Category: Store Events

2013/14 Gear – Demo Review

Robb and some of Shep’s staff traveled to demos at  Devil’s Head and Afton Alps to get on next year’s gear. Robb and the skiiers had the goal of skiing all skis 85mm -105 mm under foot, to make sure they’ll ski well in our Midwest weather. We all know carving skis do well around here, but because wider is still the trending technolgy, they wanted to check out their performance for our customers. We want you to be able to own one pair of skis and be confident that they will ski well at home, but also perform well if you travel out west to tackle the front side and back bowls.

After the day of testing from all the manufacturers, the guys all came to conclusion that the wider waist widths under foot are fantastic skis for the Midwest, and will perform very well for our customers.

All the graphics were good but all our guys agree that that’s the least important thing to worry about. Below are a few points they think are important for you to know. We hope you’ll try them for yourselves at our demo at Granite Peak on March 2nd.

(Okay, we said graphics aren’t everything but you HAVE to check out Line’s new look – their Traveling Circus, Future Spin, and Mastermind skis look great.)

 Robb

I found definite winners in all the brands I tried – including Rossignol, Blizzard, Nordica, Volkl, and Salomon. I skied 88, 98, 105 under foot, but thought 88-98 were best skiing for me.

Robb’s top pick was the Salomon Q98 (at a $499 price), which had great flotation through the crud and mashed potatoes, and was overall a nimble ski. This ski can be used and enjoyed by aspiring intermediate skiers to the advanced on the hill. A staff pick, for sure.

The Nordica Steadfast 90mm ($649) and Blizzard Brahma 88mm ($649) both skied well, made turns easy, and had nice stability under foot.

Volkl Kendos always ski great, best for the ex-racers who like the solid, stiff ski under foot, super stable at high speeds.  

We’re carrying Salomon X-Pro boot series next year, featuring heat moldable shell technology. Boots fit amazingly well and help you ski to your full potential. If you’ve struggled to find a comfortable boot fit, this is your answer. With customizable liners and shells, you’ll walk out with something better than you’ve ever tried before.

 Tony

Two of my favorite wider skis in this year’s demo were the Q98 & Q105 from Salomon. Both were super easy to maneuver –lightweight and snappy. 

Salomon Q98
Intermediate/advanced ski that retails for $499 (flat)
All mountain ski that can be used anywhere, under any conditions. It’s quick and easy to turn over at any speed. Very light on the feet!

Salomon Q105
Intermediate/advanced ski that retails for $599 (flat)
The Q105 is an all mountain ski that perform well on the groomers and floats well in the crud. Just like the Q98, it’s a light & snappy wider ski that’s surprisingly easy to turn over, making it great for the backside or the frontside.

The Volkl Racetiger was my first love. If you’re on the race course or just cruising the groomers, this ski will hold an edge.

Volkl Racetiger SL WC Racestock with UVO (Ultimate Vibration Object)
It’s a race specific ski, but is can be great for any aggressive skier because it does well on a race course, ice, or in groomers. This year, the Racetiger comes from the factory hot boxed and with race structure (just like they do for the World Cup athletes). Highlight: this amazing ski has precise edge control.

Volkl Ledge
Great twin tip ski for park riders. Nice and light under your feet, soft and springy for all your park needs. Here’s what you need to know: it looks and rides BA.

Salomon Threat
Another twin tip to check out is the Threat from Salomon (great for beginner to intermediate riders looking for a park and mountain ski to get started on).

Nordica Avenger
At 81mm under the foot, the Avenger came in smaller than the other skis we rode, but this lightweight, very stable ski is great for anyone looking to cruise the whole mountain with a little bit of a wider ski than you grew up on. Highly recommended.

Dane

Blizzard Cochese – Dimensions: 135-108-123  (has a metal top sheet).
This ski was Ski of the Year ‘12-‘13 in the free mountain category! It earned it’s award, being super easy to get on edge, despite it’s size. Hold on because not only is it amazing through groomers, the same can be said for the crud & trees. Not a negative to say about this ski, it’s an especially good choice for the intermediate to advanced skier.

Blizzard Bonafide –  $699 Dimensions: 135-98-118 (has metal top sheet)
Consider this the little brother to the Cochese, it’s 10mm smaller in the waist, and was even faster turning than I thought it would be. This is a great Midwest all around ski, or a fantastic front side ski if you’re heading out West. Of all the skis tested, this was my ski of choice.

