What's your favorite current ski lift manufacturer?

[Conrad]

Vote above
I'm thinking there might be interest in this type of thing. What's your favorite ski lift manufacturer that is currently in business? Maybe next time I'll start a thread with some more historical manufacturers.

Doppelmayr (Austria)
Pros:

• Quality
• Custom Lifts
• World's Largest Lift Manufacturer
• Variety (Many types of lifts built)

Cons:
?

See Article: http://www.remontees-mecaniques.net/bdd/reportage-40.html



Poma (France)
Pros:

• Some chairlifts faster than Doppelmayr's
• Quality (not quite at the level of Doppelmayr)
• Sometimes superior comfort (according to Mt. Snow fans)

Cons:

• Sometimes less comfortable

From: http://leitner-poma.com/gallery/vail-highnoon-5-4-place-chair/


From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Poma_Older_Fixed_Grip_Chairlift_Middlebury_Vermont.jpg


Skytrac (Salt Lake City)
Pros:

• Currently only company based out of North America

Cons:

• Only founded 2010
• Does not build detachable lifts (yet!)

Source: https://www.facebook.com/BryceResort

The rest below I have simply included just for formalities since they do not build lifts in North America.

Gimar Montaz Mautino (GMM) (France)
Cons:

• Does not build lifts in North America

Bartholet Maschinenbau AG (BMF) (Switzerland)
Cons:

• Does not build lifts in North America

LST - Loipolder (Germany)

Nippon Cable (Japan)

Ansaku (Japan)

CMM (Italy)

MEB (Italy)

Probably a few others. Remember, this is on current lift manufacturers.

 

[Conrad]

To start with, my favorite lift manufacturer is Doppelmayr. There simply are too many good things about Doppelmayr to like for me to vote for any other company. It is not my overall favorite company, however since there are some defunct manufacturers I like.

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

Climbing Skins.

 

[Nick]

Cool thread. Im' actually looking forward to reading what people have to say; because I honestly do not know much about various lift types and brands other than quad / J-bar / etc.

 

[Conrad]

Cool thread. Im' actually looking forward to reading what people have to say; because I honestly do not know much about various lift types and brands other than quad / J-bar / etc.

In the future, maybe I'll do a thread on the types of lifts ("quad / J-bar / etc.")

 

[drjeff]

Leitner-Poma! Ride the Bluebird Express or even the "new" chairs on the Grand Summit Express and you'll be removing your commentary about their questionable comfort! A much cushier ride than any of Dopp's newer seats I've sat in

 

[Mpdsnowman]

Mine has always been the Hall lift company. Reasoning is that was my first tow rope system lol.. My local mountain has them coincidentally two.

 

[Hawkshot99]

Leitner-Poma! Ride the Bluebird Express or even the "new" chairs on the Grand Summit Express and you'll be removing your commentary about their questionable comfort! A much cushier ride than any of Dopp's newer seats I've sat in

+1 The bluebirs seats are great, and that doesnt even count the bubble into the equation.

Sent from my SGH-S959G using Tapatalk 2

 

[ScottySkis]

+1 The bluebirs seats are great, and that doesnt even count the bubble into the equation.

Sent from my SGH-S959G using Tapatalk 2

+1 100 it is a couch with heat.

 

[Conrad]

Leitner-Poma! Ride the Bluebird Express or even the "new" chairs on the Grand Summit Express and you'll be removing your commentary about their questionable comfort!

Hmm, glad to see that Poma is getting some love. Some of the lifts I have ridden built by Poma are really uncomfortable for my knees. I'm guessing they've improved their chair design over the years.

Mine has always been the Hall lift company.

That's my favorite company too! It's unfortunate that they don't exist anymore. Technically it is part of Doppelmayr due to mergers (since we are talking about current lift manufacturers).

 

[BenedictGomez]

This might be the nerdiest ski thread I've seen.

 

[Smellytele]

I couldn't care less as long as it gets me up the hill and doesn't break down. Kind of the way I feel about vehicles as well.

 

[gmcunni]

I couldn't care less as long as it gets me up the hill and doesn't break down.

+1

 

[Conrad]

This might be the nerdiest ski thread I've seen.

Is that a good thing?

 

[Euler]

Mine has always been the Hall lift company. Reasoning is that was my first tow rope system lol.. My local mountain has them coincidentally two.

Another vote for Hall. The were based out of my hometown, Watertown,NY (location of the mighty mighty Dry Hill Ski Area) for a time.

 

[xlr8r]

Yan!



Just kidding

For me, Poma has a slight edge over Doppelmayr. The current Poma chairs are really comfortable like the Mid-Burke Express. However I think the Doppelmayrs installed in the 90's have held up really well. The 15-20 year old Doppelmayrs are better than Pomas from the same time period. Either way they both make excellent lifts

 

[xlr8r]

This might be the nerdiest ski thread I've seen.

This is nothing compared to the forum at www.skilifts.org

 

[BenedictGomez]

Is that a good thing?

No, but it's not a bad thing either; I may even learn something if I lurk.

But I swear to God, I'm outta here with the first Star Trek reference.

 

[WWF-VT]

Klingons prefer Doppelmayr, The Federation is a big fan of Poma. I just like a lift that works and is not on wind hold.

 

[ss20]

Yan! Yes, I'm serious. It's a great story with an owner who took risks and dreamed. Too bad he's either in Mexico or dead :-(

For current manufacturers, I'd say Dopp. Their HS terminals look so futuristic with the black windows on white. Poma was great, but their lack of custom lifts really sent them down the drain, in my book. Did Poma ever do any substantial aesthetics changes to their lifts in the 90s? Fixed or detachable.