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Uncle-A

In the words of Paul Simon "You can call me Al"
Skier
Joined
Dec 22, 2015
Posts
10,893
Location
NJ
"What's the best ski?" I have to say I have been asked that more times than I like and the one that would generally follow is "What do you ski on?" I always wondered why customers thought the ski I skied on was so important, because chances are we do not ski the same or your not going to want the same length that I like to ski. One of the earlier posts # 29 asked if the sales people ever exaggerate about the ski, I think it is the opposite, that customers exaggerate about their skiing ability. They say they want a racing ski but want to buy it in the wrong size so it is easy for them to ski. Now their is nothing wrong with buying a ski that a skier can grow into but that is less the reality they really want the hot name brand ski and thinking it will make them a better skier. At the time the shop I worked was an authorized Kastle and Rossignol dealer and they had the Kastle RX and the Rossi ST Comp so with not hesitation you could point one of those and say they were the best. But it may not have been the best for that customer so that is why as a sales person you would have to ask all the questions that Phil put forth in the beginning of the thread. One of the things that I found so rewarding was not selling but educating customers and allowing them to make good decisions, and them returning to share their satisfaction with the product and service provided.
 

cantunamunch

Meh
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Behavioral sink
*shrug* they don't want a ski that works for them, they want a ski they can brag to their friends about. Frex, I'll bet more than half the K2 710s (including the FO)! sold were purely based on brag quotient.
 

Monique

bounceswoosh
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Nov 12, 2015
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10,561
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Colorado
"What's the best ski?" I have to say I have been asked that more times than I like and the one that would generally follow is "What do you ski on?" I always wondered why customers thought the ski I skied on was so important, because chances are we do not ski the same or your not going to want the same length that I like to ski.

I think in the past, before I became more savvy, I asked what ski the sales person skied. I think I was trying to get around a few things. One, perception of overweight female skiers. Female skiers in general. That comes up a ton on the ski diva - some shop guy sees a woman walk in the door, and right away he thinks he knows how and where she skis. Two, perception that the sales person may just be trying to sell the ski they've been told to sell.

Your perspective is, you know a lot about skis, and you want to get people on the right ski. But from a consumer perspective, they are concerned that you may not be so knowledgeable, that you may misread them, and that you may have ulterior motives in pushing a certain ski.

And then, obviously, lack of knowledge, so that maybe the consumer really does think that there is a single "best ski."

I'm sympathetic to that person. I insisted - against protest - that I should get my high school boyfriend's 190cm skis when he got new ones. Mid 1990s. Set my skiing back years. I was clearly an expert skier (self-diagnosed), and expert skiers have long skis. QED.
 

Don in Morrison

I Ski Better on Retro Day
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Nov 13, 2015
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1,418
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Morrison, Colorado
*shrug* they don't want a ski that works for them, they want a ski they can brag to their friends about. Frex, I'll bet more than half the K2 710s (including the FO)! sold were purely based on brag quotient.
And when I trot out my 710's for a retro day, people still think I have the coolest sticks on the mountain.:daffy:
 

cantunamunch

Meh
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I think in the past, before I became more savvy, I asked what ski the sales person skied. I think I was trying to get around a few things. One, perception of overweight female skiers. Female skiers in general. That comes up a ton on the ski diva - some shop guy sees a woman walk in the door, and right away he thinks he knows how and where she skis. Two, perception that the sales person may just be trying to sell the ski they've been told to sell.

Your perspective is, you know a lot about skis, and you want to get people on the right ski. But from a consumer perspective, they are concerned that you may not be so knowledgeable, that you may misread them, and that you may have ulterior motives in pushing a certain ski.

And then, obviously, lack of knowledge, so that maybe the consumer really does think that there is a single "best ski."

That's a lot of mental gymnastics. You might think that way but I think it's a lot simpler for others, given three concepts: a) don't trust the salesman b) trust a consensus c) want to feel validated by friends *and* salesman

b) by itself gives you "what's the best ski?"
a) and b) in combination gives you "what ski do you ski?"
a) and b) and c) in combination mean that you *don't* want the salesman to talk about skis new to you, you want the salesman to big up the ski you've already read about.
c) means you buy the halo ski

I know it's weird wanting to feel validated by someone you don't trust, but that's human psychology for you.


I'm sympathetic to that person. I insisted - against protest - that I should get my high school boyfriend's 190cm skis when he got new ones. Mid 1990s. Set my skiing back years. I was clearly an expert skier (self-diagnosed), and expert skiers have long skis. QED.

Sure you were set back, you should have been on 200s :P 203cm if they were cap skis.
 
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Uncle-A

In the words of Paul Simon "You can call me Al"
Skier
Joined
Dec 22, 2015
Posts
10,893
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NJ
And when I trot out my 710's for a retro day, people still think I have the coolest sticks on the mountain.:daffy:
Oh Please - The K2 710 (not the FO) was the worst ski I ever owned, but the 610's were fun.
 

