The Baller Guest Ski package

[Horton]

I have an idea for the ski companies…. usually a bad thing… usually they ignore me but this is a good idea.

 

I need (and I bet a lot of the Ballers also need) affordable guest skis. I need a pair of combos for a 120lb woman and a 200 pound guy or something like that. I need adjustable bindings and stuff so when a random non-skier shows up and wants to ski I can get them on the water.

 

The package should be as affordable as possible and should be as simple as possible. 2 sets of combos and maybe 2 sizes of adjustable bindings and vests?

 

What do you guys think? What makes sense to you? I am sure you are not going to let some random work friend learn to ski on your new $1700(+-) ski.

 

[ALPJr]

Makes sense. Maybe a rope and handle too.

[oldjeep]

OK, I'll bite - why do you need different combos for 120lb vs 200? We have 2 sets of combos, but one is for kids and the others work fine for everyone else and handle feet from womens 6 to a mens 12 + (HO with sandal type bindings)

 

Honestly can't imagine buying a "package" since most folks have extra vests and skis laying around unless they are on day 1 of boat ownership.

 

As for slalom skis, most keep an extra one around that anyone can use - my "good" ski is just a Senate so anyone is welcome to use it. I use my inlaws S2 when I go down to florida, none of us have ever been real protective about loaning out whatever it is we have.

[oldjeep]

Guess you could buy these if you wanted "kits":

kit1

kit2

[ToddL]

Definitely should not lend out their competition ski!

 

Might be nice, but I suspect that many of us already have this covered, or can collectively cover it across local site residents/leasees.

 

Actually, I have collected over the years a complete inventory of skis for teaching/guests. Nearly all were acquired used and for pennies on the dollar via friends, Craigslist, Ski-it-again, and eBay.

 

The Ultimate Guest/Coaching Collection:

Ski Skimmer/Sled, etc.

49" Combos with inserts and removable cross bar

54" Combos with inserts and removable cross bar

59" Combos with inserts and removable cross bar

63" Combos with inserts and removable cross bar

67" Combos with inserts and removable cross bar (yes, even 67's with this)

Wide Shaped Slalom

67" Radar P6

EZ-Up style handle with floats

various Vests: Youth S, M, L, Adult XS, S, M, L (mostly used hand-me downs)

various Gloves: Youth XS, S, M, Adult S, M, L, XL (mostly used hand-me downs)

Boom for boat - excellent teaching tool!

 

The above is what I have in my inventory. Covers 99% of the skiers. Just need a 69" P6 with XL adjustable bindings for the big recreational slalom guests and a 64" P6 for the petite recreational slalom guests.

[gregy]

I built an online offroad parts business around packages. I took parts that people were buying and putting together themselves from different places and offered them one stop shopping and used volume buying to offer the packages at a lower price. Packages are a great marketing tool. If its just a matter of putting the things together in a package it can be done at a seller level. If there is designs and new products needed it will obviously have to be done at a Manufacturer level. From a marketing point you can add items into the package that people wouldn't normally buy, however the easy of one click makes the custom jump on it. For instance say a customer wants a set of combo and vest. But if its packaged with a cheap rope, vest and maybe a instruction video. The buyer often take the package just because of the ease of it and the seller just moved some product that they wouldn't have normally sold with a like transaction.

[DanE]

Is it a bad bussiness decision to make a pair of combos that actually resembles a pair of skis with some real ski characteristics in stead of the no rocker 1x5" joke of skis that make up a set of combos today?

Adjustable bindings could also use a total upgrade from the flimsy p.o.s binders currently sold as that.

All of this could be accomplished with no added cost other than design, there is no reason a pair of combos have to share the properties of a wooden board with a toe loop attached to it.

[6balls]

I've got a really old pair of 72'' EP jumpers...so much nicer than combo's. Have an old EP GX3 as a guest ski, and usually have on hand whatever my last slalom ski was...which if the Denali works well will be a Razor. Also have a X5 Pro around somewhere.

 

I think a good idea would be for ANY of them to make a worthwhile set of combos. Doesn't have to be high end materials, just a reasonable ski shape so they perform worth a dink.

[fu_man]

Not intended to sound glib but Overton's or Barts has all that stuff. I would imagine anyone with an expensive slalom ski would have combo's, vests, etc from when they were learning. We all inherently have ski buddies too so someone in your circle most likely has this stuff. I don't see the need for a package.

[keithh2oskier]

I think it would have been helpful 15-20 years ago before Craigslist. Now most people that are getting into the sport can pickup "beginner" gear for pennies on the dollar. That gear really doesn't go bad other than the looks. Personally I am in the boat of wanting to teach some friends to waterski but the only gear I have is my competition stuff. My folks have some old doubles from the 90s that hasn't seen the light of day in years so I might just borrow that or scour CL for a deal.

 

The issue I have is storing more gear that only gets used a handful of times a summer and kicking it around 51 weekends a year...

