 Poster: A snowHead
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| SFieldes wrote: |
@Vessigaud, whats the shipping times like on Sportspursuit, came across it the other day. Have used discount sites like that back in NZ however shipping times we a ridiculous month or so.
So real quality gear on there from what Ive seen |
So far it's been quick. Last one was less than 5 days after the end of the sale. The current sales seem to be finishing soon so that they can guarantee pre Xmas delivery.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Apple is a bad example as a brand, because it's branding strategy changes depending on who's the CEO.
When Steve Jobs were at the helm, Apple delivers product after product that were far ahead of the herd in functionality. With that, it created an expectation the next new product will again do something amazing that no one had thought of possible! So, yes, he shamelessly capitalized on that and created a cult following on Apple as a brand.
Another aspect of Jobs Apple was he didn't bother catering to the low end of the market. Apple products were of very high quality and usability. When my Mom wanted something mobile, I showed her both Apple and Android products, she showed a strong preference on Apple functionally speaking, until she saw the price tag! Though she opted away from Apple by rationalizing the price/functionality ratio in the end, it was clear which product were BETTER. And I got to deal with the hassle when her Android phone had glitches! She even asked me if I wish she had gone with Apple.
However, Apple had some period producing products that were no different from their competitors but had a much higher price tag. They were riding on Apple the brand Jobs created earlier. After a while, people saw through the facade and turn away from the brand.
Jobs' return to Apple re-build it as a desirable brand again. But now that he's gone permanently, I'm interested to see how Apple does as a company. The brand that WAS Apple, is currently only riding on the coattail of Jobs.
In a way, Apple is also a GOOD example of branding. It was build up by excellent products. There're other brands that mirrors that. But when the products no longer meets the high expectation, the brand starts to lose ground, albeit slowly.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Hmm, some grown up stuff in there.
It's hard to conceive of how things would be without brands.
In snowboarding the brand thing is extremely strong, and it probably drives in directions which damage the sport. They want 52 weeks of your year, not just 2 when you're in the mountains.... so they emphasise "urban" stuff, not mountains.
It's interesting when brands change hands. For example The North Face has been a consistent brand, but has not been in consistent ownership over time. And their products actually have reflected that, in my opinion.
Personally I'd not use just a single brand of stuff. That's demonstrating how much it matters to me, not the opposite.
Apple - an excellent example of marketing, hence it is a strong brand. How they get on with the "Beats" brand will be interesting. Apple products have seldom been even up with the herd: it's the power of the brand, that's all. "Steve Jobs" himself has some "brand" qualities as demonstrated right here.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Just realised while going through airport security that I was dressed head to toe in MHW. Not by design but the gear was comfy it does what it says on the tin so I know it will not let me down, almost half my walking gear is MHW and some is used for skiing to. Ski gear for many is probably the same just as for walking and climbing etc etc. You buy what you know works what fits you and after that you take into consideration price and colour. Brand loyalty is a two way process every new item has to prove that brand deserves your money.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| speed098 wrote: |
| Ski gear for many is probably the same just as for walking and climbing etc etc... |
Last holiday, I was wearing Berghaus waterproof trousers (the type with zips down the side to make them easy to put on over walking boots), winter cycling gloves (because I already had them), and a rather nice North Face ski jacket (which happened to be cheap and yes, worn regularly for walking). Have been looking at "proper" ski gear this year, but am more likely to go with multi-purpose gear again.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Im also presentation on subcultures within skiing, at uni and wanted some views
looking at the equipment and clothing
Language
Skiers vs snowboards
any views would be very helpful
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Im also presentation on subcultures within skiing, at uni and wanted some views
looking at the equipment and clothing
Language
Skiers vs snowboards
any views would be very helpful
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Im also presentation on subcultures within skiing, at uni and wanted some views
looking at the equipment and clothing
Language
Skiers vs snowboards
any views would be very helpful
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Im also presentation on subcultures within skiing, at uni and wanted some views
looking at the equipment and clothing
Language
Skiers vs snowboards
any views would be very helpful
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Im also presentation on subcultures within skiing, at uni and wanted some views
looking at the equipment and clothing
Language
Skiers vs snowboards
any views would be very helpful
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@jakewillz, we heard you the first time !!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@jakewillz, Forgive me for mentioning it, but I think you are going to have to work a bit harder than that if you want us lot to contribute. This forum contains roughly 2.9 million posts, a great many of which are our views on 'equipment and clothing, Language, Skiers vs snowboards' etc.