James

Out There
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Dec 2, 2015
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Sure you were set back, you should have been on 200s :P 203cm if they were cap skis.

My first real ski as a kid was the Rossi Strato 102. To find the length you held your arm straight up like trying to touch the ceiling. The choice was to the wrist or fingertips. Of course since it was a good ski we got it to the fingertips.

I can't imagine how I turned them. Huge! All I knew was I loved them. The nicest thing I had ever had. The little rooster at the tip, the bright blue bases, the brown top, just the quality of them. And the Look bindings. So cool! Modern and advanced.

Don't remember the boots I was using at the time. They had buckles, pretty sure they were leather. Just god awful I'm sure.
 

cantunamunch

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Behavioral sink
My first real ski as a kid was the Rossi Strato 102. To find the length you held your arm straight up like trying to touch the ceiling. The choice was to the wrist or fingertips. Of course since it was a good ski we got it to the fingertips.

I can't imagine how I turned them. Huge! All I knew was I loved them. The nicest thing I had ever had. The little rooster at the tip, the bright blue bases, the brown top, just the quality of them. And the Look bindings. So cool! Modern and advanced..

There are two or three things that still unfailingly amuse me about the sport today.

Hearing a smartphone user read me something I posted is absolutely hilarious.

A millenial shopping for retro day who simply doesn't believe me when told that his/her 185cm straight skis are too uselessly short gives me the giggle-fits.
 

Josh Matta

Skiing the powder
Pass Pulled
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Dec 21, 2015
Posts
4,123
To anyone who wants to erase any doubts about how they ski to a shop guy, why not just bring in a couple video clips on your smart phone(taken horizontally dear spaggetti monster) and show them.....
 

Josh Matta

Skiing the powder
Pass Pulled
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Dec 21, 2015
Posts
4,123
There is a "best" ski for everyone for each condition. The challenge is picking wisely for conditions that are constantly changing - often the case with lift serviced skiing. Time, money, energy and an understanding spouse to fit yourself with the right quiver to address most all conditions. 3 or 4 pairs handle the job nicely. I wonder what my ex is doing right now? As for heli/cat skiing, anything more than 100-110 that ensures you will simply plane across the surface isn't really the essence of powder skiing is it? The goal of skiing pow is really get deep into it, not float above. This is where heli trips fall apart. If your group is charging hard and ready for a full day and one of the alternate groups is learning with their super-fat skis and looking for lost planks then others will suffer and a beat down could be in order. That's when the unicorn horn really comes in handy.



There is no goal of powder skiing, I would say my number 1 goal while powder skiing in eastern woods is not clip anything below the surface, so fat skis win out, when not in the resort all of the time.

Third these are 125 mm skis and I am not floating on top and its supposedly heavy east coast snow.


I would be hella pissed if I was on cat or heli trip and some old codger on skinnny skis was hoping turning down the hill.
 

Gil

In the parking lot (formerly "At the base lodge")
Industry Insider
Joined
Nov 15, 2015
Posts
12
Always but the red skis. Red skis are the best. :Cristmassnow:
I like red skis too. But I also like bluish grey with swirls for windy days. And battery powered goggle wipers for downpours.
 

Gil

In the parking lot (formerly "At the base lodge")
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Joined
Nov 15, 2015
Posts
12
Ops. Try again. I like red skis for sun, bluish grey with swirls for wind and battery powered goggle wipers for downpours,
 

Long Hair Hippy

Getting on the lift
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Joined
Sep 22, 2016
Posts
101
I was real pleased to see one of our local ski shops actually stocking skis that are appropriate for the hard-pack conditions here in Michigan.

They had most of the new narrow lines from most of the major players in the 68 ish to 88 range, a decent amount of the typical “88” models and only a couple 88+ skies. A large contrast from the past couple of years when most of the stuff on the shelf seemed to be mostly fatties! Ironically enough, my first two days out this year were 4-6” powder days which is a rare treat at the local hill.

I was rather intrigued by the new Blizzard Quattro line. Gotta get my hands on a couple of demo pairs.
 

DoryBreaux

Not the Pixar Character
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There were a few times last year where I lightly ridiculed annoying guests for asking this question. Followed of course by a lengthy and friendly explanation that was basically this article. It seemed to come mostly from the 40+ guys who had an excessively inflated ego about their skiing. They would usually leave happy and educated, only a few ever insisted that there was one "best" ski. Except the one guy who insisted I didn't know what I was talking about because he worked at a ski shop in Sacramento in the 80s for a few seasons and all skis were the same. Oh really? If they're all the same, just pick one that you think is pretty and then buy it.
 

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