How much is too much?

[ski diva]

There's a thread over on Epic about a new ski coming out from Sterling Skis in Colorado.

I quote:

No more than 140 pairs to be built in 2007-2008 launch season. Available in 163cm, 174cm and 185cm, all with 116-76-102 geometry with the choice of 3 beautiful exotic wood topsheets. 48 HRC stainless steel edges (ever try to sharpen a stainless steel ski edge? Not easy by hand). Vist race-bred plates and bindings complete the package. All yours for a mere $3,499 usd (includes carbon fiber poles and a velvet-lined wooden cabinet box).

They really are beautiful looking skis; I have no idea how they perform. But what do you all think of the $3,499. price tag? I mean, would you be willing to spend that much? Is a pair of skis worth it to you? What's the highest you'd go? And what would it take to get you to part with that amount of change?

 

[Jilly]

They would get stolen so fast. Just like having a fancy sports car. But someone will buy them because they are exclusive!!

 

[bklyn]

But what do you all think of the $3,499. price tag? I mean, would you be willing to spend that much? Is a pair of skis worth it to you? What's the highest you'd go? And what would it take to get you to part with that amount of change?

I've never paid more than $1000 for a combination of skis and bindings. I don't think I've come close to that.

So for me, it is too much money for a ski. I do like to get the best for my money, but that's rarely the most expensive thing available. Also, the dimensions of the ski aren't dramatically different from conventional models in the $600 and under range MSRP. I can't imagine that the performance would be almost 6 times better. There would have to be some type of technological breakthrough or dramatic increase in safety in order for me to consider stretching my budget.

I know that even if money were no object for me, I would be uncomfortable in something so conspicuously expensive. It's easy to knock people who are attracted to "top of the line" everything, but I'm sure that there are people who would consider my gear outside their comfort zone as well. If it's about degrees, then those skis are well outside my limits.

 

[num]

Maybe I'll make a "velvet lined cabinet box" for my end of season sale 300 dollar skis.

 

[Lori_K]

If you order before the season starts, you get a $200 discount!!

But yeah, $3000+ is a bit steep for skis. At that price, they should come with a lifetime guarantee.

 

[skigrl27]

I'm in Aspen, the epitome of excess and extravagance. I'm going to keep my eye out for these babies...

I would never spend that much. If the technology is so much better, more standard companies should study it and copy it at a more reasonable cost. Spread the love if its that much better.

I think I'd draw the line at about $1200. I just bought a new pair of '07 K2's for $359. Called K2, they said it's the same ski as the 2008's with different graphics. So $3k?? No way baby!

 

[ISki]

Nice topsheet. A tad masculine, but they are elegant. And the velvet-lined hard traveling case trumps the Ski-Tote for getting across the parking lot in style.

But for big bucks I want custom made skis. I want a specific geometry, length, and flex. And I want the mold.

 

[liquidfeet]

Nice topsheet. A tad masculine, but they are elegant. And the velvet-lined hard traveling case trumps the Ski-Tote for getting across the parking lot in style.

But for big bucks I want custom made skis. I want a specific geometry, length, and flex. And I want the mold.

And you want the ski named after you!!!

 

[abc]

But for big bucks I want custom made skis. I want a specific geometry, length, and flex.

Exactly! What kind of sucker would pay top dollar to have one of 140, meaning not unique, and not even the right type of ski for what you might want to ski???

I guess coming from the cycling background, I would expect custom design at the certain price point. That for bikes, the price point is at about 20-30% over the "off-the-shelf" frames. So, the $3000 price tag is simply, in my view, a "sucker's price", for people who have more money than sense.

 

[Native Vail Gal]

You'd have to bury me in them in order to justify that price-tag!

 

[w.ski]

Would love to see them, might be fun to ski them, would never pay that much for skis!

 

[SnowHot]

The good news is, those skis aren't marketed to be sold to the likes of me!

 

[Gloria]

Birds Eye Maple

Having a woodworker for a SO I can tell you that topsheet is birdseye maple, highly sought after, but, for skis? Maple as those of you whom have had this in the wood floor variety know, is one of the hardest most volatile woods out there. That is, it has a much higher contraction and expansion rate than other woods. So given that fact combined with the velvet lined ski bag ( what a snowcaked nightmare that would be ) These skis to me are obviously more for show and tell than anything. Seriously, they must have to do more than kiln dry and store at even humidy before construction for 6 weeks to keep those from contracting right off the top of the ski. The velvet bag must have some type of humidifier in it. What a bargain! Of course, I am not sure my Subaru is worth as much these days.

 

[Shellski]

Maybe if they had a little outboard motor on them, you'd save on lift tickets.

:p

 

[bklyn]

Saw them at the CO ski show last night. They don't look impressive in person, IMO.

They were showing off the velvet lined box, carbon ski poles and bindings that go with them. You couldn't pick up the ski to see if it was light or heavy.

 

[dloveski]

Ridiculous waste of money. I have never paid full price for a pair of skis, ever. I get a thrill out of swapping and snaking good deals, and out of variety.

I also have trouble getting rid of the old-school skis lining my garage wall. Who knows when Head standards will come back in vogue?

The profile of the person who these skis would appeal to might be:

--weak recreational skier, all show
--loads of money to burn
--also buys fur-lined parkas for $3,000
--buys a third home, ski-in, for $5.5 mil at Deer Valley to use a couple of times a year

Skiing trophies. Sort of misses the point of skiing, IMO.

 

[abc]

They were showing off the velvet lined box, carbon ski poles and bindings that go with them. You couldn't pick up the ski to see if it was light or heavy.

Well, that said it all. They were showing off all the fluffy stuff but nothing to say about the ski itself???

Probably because there's nothing special to say?

Nothing sets off the BS alarm better than "showing off the box instead of the content"!

 

[sibhusky]

For about 10 years I paid zip for skis because I skied with a ski shop owner who gave me leftovers (I demoed them week after week and would finally pick what I liked, it was great). Then I moved here and discovered how much skis could cost. But, still have never paid over $479 for a pair of flat skis. And I don't plan to for many years. Might go to $600 for integrated bindings. I think if you watch sales, know when the year-to-year changes are graphics-only or functional, etc., you can do well by keeping your eyes out for deals. My "new skis" are 05-06 Outlaws I picked up for $357 including shipping. No difference between them and this year's version.