I—A Revolution That Failed?
The ski magazines claim it’s a revolution. Manufacturers say they are creating the weapons that will make it happen. Ski shops are selling them like tickets to the Yankees’ playoff, the Super Bowl and the Three Tenors.
Parabolics, supersidecuts, waisted skis looked like the spark that was needed to get non-skiers to ski, ski better, ski more often and enjoy doing it. Ski industry spokespeople were ecstatic. Real skiers on (almost) real skis will discover it is much easier, more fun and more rewarding, they rhapsodized.
Well, that may be the result for many skiers, but for some the revolution is a dud. Marie Antoinette prevailed, Lenin didn’t arrive at the station, Paul Revere’s horse died.
Ask skiers how they like the side-cut skis and many who are less experienced say, “These shaped skis are no better than my old, regular skis. It’s a hoax.” In other words, they still need to learn to put the skis on edge, shift weight and balance on skis. They need lessons, which can probably bring quicker results than the more demanding skills required for conventional skis.
To keep this “revolution” alive, to keep it vital and rewarding to all skiers, the ski industry must take some action. Here are a few suggestions:
- Ski areas can offer free instruction with shaped-ski demo rentals. (Stratton, Vt., does this now.)
- Ski schools can offer a free introductory lesson to shaped-ski owners. (Pick a specific time of day, but don’t limit participation.)
- Manufacturers of shaped skis can give a coupon for one or more free lessons with the purchase of new skis. (This would have to be coordinated with ski areas to set a standard rebate price for the lessons.)
- Other entities (Mobil gas, Calvin Klein underwear, McDonald’s, AT&T, etc.) could give free shaped-ski lesson coupons with purchases. (Same standard rebate price would apply as above.)
There probably are many other ways to make the shaped-ski revolution work and some ski areas may be using them right now. SAM invites readers to send ideas and we will print them.
II—Blowing An Opportunity?
by David Rowan
When it comes to shaped skis, what the industry needs is not only the flattened learning curve afforded by the shaped ski, but also the availability of good ski equipment that the beginner and intermediate skier can buy for less than a king’s ransom. Like shaped skis that would retail for less than half the current average list price of $545. These excellent skis might not be made with Beta Technology, with its “dual-chamber construction balancing the two opposing stresses”. . . blah, blah, blah. And they might not use “piezoelectric ‘smart’ structure that detects unwanted vibrations” . . . blah, blah, blah. But why not leave all of that stuff—and its cost—to the tiny percent of skiers able to tell the difference—or pretend to be able to.
Les Otten’s American Skiing Company (ASC) understands this brilliantly. At Sunday River they sell their customers a pair of Elan SCX shaped skis, complete with poles and bindings, for $359. Now there’s an outfit that understands the imperatives of market growth.
Ski areas, whether buying as conglomerates like ASC or as partnered buying groups, can and should force the issue on this. For years, the people on the equipment chain, from manufacturer to reps to ski shops, have done next to nothing to simplify and demystify equipment for beginner and intermediate skiers and help bring it within their reach. It’s long been needed and we’ve got to do it ourselves if we want the market to grow.
Yes, some retailers are going to scream, but when was the last time they were concerned enough about market growth to do anything about it? The savvier retailers, as reported in an excellent article in January Snow Country Business headlined “Mega-Resorts Target Retail Sales,” are happy to work with, and not whine about, an ASC. The article cites the Boston-based Ski Market retail chain as a successful example.
With you and your whole staff, especially the ski school, on these skis, you identify with your customers and you tell them that they can learn fast and ski well on this equipment and have a ball doing it. Your customers no longer feel like turkeys.
Let’s not blow the opportunity for market growth the shaped-ski revolution can deliver.
