Roof rack

[thebigo]

Family has expanded to the point that the skis no longer fit in the car. Ideal setup would carry four pairs of skis in the winter and suitcases of the girl's crap in the summer. Not sure if a modular system exists.

The dealer locator on the Thule website is nonfunctional. Can anyone recommend a dealer in southern NH?

 

[BenedictGomez]

Dont get a Thule roof rack, the road salt (or even worse, brine if your state uses that garbage) gets all over your skis and bindings, etc.., plus if it rains all your stuff gets wet. Get a Thule cargo carrier instead.

And if you're thrifty (euphemism for "cheap") like me, search craigslist and Ebay first, as for some reason there always seems to be people selling these (maybe they changed vehicles?). I found a local person selling a 3 or 4 year old Thule cargo carrier for $150, and it would have been something ridiculous like $400 or more new in the store.

 

[abc]

Roof box is the way to go. Skis inside in the winter, throw random crap inside for the summer.

EMS is going out of business (sad). There maybe some deals going on.

 

[Smellytele]

I got a thule roof box at a yard sale. The person said they had no idea what it was worth and then said give me $25 and it is yours. I couldn't get my money out fast enough. Then as i drove away I kept looking in my mirror thinking some one was chasing me.

 

[prsboogie]

Definitely roof box. Picked up a new Sports Rack box for half the price of Thule and they are made in the same factory. Only difference is how they mount up, thule has a quick mount and the SR has brackets and screws.

Sent from my XT1565 using AlpineZone mobile app

 

[dlague]

Dont get a Thule roof rack, the road salt (or even worse, brine if your state uses that garbage) gets all over your skis and bindings, etc.., plus if it rains all your stuff gets wet. Get a Thule cargo carrier instead.

And if you're thrifty (euphemism for "cheap") like me, search craigslist and Ebay first, as for some reason there always seems to be people selling these (maybe they changed vehicles?). I found a local person selling a 3 or 4 year old Thule cargo carrier for $150, and it would have been something ridiculous like $400 or more new in the store.

Craigslist was perfect for us - got the Thule Evolution box which holds a lot of gear for $200. In fact we still have it. While we do not use it often any more, it is great when we have visitors. Three of our boys are out of the house with one left - so we just put a seat down and load our gear these days and we are off and running. In fact we often just leave the gear in the vehicle.

 

[BenedictGomez]

EMS is going out of business (sad). There maybe some deals going on.

Fake News.

Company is restructuring, downsizing number of locations in Ch.11.

Definitely roof box. Picked up a new Sports Rack box for half the price of Thule and they are made in the same factory. Only difference is how they mount up, thule has a quick mount and the SR has brackets and screws.

I love the quick mount though, because during ski season I use it on my car and the woman's car. I have 4 strips of duct tape on the interior where I mark where the holes should be for each vehicle, and it's a relative snap moving it between my GMC and her Sub'y.

 

[thetrailboss]

Dont get a Thule roof rack, the road salt (or even worse, brine if your state uses that garbage) gets all over your skis and bindings, etc.., plus if it rains all your stuff gets wet. Get a Thule cargo carrier instead.

And if you're thrifty (euphemism for "cheap") like me, search craigslist and Ebay first, as for some reason there always seems to be people selling these (maybe they changed vehicles?). I found a local person selling a 3 or 4 year old Thule cargo carrier for $150, and it would have been something ridiculous like $400 or more new in the store.

Totally agree. Go with the Box. As to brand, they are all just OK in my experience.

 

[thetrailboss]

EMS is going out of business (sad). There maybe some deals going on.

I read somewhere a few months ago that they were struggling. That surprised me. I always liked them. Guess they lost their way. IIRC the latest regime was headed up by a former employee of their golden era that was hoping to bring them back to their roots.

FWIW LL Bean is also having flat revenues.

EDIT: Damn, two bankruptcies for EMS in the past two years. Wow.

http://fortune.com/2017/02/06/eastern-mountain-sports-ems-bankruptcy/

 

[abc]

Time is hard for brick and mortar shops. The internet discounter are killing them.

I like them, and wish they hadn't gone down. I bought a lot of small items from them (when shipping is too much to buy them online) Now, I'm going to be missing them going forward.

There's still REI. But I wonder how well they do.

 

[dlague]

I read somewhere a few months ago that they were struggling. That surprised me. I always liked them. Guess they lost their way. IIRC the latest regime was headed up by a former employee of their golden era that was hoping to bring them back to their roots.

FWIW LL Bean is also having flat revenues.

EDIT: Damn, two bankruptcies for EMS in the past two years. Wow.

http://fortune.com/2017/02/06/eastern-mountain-sports-ems-bankruptcy/

I think it is easy to understand. I think they are like REI where the products they sell are good quality relatively high end goods and as a result, they are targeting a relatively small demographic that is willing to pay for that. The larger market is in the area of mid market products. I used to walk into EMS and look around and just be shocked at the prices - same with REI.

 

[gregnye]

I think it is easy to understand. I think they are like REI where the products they sell are good quality relatively high end goods and as a result, they are targeting a relatively small demographic that is willing to pay for that. The larger market is in the area of mid market products. I used to walk into EMS and look around and just be shocked at the prices - same with REI.

Yeah EMS was a lot like Best Buy. And Best Buy is basically Amazon's showroom. You walk in, make sure the product actually is the size you want. And then you just go buy it online for cheaper.

 

[Smellytele]

When EMS stuff was made in Peterborough,NH at their old corporate head quarters I liked them. Then they fired everyone there and started making their shit in Asia and the quality suffered. They went from being an outdoor equipment seller with some clothing to a clothing store with a few pieces of token gear and I stopped shopping there.

 

[thetrailboss]

When EMS stuff was made in Peterborough,NH at their old corporate head quarters I liked them. Then they fired everyone there and started making their shit in Asia and the quality suffered. They went from being an outdoor equipment seller with some clothing to a clothing store with a few pieces of token gear and I stopped shopping there.

A lot of folks feel this way.


Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone

 

[dlague]

True when they were a gear shop they were better now 90% clothing.

Sent from my SM-G930P using AlpineZone mobile app

 

[BenedictGomez]

FWIW LL Bean is also having flat revenues.

EDIT: Damn, two bankruptcies for EMS in the past two years. Wow.

Seems like much of the large sporting goods bricks & mortar stores are hurting.

Sports Authority went out of business last year.

Gander Mountain just filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last week.

Cabela's is in the process of selling itself to Bass Pro Shops (which stinks because Cabela's is way better than B.P.S.).

 

[thetrailboss]

Seems like much of the large sporting goods bricks & mortar stores are hurting.

Sports Authority went out of business last year.

Gander Mountain just filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last week.

Cabela's is in the process of selling itself to Bass Pro Shops (which stinks because Cabela's is way better than B.P.S.).

No surprise regarding Gander Mountain. I have never been in one but it seems like a Cabela's/BPS. Duplicative.

Cabela's: the family probably wants to get out of it. Although it is publicly traded, so you have that dynamic there. Shareholders/investors want their money back plus a ROI.

 

[abc]

When EMS stuff was made in Peterborough,NH at their old corporate head quarters I liked them. Then they fired everyone there ...

What year was that?

 

[Smellytele]

What year was that?

Getting old and time is speeding up but I think it was in 2013 they moved out of Peterborough. Not sure when they switched over making their stuff to Asia.

 

[abc]

Getting old and time is speeding up but I think it was in 2013 they moved out of Peterborough. Not sure when they switched over making their stuff to Asia.

Must be a lot earlier than that. I don't recall seeing much EMS brand gear (of any quality) for much longer than that.