Have you demoed every ski you've eventually owned?

[Sky]

I have four pair of skis, three I demo'd.

The one I didn't demo, I bought from a rep...his "last year's ski" for a deal.

I use them, but I don't "like" them.

Wa has a good deal on the mountain. Demo a pair...come back, try amother pair. If you somehow narrow your search beforehand, it's painless...in fact, it's exciting.

They also recruit for their Ride-em-and-Rank-em event in the spring. I did it about three years ago. Demo'd 11 pairs of skis. Learned a lot about what I like and don;t like that day.

 

[drjeff]

I'd been skiing for close to 15 years BEFORE the concept of demo days ever really emerged For the last 15 years though, I've demo'd most of what I've eventually bought, although I won't deny that I've bought a pair or 2 site "un-skied" in the last 15 years too.

 

[hardline]

i started using stowe toys last year. i think its 50 and you get to use what ever boards you want to use for the day. i went through the whole line in a day. there where boards like the supermodel i am glad i didn't by off the interwebz after i had demoed it. i really want to demo a prior atv or the donek version of the atv. i want a long fast carving board. about a 172 size.

 

[Euler]

The Gnarly Effect - A skiers version of the Bradley Effect

My proposed Wikipedia entry:

The Gnarly effect, less commonly called the Core effect,[1][2] is a proposed explanation for observed discrepancies between skier opinion polls and actual outcomes in some American skier behavior when a skier is asked how to go about purchasing a new ski. [3][4][5] Named for Tom Gnarley, a rad, core skier who demoed over 200,000 pairs of skis, the Gnarley effect refers to an alleged tendency on the part of some skiers to tell ski forum readers that they should always demo a ski before purchasing, and yet, when asked about thier own purchasing habits, they admit to not demoing themselves.

 

[mattchuck2]

Haha . . . Yeah, I never demo . . .

Actually, I shouldn't say that. I never buy the skis I demo. I never seem to demo skis I like, even though I demo skis that I think I'll like. Maybe those heavy demo bindings are swaying my opinion.

I buy skis on word of mouth, and by looking at dimensions. This year, I decided I needed a fat ski. I already had skis with widths of 68 mm, 78 mm, 82 mm (or something), and I needed more. I wanted it to be at least 95 mm at the waist and at least 125 mm at the tip (for tunability). I wanted a wood core. After extensive internet surfing, gear guide browsing and personal interviews, I narrowed it down to Line Prophet 100, Volkl Mantra, and Volkl Gotama. Realized that I wanted a POWDER ski and eliminated the Mantra. Could get a deal on the Gotama and went with that.

So when I get the bindings mounted, the first day of 6" or more is the first time I'll ever ski them. I've bought all of my other skis in the same general way.

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

After extensive internet surfing, gear guide browsing and personal interviews, I narrowed it down

wow, sounds like a lot of time and energy invested to make the purchase...

wonder what you would have found if you spent that time TRYING some skis..it might even have been fun :razz:

I know, I know, you probably did all the research in the summer on the chairlift...

 

[severine]

the Gnarley effect refers to an alleged tendency on the part of some skiers to tell ski forum readers that they should always demo a ski before purchasing, and yet, when asked about thier own purchasing habits, they admit to not demoing themselves.

LOVE IT!


BTW, how many of you told me to demo last year when I contemplated buying my Maries...and have never demoed the skis you purchased yourself????

 

[madskier6]

Haha . . . Yeah, I never demo . . .

Actually, I shouldn't say that. I never buy the skis I demo. I never seem to demo skis I like, even though I demo skis that I think I'll like. Maybe those heavy demo bindings are swaying my opinion.

I buy skis on word of mouth, and by looking at dimensions. This year, I decided I needed a fat ski. I already had skis with widths of 68 mm, 78 mm, 82 mm (or something), and I needed more. I wanted it to be at least 95 mm at the waist and at least 125 mm at the tip (for tunability). I wanted a wood core. After extensive internet surfing, gear guide browsing and personal interviews, I narrowed it down to Line Prophet 100, Volkl Mantra, and Volkl Gotama. Realized that I wanted a POWDER ski and eliminated the Mantra. Could get a deal on the Gotama and went with that.

So when I get the bindings mounted, the first day of 6" or more is the first time I'll ever ski them. I've bought all of my other skis in the same general way.

I have a pair of the Gotamas & I love them as a POWDER ski. They're also great in the Spring. If you like a smooth, easy to turn pow ski, you'll like them a lot too. They're great in the trees as they can turn quickly & smoothly without a ton of effort. Enjoy!

 

[mattchuck2]

wow, sounds like a lot of time and energy invested to make the purchase...

wonder what you would have found if you spent that time TRYING some skis..it might even have been fun :razz:

I know, I know, you probably did all the research in the summer on the chairlift...

Yeah, but then you need to fill out paperwork and give them your credit card (or driver's license, or whatever), and get the bindings adjusted, and then go to the next demo tent and get the bindings fitted again. That's time that I could be spending actually enjoying myself . . . And like I said, every time I demo, I don't like the skis anyway. If I just go out and buy them, then I always like 'em.

 

[riverc0il]

And like I said, every time I demo, I don't like the skis anyway. If I just go out and buy them, then I always like 'em.

Spending a lot of money on something usually has a habit of ensuring you don't completely hate them... kind of a self fulfilling prophecy in a way. Who would want to admit to wasting hundreds of dollars.

I actually really enjoy the one time I did a multi ski demo day... I enjoyed the time spent talking to reps, looking at different skis, etc. The time to adjust the bindings was actually very minimal. It was all just part of the process and I thought that the process itself was fun. I only skied that day because of the demos since early season conditions were not at their best. I just can't get excited to cycle down two trails all day. But I can get excited if every second run I have a different pair of skis that I have never tried before. Wish I could line up these days more often but timing just doesn't work out.

 

[hardline]

LOVE IT!


BTW, how many of you told me to demo last year when I contemplated buying my Maries...and have never demoed the skis you purchased yourself????

i would never recomend a piece of equipment i have not used myself.