As for subcultures, I think the general view will be that there aren't any. A few weirdos who think the word 'pow' is somehow cool, but other than that very little.
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I think you really need to consider age groups in asking such a question. Brand is often important to the young, who want what cool skiers have. For older skiers/snowboarders, they often wear what they bought (or were bought), when they were young and never upgrade. (unless it breaks)
As an older skier, I would say branding often indicates quality control. Sometimes lacking in unbranded kit, it means you might have to return some items, or buy new ones sooner. Image is less of a concern, as impressing peers, girls, boys, is not on my agenda. I am concerned about functionality and cost.
In fact brand works against some products for me, in that they say "I am a really expensive waste of money". (Oakley goggles for example, seem overly expensive compared to cheaper unbranded versions, even though they might be of better quality. I break, lose goggles, gloves, etc frequently, and so expensive pairs of gloves whilst warm, are pretty useless when you only have one) I have never found a pair of goggles that actually perform well in white out conditions, better than a pair of sunglasses for example. Even expensive branded pairs mist up, and are functionally useless. So why pay extra?
Skis or boots are different. For an expensive purchase which I expect to last, I would probably opt for a brand name, and a long lasting name with plenty of experience. I would then expect the product to last 10-20 years. (depending on use and servicing)
I guess it depends on how much you ski, and whether you ski to be seen skiing, or you ski to enjoy skiing.
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You know it makes sense.
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I bought my boots because they fit. Without looking I can't remember the brand. They are no doubt a 'good' brand because that's what shops sell. They're black and white, if it helps you to know.
I bought my jacket because it was cheap in a sale as the shop was no longer stocking the brand. It was expensive at full price, and not anything like so expensive at the price at which I bought it. Without looking I can't remember the brand, but it is red. I'd never heard of the brand before, but a poke around the 'net suggested it was 'good'.
Trousers, came from TK Maxx. They were a brand I recognised as being regarded as a 'good' brand, but I'm blowed if I can remember it. They're black, if it helps.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@jakewillz, go into a big winter sports store in the uk and you will see the"language" used to differentiate between various types of skier and skier versus snowboarder. Clearly some people (the young mainly) are greatly affected by the branding otherwise the manufacturers wouldnt bother differentiating and we would all be in the same colour, cut and material.
As @Bigtipper, says, mostly (as in number 1) I want something that works and feels good. How it looks helps too of course but practicality is most important.
Interestingly I was in Ellis what you call its store last week and was surprised at the cost of goretex ski jackets versus goretex snowboard jackets. I didn't look at the quality in any detail so cannot comment but certainly the manufacturers think skiers have more available cash (probably correct!).
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Poster: A snowHead
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| foxtrotzulu wrote: |
As for subcultures, I think the general view will be that there aren't any. A few weirdos who think the word 'pow' is somehow cool, but other than that very little. |
Says a member of the grumpy geezer, rental gear is fine for everyone and language police subculture.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| foxtrotzulu wrote: |
| As for subcultures, I think the general view will be that there aren't any. |
Park rat, cross country & back country are all separate in their own right and have a certain style, attitude and language. For example the word 'steeze' is perfectly at home in the park, but you wouldn't hear many cross country skiers using it
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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'Steez'? I had to google that one!
Which probably rules me out of the snowboard sub-culture, which is a bit of a shame as I've been boarding (riding?) for 20 years. Which also means that I'm no longer in my early 20s, and have developed an back bottom fat enough that there is absolutely no danger of my trousers falling down around my knees.
Talk of sub-cultures is an age thing. After a while you just stop caring what anyone else thinks about you and care mainly that everyone is safe and enjoying themselves.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I must admit I am a bit of a sucker for "Brands".
