Thou hath no self control...

[HikenSki]

One should not demo if one does not have means, or self control, to buy skis one falls in love with. Last February I demoed for the first time and fell in love with the Kore 93w. I also really enjoyed the Experience 88 but not quite as much. Shops were pretty much sold out of the men's version in my size by that point and there was no way I was gonna be able to afford a pre-order for the fall. I settled for the 2018 K2 Alluvit 88 for a great price. I got two days on them in soft snow and chopped up conditions. They worked pretty well but felt I could use a stiffer ski and kept thinking about this darn Kores.
Yesterday, I hit the purchase button for a single pair of 171 on sale for an amazing price ($430) and grabbed them before they sold out. Local shops didn't have my size or had sold out, same thing online. My husband might kill me when he sees another pair at the front door. I also have a pair of Quattro 8.0cas I love for the icy, hard stuff early in the morning. I'm gonna justify my purchase by giving up my monthly massage for five months to cover the Kores.
Now I just have to figure out bindings. I demoed on the Attack 13s and liked the low stand height and feel. The Attack 11s while lighter have a delta btwn toe and heel, which concerns me because I also have heel lifts in my new boots. Both have GW which is nice should I go that route down the road. I've contemplated removing my Z10s on the Alluvits to save money and would do so later in the season to get my money out of those skis. I can find the Attacks online for a good price, but I want to support my local shop and they will put them on for cheap by buying from them. Decisions decisions. Perhaps bindings will go on the Christmas wish list.

 

[mustski]

We all understand that impulse! We are here to enable and encourage. Enjoy your new skis! However I, for one, would buy the bindings online and support my shop by having them install them and service all my skis as needed.

 

[badger]

Self-Control is only encouraged on this website with regard to skiing Out-of-Control.

When it come to ski gear purchases (clothing & accessories included ) we tend to preach that self -control is overrated.

 

[SarahXC]

Have you seen these? I came across them the other day but don’t currently have a use. They are metal sleeves that go in your various skis so you can switch one binding from one pair of skis to another or a third or fourth fairly simply

https://www.tognar.com/binding-freedom/

You could support your local shop by hiring them to move your bindings from ski to ski as needed....

 

[HikenSki]

We all understand that impulse! We are here to enable and encourage. Enjoy your new skis! However I, for one, would buy the bindings online and support my shop by having them install them and service all my skis as needed.

If my husband could, he'd probably block this site on my iPad. You enablers! But oh the knowledge I have picked up and shared with him! I go all in on sports/hobbies I really enjoy. I also run roads and trails year around. He's got his motorcycle track days and he's now starting pilot school.

 

[HikenSki]

You could support your local shop by hiring them to move your bindings from ski to ski as needed....

Those are a neat idea! I'm very likely to order online and even if they charge more to mount, it would still be cheaper. I'm tempted to get the Attack 12 in white, which they don't carry and are a little cheaper. They get all my business for tunes and such.

 

[mustski]

@contesstant Do I recall you saying something about a different delta angle on the Attack 12?

 

[vickie]

Have you checked with local shops regarding what they charge to install bindings? When I lived in the DC area, shops were charging right around $100 to mount bindings if you didn't buy the equipment from them. Service charges could tip the scale in favor of buying bindings locally.

 

[HikenSki]

@contesstant Do I recall you saying something about a different delta angle on the Attack 12?

Pugski indicated there is a good size delta between the toe and heel for the Attack 11, they are also a higher stand height then the Attack 12/13 and my current Z10, which are around 16. I'm tempted to get the 12's which are a hair lighter but they only come in which, which I don't think is as badass at the black. LOL. The local shop doesn't carry the white, so I'd have to order them online.

 

[HikenSki]

Have you checked with local shops regarding what they charge to install bindings? When I lived in the DC area, shops were charging right around $100 to mount bindings if you didn't buy the equipment from them. Service charges could tip the scale in favor of buying bindings locally.

Definitely keeping that in mind. I was told last night they'd only charge $20 to mount if I bought them from, which seemed awfully low. Otherwise looks to be around $80 for all the shops to mount bindings not purchased from them.

 

[MissySki]

Definitely keeping that in mind. I was told last night they'd only charge $20 to mount if I bought them from, which seemed awfully low. Otherwise looks to be around $80 for all the shops to mount bindings not purchased from them.

I think most places around me will mount for free if you buy from them.

 

[contesstant]

@contesstant Do I recall you saying something about a different delta angle on the Attack 12?

Just the Aattack 11. The 12 and 13 and higher DIN bindings are all the same.

 

[diymom]

I think most places around me will mount for free if you buy from them.

I'm always shocked at the shops that don't mount for free or discounted when you buy from them. I've known some shops that if you buy only one item (skis, boots, or bindings) they discount, buy two or more it is free. Which still seems reasonable. But one local shop here (the one with the ski Expo retail monopoly I might add) charges something like $70 for mounting, regardless. Unless you pre-pay for discounted mounting at the ski expo, then it is $25. (As of a few years ago that is, they may have changed policy since I last checked.) On top of that, their turn around time is usually about a week.

