When you think of a brand of ski...what model comes to mind?

[KingGrump]

Atomic:
Past - Metron

It's nice to be young.
Thought the Metrons were current skis. Well, for me at least.

For some of us, the "past" is something from the last millennium.

 

[neonorchid]

This exercise is not about reminincing or even technology, it about talking about brand identity. What models were integral in creating a brands identity and how the consumer perceives that brand then and now.

I wasn't getting that as I came to the thread from the home page "new post" link to @fatbob's post #16 "nothing from Salomon or K2". Posted a reply prior to reading the OP #1 and post #8.

Jumped the gun on this one.

 

[cantunamunch]

Shift MNC has a decent shot at revamping Solly brand image ... but what ski is it doing it on?

 

[jmeb]

Shift MNC has a decent shot at revamping Solly brand image ... but what ski is it doing it on?

The new Bent Chetler series is just about perfect for it: burly enough for skiing in the resort, light enough for small-to-medium tours. Branded Atomic, but it's all Amer.

But the QST or MTN BC would also be worthy skis. The people I know who have been on the Mtn explore 98 love it, BC is just a bigger version from what I can tell. But at 98 you're more of a traditional pin-tech binding than a shift. With Salomons horrible naming schema though -- they pretty much ensure that none of their current skis are remembered. While they do a lot of things well, they aren't unique in any remarkable way enough to overcome such a weak name.

 

[Tricia]

Shift MNC has a decent shot at revamping Solly brand image ... but what ski is it doing it on?

I've been seeing it on a lot of Atomic Backlands
Cody Townsend has been fairly good at promoting the Salomon Ski Salomon Shift connection.

 

[fatbob]

So, iconic image vs number of units sold, which is a better barometer of what a brand is known for? On one hand, I know the flagship models of a given brand, say Head or Elan, but when I’m in the lift lines I see a lot of Head and Elan rental fleet skis, so that sticks as well.

We clearly have our impressions of what model comes to mind when we think of a brand. Interesting idea for a thread.

Hah - that's a good point - the marketing bods at Head backslapping themselves for being known for Lindsey and Bode and race domination and next gen Graphene marketing tech, meanwhile the public at large might see them as the most generic of generic rental skis. Nice irony.

I'm almost blind to rental stock - if I'm glancing at what people have on their feet if it's a rental fleet it's just a rental not a brand.

The most ubitquitous ski I can remember in the past 20ish years was the blue Rossi B2. It probably helped them that they did a rental lay up but lots of punters seemed to buy that as "my first grown up ski".

 

[NZRob]

Blizzard...

Current: Bonafide
Historic: Thermoski (a la Franz Klammer and co)

 

[604Sean]

Before shaped....

Atomic - Team Bionic RS (the Red Sled)
K2 - VO Slalom/ Cheeseburger
Dynastar - Corse SL w/ “chicken heart”
Rossignol - FP Comp / 4S Kevlar/ S series
Fischer / RC4
Blizzard - Thermo series

 

[cantunamunch]

Shift MNC has a decent shot at revamping Solly brand image ... but what ski is it doing it on?

QST 106 188cm

 

[Mothertucker]

When I shop for skis I think about getting Head.

 

[Wilhelmson]

The first skis I bought for myself when I was 14 were K2, and then later Volkl, so those come to mind first.

 

[604Sean]

I am old so I will only do the past. Because I am only doing the past I may give two selections for some manufactures.

Hexcel - Comp
Dynamic - VR 17, VR 27
K 2 - Four, Comp
Olin - Mark IV
Rossignol - Strato, ST Comp
Fisher - Alu Steel, Superglass
Volkl - Zebra
Kastle - RX National Team, Freestyle Pro
Head - Standard
Hart - Javelin
Dynastar - Omeglass
Kneissl - White Star
The Ski - White Model
Atomic - ARC Bionic

It would be pretty cool to bring back some of these models as originally engineered...if you can ski the straight boards, anything else is cake. A 80's pow ski was still 55mm at the waist, just soft.

 

[Uncle-A]

It would be pretty cool to bring back some of these models as originally engineered...if you can ski the straight boards, anything else is cake. A 80's pow ski was still 55mm at the waist, just soft.