But then again I can be "Anti Brand",
I suppose a Brand snobbery and a snobbery against brands which I believe just relies on the name.
There are a whole heap of brands in skiing, we are all very familiar with them.
Throughout the year I am always on the lookout for ski gear, and often off season there are some real bargains to be grabbed.
Just as I'm writing this there is a bit on the BBC about "Fake Britain", as I'm a sucker for something which looks like a bargain.
I bought a fake "Mammut" Jacket .. it was cheap and I should have remembered
"if something looks too good to be true, it probably is"
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I'm quite anti brand because I never know how much I'm paying for quality and how much I'm paying for the name. At least with Decathlon, Aldi & Lidl there is no "name" factor in the price.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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C&A was the first brand for many .... Some maybe using their stuff today, quality kit
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@jakewillz, just remember to stay safe, Betty Boop. Hang outside on the ripside.
That's all you need to know for your uni project.
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I am very interested in the 'Uni' brand. I hear a lot about people going to 'Uni' and then doing 'projects' for 'Uni' using 'Scurvy Monkey'. They seem to think that the 'Uni' brand means something and that if they do a 'project' (with or without 'Scurvy Monkey') some magical fairy dust will be sprinkled onto the turd that is their intellect.
Can anyone tell me if that is right or not? I'm doing a project for Uni......
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@ed123, when I went it was a bit of a doss for 3 years, I learnt some stuff and I'd do most of my work differently if I had another chance...but I wouldn't discourage people from going as it was a good laugh and I learnt much more than what I got the bit of paper for.
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Skis, I am influenced by the brands that are successful in Ski Racing. Considering the millions that these companies plough in to R&D I do not believe that any of the boutique brands can match their performance (Piste Skis) hence I normally go for Atomic, head or Volkl
Boots, as others have mentioned I will purchase the boots that my bootfitter recommends
Clothing, no particular brand affinity however I would be nudged in the direction of a product using Goretex as a sign of quality.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
onsidering the millions that these companies plough in to R&D I do not believe that any of the boutique brands can match their performance (Piste Skis) hence I normally go for Atomic, head or Volkl
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Ironically though FIS race room skis are typically quite conservative and traditional in their construction methods (woodcore, metal layers, etc) and hand made in small quantities. So, for example, the way Stockli (a nichey manufacture) makes their skis is very similar to how Atomic, Head and Volkl make their skis for pro racers. The volume production for retail is the area where the big companies manufacturing research goes. The issue is that handbuilding skis is expensive which is why quite a lot of the smaller players prices are higher.
I think that is true but no doubt a real expert will be along soon
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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i'm a brand whore, although its more based around brands that I wont wear than ones I will. I generally only buy from brands that support snowboarding, and not ski (& surf/lifestyle) brands that dabble in snowboarding.
As more and more companies either go under or get bought by larger companies it gets more and more difficult to know who's pockets your lining though.
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Looking at the original post, the question was about what brands do for you, rather than whether you like, trust or hate them.
Brands don't do anything at all for me in terms of how I feel when I'm wearing them. I have a hotch-potch of gear bought because of price, fit and functionality, and I really can't imagine anyone on the slopes seeing me tumbling past them in a mess of skis, poles and snow being impressed with my gear. And even when I'm standing up, rather than falling over, no-one is going to admire how well dressed and equipped I am, so nothing at all in that respect.
Now, in terms of buying it's a bit different. The brand points me in the direction of something I perceive to be better in terms of performance of quality or something. So, if I was buying a jacket and saw the stores own brand jacket and then a reduced branded jacket for the same price, I would probably plump for the branded item, because I think it has a better chance of lasting a long time and performing well. The problem with all this is I may well miss out on terrific gear because I've never heard of the brand (I'm quite new to skiing).
