Gear Guides.

[WWF-VT]

Why do we need Ski and Skiing, they are the same publisher. What does one bring that the other doesn't and why can't they just come out with one "better" publication vs. two mediocre ones.

Maybe just my opinion - Ski and Skiing target a different demographic. Skiing is focused on a younger, more hardcore skier and the content reflects that market. Ski is directed toward the more affluent market where skiing is part of a whole "lifestyle". I gag on the articles in Ski magazine where they detail a 5000 sq ft ski house owned by some executive who skis about 10 days a year. I'd much rather read about a guy in Skiing sleeping in his van to save money to buy lift tickets and beer.

 

[skidmarks]

Got Skiing 88 pages long

Got mine on Saturday. It's a very thin 88 pages compared to Gear Guide 2008 158 pages.
Are there less adverts or less content? I'm going to do a full analysis over some beers later in the week.

PS: I can't find my copy of 2009. Can anyone tell me how many pages? I must have wiped with mine.

 

[RENO]

What a waste of paper the Skiing gear guide is this season! (even at 88 pages :lol: )
They should just combine Ski and Skiing like someone wrote here. Whistler, Vail and Deer Valley don't have their usual 1/2 magazine of advertising either. Also, there's no way you can take those reviews and apply them to Eastern or Pacific NW skiing when all the testing is done at Snowbird? They even have a category called ' Resort On-Piste ' where they say those skis are perfect EAST coast skis? How can you possibly guage that testing them at Snowbird?

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

B. It could be that the manufacturers only submit those certain models for testing that they wish to promote.

Most interesting has been the complete disappearance of race skis. The best GS and SL skis were the primary focus back in the day and now they are completely gone.

the categories are determined by the publication and they give the manufacturers the parameters...waist width range for the category, targeted skill level...basically just as its presented in the mag...and they usually limit the number of entrants to each category to one model of ski...so while there are many more skis in each vendors catalog, they're confined to the guidelines of the test. Ski Press has the most comprehensive test, most categories, most skis, etc...even race skis.

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

Also, there's no way you can take those reviews and apply them to Eastern or Pacific NW skiing when all the testing is done at Snowbird? They even have a category called ' Resort On-Piste ' where they say those skis are perfect EAST coast skis? How can you possibly guage that testing them at Snowbird?

actually, the hardest snow I skied on last winter was at the bottom of the Gad Zoom lift during the Skiing mag test...it was like porcelin. On Tuesday, March 3rd it got up to 50 degrees at the bottom of the Gad Zoom lift, Tue night everything set up like concrete and Wed morning it was cold, cloudy and blowing...it was eastern skiing all the way...fortunately a front came in and it started dumping late Wed afternoon and Thu morning brought 10+ inches of cold utah pow...that's the day all the pow shots were taken and the powder specialty skis were tested. But on Wed, trust me, it was pretty perfect for testing east coast skis...

 

[tjf67]

What a waste of paper the Skiing gear guide is this season! (even at 88 pages :lol: )
They should just combine Ski and Skiing like someone wrote here. Whistler, Vail and Deer Valley don't have their usual 1/2 magazine of advertising either. Also, there's no way you can take those reviews and apply them to Eastern or Pacific NW skiing when all the testing is done at Snowbird? They even have a category called ' Resort On-Piste ' where they say those skis are perfect EAST coast skis? How can you possibly guage that testing them at Snowbird?

I got the mag. and liked it. What was wrong with it? Come on who can't wait to the next issue to see how the writer is doing over in Switzerland.

 

[Trekchick]

Volkl or Nordica. Blizzard is going to do very well to, but on their merits not ad money.

Blizzard ROCKS!! The 8.1 and 7.6 are both sweet. Some of the best stuff out there right now.

nah, Phil's got it right...8.7 for here, its too skinny for the west. 8.1 is a great ski, but too one dimensional compared to the 8.7 IMHO.

Yep, the 8.7 is a great Northeast ski, it was my skinny ski last year. If someone is skiing the Midatlantic, the 8.1 is a fine choice but for New England, the 8.7 would be one of the top skis for me as a "one ski quiver".

I can't say enough about the 8.1 and 8.7 I had last year. My biggest issue is that I should have gone down a size for my size.
Great skis!

That, and I get funny looks when I bring my laptop into the bathroom.

Me too!

I get a good wifi signal in my bathroom.

Me too!

 

[riverc0il]

I got Ski in the mailbox today. LAME free subscription from NASTAR two years ago. The paper they make this magazine with isn't even worthy of whipping my arse with.

Any ways, I flipped open the gear pages just to get laugh. And I got one. At the end of the gear reviews, they list a lot of funny negative comments. While I didn't even bother reading the comments, I DID get a big laugh out of the fact that comments were not linked to individual skis. In other words, don't piss off the people writing your pay check. Which I understand in principle but devalues anything that might be written within the magazine. Which is nothing new... you can get better gear information online (not to mention more complete information!). These things are only ever good for getting the juices going a little....

