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Salomon XDRIVE 8.0Ti + XT12 binding - Pricing

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Thinking of these as new toys for this season and find them reasonably priced at the usual suspects for £420

https://www.ellis-brigham.com/products/salomon-x-drive-80-ti-skis--xt12-ski-bindings-20162017/700602

https://www.snowandrock.com/p/salomon-xdrive-8-0-ti-xt12-binding-J1324133.3657.html

However Decathlon have them for £289.99. Whilst sorely tempted to be the typical Scot diving on a dropped penny I do wonder if there's a catch? 30% plus cheaper in December on a current season ski seems quite a lot?

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/x-drive-80-ti-skis-id_8371809.html

Appears to be the same set up but can any of the real kit experts share a thought? In the past I've read & heard talk about rental quality kit as opposed to retail quality although I've no idea if that theory exists in reality but wondered that if it does is that what we have here?
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Glisshop have them even cheaper at £293.90 less a further 15% with the code XMAS15 bringing them down to just under £250.

No idea about your rental v retail quality question.

Thought It might tempt you even further Toofy Grin
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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?
There are rental models but there are usually different names (or a t least some letters after the model name). Decathlon simply only stock gear that they can offer a good discount on (aside from their own brands), so I'd go for it
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@Timc, Thanks for that. Never been on there before. I'm like a kid in a sweetie shop now!

@sugardaddy, Yes i have noticed that in the Alps before. Always seem to be variations on the skis we see here which sounds like where i'm getting my suspicions from. Looks like they've just got a better deal on them?
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Hi @robboj
I've got an older model of these BabE's or at least very similar.
Mine are called "Enduro XT800 Ti" with Titanium & Bamboo.

They are a very heavy pair of skis ... I decided to keep them ...

http://www.epicski.com/products/2012-salomon-enduro-xt-800

I think you'll love them.
I must admit I bought them new in June 2012 on eBay .. I as the only bidder £100!! so they don't owe me much.
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@DrLawn, many thanks, I'm going to try them in the local fridge (which has an EB on site) first but they sound like just what I'm after.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
The X-Drives are good but the normal version rather than the Ti version is the better one to have. It's stiffer and feels a lot more secure in the turns.

In short, Decathlon are probably cheaper on the basis that they bought a job lot in one hit when Salomon said "Oh nuts we have too many of these, can you take them off our hands", whilst EB and S+R will have put in their normal annual order, which - even if it's the same number of skis - will be for a nominal amount each season and they'll pay much closer to what they should do.

The other thing to bare in mind is that with EB and S+R you're also paying for 2 things:
1) Good location - not having to drive to a retail park in outer mongolia
2) Knowledgeable staff - who therefore drive a higher salary, than general shop floor assistants who sell a bit of everything

If you know what you want and buy online, then obviously neither of these are beneficial to you really. Hence why some of the retailers like S+R / EB are struggling more than they used to. It's very convenient for us that places like Glisshop and Decathlon can do a cheap deal on skis, but we'll be the first to whinge when all the specialist shops have closed down because they lost all their work to the big discount companies. You'll have to work out what your priorities are!
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
You ought to check if EB and S&R do a price match

https://www.snowandrock.com/about-us/price-match-promise.html
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@dp, yes fair point about their potential demise and if it was £30 I would go there but £130....hmm.....probably too tempting.

In this neck of the woods Decathlon is about 500m away from EB and actually easier to get to and park at.

The staff at EB are good but I won't get them set up there anyway, have a 'go to' guy for that who I used for the first time last year and my skis have never run so well.

Thanks for thoughts about non Ti version. I am going to try them in the fridge first although if I do find them too soft I am more likely to go with the Volkl RTM81 to replace my 2012 RTM77.

@albob, thanks, certainly worth asking at EB. No S&R north of Newcastle and these particular skis don't qualify for the deal on Glisshop so Decathlon it would be if not.
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robboj - I used to work for Decathlon. You'll find it's exactly the same ski on offer. The problem we used to have (5+ years ago) was all of our skis came to us with bindings attached and were adjusted on rails (which is now the norm), where as lots of customers wanted to buy their skis and choose a set bindings and have them drilled. You'll get the same product at EB or S&R now.
I don't know the staff at Braehead but the team I worked with were very knowledgeable and a lot of time was invested in staff training. Not being on commission meant that I didn't force anyone into a sale or try to up sell anything and could give my full and honest opinion to customers.
The Decathlon returns policy still baffles me to this day but is fantastic for the consumer, if you have any issue with your ski's just take them back and they'll sort you out straight away.

Edit:
But yes the reason for the #130 difference is that Decathlon (Europe's biggest sports retailer) will be buying thousands of units at a reduced price from Salomon in usually one bulk order.
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@Gartcoshyy, Cheers, still not tried them yet but appreciate the info.
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