US Gear Handles

[dan1166]

Does anyone know about Randy from US Gear Handles? His website is off. Did he sell the business? If so, who took over? I need some new handles. Randy's handles were the best.

Dan

[lpskier]

Masterline make a US Gear style handle. https://www.masterlineusa.com/collections/handles/products/ergo-anti-roll-slalom-handle

 

 

 

 

[dan1166]

I tried that handle. Did not like it. Randy's had a better grip. I think he used a softer rubber. The master

line was very slippery. But thanks for the reply.

[rockdog]

Slippery? I've got two and would not describe them as slippery in any way. The rubber is perfect, though my first one bent but that's another story..

[lpskier]

ML is your only option, as far as I know. Try a different glove.

[VONMAN]

I tried 5 months back to get in touch with Randy. No response.

[swc5150]

Maybe a Phx area baller could drive by his shop, but I'm pretty certain he's out of the game.

[dbutcher]

Aggressive rubbing with coarse sand paper has always fixed a slippery handle for me. I don't worry about ruining a handle with sand paper. If it's slippery, it's already no good.

[skibug]

it is also the diameter options Randy offered. Masterline does not offer anything but 1.00" diameter in their Ergo handle.

[The_MS]

I wish ML would copy his handles now that he is out of business. They are light, they float, they last a long time and there is nothing like them out there. I’m now on my 3rd summer with my current US gear and I gave a new one ready to go when this one gives up. At some point I will need to make the switch back to something

[teammalibu]

@The_MS you should try my ML ergo when I come over in a couple weeks! Oh I forgot to ask are you going to be home on 3/12-3/14 if not leave the key under the mat!

[S1Pitts]

2 yrs ago I bought my 4th US Gear Handle. Regret not buying several of them when they were available. I hope Randy is doing well. He gave us a great product.

[The_MS]

@teammalibu We will be here.

[scuppers]

The US Gear handles were the best! Period. Randy was not. ML's are a whole different product. I switched to Brenda's handles and they are great!! Spectra rope, accurate, always pull even. I'm happy Randy forced me to switch.

[PUoldmaid]

So sad to hear - US Gear was the best! Could never get into anything else. Maybe Randy has some extra product we can buy off him? The supply at Nationals was endless so happy to take that off his hands!

[skibug]

Some one needs to buy his equipment and process so I can continue to buy handles.

 

[Horton]

so you guys may have noticed that I have a negative attitude towards US Gear. There's no doubt a lot of people love the products. I did business with Randy briefly and found him personally to be extremely nice. Unfortunately he had a hard time paying his bills and would take orders from customers and not ship product for months and months. It's been a number of years so I forget exactly how much but I think he owes me at least a few hundred dollars.

 

It is always been hard for me to read recommendations for the products knowing that customers will order and may or may not ever get the product.

 

Personally I hope Randy is fine and healthy. Professionally I'm glad to see US Gear is gone.

[Horton]

@The_MS what part of what I wrote do you disagree with? I get it that a lot of skiers love the handles but you can not deny that Randy would take paid orders and then go dark for months.

[The_MS]

I dont agree with the quote that your glad to see the product gone.

He may owe you a few hundred bucks but you probably have that in free product from the unboxing back in the day. Crap, you have the Robot advertising for Ski or Die right now and my guess is they did not buy any advertising space

[The_MS]

I’m just bummed about no more US Gear after my next one wears out.

[Horton]

that i understand

[oldjeep]

Silly question, but can't you regrip and restring the handles? Or is there something super special about their grip material and you can't get ahold of it?

[Horton]

@oldjeep I'm not going to give you a panda or a quadruple panda yet but what do you mean by regrip?

[oldjeep]

Remove the grip, put a new one on. The same thing you do with any other piece of sports equipment that has a rubber/foam grip over a metal layer.

[oldjeep]

Stuff like this: https://www.gripworks.com/rubber-tubing.htm

or this: https://www.gripworks.com/foam-grips.htm

 

[BraceMaker]

@oldjeep my impression was that the material was first bonded to the bar and then the bar bent.

 

Otherwise I'd think the rubber would spin over the bar too easily.

