craft the skis.

“Changing one thing affects everything down the road so it comes down to the question of how it all works and it’s a weird combination of an engineering and an art that can result in an end product that can meet and exceed your expectations,” Bachand said.

Bachand’s vision has always been to have skis as versatile and adaptable as possible by delving into the roots of ski design and experimenting with its fundamental edges.

FullSend Ski is also keen on maximizing the performance of all of the individual characteristics to ensure that the skids get a prime performance in different avenues and environments.

“The whole purpose behind it is to be able to build and manufacture a really good set of skis and build unique custom skis that you’re not gonna find anywhere else in the world and I wanna keep it that way,” Bachand said. “I wanna keep it like that sort of unique flavor.”

Well into the company’s 8-year history, Bachand still considers building skis a perpetual learning and refining process. In this realm, materials are evolving by the day. FullSend is no exception to that as they are perpetually adapting skis to suit the ever-changing parameters and keeping up with the rapidly dynamic variables.

This contributed majorly to the success of FullSend Ski Company with a product that represents a meticulous work of continuous improvement, dedication and art that Bachand translated into his skis.

What is of greater importance though, is that a solid pair of skis does not only stem from good materials but also how they all function together and sync to form a harmonic pair of skis fitting the customer’s style and preferences.

“It’s about how the ingredients go together and a lot of that just comes down to coming up with a unique style that you want your skis to hit,” Bachand said.

FullSend skis have elicited positive feedback from customers. Such feedback ignites Bachand’s passion to craft more FullSends and develop his zealous business further.

“We’ve had some customers that have gone out like taking these ski blades on super long tours and hit a ton of crazy lines,” Bachand said.

Fellow ski community members have also been of crucial importance in supporting Bachand with the design process from start until finish. Bachand reckons he is extremely fortunate to have had enthusiasts providing him with critical feedback about the performance and aspects that could be refined regarding the skis produced. They were an elemental pillar in leading FullSend Ski to avoid unperceived pitfalls and details that went unnoticed in the design process.

Bachand admits that skiing holds crucial significance in his life – it is not merely a sport for him. He sees it as a getaway therein he relishes the isolation from other people by embracing the delightful feeling of nature’s grandeur to himself. It transcends the recreational purpose to encapsulate a journey of self-discovery and gratification. Surrounded by the snowy mountains, embraced by the cold whispering breeze and mesmerized by the symphony of snow and gravity, landscapes become his cradle in fulfilling his existence and grasping the adventurous exhilarating spirit within him.

“I can just go off and disappear into the world I cannot have anyone else notice me and I can kind of sit there and have almost the entirety of that joyous feeling of skiing all to myself,” Bachand said.

Yet, in his personal journey, Bachand also knows shared experiences and camaraderie are of tremendous importance. He considers himself fortunate to be able to ski alongside like-minded enthusiasts and savor the journey together. Ultimately, the value he could provide to this community, through Full Send Ski, derives from the euphoric skiing experience that he has on his own.

Moreover, Bachand’s endeavors transcend merely financial success to become a pursuit of a higher cause – a mission of artful excellence, an inner immaculate passion and profound alpine admiration.

“I really believe that as long as you’re doing something that you really like and passionate about then I think money comes second,” Bachand said.

Bachand admits that the pilgrimage of crafting skis surpasses the conventional idea of being “an entrepreneur” and seeking tremendous profits. FullSend Ski Company is thus more of a lifestyle enterprise depicting how certain risk-takers, like Douglas Bachand, can establish a passion-driven organization revolving around what they relish doing the most in life. In this sense, the company’s objective goes beyond profit to the mission of fostering a well-rounded community of mountain lovers and offering skiers a unique product that will enhance their recreational alpine experience.

“The whole purpose behind it is to be able to build and manufacture a really good set of skis and build unique custom skis that you’re not gonna find anywhere else in the world and I wanna keep it that way I wanna keep it like that sort of unique flavor."

Bachand said he would keep building skis even if Full Send Company was never created and it is rather an entangled devotion that he was born for.

“Even if I never ran this as a business and wasn’t open to the public, I’d still wanna build skis,” Bachand said. “I’d just do it for fun on the weekends. I’d just buy my own material and make my own product and do that.”

Furthermore, Bachand’s viewpoint on skiing illustrates a combination of challenges and optimism. He endorses the idea that it will always remain subject to varying circumstances, similar to any other sport.

Thus, it becomes a question of whether one would bear all the hurdles they will have to go through to practice it, including the weather, high-cost materials and the sport’s learning curve in general. Unfortunately, the entire ecosystem requires major financial investments at first and might inhibit aficionados who feel prepared to begin their alpine adventures.

“If you want to get into skiing I mean you have to make a big financial investment right off the bat, unfortunately,” Bachand said.

Despite all the obstacles, Bachand remains optimistic about the future of skiing and its development. He anticipates that as long as resorts are accessible, provide communities with a convenient environment allowing them to practice their passion and scrutinize sustainability plans for the long run, skiing will keep growing and attracting more adventurers.

“I think it's gonna get better,” Bachand said. “I think things are gonna keep improving”.

The whole purpose behind it is to be able to build and manufacture a really good set of skis and build unique custom skis that you’re not gonna find anywhere else in the world and I wanna keep it that way I wanna keep it like that sort of unique flavor.