S Lines

[dbaconaz]

Anyone using S Lines? Any reviews?

[MDB1056]

I’m curious too. They sound like decent ropes, various flex options, loop options

[lpskier]

Apparently we know nothing about quality water ski ropes. Here’s what we need:

 

https://bestreviews.com/sports-fitness/water-sports/best-water-ski-ropes

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[skialex]

@lpskier

???

[MDB1056]

Wow……Someone really needs to correspond to Best Reviews to advise there’s another whole world out there

[RGilmore]

@lpskier

 

I sense you are subtly mocking the value of that "Best Review" on ski ropes, but I think you should remember that it was written by none other than Allen. So maybe show a little respect?

 

ALLEN:

 

[lpskier]

Oh yeah, Allen. I see him at all the tournaments.

[dbaconaz]

Airhead double handle is my favorite!! HAHA

[MI3Eventer]

The owner of S ropes skis at my club and our club used a couple of his prototypes towards the end of the year. From my perspective (and let me be clear I'm not a slalom guru), I noticed no difference between those ropes and the masterlines we were using prior. Some of the better skiers in the club tested them for him (35 off and deeper skiers) and gave them favorable reviews.

 

So far I've only used his slalom ropes, but its time for me to get a new jump rope so I'll probably getting one from him this spring.

[MI3Eventer]

Here's the website:

https://slinesusa.com/collections/slalom-rope-collection

[thager]

Nothing wrong with more competition out there. Prices are getting outrageous, especially some of the handles.

[Mastercrafter]

@thager -- yeah. $190 for the Optimized 2.0 mainline and $175 for my ML Custom 13" handle, that needed re-strung after a season due to fray.

 

Some quality, friendly competition would be welcome here. I realize there are cheaper options for mainline but I'm wanting to ski with the same as the tournaments.

 

 

[thager]

@Mastercrafter That $175 handle is now $260 to replace. I had the same problem as you with mine.

[MI3Eventer]

@Mastercrafter support Michigan products ;)

[skialex]

ropes pictured on their site look really good. At that price, I will definitely give them a try. They look to be a very high quality product.

[Rednucleus]

He needs to send some samples to @Horton for review if he wants to get them noticed.

[Mastercrafter]

Yeah, a review would be nice and I'd like to see how their different softness ropes compare to ML equivalents.

[Andre]

@Mastercrafter Your post made me double check the ML site. :o

Must be the COVID tax...

I changed from ML Monster Radius to Radar ARC from Performance a couple handles ago.Way cheaper (even more with Ballers discount) and same quality.

 

Are S lines made\assemble in USA or imported ?

[Rednucleus]

Wonder if they are going to make handles too?

Different rope settings like different zero off letters

[Sedge]

I was informed our ropes had been mentioned on BOS.

 

@Horton If you would like I can send you one of each type for a review.

 

For those curious the stiffest is the R3 series (You should find it slightly stiffer than ML Pro), the Competition Series would be between the Pro and Optimized for stiffness. The S Series will feel more like an InTow or Optimized.

We are very excited to get our name out there and offer skiers more options. We are working on more products to add (handles) and already testing different yarns for future ropes. If you are putting on tournaments and interested in using our ropes or have any questions feel free to reach out to us.

[Sedge]

@Andre All of our ropes are made in the US and our yarn manufacturer is here in the US as well.

[dbaconaz]

@Sedge Thank you for the information! I look forward to trying them out! Any idea on when you might have a handle available?

[JackQ]

I believe that there is “much ado about nothing” when it comes to ropes. As long as the the rope has quality yarn and is built accurately, I can’t really find my difference is the skiing. I skied the two ML lines types and a In-tow rope, from 15 to 41 one after another (stretching them for a tournament) and did not ski any better or worse or feel a difference. The biggest differentiator for me was the attachment method, I am not fond of some of the methods, but others like it.

[B_S]

Thanks for the heads up, and a MI company to boot!

[Horton]

Very interesting

 

[Mastercrafter]

@JackQ I surely don’t want to argue with an open rated skier who’s PB is in the10.25’s, but going from my Syndicate mainline to an Optomized 2.0 was such a horrible experience, I almost gave up on it. Forced myself to only because it’s whats used in tournaments around where. I’m a beginner who barely makes it out of 18m and I suspect that has much to do with it (poor technique at times and lots of rope).. but I was a completely different skier one mainline to the next, in the same set.

 

I’m now getting used to the 2.0 and will stick with it (or similar) from here on out

[Horton]

It is a funny subject. I know skiers who swear there is a huge difference between ropes and others who do not feel it. Personally I feel boats and skis and other stuff much more than ropes. I have no explanation.

[EFW]

Block busting!

[kurt]

I skied @Sedge s-line rope one set last fall , it felt good .

I could not tell it apart from the in-tow I use or the non optimized masterline.

