 Poster: A snowHead
|
...The last two times I have bought ski mags I have regretted it. Articles which try not to irritate advertisers and therefore don't really get to grips with equipment - superficial articles by 'I have just decided to ski...' folks - no technical articles which look at how equipment functions (be it ski or clothing fabrics), little on true mountain craft, and so on. Read through it in twenty mins since everything was so short and superficial. Nothing by people with DEEP PASSION about skiing - I want nurdy insights into equipment and maintenance; insightful pieces into trends in technique and so on ... some writing with style and grit...
...OK so there was one good article about skiing in armenia and one about the loss of one of our best guides....but that was it....
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
valais2,
It's like buying beer in France. You know you want it, but you just know that it's not worth it...
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
It's not just you, mags (like TV) gets get dumped down to the lowest common denominator and are at the mercy of their advertisers. Your best bet is probably some good skiing blogs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Isn't it a general print media issue? It certainly isn't just skiing, or even other specialist sports magazines. Its all just withering away into a stump of glossy adverts with a little padding. Blame the internet for making so much stuff free and easily available?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
I haven't read any of this season's, but I used to quite like Fall Line. I got a subscription to Powder this year, which is ok too. Personally I think Downdays EU are the best print mag.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Sailing/yachting magazines generally do a good job. A lot of them seem to avoid the conflict of interest between advertisers and in depth equipment reviews, especially when it comes to safety equipment.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
used to get fall line but there is never a bad word said about anything and half the reviews are done by the editor and half the mag is the same gear guide repeated & spread out.
Have read a few good pieces though every month there was something good in it it just felt like i skipped a lot and could read it in 30 mins.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
valais2, you may be wanting to read some of the more specialist FR or DE language ones then?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| Quote: |
| are ski mags rubbish - or is it just me? |
Nope. They're rubbish. Long since stopped reading them. You've got snowheads - why go elsewhere?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thats the problems with a review of kit though - You can give an honest review as to the specs and capabilities of a pair of skis or a snowboard but can you say "This is Rubbish!", because entirely subjective and someone will instantly disagree with you.
SH Challenge:
Name a piece of kit which is rubbish - Not something which is bottom of the pile or a thousand years old, and not a "Oh my old X's are rubbish compared to my new Y", something which you thought would be great and turned out to be a real pup.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
It doesn't have to be rubbish but rarely is anything perfect and i never see anything negative even if overall the product is good, and it's not just skis it's all the equipment reviewed never mind reading a park ski review from someone who doesn't go into the patk with them!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
valais2, I have a digital subscription ot Powder and Freeskier magaizing vie apple Newstand. Both are normally excellent and well worth a read.
In the UK Fall Line is the only one worth buying.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dunno about now, but they were rubbish when I gave up on them. The first one you buy can be interesting, but the fascination palls. Gear reviews are limited in what they can tell you: "These are skis, put them on and ski on them, the rest is up to you".
I once bought a pair of skis that were rated 'ski of the year' by a magazine, didn't like them at all.
Some time ago, the link between the dominant ski magazine, a ski manufacturer and a well known vendor of skis, meant that reviews were giving the ski of the year title to something that was rated as only good for bombing about on flat pistes. On the other hand, I bought another pair of 'skis of the year' (after a demo) and still have them.
As to the rest of the fluff about luxury chalets and the like, it's just irritating.
Magazines are now very expensive for what's in them and apparently the cover price doesn't really do much but pay for the paper, they have to sell the advertising space before they can hope to go into the market.
Richard Sideways. the Salomon bbr 8.9 seems to be rubbish.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Fall-line's heart is in the right place but the editorial team are tiny, Whitelines used to be a great mag for snowboarding, funny but informative. All are a bit irrelevant as there are a number of good websites that publish video stoke on a daily basis nowadays and gear has and always will be subjective.
Think I got a free copy of Ski & Snowboard at the ski show and can't remember getting it out of the wrapper.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
Not read any for years, so not sure if they are any different now. Back then it seemed as if everything was an "advertorial". Ski tests were done in one season, but the articles never released until well in the next season. Why tell me in January/February what might be worth testing? If I'm gonna buy new skis, I want to know before a pre-season ski test in November.
