 Poster: A snowHead
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Visiting decathlon today (Croydon) for non ski items, looking around though they had this coming season's offering mix of brand and own brand there.
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/sk-xld-900-m-red-id_8505072.html looked at these in particular which appear to offer very good value if anyone's in the market for this type.
I'm not making comparison with high value well known brands here, but they seem to be very well made in spite of price point. Labelled as "designed in France, made in Spain " as are many other skis on sale in Europe. They look very close to Rossignol from a pure materials and design concept, fitted with Look branded bindings.
Not much more than two weeks hire in reality.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Interestingly Sanglard in cham hire out decathlon branded skis.
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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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@jbob, ConceptPro hire out Simond (Decathlon mountaineering brand) jackets and pants. Nice stuff. Super cheap.
@ski3, The rumour round here is that they are "sort" of seconds from Rossi/Dynastar manufacture. Not sure I know what that actually means in practice! May be that they are rental spec for instance.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I think this is the point about Decathlon
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Nice stuff. Super cheap.
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If it says "Designed in France, Made in Spain with Look bindings" then it's a racing certainty that it has come from the Rossignol/Dynastar production.
Decathlon has a long history of working with/selling Rossignol products.
I watched the Graham Bell promo video for these and I 've never seen him ski so slowly.
That being said if you are a good enough skier to know the difference then you won't consider these, but if like most of us you aren't then these offer great value for money.
Decathlon have some real bargains crop up, I bought a pair of Rossi P400 in Dec 16 for £180, skied them for 4 weeks and sold them on Ebay Feb 18 for £181.
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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 can't comment on Wedze skis due to lack of personal experience but am delighted to note that, according to the website, they are "compatibale (sic.) with snow". Am I missing something?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Nice find. Good reviews. I might be in the market for some Ski's soon, so definitely worth a closer look!
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I think there is a fair bit of snobishness in teh Uk re Decathlon. It seems to me that they do respectable kit at a very good price just that their range seems to top out around low-mid range o fthe products in the wider market. Which makes sense if they are chasing volume rather than the top end highest margin products that sell very few units.
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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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some of their skis had a good reviue in Fall line last season.
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I am eager to read what Fall Line will say about Wedze skis.
Decathlon has invited us for a presentation of their new range, but we declined. We won't go until we can actually pre-test the skis.
I agree with Dave la Mamotte (lol), there is some snobishness about the brand . As the french use to say "Decathlon c'est bien pour les enfants ou les débutants"... They do have some quite decent products on the low or low/mid range of the market (depending on the sport).
They are having a hard time at the moment and have lost 5% of revenue on their domestic market last year. They heavily contributed to the disappearance of small shops and are now massively challenged by pure players or more technical shops on the web. Their famous price competitivness has been serioulsy eroded.
For the price of a 2020 Wedze ski you can also buy a premium brand, award winning, discounted 2019 ski on the web. Gearscore.co.uk lists skis sold by uk/european shops with discounts up to 50%.
The other issue in my opinion is that they have a very strong hypermarket culture (like almost all other Mullier group companies : Kiloutou, Kiabi, Norauto, Leroy Merlin, etc.), certainly not a sport specialist one.
I am sometimes appalled by their lack of technical level or understanding of the upper market and think that they are sometimes ridiculous. A few seasons ago, I went to their flagship shop near Lille, in northern France. I has a an usual look at the ski dpt and noticed that they used to sell mid-range ski shoes with heat molded liners. It did not take long to understand that they lacked the oven and the skilled vendor to mold them! I asked the vendor and he said that they would mold by themselves. 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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| proskilab wrote: |
A few seasons ago, I went to their flagship shop near Lille, in northern France. I has a an usual look at the ski dpt and noticed that they used to sell mid-range ski shoes with heat molded liners. It did not take long to understand that they lacked the oven and the skilled vendor to mold them! I asked the vendor and he said that they would mold by themselves. |
My understanding is that they will, mould to your feet that is, without the warming palaver, it just takes time in use ? (whether that's good customer service or not is another question I guess 
Agree with you regarding competition for Decathlon, in France anyway. What's the other big chain called, GoSport ?
Are you saying Kiloutou, Kiabi, Norauto, Leroy Merlin, are all the same group ?
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@skitow, All owned by the same family. Which I only learned yesterday!
Famille Mulliez. Includes France's richest individual and 600 millionaires... !!
Can't see how body heat would mould plastics.
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You know it makes sense.
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Talking about liners. Most reputable boot fitters seem to say the same thing that body heat will mould in liners in time. The baking just accelerates the process I understand.
Shells obviously a different matter.
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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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| under a new name wrote: |
@skitow, All owned by the same family. Which I only learned yesterday!
Famille Mulliez. Includes France's richest individual and 600 millionaires... !!
Can't see how body heat would mould plastics. |
I was only referring to the foam liner and I assumed the oven method just accelerated the packing in process.