So:
Helmet: Head (because I have a big head and it fitted well, but I do like the groovy way it looks and think of Head as being a reliable brand)
Boots: Fischer (because the salesman recommended them for my level of skiing and because they were comfortable)
Skis: Volkl (because they were in the sale and it was going to be cheaper to buy than rent, but I had heard of the brand because I'd rented that brand last season)
Ski poles: Salomon (I think) (because they came with the skis and those were the ones left in the rack at the end of the season that were the right length)
Jacket/Salopettes: Mountain Whorehouse (because they were reasonably priced and a step up from what I'd previously had, and I perceived them to be a reliable brand for my level)
Goggles: Anon (because I took my helmet to the shop and tried them on together and the Anon ones were a reasonable price and worked well in conjunction with the Helmet)
Sunglasses: De Walt safety sunglasses (because if there's one thing in all this lot I do know enough about it's sunglasses and I'd lose or break and expensive brand. Good sunglasses are for apre-ski and the beach.)
Gloves: Head (because they were cheap in Costco. My previous ones were brilliant and came from the old coffee-shop chain, Tchibo!)
I think most of us who only get to ski once a year, or twice if we're lucky, need the brands to show us the way a bit because we don't have the luxury of trying out lots of gear and finding out what suits us best. So we have to rely on honest and helpful sales staff and our (in some cases limited) knowledge of brands to guide us.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Screaming Dave wrote: |
| Jacket/Salopettes: Mountain Whorehouse |
I want some of those for myself!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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On the skier v boarder thing, this is a fallacy. There is no leg-pulling or mickey-taking that goes on at all.
Ps. What is the difference between a snowboard instructor and a learner snowboarder?
About 3hrs.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I'm like many on here and am extremely brand concsious. Thus for all my skiing week products:
- helmet - Aldi (my last one melted when i put it too close to the fire when having a mountain coffee)
- underwear - lidl. Slightly softer but yet more attractive than aldi.
- ski pants and jacket. Decathlon. You can see i'm branding up as we move out.
- boots. white ones
- companions. Snowbunnies.
see very brand aware.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| emwmarine wrote: |
- helmet - Aldi (my last one melted when i put it too close to the fire when having a mountain coffee). |
This is a good effort but it doesn't come close to how I retired my first helmet:
- we were post-apres-ski drinks, just outside the Mooserwirt, in a group including my soon-to-be ex-wife
- she took exception at something I said and hit me in the chest with my own helmet, which she was holding at the time*
- having ended up with said helmet in my own hand, I must admit that tit-for-tat retaliation crossed my mind. Then the better version of me won that internal debate. However, I was still mightily pissed off, so...
- I went into shot-putting / javelin-throwing mode and launched the helmet far away on a path ending somewhere in the woods behind Mooserwirt
*see, there is a reason why she is my soon-to-be ex-wife
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@horizon,  Yeah, always makes me chortle. Conversely, my fave movie is the Best Little Warehouse in Texas
@dode, Really, that long?
@emwmarine, Top marks. We all ski the same snow (Well, apart from those loonies who go on near-vertical slopes. They have that to themselves)
Seriously, though, maybe there's a case for re-classifying pistes. Instead of classifying by difficulty, which is at best subjective, we could classify them by what branded gear you have to be wearing to ski them? You could just check the list of brands at the ski lift and go no further if under a certain proportion of your gear isn't listed.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@horizon, @emwmarine, My last helmet has been retired because I managed to topple over when standing still and hit my head on the handle of my ski pole as I went down (which was stuck in the snow, so didn't move aside all that much) which left a nice ski pole handle shaped ding in my brain-bucket.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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By the way, as a relatively new skier, could someone tell me just how many sub-cultures there are withing skiing? I think my teenage son probably counts as a goth skier as he will only wear all black, including black balaclava pulled up over his nose and jet black goggles. But are there Metal skiers, Mod skiers, Punk skiers, New Romantic skiers? Photos please!
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Brands mark the winners from the losers.
People will stare and laugh if you have skigear from a supermarket.
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@Whitegold, Trust me, people laugh far harder at my skiing than they do my gear!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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My brand advisor tells me that Lidl, Aldi and Decathlon (Quecha) are not brands, at least no in terms of aspirational such as like skiing. They might be anti-brands. There are people who buy Quecha touring skis who cover the top sheet to disguise the origins..
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FAQ