MTB magazines are going through a change too. Drop lots of adverts, drop all the time-sensitive news, change format, get lots of inspirational reading material in there for places to visit, things to do, and bin the high street sales and replace with direct subscription. Still valid bog reading material 6months down the line or next year, rather than skim past all the adverts and throw in the recycling bin.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
every month fall line generally has at least one feature which I, as a grizzled old cynic, actually find interesting. a much better hit rate than the competition
gear reviews etc are a bit of a waste of time for me because I get all the info i need off the intertube but I guess that some people must like them
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
They are rubbish; to people who have a real passion and some understanding of the sport. But their target audience is now people who take the one week a year ski holiday, who view it as just another holiday and have no real interest beyond that.
The geeks use the internet.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
for me, they need a little time to be interesting, certainly I've become less and less interested in the last couple of years, what i do like though (for some reason) is grabbing an old edition from the pile and having a browse - imagine that will increase the older they get too. dont have any remaining subs but still flick through the old ones now and then.
not too keen on web versions neither (even though there's actually some really good content) - wheres the "keepsake" side of that though
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
.....interesting responses...but this is worrying, a consensus breaking out on Snowheads...whatever next....
...I'm interested in the responses regarding sectors which are bucking the trend - the MTB and sailing mags. I could be wrong but I think there is room for print medium material, not least because with good editorial values the information stands some chance of being reliable (gosh did I just imply that some posts on Snowheads aren't reliable?....).
So....what would I like to see in print.
Longer, more analytic articles - i.e. which would run to 3-4 pages (happens in some of the climbing mags)
Good 'travelogue' articles
Mountaincraft articles as well as 'safety reports' - '...we went there and this happened and this could have been avoided if we'd done X....'
Honest, well grounded clothing reviews, including stuff on the technology of different approaches and materials
Solid reviews of kit and technical articles - eg 'does swingweight really matter?' - all helmets are not equal (see BMC on climbing helmets...)
Technical articles on ski prep and gear maintenance
In depth profiles of interesting skiing people (like the MTB articles on the people who set up Hope etc)
History of skiing - did Peter Lange really invent the modern plastic boot (yes, I think he did)
Iconoclastiic writiing (in style and content) on anything to do with skiing
teaching and skills improvement - including work with kids and adolescents
anything else? or anything in the above which is plain wrong?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Rad trip reports (with background info too) from exotic places, with lots of high quality photos, and logistics info.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
^ What you're asking for is a UK/Euro version of the Skier's Journal. Subscription or ski retailer only and would probably end up north of £15 an issue. Not sure there is the base to support that in an age where bedtime reading is on a tablet or kindle.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
^ MTB equivalent is probably coming in at £7 per issue on quality stock, subscription and MTB retailers only. Compares well to typical £6.49 per issue for a Future Publishing magazine (on thin easily torn paper).
Oh and PDF, iPad, Kindle etc. versions all bundled free with the paper sub. Or last time I checked only about £20/year for the electronic versions with no paper copy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Comedy Goldsmith, ...arrgh you're right...had Peter rather than Bob in my ageing RAM
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| kat.ryb wrote: |
| I could have written that |
Yeah, but they'd have had to put the proof reader on danger money 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| fatbob wrote: |
| ^ What you're asking for is a UK/Euro version of the Skier's Journal. Subscription or ski retailer only and would probably end up north of £15 an issue. Not sure there is the base to support that in an age where bedtime reading is on a tablet or kindle. |
Downdays Freeski Journal - last edition I bought has a lengthy piece on skiing in Kyrgyzstan, Sapporo and Are, as well as decent interviews with Candide Thovex and Tom Wallisch. Normally in German (they're based in Innsbruck) but available in English. Supposed to be €11.80, btu printed on high quality paper with lots of great photos, so I canunderstand why.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Magazines are purely vehicles for advertising – that is their business model. The editorial in most of these mags is also paid-for. My sister owns a magazine (not a ski mag), so have a teeny bit of insider knowledge.
| Richard_Sideways wrote: |
SH Challenge:
Name a piece of kit which is rubbish - Not something which is bottom of the pile or a thousand years old, and not a "Oh my old X's are rubbish compared to my new Y", something which you thought would be great and turned out to be a real pup. |
Any Hestra gloves or mitts with Hestra's own fibrefill insulation. Complete rubbish in cold temps. I'm talking top of the line Hestra products here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
Zero-G, ..now that's interesting re hestra....I feel another thread coming on....