[Horton]

@keithh2oskier smartest thing I have heard all day. I would say that solves it

 

To re-state original the problem

I have a lot of vests - all my size

I have a LOT of bindings - all my size

I have a few skis - all high end

 

None of this is what you teach a first time skier with.

[thager]

@Horton What does @Dirt use? :D

 

A lot of vests-all your size?

A lot of bindings-all your size?

A few of your skis-All high end?

[oldjeep]

@Horton I suspect that a lot of folks with families have a lot of vests in all sizes, equipment, etc. My kids are all adult sized now, so we have a dozen or more jackets toddler - adult xl as well as spares that we have bought for the kids friends. If you waited to have kids until you were old then you'll get there eventually;) Guessing that a dedicated ditch boater doesn't need to provide jackets as often as your typical lake boater who is not just skiing in front of the house ;)

 

In any event, cheap jackets are cheap but I would avoid the one size fits all stuff even for guests. CL and closeouts are your friend.

[Horton]

@thager yes to all that except for the bindings. @dirt uses uses bindings size "Sasquatch"

[gregy]

I've keep an eye out on CL for stuff locally. I got a lot of stuff with the last boat I bought too. Do the hour glass shape skis work? I know they do on snow, but water?

[Waternut]

In theory, it's a good idea but in practice I wouldn't spend more than $100 on ski gear that I'll never use. I picked up a combo set, lifevest, and rope/handle combo for like $50, 5-6 years ago. I have an old 67" Mapple MPD ski that I used to use and now let friends learn on but I think a wider ski would probably be better. I also have a cheapo wakeboard that I abandoned in favor of something better. Yes they all take up room but it is nice to have a collection of stuff that your friends can choose from....and wakeboards make great tables for your calipers, gloves, tools, etc. Not really sure how I'd adjust my fin without all the other stuff on my wall.

 

I'm all in favor of spending money to teach more people to get out on the lake and have fun with me but I'd never buy the stuff new unless it was on an extreme discount.

[Gar]

I've been lucky finding steals at garage sales by a large lake here!

[Orlando76]

What are combos? I've always got to use an old cypress gardens wood ski and the old previous model slalom ski. Sizes totally not even similar. Matching combos?! Only for the prima donna's.

[lpskier]

@DanE You should see Lucky Lowe or Jon Kuziak rip in the slalom course on a Dick Pope. Okay, it has an adjustable fin and Wiley bindings, but it is something to see!

[GaryWilkinson]

@Horton Tremendous idea. I've been looking for those two sizes to be able to show newbies what it's like to glide over water without getting hurt. (ever notice how many people that when waterskiing comes up in conversation, describe how they tried it once and hurt their_______ )

 

Mostly caused by wrong equipment that would not get them out of the water quickly, and without pulling their arms out.

 

Sign me up.

[Intheday]

If buying new don't you just go to a website (sponsors of course example) and order a package if you need a lot of start up gear?

 

When we started out we brought a lot of second hand gear and as time went past this became the guest skiers equipment and our new stuff was ours alone to use.

[Dirt]

@Horton good idea. I just donated combos, old Concept, Connelly Big Daddy, kids, womens, mens vests, HO BAFF to charity.

You should have told me, I would have given them to you.

[Horton]

like I need another Vogue

[skidawg]

old set of jumpers with xl wileys, 4 buckle adjustable vest?

[ToddL]

Best thing to build up an inventory of skis is to have a kid who likes skiing at a young age. Nearly all of my smaller skis are just sets for my son as he grew up. I just kept them. I picked up the P6 with a sequence plate, front prime boot and rear toe for a whopping $40 off Craigslist. Heck the sequence plate was worth that! Crazy deal.

[swc5150]

@skidawg and @6balls have it nailed. Nothing better to teach someone on than a pair of jumpers. If you can't get up on those, you'll never be a skier. Now if someone could come up with some cheap (new) jumpers, and market them as beginner skis, they may be on to something? When I was a kid learning, we had wooden Thompsons that I hated. It made me not like skiing much if at all. A family friend brought over some junior jumpers, I got right up, and was hooked.

[Horton]

I am totally going to smuggle my old Connelly 72 inch jumpers into the back of my truck next time I go to my parents house

[Bulldog]

+ one vote on the old jumpers, they are easy to learn on.

[swc5150]

@Horton I'll buy those jumpers off you after Buford learns to ski. I'll need a pair for my little Luna... or sometimes known as Shithead (sha-theed) ;)

[Horton]

@swc5150 if I can get those skis I will never let them out of my site again. Silver Medal at 93 Nationals on those things.

[bishop8950]

Yep, 72"s with XL Wiley bindings. I play around in them with the kids and let right sized adults use them as combos. So easy to ski on and fun. Bindings that keep your feet from moving are huge! I bet I could barely ski on regular combos

[6balls]

Would be SO easy to make combo's in jumper shape(shorter, older jumper length) with current combo materials. Would be killer combo's.

[Bruce_Butterfield]

Seriously the best skis for teaching a teenager or adult between 100-220 lbs is a pair of these

Wide combos better than jumpers

 

much cheaper and easier to control. No lake should be without a pair.