If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Probability of Getting Good Race Skis at Small Ski Shops ??
I'm starting this discussion thread so hopefully I and other r.s.n
readers can learn more about how racing skis are distributed from the manufacturer to the consumer. I'll keep this discussion "ski vendor generic" so as not to offend anyone. I don't know much about ski manufacturer distribution models. But I know a lot about buying skis ... I've been buying skis for over 30 years. During this time I can safely say, the best skis I've ever owned I either bought in Europe, or bought 2nd hand from a former European national team member. I've never had much luck buying great skis from a small local ski shop in the US. This leads me to visualize that a typical ski company distribution scheme as such (please ski company reps ... correct me if I'm wrong): 1) A batch of skis are made in Europe. 2) World Cup/ Euro national teams pick over the skis. 3) Euro clubs pick over the skis. 4) Big Euro sports shops pick over the skis. 5) What's left is sent to other places in the world, like the US 6) US National and vendor sponsored teams pick over US skis 7) Large US ski shops and ski service companies pick over skis 8) US Universities and clubs pick over skis 9) Whatever is left over ... is then shipped to small retail stores The ordering of steps 1 to 8 above may be off ... but my main point is that it sure seems like the best skis must be long gone before the skis that go to local shops are shipped. Actually, this distribution model would not be that bad ... if it wasn't for my next point: quality control. It seems quality control for ski manufacturers is still in the stone age. It amazes me, and shop owners, what can show up at local ski shops in Anchorage. Skis with identical serial numbers that don't have cambers that are even close. Skis that are warped and would take stone-grinding off part of the base and into the core to flatten the ski! I'm sure skis are difficult to make. But they can't be any more difficult than computers, cell phones, TVs, etc. All of these devices, like skis, were once hand made ... but then the manufacturers got their act together. Imagine if you went to buy a Dell 8400 computer and the salesperson said - "Why don't you squeeze these 4 keyboards to see what fits you best". "Oh no - you can't turn the computer on and try it!" That's the way skis are still sold. After 30 years of composite ski manufacturing, you'd think that two skis could be made exactly the same. But that doesn't seem to be the case. And because of this lack of quality control, there is a need for this hierarchal "pick-over" of skis. And the result seems to be that the full-price-paying end customer at the small ski shop cash register in the US ... is often screwed. Your thoughts ...? Tim Kelley |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Mpeg Races: Biathlon Oberhof | Janne G | Nordic Skiing | 0 | February 19th 04 06:19 AM |
Mpeg Races: Alot of new intresting races and clips | Janne G | Nordic Skiing | 5 | January 19th 04 08:40 AM |
Mpeg Races Biathlon Hochfilzen and XC Davos | Janne G | Nordic Skiing | 0 | December 17th 03 06:35 AM |
Mpeg Races: Davos XC , Hochfilzen Biathlon | Janne G | Nordic Skiing | 2 | December 16th 03 06:45 AM |
Mpeg Races: Updates, Toblach and Kontiolahti | Janne G | Nordic Skiing | 0 | December 9th 03 06:33 AM |