Steve turned off the tractor for an afternoon to talk about building the very first pair of Kindred skis. Steve is a skilled storyteller. He seems to know exactly when to pause, when to exaggerate, and exactly when to tell a joke. This ability to draw people in and make them laugh is especially useful in the hospitality industry. You see, Steve and his wife Carolyn run Two Eagles Lodge Bed and Breakfast just South of us in Union Bay. Like many home-based-businesses owners, this couple does it all. Carolyn masterfully orchestrates the business and is logistics manager of the steady rotation of guests while Steve is maintenance man and groundskeeper. When it comes to guest experiences this is where Steve's hospitable nature and gift for storytelling shines. Who doesn't want a host who keeps the mood light, and primes you for making memories by recalling his own adventures? If you need more proof of what us locals already know: that you'd be wise to stay at Two Eagles (once things get back to normal...) check out the miles-long list of accolades on their website. From fresh eggs at breakfast, to sharing local's knowledge about places to explore, to evenings spent on the ocean-view porch around a crackling fire punctuated by Steve's stories - these guys make their guests feel truly at home, and have awards to prove it. We're really thankful for the support Steve has shown our business, from commissioning that first pair of skis to volunteering his time and equipment to help us move our workshop twice over the past 10 years! We're fortunate to have him skiing around on his Kindreds knowing he tells their story - with grinning enthusiasm - to anyone who asks. Thanks again to Grayden and Ivan from Visual Inclination for capturing these interviews: https://visualinclination.com/ Visual Inclination on Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/visinc/ Two Eagles Lodge B&B : http://www.twoeagleslodge.com/ Two Eagles on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/TwoEaglesLodge Two Eagles on Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/twoeagleslodge/

Max Oudendag took a few minutes last fall to talk about being a Kindred local. 10 years ago Max was pivotal in turning our board-building hobby into a livelihood. He gave us a boost at exactly the right moment by requesting our first ever paid commissioned build! He reinforced our hunch that people would be interested in buying custom or small-batch exceptional rides that reflect the rider - and double as beautiful artwork. For more than a decade Max has been underpinning the foundation of our community. He does this by investing time, energy and heart into sports, events and small business here on Vancouver Island. If there is something cool going on around here, you can bet Max is part of it. He is an expert at bringing people together through projects and to our humbled delight he includes Kindred at every opportunity. This year has seen in-person events cancelled. We've all been searching for ways to uplift each other and preserve our sense of interconnection. How many sidewalk conversations about gardening did you have with your neighbours this year? Have you taken up new outdoor sports hobbies? In the face of tough times people are turning to nature and many are satisfying a craving for carefully-crafted goods that facilitate a life well-lived. Choosing outdoor recreation and shopping with small businesses is an empowering way to strengthen our communities. Max made this realization long before the pandemic hit. His actions over the past decade have had a trailblazing and lasting effect that we see very clearly. Three cheers for Max! Give this guy a high five below or an elbow bump next time you see him. If there is a "Max" in your own community, keep your eyes on what they're up to and show them some love. Thanks to Ivan from Visual Inclination for capturing these interviews: https://visualinclination.com/

Thanks to local skier Robyn Smalley, who gave us some time on a day off from the clinic to chat with us about her custom skis. Robyn comes from a ski family, and truly loves the sport. In her years as a student Robyn sacrificed many a powder day teaching kids on the bunny hill or at home studying anatomy and physiology. Being an instructor shows such a deep love of the sport, because while they do ski a lot, instructors also log many hours wiping snotty noses in front of the hot chocolate machine. Next time you hand your child over to an instructor on a pow day, make sure you show your appreciation! Robyn has been a registered Kinesiologist for nearly a decade, so now she can ski for herself! Appropriately, skiing combines movement, reflexes, balance and breathing fresh air in nature. It's just the best! It is so good for our overall physical and mental health - and so many people are looking for safe ways to live a healthy active lifestyle right now. Of course sports like skiing can also lead to aches and pains, and even injuries. When they aren't skiing, Kinesiologists like Robyn assist folks in staying strong to maintain their physical movement potential, and in recovering from injuries (ski related or not!) If the New Year has you thinking about optimizing your physical health or maintaining your ski muscles, consider talking to a Kinesiologist. If you are local, you can even talk to Robyn at Active Living Physiotherapy in Campbell River - link to website below. We know that not everyone has access to skiing right now, and we feel for people whose local resorts are included in lockdowns. We hope that you are finding other ways to safely recreate outdoors when possible. Thanks again to Ivan from Visual Inclination for creating these awesome videos. Visual Inclination on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/visualinclination Visual Inclination on Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/visinc/ Active Living Physiotherapy on Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/active_living_physio/ Active Living Physiotherapy Website : https://www.activelivingphysio.com/ Kindred on Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/kindredsnow/