I do not like the optimized...too stretchy

[dave2ball]

@Sedge do you have liability insurance????? Any one can sell ropes cheap. It is the insurance that drives up the cost of product. These are exact copies of Masterline in just about every way. I noticed you do not your name on the ropes? With no name on your product why would an LOC take the risk of using a product that may not have insurance backing in case of an accident?

[Wish]

So I’m paying ML over $200 for a handle and almost that for a rope so they can have great insurance coverage and really good lawyers??

[lpskier]

@Wish

Talk to Ed Neill about that.

[dave2ball]

@wish.

Yes. If there is no insurance and you get hurt using this product you are out. Every reliable product has liability insurance when they put there name on it. That way if a company has a lawsuit against them the liability insurance should cover them up to a certain dollar amount. Nautique MC HO Radar all have product liability insurance. If they did not one accident and they would be done both personally and professionally IE there business.

The cost of all raw goods have gone up. It’s call inflation.

[Wish]

@dave2ball

yes I get that. But U seem to be suggesting it’s worth almost 2x more to pass that cost to the consumer. I hold liability insurance but do not charge 2x more and it certainly is not my highest business cost by any stretch. If these guys want to take a go with a diff business model it will either work or it won’t. I say let them have their go.

[LeonL]

Maybe I'm a dumb ass and maybe it's just that I'm not litigious by nature, but if a handle or rope breaks suing the manufacturer would be the last thing on my mind. That had never ever entered my mind.

[DavidN]

So - if my rope breaks and I get hurt, Masterline covers my medical costs?

That’s ridiculous! And I don’t buy that for a second!

Seems like a really bad argument for ridiculous high product prices.

 

BTW - Did Parson reach out to you for compensation after the Masterline rope failure at one of last years tournaments. Was a pretty spectacular crash when the rope broke. I’m sure he got hurt pretty good.

[dave2ball]

@wish the companies have to go with current insurance rates. I did not give a dollar amount. You did. Don’t forget when companies have employees they have raising wages 15.00 +, workers comp insurance, benefits, product liability insurance all that will increase product cost. Add in supply issues and transportation increases the products cost will go up. ML sat and absorbed the cost increases as long as they could.

You have no idea if the cost of retail product is 2X. You have no idea what there raw product cost is.

[dave2ball]

@LeonL

you are right. It should be the last thing on your mind. But when uncle John Morgan the lawyer knocks on your hospital bed and puts a bug in your ear that is when the liability insurance kicks in as your lawsuit roles.

[Sedge]

@dave2ball yes we have liability insurance, we had that prior to even thinking about our website, marketing etc. We are well aware of the risks of not carrying insurance, especially in today's world. Plus any pro shop would require us to have it to carry our product.

Rest assured we are finishing up our logo and getting ID marking sleeves made up. Definitely want our name on our ropes.

 

We do have a less expensive rope (not a "cheap" product). I'm sure ML has more overhead than we do. Outside of ML our prices are not drastically lower. At this time even with current cost of materials we could not justify $150+ for a slalom rope. ML has the brand and reputation, we are just starting out.

 

Fortunatley/unfortunately some ropes look like ML, that isn't the goal and if side by side you can visibly see the difference. Although, being compared to them is a compliment. Given there are certain standards ropes must meet some things will appear similar. Our yarn specs, production methods, etc I'm sure are different. There are limitations to color options and patterns and we did our best to have them different without doing any radical patterns. If we did all solid colors we could be compared to InTow.

[Wish]

@dave2ball your right, I have no idea about all that other stuff that can drive cost up. That’s why I was perplexed when U singled out insurance as the primary reason for their ability to “sell ropes cheap”. Sounds like they can do both along with all that other stuff. Pretty impressive actually. Time will tell of their success but I wish them well.

[dave2ball]

@wish when you have little to no overhead your costs are low. S ropes maybe working out of his garage for all we know.

[BraceMaker]

Don't assume that the liability covers your rope break, its a sporting good with implicit risk.

[BobF]

For the record, I'd plan on trying the Sline. But the whole direction this thread took reminded me of this.

 

 

[ALPJr]

I need the lol button. Love Tommy Boy ?

[Hucklefin]

@Sedge Do you have an ETA for when you'll have sleeves made up for them? I'll be purchasing when you do. The ropes look nice!

[liquid d]

I'll tell you what, you can get a good look at a T_Bone by sticking your head up a bull's ass, but i'd rather take the butcher's word for it!

[Sedge]

@Hucklefin Thanks, no set ETA yet. Once we have them in we will make sure everyone knows.

 

@BobF Too funny.

[FSSPCat]

I’m in the market for a new rope this year.

[mcskier41]

I welcome the new S Line. Tired of paying the ridiculous high prices for masterline

[MichaelWiebe]

Thanks for coming into the marketplace S Line. It's much appreciated.

Perhaps after succeeding on ropes and handles, you can tackle the ski boat market. ;)

A new entrant with the skier's pocketbook also in mind would be greatly appreciated. Simple, practical, and cost-effective. Fingers-crossed.

Thanks.