It would be interesting to see how many of these skis would hold up and if us old guys could still ski the long boats. I loved skiing my 200CM Hexcel Comps just not sure I could ski them today. I still own one pair of 200CM and one pair of 195CM Kastle RX skis and one pair of 195CM Dynamic VR 27's just don't know if I could ski them like when I was younger.

 

[Philpug]

These older straight skis are gone...and for good reason. Let's enjoy each and everyone of these that we skied..in our memories.

 

[cantunamunch]

It would be pretty cool to bring back some of these models as originally engineered...if you can ski the straight boards, anything else is cake. A 80's pow ski was still 55mm at the waist, just soft.

Talk to Folsom, they can come pretty close.
https://www.folsomskis.com/product/trn-tek

 

[PinnacleJim]

First new pair of skis I ever bought, probably about 1969: Head 360. Very similar to the Standard with the black topsheet and metal construction.

After I delaminated one of the Heads on Castlerock at Sugarbush, I bought a pair of the then brand new K2 Fours. The original straight ones, not the "new" shaped ones. Red, white and blue striped topsheet and base.

 

[erdz]

Volkl; Renntiger R
Rossignol; Strato 102
Dynastar; Omeglass
Atomic; Bionic RS
Blizzard; Thermo SL
Head; Standard
Fischer; Alu
K2; Comp
How about some defunct brands?
Kniessl; White Star
Spalding; Sideral
Volant; Chubb
Dynamic; VR 17 (of course)
Fritzmeier; Duo

 

[ski otter 2]

I've mostly forgotten what I skied back when, I guess. Just a few standouts, for me, then and now, unless prompted.

Rossi Stratos

K2 Pettitor

Fischer RC4

Blizzard Bonafide

Nordica Enforcer

Dynastar Legend (Pro, etc.)

Head - Competion GS, 210s (yellow letters on black);
current: World Cup Rebels, FIS and iSpeed

Atomic ARC RS 600 something. Purple/lilac. A GS ski.
I still own this, and ski it maybe every few years. It works well, but has lost a bit. Still fun. (Very easy to turn on groomers, still.) It has a vintage metal marker race binding from that era that still seems to be going strong, dunno.

Dynamic VR 17, 27.
Such bright colors on the slalom 27, which I still have: it's just dead now, lost all its punch, pretty much. And a dangerous, rotted, Atomic binding. I skied this last about six or seven years ago.

Northland GS 215s and Northland Downhill 220s.
Wish I still had em.
They were all wood, with beartrap bindings, long leather binding straps. I recall putting mine on, while just in front of me, a sixteen year old Jimmy Heuga was putting his on as well. (He came in second in that downhill, behind Buddy Werner. It was that year's Nor Am Championship Downhill. Huega raced bareheaded, on his Northland Downhills. Werner had on an old, dirty red stocking cap, and looked like he was chiseled in stone as he went by, down the Norwegian Cutoff.)
Note: I was not in that event, and maybe 13 or 14; just practicing elsewhere on the mountain; and a spectator once the National Championships started.
Huega made the team.

 

[Chef23]

This exercise is not about reminincing or even technology, it about talking about brand identity. What models were integral in creating a brands identity and how the consumer perceives that brand then and now.

I think some of that depends on the age of the skier and how long they have been skiing. I tend to relate the classics to the 80s when I was in my high school and college years and working in the business. Skis like the Atomic RS and SL, Volkl P9 family, Rossi 4S then 7XK (although I had a pair of Strato 105s in the 70s). I saw Tricia referenced the Metron as a then ski for Atomic to me anything that is shaped is more of a current ski.

I took a bunch of years off paying attention to ski equipment so I am not as versed in current stuff but I agree it tends to be more all mountain stuff I would think of. Rossi the Experience line, Volkl Mantra or 10 years ago the Allstar family, Head the Monster or Supershape familes although for Atomic I think about Redsters.

Regarding how good skiers used to ski on race skis in the northeast they were the only things that held on ice and hard snow and a longer platform floated better in soft snow. I used to ski GS type skis for most things or skis that had a GS construction with a SL side cut like the K2 TNC or Rossi 7XK. Today the all mountain skis hold well on ice and hard snow and generally are a blast, more versatile and you can relax a bit on them. That said I would love a pair of SL race skis. I may look next fall for a deal on some if I can sneak another pair of skis past my wife. I got busted on my acquisition this year.

 

[ARL67]

When it comes to getting “busted” remember that Forgiveness is usually easier to achieve then Permission !