Facing adversity became a reality for Tyler Turner long before 2020 rolled around. Ty lost both his feet in a skydiving accident 3 years ago. Since then he's become a pro at living "a new normal." His injuries altered the course of his life dramatically, taking away many of his choices, while simultaneously opening up incredible opportunities. This year alone Ty competed in the ISA World Para Surf championship; he joined the NextGen Canadian Para Snowboard team and is trying to qualify for the next Olympics (whenever they may be?); he bought a live-aboard sailboat with his girlfriend, Kayleen, and started a YouTube channel about it; and with the support of High Fives Foundation and Project Uprising he became the first bilateral amputee to fly a wingsuit. If you ask Ty, he'll tell you that he spends a lot of time on the couch in pain and that he isn't trying to inspire anyone. He's just doing what he's always done: trying to enjoy life, pushing boundaries, and seeing what's possible. What unites skiers and snowboarders, including guys like Ty, is a spirit of perseverance and adaptability. These sports are a constant practice of balancing risk and joy within shifting conditions, and ultimately picking the best route. Some days we ride huge lines of deep powder, other times the mountains tell us to stay home and to wait for a better day. All the while the goal is never adjusted: feel alive and have fun with the people you love! We are stoked to support Ty's journey. Thanks to Ivan from Visual Inclination for capturing these interviews: https://visualinclination.com/ Ty's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyturner14/ All About Spray on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAZq_ghT64uI-jqh8mUymug High Fives Foundation: https://highfivesfoundation.org/ Canadian Para Snowboard Team: https://www.canadasnowboard.ca/en/team/para/ Uprising: https://www.instagram.com/uprising/ An Episode from "All About Spray" where we go sailing with Kayleen, Ty and the dogs and drink delicious wild mint Palomas... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoH7n01E1Vc

Ty is a skier. He grew up park skiing in Ontario. He chased the snow out West, determined to bag 900's, cork 7's and 60ft cliffs. He has been working in the ski industry since high school. Now he works as a waste water technician at our local resort. Have you locals noticed how delicious the drinking water is up there? Guys like him stay out of sight, and ski a lot. For Ty it's about creating moments in the mountains that weave together into a life's story. We are so glad that many of our stories intertwine with his. Long live the ski bum! May we know them, may we love them, may we be them. Thanks again to Ivan from Visual Inclination for creating these awesome videos. Visual Inclination on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/visualinclination Visual Inclination on Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/visinc/

We caught up with ACMG guide Jan Neuspiel between trips to Bella Coola, and asked him about his custom powder skis. They feature west coast raven design created by our favourite local K'omoks and Kwakwaka'wakw artist, Karver Everson. So you might be wondering, who is Jan? Jan has been guiding and teaching for more than 35 years all over the world with a particular focus on the Himalayan region for about half that time. He spent six years living in Nepal (he speaks Nepali!) and eleven years running a helicopter skiing operation in northern India. Since 2006 Jan has also been the Head Guide for Bella Coola Helisports' heliskiing operations in the Mount Waddington area of the BC Coast Range. Closer to home, Jan founded two of Vancouver Island's most familiar alpine institutions: 1) Island Alpine Guides, which is Vancouver Island's premiere mountain school and guide service. 2) The Vancouver Island Avalanche Centre, where he acted as lead forecaster until recently. It's a homegrown and grassroots effort supported entirely by local businesses and users. They provide avalanche safety information for Vancouver Islanders who recreate in the backcountry in winter, predominantly via the Vancouver Island Avalanche Bulletin. His breadth of experience, his thoughtful kindness and his spirit of adventure make Jan a natural leader. He is a true inspiration and we are so thankful for his influence on the alpine culture here in our community, and for his positive contributions to mountain culture at large. Relevant Links: Island Alpine Guides https://www.islandalpineguides.com/ https://www.instagram.com/islandalpineguides/ Vancouver Island Avalanche Centre https://www.islandavalanchebulletin.com/ https://www.instagram.com/viavalanche/ Karver Everson http://karvereverson.com/ https://www.instagram.com/karvereverson_nwc/ Kindred https://kindredsnowstore.com/ Thanks again to Ivan and Grayden from Visual Inclination for creating these awesome videos. Visual Inclination on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/visualinclination Visual Inclination on Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/visinc/

Local snowboarder Patrick Kitto gave us a few minutes of his time on a powder day to chat about why he loves his Kindred snowboard. He is a local Islander who embodies the passion of boardsports crossover culture. He lives and breathes snow-skate-surf. Pat treats the mountain like a playground, finding reasons to huck himself off every windlip, cliff, roller and chunder nugget. That said, Pat's true love of snowboarding isn't just on display when he rides. Besides his street-cred as a local shredder, we think one of the coolest things about Pat is his contribution to the sport through Jump Camp. This is where he pays forward the joy of riding to the next generation. He founded Jump Camp, the infamous grassroots all-ages and abilities freestyle snowboard camp, over twenty years ago! Many local snowboarders have started their progression into freestyle riding under the guidance of Pat and the crew of Jump Camp coaches and mentors. Also, for the past few years he has organized a snowboard drive to provide equipment to local youth and take some financial pressure off snow-loving families. If you want to support the snowboard drive it begins next week on Dec 1st - that is only 6 days away! Check out the Jump Camp links below for details about how to donate gear and put a smile on a kid's face. Website - http://www.jumpcamp.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/_jumpcamp_/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/JumpCamp-Vancouver-Islands-Premier-Snowboard-Camp-104380736280352 Thanks again to Ivan and Grayden from Visual Inclination for creating these awesome videos. Visual Inclination on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/visualinclination Visual Inclination on Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/visinc/

