Does anybody actually purchase SKI magazine?

[MikeS]

I reached into my mailbox earlier this week, and unearthed a new SKI magazine buyer's guide. I am always happy to see that first one, as it's a bellwether for the new season. However, it pretty much heads into the house, and sits on the coffee table for a week or so. Then my wife picks it up and says "Are you going to read this?" I say "No," and it goes into the recycling bin.

You may say "well why buy it then?" Thing is, I don't. It just keeps arriving in my mailbox. I'm pretty sure its because I'm a member of PSIA, but my wife signed me up for a free year subscription a couple years ago, and the name she put is the one still on the address label.

Does anybody actually purchase SKI? Or does it just magically appear in your mailbox like mine does? I figure the magazine is 90% ads (including the middle third which is always a giant Deer Valley ad), so they're just giving it away to whoever, and subscriptions/purchases are just bonus.

 

[BobMc]

I get it free with my Snowbird season pass, like you I rarely read it.

 

[Dave Petersen]

I think mine is free with my season pass. I do read it though.

 

[crgildart]

I get it free with my Snowbird season pass, like you I rarely read it.

I was going to say I pay for the magazine and get a few free NASTAR runs each season.. but you pay for the magazine and get a free season pass so you win!

 

[markojp]

I read it... comes with the PSIA thing. Always interesting to see the 'hot' rotation for the season. Volkl, Head, and Nordica. Love some of the funnier appearances in the rankings... The Head Monster series in particular. IMHO, the 88 is a fine ski and well worthy of it's 'ranking', but where was it last season? And the 108... "What changed? Graphene!"... yeah... just like last years. Kastle MX's not really getting the love, and a couple of top raters on last years women's offerings are well down even though both they, and the new #1's are unchanged other than NGT.

Boot stuff. Don't get me started. Good to see Mark Elling in a number of picts. I don't know him personally, but have seen him ski and a fine skier he is!

So would I pay for it? Probably not. Maybe if Deer Valley continues to fill a quarter of the mag with glossy ads, they'll be able to hand it out for free at brick and mortar stores everywhere.

 

[eok]

Count me as one of the "suckers". I usually buy at least a couple of issues of Ski per season at a nearby bookstore. Can never resist the first gear guide issue. This time I actually thumbed through it and was generally unimpressed... but I still bought it. I guess it's kind of a pre-season ritual for me. I do have to say that most of the reviews remain on the same long term trend: pretty much worthless. Plus - this time - the layout of the reviews is just plain awful. They actually printed the names of skis *vertically*. That's OK for ski graphics but not for magazine content. Just pointless.

For a while now, the only ski-oriented magazine I feel has somewhat useful reviews is Backcountry. But they rarely cover the stuff I'm interested in. Plus they're kind of inconsistent year to year.

 

[Karen_skier2.0]

I think I signed up for most of my skiing magazine with specials (all freebies) associated with ski movies. I think the USSA membership also includes one.

 

[Ron]

I get it but have no idea why?? Great thread.

 

[Pete in Idaho]

I get Powder in mid August and that says - here we go and I read all of it. Get Ski and Skiing also and read them to although not as closely as Powder. I love to ski on the snow and I like to ski vicariously too. Obviously the Ski and Skiing mag's are ruled by $$$$ with their silly articles etc. but I know that-so what.

 

[Karen_skier2.0]

No one reads skiing magazines, It's all for the ski p0rn.

 

[David Chaus]

Yeah, I like to look at the pictures.

 

[David Chaus]

My Ski mag comes because of PSIA. It used to come because of Warren Miller movies but I haven't attended any of them in the last 3-4 years. It takes a me about an hour or two in an evening to read through Ski. It feels very much like junk food, a little too superficial and sweet and not really good for you.

I have an online subscription to Powder, which I strangely seem to forget about and then when I do remember binge-read for a day or two.

It is strange to be better informed about skis, skiing and ski resorts, due to my participation here and at Epic, than the information available from the major ski publications. Either the writers of said publications don't know s&%t, or they're writing specifically for people that don't know s&%t. And have the money to spend on places like Deer Valley.

 

[markojp]

Honestly, I'm guessing their staffing a fraction of what it was back in the print only days.

 

[Carl Kuck]

I'm pretty sure its because I'm a member of PSIA...

That's how I get mine.

 

[Philpug]

Egon in Ghostbusters said "Print is dead" and that was 1985, obviously, it is not. Where i used to do most of my reading of magazines in the bathroom, I now bring the iPad in. Sorry for that mental picture. Where was I, oh yeah, print being dead. In todays instant information availability, it makes me wonder why there is still magazied like Ski and Skiing. Whe have the information to you 8 MONTHS before you open your mailbox. Sure, there used to be a time when we looked forward seeing the new gear in September but now, it is just to help you remembers what you read here or others sites.

 

[Blue Streak]

Egon in Ghostbusters said "Print is dead" and that was 1985, obviously, it is not. Where i used to do most of my reading of magazines in the bathroom, I now bring the iPad in. Sorry for that mental picture. Where was I, oh yeah, print being dead. In todays instant information availability, it makes me wonder why there is still magazied like Ski and Skiing. Whe have the information to you 8 MONTHS before you open your mailbox. Sure, there used to be a time when we looked forward seeing the new gear in September but now, it is just to help you remembers what you read here or others sites.

Eeeww!
Waaaay too much information.

 

[David Chaus]

Phil, what exactly are you doing with the iPad? In the bathroom?

 

[SkiNurse]

I do get Ski & Skiing...not sure why. What I do know, is one is connected to the Epic pass & the other I get from attending the annual Snow Expo in Denver.

 

[Jilly]

I subscribe to Ski Canada. The US mags gave me a hard time about how to pay them years ago so I quit those. I did pick up Ski to read the reviews. Have no faith in either mags reviews but it's interesting reading.

 

[Ron]

I subscribe to Ski Canada. The US mags gave me a hard time about how to pay them years ago so I quit those. I did pick up Ski to read the reviews. Have no faith in either mags reviews but it's interesting reading.

Ski Canada has done a great job with reviews and I wouldn't mind paying for that issue.