Too Many Ski Models

[Snowplow Skip]

So, between the 14 Top selling brands (Volkl, Head, K2, Kastle, Salomon, Nordica, Elan, Rossignol, Blizzard, Stockli, Armada, Atomic, Fischer and Dynastar) there are over 300 models available. This is not to mention other popular brands like: DPS, 4FRT, Line, Black Crows, Black Diamon not to mention the dozens of smaller and boutique brands like: ONP3, Faction, Folsom, Icelandic, Season, Wagner, Renoun, Scott, RMU, WNDR, Zag etc.
Now, don't get me wrong there are many, many types of skiers out there from racers to beginner/intermediate. Pros to weekend warriors. Park skiers, Free riders, those who go Touring often enough to have dedicated gear for it. There are folks who want carving skis (65-75mm) Frontside (75-90mm) All Mountain (90-100mm) +(100-106mm) Powder (106-130mm) plus different lengths from 150-200cm; but isn't somewhere between 300-500models, maybe more a little bit much?
Do companies like Nordica, Elan, Rossignol, Blizzard and Atomic really need provide us with something like 25-40 models each? I wonder how many models are the same ski with a different top sheet graphic? {Maybe none; but one wonders.]
Now, I have four pairs of skis I have purchased since 2019, all serving different functions for me. [80mm/174cm frontside/wide-carving, 88mm/176cm daily drivers, 100mm/185cm old daily drivers, 110mm/189cm resort pow] There are another 20 or so skis I would love to demo. Could I be happy with only one pair, yes, I was for two seasons. If I had the opportunity to demo all the skis on my list, could I narrow it down to only one pair, yes. Do I actually use all four pair of skis? Yes, [I do. I also have to old skinny skis 203cm Dynastar, 195cm Hexcel]
1) What do you think, oversaturation or just right?
2) What is in your quiver, one ski, more?
3) What would be your optimal 4-5 ski quiver?
4) What would be your one brand quiver??

 

[deadheadskier]

1. I don't really care one way or the other. I'd argue having the mass amount of manufacturers and models we do helps drive innovation even if there's a ton of overlap

2. I have a 4 ski quiver. If I didn't race, I'd probably stick to 3. Mid 70s for hard snow carving only days, 90ish daily driver, 105ish powder ski. If I were western based, I'd drop the 70s ski and pick up something 115ish

3. Very happy with my quiver. Only thing I'd consider changing is maybe the Mantra 102 out for something slightly softer and more playful. Maybe I should have gone for a similar size Blaze. But I still do love the M102.

4. No real brand loyalty at all over the past 20 years. I always buy skis one year removed or more from the current model year, so that can limit options. My daily driver is a Kendo 88. I could have gone with an Enforcer 89 and probably been just as happy. Found a better deal on the Kendos. The only loyalty I have is I tend to stick with the major brands and not boutique ones.

 

[Edd]

1) Don’t care as long as I have many options.
2) 3 ski quiver, 78mm, 95mm, 107mm (need a new pow ski though, mine are OG Soul 7s)
4) That’s crazy, can’t answer.
5) Stockli, currently has the 78 and 95 positions. I highly doubt I’ll buy Stockli for the new pow ski but you never know.

 

[thetrailboss]