 

[wa-loaf]

Still no Ski or Skiing. I just want them now so I can complain along with everyone else!

 

[tarponhead]

At the end of the gear reviews, they list a lot of funny negative comments.

My favorate was "sorry" (presumably one tester handing off the skis to the next tester)

 

[Geoff]

I'd had the Skiing Gear Review sitting on my dining room table for a week or two. I finally got around to looking through it.

My first comment is that they seem to be reviewing equipment that only 5% to 10% of the market could ski on. Regardless of the category, it reviews skis that an intermediate would hate. No wonder they're in a world of financial hurt. They're not targeting the mass market that really needs the information and probably won't ever demo anything before buying.

I'm kind of surprised they don't cover a broader selection of traditional mid-fat skis. Very few resort skiers are going to want anything much wider than 80mm since they rarely leave the groomers.... particularly in the east. They only review 7 skis in that category compared to 13 in the 85mm 50/50 category. They seem to have created a myth that you can't ski powder on a 78mm mid-fat. Anybody who isn't a 6 footer is going to find an 85mm ski pretty sluggish edge-to-edge.

I'm still a little confused that there's enough of a market for those 120+mm rockered powder skis to stock all the ski shops with them. Most skiers don't have a quiver where they can justify having a $1000 powder-only ski that is frightening on the hardpack. It's interesting to read about them and I might grab a pair out of the bargain bin as a leftover for the quiver. I find it hard to believe shops will sell much of that kind of equipment at anywhere close to retail.

 

[deadheadskier]

Anybody who isn't a 6 footer is going to find an 85mm ski pretty sluggish edge-to-edge.

are you talking an intermediate skier? I ask because I'm 5'8 and while not grease lightening, my 110 Axioms I can move pretty well side to side. I anticipate my 92mm FRs to be pretty quick this season too.


Then again, I weigh more than many 6 footers; I'm 205 :lol:

 

[tarponhead]

ok.... i kinda liked that..... Time to call my therapist

 

[drjeff]

Ski arrived today. No ifs and or buts about it, the publisher of Ski and Skiing has decided that Ski[/s] is their "mature" publication whereas Skiing is their teen/20 something magazine

 

[Geoff]

Ski arrived today. No ifs and or buts about it, the publisher of Ski and Skiing has decided that Ski is their "mature" publication whereas Skiing is their teen/20 something magazine

So that explains the gear review in Skiing. Every teen is an expert. Just ask 'em.

 

[WWF-VT]

I'd had the Skiing Gear Review sitting on my dining room table for a week or two. I finally got around to looking through it.

My first comment is that they seem to be reviewing equipment that only 5% to 10% of the market could ski on. Regardless of the category, it reviews skis that an intermediate would hate. No wonder they're in a world of financial hurt. They're not targeting the mass market that really needs the information and probably won't ever demo anything before buying.

Proving that the target is a different demographic yesterday I received the Ski Buyers Guide issue that does review "Cruiser" and "Intermediate" skis

 

[Sky]

I was up @ WInnepesaukee last week and saw the occasional leaf starting to change color....always an indication to check the mail box for the gear review.

...and when I got home....there it was!

 

[tjf67]

From what I have noticed. K-2 has not changed the way they make the skiis in about 8 years just top sheets. Volkl 5 or so. Nordica same thing. the only ski to change in the past couple of years is the Atomics and I think they are just catching on to the double grip tech. I am replacing my ac-4 with the Ac-50. Its the same ski only 4 years newer.

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

From what I have noticed. K-2 has not changed the way they make the skiis in about 8 years just top sheets. Volkl 5 or so. Nordica same thing. the only ski to change in the past couple of years is the Atomics and I think they are just catching on to the double grip tech. I am replacing my ac-4 with the Ac-50. Its the same ski only 4 years newer.

K2s changes have been pretty subtle in the apache series...but your old AC-4s are quite different from the AC50...for one the 50 is wider, 85mm under foot vs 82mm...the ski/binding interface has changed, wider now with the "wide ride" which translates to better edge grip and feel, its a stiffer ski...overall its a better ski...and I had a pair of AC4.

 

[tjf67]

K2s changes have been pretty subtle in the apache series...but your old AC-4s are quite different from the AC50...for one the 50 is wider, 85mm under foot vs 82mm...the ski/binding interface has changed, wider now with the "wide ride" which translates to better edge grip and feel, its a stiffer ski...overall its a better ski...and I had a pair of AC4.

I think the binding thing is hog wash. I never notice a differance. I remember one of my skiis had the power switch on the front of the binding you slid over. Never did a thing. I have dukes on my enforcers and i don't notice anything diff. Keep my feet stuck to the ski and I am AOK. Integrates binging systems if you think about it it makes sense but when the ski hits the snow i dont see it. Ski companies do get the two for sale now though. Good marketing on there part.