Needless to say, that is not where I went when I had some bindings mounted recently. The Ski Monster might not have convenient parking, but their binding prices were competitive with online prices, they mounted them for free, and since it was a quiet pre-season weekday, mounted them while I had a coffee down the street. And to top it all off, I think they even waxed the skis while they were at it.

Definitely call around for mounting charges.

 

[MissySki]

I'm always shocked at the shops that don't mount for free or discounted when you buy from them. I've known some shops that if you buy only one item (skis, boots, or bindings) they discount, buy two or more it is free. Which still seems reasonable. But one local shop here (the one with the ski Expo retail monopoly I might add) charges something like $70 for mounting, regardless. Unless you pre-pay for discounted mounting at the ski expo, then it is $25. (As of a few years ago that is, they may have changed policy since I last checked.) On top of that, their turn around time is usually about a week.

Needless to say, that is not where I went when I had some bindings mounted recently. The Ski Monster might not have convenient parking, but their binding prices were competitive with online prices, they mounted them for free, and since it was a quiet pre-season weekday, mounted them while I had a coffee down the street. And to top it all off, I think they even waxed the skis while they were at it.

Definitely call around for mounting charges.

Exactly! I bought boots at Ski Monster and they are willing to take my old bindings off of my skis that I want to use for AT and remount them with my frame bindings that I also already own, for free. That’s an offer too good to pass up. They are also going to cut skins for me when I purchase them and put Hotronics elements into my boots (they don’t carry Hotronics, otherwise it would’ve been done when I bought the boots, so I bought some on Amazon to bring back)

 

[knolan12]

I'm always shocked at the shops that don't mount for free or discounted when you buy from them. I've known some shops that if you buy only one item (skis, boots, or bindings) they discount, buy two or more it is free. Which still seems reasonable. But one local shop here (the one with the ski Expo retail monopoly I might add) charges something like $70 for mounting, regardless. Unless you pre-pay for discounted mounting at the ski expo, then it is $25. (As of a few years ago that is, they may have changed policy since I last checked.) On top of that, their turn around time is usually about a week.

Needless to say, that is not where I went when I had some bindings mounted recently. The Ski Monster might not have convenient parking, but their binding prices were competitive with online prices, they mounted them for free, and since it was a quiet pre-season weekday, mounted them while I had a coffee down the street. And to top it all off, I think they even waxed the skis while they were at it.up).

I was also shocked they were charging to mount skis and bindings you bought at the expo! I didn't buy the voucher and went to the Ski Monster. They actually didn't charge me at all because I bought my boots from them last season. I was fully prepared to pay and thought that was such a nice gesture (probably helped that my husband bought his skis/bindings from there last year and brought in his gear for a tune up).

 

[MissySki]

I was also shocked they were charging to mount skis and bindings you bought at the expo! I didn't buy the voucher and went to the Ski Monster. They actually didn't charge me at all because I bought my boots from them last season. I was fully prepared to pay and thought that was such a nice gesture (probably helped that my husband bought his skis/bindings from there last year and brought in his gear for a tune up).

That’s awesome!

 

[HikenSki]

Found the white Attack 12s online for a good price after sale and some reward points. I've seen pix of the white Attack 12s on the Kores and think they look nice. None of the local shops around me carry the 12s. I'll have to pay whatever the shops are asking to have them mounted, but it will still be cheaper than settling for the 13s in store. They are on pre-order so will need to wait a little, but that's OK as I had not planned on skiing the Kores immediately. I'll be using the Alluvits Thanksgiving weekend to get my ski legs back before I give the Kores a go after New Years.

 

[lisamamot]

Found the white Attack 12s online for a good price after sale and some reward points. I've seen pix of the white Attack 12s on the Kores and think they look nice. None of the local shops around me carry the 12s. I'll have to pay whatever the shops are asking to have them mounted, but it will still be cheaper than settling for the 13s in store. They are on pre-order so will need to wait a little, but that's OK as I had not planned on skiing the Kores immediately. I'll be using the Alluvits Thanksgiving weekend to get my ski legs back before I give the Kores a go after New Years.

I have both the Attack 12 and the Attack 13 on different skis; the mint green 12 on my 2016 Santa Ana 100s, the white 12 on my Ripsticks, and the black 13 on my Sheeva 9. When I eventually turn my Ripstick into an AT ski I will move the white Attack to my Santa Ana since the mint ones are not GW compatible.

Same here, I had to order the Attack 12 in because it was super hard to find in a store. I want to say, but I could be misremembering, that after I ordered the white ones I found The Ski Monster in Boston had it, but it also could have been a shop in NH?!

Kores with the Attack 12 white binding will look amazing!

 

[HikenSki]

Kores with the Attack 12 white binding will look amazing!

My poles are white with grey accents, so the entire kit will be well coordinated with the white bindings. Gotta look good out there ladies!

 

[fgor]

Congrats on the new skis! I agree demoing is dangerous; I demoed a ton of skis this year because it was free and I was interested to try new skis, had no intention of buying new skis but fell in love and ended up with new sticks.