Kayleen talks a bit about working with us to create her customized Zeballos skis, which include a custom marquetry portrait of her sailboat in her favourite colour, teal. So, who is Kayleen? We met under quite unusual circumstances. Our buddy and team-rider Ty Turner introduced us to Kayleen as his new girlfriend while he was hospitalized by a serious skydiving accident. Since then we have gotten to know her as an incredibly patient problem-solver who leads with her heart. Her focus is never deterred by a challenge, and she isn't afraid to get dirt under her fingernails. We sometimes describe her as a "Jill of all trades." She is dedicated to learning how to maintain and repair their sailboat. Professionally she is a commercial diver and a published author. Recently she has taken to sharing some of her experiences on the Youtube channel All About Spray. Check out their videos for real-talk about boat life and some beautiful footage of adventures at sea aboard "Footloose." Links below. Lastly, perhaps her most impressive attribute (we admit our bias) is that Kayleen is living the dream as a snow multi-disciplinarian! She switches with ease between skiing, snowboarding and splitboarding. We get pretty fired up thinking about all the amazing places she will take her Kindreds. Big thanks again to Ivan and Grayden from VisInc for taking meticulous care of the video craft!! Kayleen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromsnowtosail/ All About Spray YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAZq_ghT64uI-jqh8mUymug Visual Inclination: https://www.youtube.com/user/visualinclination An Episode from "All About Spray" where we go sailing with Kayleen, Ty and the dogs and drink delicious wild mint Palomas... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoH7n01E1Vc

Our friends at Visual Inclination have captured what it's like inside the Kindred Workshop. On any average workday here at Kindred HQ you will catch us cutting, laminating, grinding, dust-bathing and polishing - all to the soundtrack of whatever the day's flavour of music is. Honestly, it's usually music by friends or our favourite CKUA radio! In this case it's Merville's own Luke Blu Guthrie. We are big fans. Anyhow, this video is meant to highlight some visually interesting aspects of our meticulous hands-on build process. We also wanted to celebrate how far things have come over the past 10 years! If you've been following us for a while, maybe you've noticed the evolution of our process. While there are always new things to learn, we're so stoked and proud to be making the highest quality boards and skis around, right here in on Vancouver Island, Canada.

Artist Nick Hutton Jay kindly put down his paintbrush for a minute to talk about his Kindred experience. Who is Nick? Nick is a painter, creative mastermind and the hand behind hundreds of beautiful mural projects all over North America. Nick co-founded Pacific Board Art - https://pacificboardart.bigcartel.com/ - a West coast arts organization that brings together artists, board sports and conservation fundraising. We really respect folks who fuse their passions with positive community action, and Nick is a great example. When it came time to build him a custom splitboard Nick linked us up with Pacific Board Art co-founder, Ian Adams of Done Creative - https://www.donecreative.ca/ - who allowed us to interpret one of his classic ULLR images in wood marquetry for Nick's board. Thanks to Ivan from Visual Inclination for capturing these interviews: https://visualinclination.com/ If you want us to build you a custom splitboard, snowboard or skis check out our website https://www.kindredsnowboards.com Follow Us: https://www.instagram.com/kindredsnow/ https://www.facebook.com/kindred.snowboards.skis

Here is a local Ski Patroller, Chris Austin, reviewing his Kindred skis. He gave us some of his time during a precious day off. Alpine Resort Operations are carried out by teams of passionate people who work together in a complex system. We think that patrollers are the heart of that system. We all ski and snowboard at resorts with more peace of mind knowing there are people to help if anything goes wrong. These folks do it for the love of the sport and take time away from powder days to assist people who are lost or injured. Luckily, when Ev broke his leg a few years ago Chris was his attending patroller. So many of the decisions Chris made that day helped to reduce Evan's suffering and ensure the most positive long term outcome from a crazy injury. It's good to know that Chris' Kindred skis play a small part in facilitating the excellent work he does. Thanks Chris! Thanks to Ivan from Visual Inclination for capturing these interviews: https://visualinclination.com/ Canadian Ski Patrol: https://www.skipatrol.ca/

Have you ever wanted a quick look into our workshop? Like, really quick? These are some typical sights and sounds you might encounter on the average day at Kindred HQ, Vancouver Island, Canada. We are nose to the grindstone planning, designing, prepping, building, finishing and riding high quality snowboards and skis for eager snow people from around the world. Thanks again to Ivan from Visual Inclination for creating this awesome videos. Visual Inclination on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/visualinclination Visual Inclination on Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/visinc/