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
valais2, no need – there have been plenty of threads where various snowHeads have reported the same. Just search any glove/mitt for cold weather threads and you'll find it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Snowheads are as unfairly pro-Hestra as they are unfairly anti- Ryanair 
For the record I've always thought they (Hestra) were vastly overrated and I've had at least 2 pairs of other brands that were much better
I don't find ski reviews much use other than to see ranges / what's out. Just because some semi-punter nobody rates something doesn't mean a lot - tell me how it feels, how you ski, what you've skied in past and loved/hated, how big you are, throw out the rating sheets and tell me what it's like
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
It's not you. They are rubbish.
There is simply not enough to write about - Most gear changes are only cosmetic and almost all "developments" are gimmicks or fads. Apart from parabolic skis, fats and helmet cams, ski gear is much the same as it was in 1978, but admitting that does not make for 25 years of gear reviews.
I remember reading Ski Survey back in the day and it shamelessly recycled its articles. Apart from copying and pasting press releases, probably there are only half a dozen ski mag stories:
Ski review, Boot review, Skiing with kids, Review of xxxx resort, Planning a cheap ski holiday, Ski trip to an exotic location (Iran, Caucasus, Himalayas etc), Review the latest gear fad / gimmick, Skiware fashions for this year.
OK that's 8, but I still stand by my point
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Fall-line is embarrassing, fawning reviews done by people who don't have a clue what they are talking about, and features that are just as mediocre. I quite like Powder in the US though, and yeah skier's journal is excellent as well. Honestly I don't buy magazines to read about gear or news, that's what the internet is for, and magazines will never be able to do it as well. I want interesting journalism and great photos, done by people who live the ski life and care about it, not some London tossers who once did a season as a chalet bitch and now think they can ski.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Oh and Hestra are great, which model did you find cold? I use my seth morrison pros without liners or heaters every day teaching here in Hokkaido (regularly minus 15-20) and rarely get cold. I also love the skicross for warmer days.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Hmmm - wondered where my post went... seems I posted it in a totally different thread - doh!
Moving it here where it makes more sense...
| Quote: |
user reviews are often complete b******s. everything scores 5* the dog's danglies, and 1* utter rubbish all at the same time (often by people using it beyond its intended use).
magazine reviews, are often little better (and here I'me referring more to the MTB market, and specifically referring to a *TOP* cyclist, road cyclist, mountain biker who's got a very high reputation in the industry, and writes reviews for a major magazine). I've seen something get 5* rating, then 6 months later get 2* rating because "it was released 6 months ago and no longer the latest" despite kit being on a 2-3 year release cycle, and NOTHING better coming from any competitor in the mean time!
I basically ignore all reviews as 100% subjective.
Can't really compare with ski market, since even the online stuff really seems to be hidden behind a paywall. |
| Quote: |
Any Hestra gloves or mitts with Hestra's own fibrefill insulation. Complete rubbish in cold temps. I'm talking top of the line Hestra products here.
|
| Quote: |
Oh and Hestra are great, which model did you find cold? I use my seth morrison pros without liners or heaters every day teaching here in Hokkaido (regularly minus 15-20) and rarely get cold. I also love the skicross for warmer days.
|
See! Best thing since sliced bread, and complete trash at the same time Which review am I supposed to trust most?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Re. the review to trust most, maybe the one that specifies which glove used, and in which conditions 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I subscribe to the print version of Fall Line and the digital versions of US magazines Powder, Ski, Skiing, & Backcountry.
There's always at least one good feature in each magazine in each issue. And the reviews from all the mags make up a good body of information.
I've met and skied with Editors from Fall Line and Powder and in my limited experience they have a "clue what they are talking about".
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
As I said, I like Powder a lot. With Fall line, if they know what they're talking about, why is their mag so punter-y? And why do their youtube videos feature people who can't ski, waffling nonsense?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
But they must be fun to work for.
I always remember in Ab Fab; The gobby editor of Patsy's magazine said "Right! I need a new car! let's do features on cars, fashion and cars, what colours are in.. you get the idea" In the same way a few free glove samples will do wonders on the gear review pages.
The whole thing is advertorial when it comes down to it. Even the "Skiing in Armenia" type articles are based on a freebie holiday with a specialist tour operator.
More fool us when we pay for the magazine.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