Blizzard Magnum 8.0 Ti  $549 Dimensions: 122-80-107
This ski won Ski Magazine’s gold metal! It’s so fast edge-to-edge and so much fun, it’s good for just about any day you might have ahead of you. Perfect for an everyday ski cruising on the blues, but when you want to run the gates, it’ll turn it up a notch and let you become a great racer with confidence.

Salomon Q105 (Dimensions: 133-104-125)
Salomon Q98 (Dimensions: 131-96-117)

Both of these skis are back side skis from Salomon with full wood core and no metal. New skis for them this year, and they were awesome.
We all agreed that the Q98 will be a high seller for Salomon (with the price point at $499 for the Q98 and $599 for the Q105!). Even on a groomed run, these skis felt like we were skiing on powder. We were floored by the versatile performance at such a great price. Salomon really hit the mark with these new skis for all mountain backside, but we had no problem at all turning them on the frontside. Had a blast.

Volk’s Mantra (98 under foot) and Kendo (88 under foot) have been Volkl’s best selling skis for a few years now. Intermediate or advanced skiers will love these skis.
The Mantras and Kendos come right out of Volkl’s race facility. Because they’re so easy to turn over and the edges hold so well on any condition, people flock to the store to get a pair for themselves. We sell out of Mantras and Kendos every year, and for a good reason. These Volkl skis are your go anywhere-do anything ski.

Feedback from the Cheeserfest at Devil’s Head:
Josh

Burton:
-All Channel Mount binding system next year for men’s women’s and kid’s boards.
-They’re backing up their new mounting system with 3 year warranty!
-Tons of binding mount combinations – over the years, Burton has come up with 9 different ways to attach bindings to a board. This offers incredible flexibility, customization options and speed in adjustments.

Highlights:
-Loved the double-sided ratchet on the Genesis & Diode bindings, my foot felt tight and secure in it’s place.
-Brighter colors are continuing to gain popularity (I love that).

K2 Summary:
-New board that replaces the Parkstar is the Hit Machine (it should be great).
-New “Lifted” technology gives effortless pop and stability in the boards
-Great graphics overall thanks to two awesome new artists (one of which has his work featured by Harley Davidson and Nixon). They’re going to look sweet.

-New Hurrithane highbacks on their bindings – super flexible and lightweight, help cut calf fatigue, allowing you to ride longer.
-New boot technology – Endo Construction – increases comfort & boot life. The same material used to make the Hurrithane highbacks is in your boot construction. Lightweight and durable.

Highlights:
-The Happy Hour does it again with new Lifted technology – its snappy and now even more responsive.
-Great colors in the men’s Hurrithane and women’s Yeah Yeah bindings.

 Kassdi

K2:
–Yeah Yeah bindings have great colors, and the tweak back makes the riding awesome.
-K2 Skylite was a playful board to ride, will be perfect for conditions we have at Granite Peak, you really can’t go wrong with this one.
-K2 High Lite was a great board with sweet graphics (functionality wise, it’s a backcountry/powder board). Super fun to ride.
-K2 Tryst had great colors and riding felt comfortable & natural because of the 3° canted footbed.
*Support the Breast Cancer Research Foundation has pink ribbons on the topsheets of women’s boards!

Burton:
-The Nugget was a real fun board – a blast to play around on!
-Their Social had a great, colorful graphic and awesome flex. Definitely worth checking out.

Awesome new things are coming. Test for yourself at our demo at Granite Peak on March 2nd!

(Hint: if you decide to come to Shep’s to pre-order (with deposit) next year’s ski or board by 3/15, you’ll get a free gear bag!)

SIA Snow Show 2013

Another SIA Snow Show is in the books. We traveled to Denver last week to be a part of the industry’s biggest boom. Thousands of people filled downtown Denver’s Colorado Convention Center to visit the booths (we use that term loosely, some of them are more like city blocks) of more than 500 venders of ski & snowboard equipment, accessories, and fashions.

At any moment, one could walk past booths and see hot waffle irons, DDR competitions, ski simulators, people getting inked (yes, permanently!), full coffee bars (or in some cases, free beer), live bands and DJs, models, cars, fashion shows, Pop Tarts in ovens, people designing and creating jackets on the spot (click here)…. all of this just adding to the fact that they’re there with the latest and greatest gear in the snow sports industry.

In the midst of the “party”, we spent days checking out the new styles, colors & trends for next season. We scoured catalogs, checked out samples, made lists of favorites & compare them to customer requests. We did all this to find the best styles for our store, the best pieces for our customers. We consider it a great show.

We’re anxious to get the stuff into the shop in fall. We think you’ll like what’s coming.

Now, just for fun:

Spyder & Audi partnered to create this beaut.