Wow, yes what a list :-
Adeo (85 %): Hardware stores, DIY shops
Agapes: System catering
Alinéa (37 %): Furniture stores
Aquarelle: Women's fashion
Auchan[3] (84 %): Hypermarket-chain
Boulanger (85 %): Electronics stores
Brice (100 %): Clothing for men
Cannelle: Lingerie
Cultura: Books, CDs/DVDs, cultural products. It actually belongs to the Sodival holding, which is owned by Mulliez son-in-law Philippe Van der Wees[4]
Decathlon Group[2] (85 %): Sporting goods retailer, sports stores
In Extenso: Shoes and clothing for women
Jules, (previously: Camaïeu homme) (54 %):
Kiabi: Clothing
Kiloutou (sold):
La Vignery: Wine store
Leroy Merlin: (home improvement and gardening)
MacoPharma: Pharmaceutical company
Orsay: Fashion
Phildar (100 %): Fabric stores, textiles
Picwic (sold): toy stores
Pimkie: Young women's and girl's clothing
Norauto (10 %): Car repairs
Odyssey: International network of French schools
Oney (previously: Banque Accord): Financial services, loans
Saint Maclou (95 %):
Tape à l'Œil: Fashion
Top Office: Office equipment
Youg's: Electronics stores
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Poster: A snowHead
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| skitow wrote: |
| proskilab wrote: |
A few seasons ago, I went to their flagship shop near Lille, in northern France. I has a an usual look at the ski dpt and noticed that they used to sell mid-range ski shoes with heat molded liners. It did not take long to understand that they lacked the oven and the skilled vendor to mold them! I asked the vendor and he said that they would mold by themselves. |
My understanding is that they will, mould to your feet that is, without the warming palaver, it just takes time in use ? (whether that's good customer service or not is another question I guess
Agree with you regarding competition for Decathlon, in France anyway. What's the other big chain called, GoSport ?
Are you saying Kiloutou, Kiabi, Norauto, Leroy Merlin, are all the same group ? |
Yes, the full list is published above.
Well it is true that thermo molding liners do mold a little bit with body heat, but it is something to avoid as much as possible, because it means that the liner will get bigger and bigger inside over time, with the strong pressure that is applied to it. Liners are supposed to be molded at higher (oven) temperature and keep their shape at body temperature.
I made once an unfortunate experience. I have let my shoes overnight with a heater/dryer system (never do that or let your shoes cool down before putting them on). In the morning, I was late and the chopper was waiting for me, blades already turning, all other skiers inside blaming the french... I these cases, you definitely rush. So I rushed to put on my shoes that were VERY warm and ran to the aircraft. I only ran something like 50 meters, but that was enough to deform the over-heated liners. After a first descent, I realized that something was going wrong with my shoes and that they felt way too large inside. I eventually had to change them.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| proskilab wrote: |
They are having a hard time at the moment and have lost 5% of revenue on their domestic market last year. They heavily contributed to the disappearance of small shops and are now massively challenged by pure players or more technical shops on the web. Their famous price competitivness has been serioulsy eroded.
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I think there are a lot of reasons for their decline but the shops are empty, even on a Saturday, when they used to be heaving. The range of products is less extensive, especially winter sports gear. Our local stores used to be full of skis and gear, last year at the start of the season it looked threadbare. We ended up having to go to Intersport and Ekosport.
I was told that stopping the Trocathlon meant that money from old kit wasn't getting recycled into the stores and this had been a strategic error. At the same time the Trocathlons were getting harder to organize, needing a lot of staff and more and more security due to thefts.
#hijabgate was a huge marketing blunder, what is they say? Get woke, go broke. Rightly or wrongly a certain section of the French public found they could do without Decathlon. The store was slammed by politicians across the political spectrum.
As you say the prices in stores like Ekosport, Snowleader to name a couple, are very competitive and they have a big range.
French consumers don't have as much cash to spend and there is a move away from consumerism.
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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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| davidof wrote: |
| ... French consumers don't have as much cash to spend and there is a move away from consumerism. |
I always felt the French were less consumer focused than the Brits, when it came to skiing at least.
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The current Atomic boot liners you can heat-mould or just wear, they're supposed to conform in time. Mine seem fine out of the box hence I can't be bothered to get them moulded.
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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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| philwig wrote: |
| davidof wrote: |
| ... French consumers don't have as much cash to spend and there is a move away from consumerism. |
I always felt the French were less consumer focused than the Brits, when it came to skiing at least.
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Yes... but partly they don't have the same access to cash.
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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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| davidof wrote: |
| philwig wrote: |
| davidof wrote: |
| ... French consumers don't have as much cash to spend and there is a move away from consumerism. |
I always felt the French were less consumer focused than the Brits, when it came to skiing at least.
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Yes... but partly they don't have the same access to cash. |
Or as big a choice of credit cards ?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| skitow wrote: |
| Or as big a choice of credit cards ? |
Don't think French banks typically provide credit cards, just debit cards.
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FAQ
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