[oldjeep]

Could be, but it is typical to use glue of sorts to hold grips in place in other applications. I don't recall spinning any BMX or motorcycle grips and I typically mounted them with hairspray.

 

I'm assuming a guy making a few dozen to a couple hundred handles a year didn't have a huge amount of custom parts going into it. Tubing, some grip material and a tube bender.

[S1Pitts]

I had several conversations over the years with Randy on his process. It would be virtually impossible to re-grip the handle to the original specs.

I have been playing around with an older worn out handle trying to find a product or process that would revive it's usefulness. So far nothing worked out well.

[skibug]

I have actually restrung a couple myself, but you cannot re-grip them. Also, he is able to get the custom diameter size with some type of rubber grinding process, it might even have been some type of laser grinder from what I understand.

[Boo]

I bought two slalom handles from Randy about five or six years ago—one for me another for husband. Neither lasted full season. Grip was still good but rope that came together at the V leading into the clear tube protector frayed almost apart on both sides. I have since bought 2 handles from Brenda. No problems and love the workmanship. Was really disappointed with US Gear product.

[Cnewbert]

@Boo do Brenda's In Tow radial handles float?

 

[BraceMaker]

True @oldjeep my assumption was bar + rubber grind rubber to diameter (laser beams or just an angle grinder on a cross slide of a lathe let the smoke out). Cut to length. Pack full of sand firmly and mandrel bend the sand prevents buckling. Tap out sand string and press on ends. Weave bridle and handle section. Ship.

 

 

[dchristman]

@BraceMaker perhaps you should go into business making them >:)

[oldjeep]

@BraceMaker , shouldn't have to sand pack if you are using a real tubing bender. That trick is for using pipe benders when you don't have a real tool. Used to see that when people tried building roll cages with hf pipe benders.

[lpskier]

@Boo Were you skiing on a Goode when you wore out the US Gear handles? We’re you using the same ski when you switched to In Tow? For a while the Goode skis had a sharp edge and really tore up ropes.

[BraceMaker]

@oldjeep shouldn't but it is a real good crutch for certain bends particularly when the tube won't slide in the die.

 

A good friend does cnc tube bending their machines basically extrude bent forms and for certain jobs they either pressurize the tube by capping both ends and pumping it full of fluid or by inserting a rubber mandrel inside. That rubber has a cable in it to help pull it out. My assumption having played with US gear is that the aluminum tube has something packed in it when bent.

[scuppers]

Hey Guys - For once I completely agree With John Horton. US Gear/ Randy was just bad business. After about 4 months I was able to get my money back (his wife sent me a check) Do NOT send any money to him. Call Brenda - they are different but just as good or better. I thought I would have trouble with the "grab" but I didn't.

[Boo]

@lpskier i skied Goode, now D3. Husband skied HO. Frayed part was not in area that Goode effected. @Cnewbert i think handles did float. Not sure but will check tomorrow.

[Boo]

@lpskier used Brenda’s handle with Goode. Just changed to D3 mid last year.

[lpskier]

@Boo I asked because a sharp edge causing fast handle line wear was an issue with some Goode skis (and maybe others), so really it was a ski issue and not really a rope issue. It was addressed with a plastic covering on the rope.

[The_MS]

My comments are not disagreeing with the trouble people had getting handles. All I know is it took time and patience to get handles from him but it was well worth the hassle. I would do it all again if I could still get them. You will never convince my that they are not the best quality and innovation out there. I have went through about 4 of them now over 10 years all were awesome. I have used In-tow and ML and both make a good product but nothing like the performance of the US Gear

[Horton]

@The_MS will you reimburse me for the money he owes me since you've been promoting his product over the years?

[The_MS]

If you send me the free stuff from the unboxing

[Horton]

send me a check & I will send you all my old US Gear stuff

[The_MS]

What are the Handel diameters? It may be with it if they fit me

[thager]

If @The_MS doesn't want it I will pay and take them.

[Horton]

I don't really have any... just thought I'd give you the same kind of service that Randy gives most people.

[thager]

That's good! I wasn't going to pay you anyway....

[PUoldmaid]

Did we ever find anyone that had extra US Gear on hand that wants to rid of it? I'd really love to have one!

[The_MS]