 

On another note, Line drives this Traveling Circus bus all over the country!

Black Friday Sneak Peek…..

Check it out, friends…. your first chance to scope out deals for Black Friday. We’ll be here at 8am to set you up with everything you need for winter!

Take a peek, enjoy Thanksgiving feasts, then stop in Friday for the best deals of the winter!

Flier prices valid starting 11/23/12. Not all sales are available on Shepssports.com.

Time to check your gear!

With the winter season approaching, now is a great time to check your snow sports gear for possible condition issues, damage, and repair needs.  While basic yearly tuning is crucial to keeping your equipment performing at it’s best, often conditions arise which require a bit more attention.  Below, I’ll walk you through some very common issues our repair shop sees on a regular basis.  Most problems are easily repaired for not a lot of money, and if done in a timely manner, will ensure years of worry-free enjoyment from your gear.

Base Condition

Hands down, the most common issue we encounter with downhill skis, snowboards, and cross country equipment relates to the condition of the base (the side that meets the snow). Without regular waxing, bases will dry out. Not only does this result in poor ski / board performance, it could lead to irreparable damage to the base itself. How can you tell if your base needs wax? Easy. Look at the picture below.

When bases begin to dry out, they turn a lighter gray shade and will often have a slight fuzzy feel. Sometimes, you can scrape your fingernail across the bottom and actually scrape off a thin film.  Sound familiar? Don’t worry – 9 times of out 10, a simple tune is all it takes to get your skis or board running like new. And to help prevent this, a yearly tune involving a stone grind, wax, and edge sharpen will keep your equipment performing at it’s best.

Another common problem our ski tech sees is base damage – scratches, gouges, deep cuts.  Luckily, these are easy to spot as shown here:

Most of the time, these happen through no fault of the user. Rocks are hit, skis bang into each other during a fall, or kids try to ski across the driveway in June. But like dried out bases, most base damage can be repaired for a relatively small fee. Not only does this repair help the performance of your gear, it prevents any damage to the core of the ski or board by sealing out moisture. If you discover any base damage, it’s best to get in into our shop as soon as possible.

While not as common, damage can occur to the edges of your gear. This too happens from inadvertently running over debris, other skis, etc, and is often a fairly simply fix. If the damage is too severe, as in the example below, the ski or board may not be 100% fixable. Still, our repair shop will inspect and fix the issue to the best of our ability to ensure safety and performance standards.

Top sheet Damage

Don’t forget about the top of your skis or board. Like the bases, top sheets are easily damaged and can lead to permanent damage if not promptly repaired. While these issues are fairly easy to spot as shown below, regular inspection of your gear is highly recommended.

De-lamination

We see de-lamination with skis and boards that frequent the parks, and it’s often a result of blunt force to the tip / tail of the equipment.  While this damage often means the end of your ski or board, catching the problem early might save the day.  If not severe, our shop tech is able to repair this damage and hopefully extend the life of your gear.

Boots and Bindings

Just like your favorite sneakers, with time, ski / snowboard boots simply wear out. While they may still fit like a dream, continued use on worn out gear is not only risky, it’s downright unsafe. Here’s what to look for:

1. Worn or damaged ski boot bases. This either occurs from years of clipping in and out of bindings, as well as years of walking through parking lots, around ski resorts, and through the snack bar. When the tip and tail of your bases become worn and rounded, your bindings are unable to securely hold your boots in place while skiing. This can result in untimely and surely unwanted releases from your binding while skiing, and can also result in injury.

2. Broken buckles. It just happens. The good news is we are usually able to fix snowboard bindings in store while you wait. The not so good news is that downhill boots are often a bit more difficult to repair. Still, if you find yourself with a broken boot, bring it in for us to have a look. We’ll do our best to get your gear fixed up and back on the slopes as fast as possible.

3.  Damaged or bent bindings.  By comparing your left binding to the right and vice versa, you should be able to spot any damaged or bent parts.  Further, if one binding is behaving differently then the other (engaging with less or more force, releasing early, or not holding the boot firmly), it’s time to have us take a look.  Remember that we are only legally allowed to work on bindings that are of a certain age or newer, so if you purchased your skis and bindings when Abba’s “Dancing Queen” was topping the Top 40 charts, it might be time for an upgrade.

If you do discover any problems and have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us (715-845-5432) or bring your gear in.  We offer free shop estimates / inspections, and will do our best to get your gear returned to you as fast as possible.  Also, be sure to ask one of our team members about preventative maintenance as well – often, most of the conditions mentioned above can be easily avoided with minimal yearly maintenance.