So, between the 14 Top selling brands (Volkl, Head, K2, Kastle, Salomon, Nordica, Elan, Rossignol, Blizzard, Stockli, Armada, Atomic, Fischer and Dynastar) there are over 300 models available. This is not to mention other popular brands like: DPS, 4FRT, Line, Black Crows, Black Diamon not to mention the dozens of smaller and boutique brands like: ONP3, Faction, Folsom, Icelandic, Season, Wagner, Renoun, Scott, RMU, WNDR, Zag etc.
Now, don't get me wrong there are many, many types of skiers out there from racers to beginner/intermediate. Pros to weekend warriors. Park skiers, Free riders, those who go Touring often enough to have dedicated gear for it. There are folks who want carving skis (65-75mm) Frontside (75-90mm) All Mountain (90-100mm) +(100-106mm) Powder (106-130mm) plus different lengths from 150-200cm; but isn't somewhere between 300-500models, maybe more a little bit much?
Do companies like Nordica, Elan, Rossignol, Blizzard and Atomic really need provide us with something like 25-40 models each? I wonder how many models are the same ski with a different top sheet graphic? {Maybe none; but one wonders.]
Now, I have four pairs of skis I have purchased since 2019, all serving different functions for me. [80mm/174cm frontside/wide-carving, 88mm/176cm daily drivers, 100mm/185cm old daily drivers, 110mm/189cm resort pow] There are another 20 or so skis I would love to demo. Could I be happy with only one pair, yes, I was for two seasons. If I had the opportunity to demo all the skis on my list, could I narrow it down to only one pair, yes. Do I actually use all four pair of skis? Yes, [I do. I also have to old skinny skis 203cm Dynastar, 195cm Hexcel]
1) What do you think, oversaturation or just right?
2) What is in your quiver, one ski, more?
3) What would be your optimal 4-5 ski quiver?
4) What would be your one brand quiver??

Great topic to discuss. It seemed to me like in 2008-2010 or so the market was consolidating and the options were getting more limited (at least from my POV). Then things really changed. Honestly, I love that we have so many options. I also love that there is an emergence of some independent brands that are providing some interesting advancements and new technology. Now to address the topic, sure, the shear number of options is indeed overwhelming. It's kind of like when I had to replace our refrigerator this week--I only went to Costco.com and reviewed the 10 or so options instead of like the probably 50 or so options that one would see at Home Depot or Lowe's websites. But for skiing, I find that I have a good idea as to what I "like" in a ski and am lucky enough to be able to get skis that are specific for an application. Tuning my own skis also saves a ton of money. I will demo skis when I can, but I don't "need to" very often.

So to answer the questions:

1) What do you think, oversaturation or just right?

For me, I like the variety. I also like the competition. I have no issues. I can understand that an "average" skier could easily get overwhelmed.

2) What is in your quiver, one ski, more?

Many more than one. Currently I am at ten in active rotation. Some are near the end of their useful life. In 2016/2017 or so I bought three pair of skis--a medium width daily driver for frontside, a daily driver 100+ cm model for Alta/Bird, and a powder ski. I got some great prices at the time. The bad news is that these three all had to be replaced at about the same time, as well as some of my older ones. So over the last two years I have been able to find five newer models. Two still need to be mounted. Of these, the breakdown is: one narrower frontside ski (88cm); two mid-sized daily drivers that can do frontside and some off-piste (95cm); and two fatter daily drivers for LCC and BCC (105-110cm). Other than width, the other big differences are turn radius and sidecut to accomodate specific conditions.

3) What would be your optimal 4-5 ski quiver?

For out here, it is the five that I have just purchased over the last two seasons, that range from 88cm-110cm. They are specific though for skiing out west here. My east coast quiver would likely be narrower (70cm-100cm or so).

4) What would be your one brand quiver??

Without hesitation, Head. In 2003 I was urged to demo these new "Head Monster" skis. I almost lauged at the ski shop manager who suggested them because Head "made tennis rackets." I demoed the Head Monster 75 at Sugarbush in 2003 and saved up my pennies for over a year to purchase my first Head iM75 with Railflex pair. I never looked back. Those skis lasted me almost ten years of heavy use. My current quiver is 70% Head. I like the dampness and feel of the skis. The three that are not Head are Volkl (a very stiff trail ski with a 168cm radius for carving), Elan (the 95cm Ripsticks that are quite similar to Head), and a pair of Atomic Maverick 105 CTI skis that I demoed at a free demo day at Alta last year and really liked. But for me, my go-to brand remains Head.