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Salomon falling apart?

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Bread.
Posts: 769 - Karma: 540
First they lose Dumont now Sammy whats happening to their freeski sector of their brand?. Is Saomon  falling apart ? thoughts on this issue ?
Dec 12 2011 4:47AM
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Pigbearman
Posts: 61 - Karma: 13
yeah and Gagnier, Henrik and Martini... seems like they're dropping the whole freestyle team..
Dec 12 2011 5:25AM
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THUGwife
Posts: 1909 - Karma: 303
whats the deal with martini?
Dec 12 2011 7:10AM
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.Ian.
Posts: 1568 - Karma: 72
I knew about Sammy and Simon leaving, but I didn't hear anything about Henrik, Gagnier or Martini. What happened with them?
Dec 12 2011 7:16AM
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eirikdl
Posts: 268 - Karma: 331
Henrik is on full tilt and armada
Dec 12 2011 7:19AM
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TOAST.
Posts: 7595 - Karma: 37,715
Didnt they drop Gangier a while ago?
Dec 12 2011 7:25AM
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.Ian.
Posts: 1568 - Karma: 72
Oh that's right, Derp Sorry. How about Martini and Gagnier?
Dec 12 2011 7:34AM
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a_pla5tic_bag
Posts: 9235 - Karma: 5,583
i've been saying this for awhile. you can see it in freeski tv. they're just moving toward backcountry/big mountain stuff more.
Dec 12 2011 8:10AM
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idskithat
Posts: 1314 - Karma: 154
if martini gets dropped or leaves, i bet k2 picks him up
Dec 12 2011 8:23AM
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TijmenDal
Posts: 4849 - Karma: 1,296
He's probably talking Henrik Windstedt...

Either way, I wouldn't worry too much about Salomon. They still have Bobby and Alexis Godbout (who is by the way fucking godly. Absolutely love that guy, super good skier and way underrated!)

They, together with Atomic, have the sickest big mountain team. Mike Douglas, Abma, Cody Townsend, Dane Tudor, Kaj etc.

Dec 12 2011 9:01AM
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Stose
Posts: 7109 - Karma: 4,123
they still have bobby
Dec 12 2011 9:17AM
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Bittner
Posts: 3675 - Karma: 1,573
martini is still on salomon he said it himself

henrik, bpaul, dumont, sammy, and gagnier are all gone..
Dec 12 2011 9:22AM
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.Ian.
Posts: 1568 - Karma: 72
Oh I thought OP meant Harlaut because he was on Salomon for boots and outerwear for awhile I thought.
Dec 12 2011 9:45AM
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QuinnBestwick
Posts: 693 - Karma: 751
this
Dec 12 2011 9:49AM
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.Roockley.
Posts: 3867 - Karma: 4,093
charles is off salomon, riding their skis with top sheets duct taped over
Dec 12 2011 9:53AM
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.Ian.
Posts: 1568 - Karma: 72
Sounds like me and my ancient 4frnt tnk's. Lol
Dec 12 2011 9:54AM
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JakeSalvador
Posts: 2741 - Karma: 1,309
When I saw that Sammy left there team, this thread was my thoughts exactly. I am really questioning why salomon/athletes are separating. Can someone enlighten me on exactly their reasoning behind this or what's going on? I'm extremely confused as to whats going in in the recent ski industry...
Dec 12 2011 9:55AM
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Sinuous
Posts: 439 - Karma: 82
I've heard from several people that Salomon is making a move to completely drop their freestyle line, team skis, the whole entirety.
Dec 12 2011 10:00AM
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TijmenDal
Posts: 4849 - Karma: 1,296
I'm calling BS until Bobby leaves too.

Or maybe they just had an insight that their park ski's really suck and they don't want to hold anyone back by letting them ski shitty Suspects.
Dec 12 2011 10:32AM
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Huck_Norris
Posts: 11487 - Karma: 18,627

Probably, it's the big stage now and I don't blame them for moving to that segment a little more.  Rockered fatties are selling like hotcakes right now and the touring market is exploding.   

But with hiccups like their flagship boot- the Quest- exploding in their face and hurting their presence in the touring and Backcountry segment it could be a tough climb and I doubt they could successfully sell a low tech binding regardless of how good it might be as a result.  Also their duke-esque AT binding has taken literally years to deliver remarkably F12-like performance.  They're Salomon though, they'll be fine. 

Dec 12 2011 11:40AM
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.nasty
Posts: 10595 - Karma: 11,315
maybe the athlete's realized they wanted to ski on skis that last longer than a month, go figure. I would've done the same thing, their product lately is absolute crap
Dec 12 2011 11:43AM
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stickerman
Posts: 2043 - Karma: 147
the way that the interview was wrote on the home page for Sammy, it seemed like salomon wasn't listening to him. Sounds like he wanted to move to a company where he could be more involved with the actual process of designing and making skis, then just riding.
Dec 12 2011 11:51AM
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^BEANS^
Posts: 624 - Karma: 248
they still have dane tudor!
Dec 12 2011 11:54AM
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Casual.
Posts: 1125 - Karma: 28
I bet. Whole stept crew is k2
Dec 12 2011 11:57AM
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CaroSauve
Posts: 259 - Karma: 154
*paul bergeron *kaya turski *keri herman too !
Dec 12 2011 12:28PM
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greenman
Posts: 945 - Karma: 27
you bring up good points, but its still hard to believe they are shifting their focus away from park. While backountry/touring are growing, park is still a dominating market that is and most likely will grow faster. Maybe thier atheletes are jus sick of their ski's falling apart and want more freedom than this brand can offer them.
Dec 12 2011 1:11PM
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JibbaTheHutt
Posts: 2132 - Karma: 1,597
pro model for woodsy? I FUCKING HOPE SO! even though im not a fan of salomons i would buy a pair of woodsy pro models...
Dec 12 2011 1:35PM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7256 - Karma: 18,388
It all really comes down to money. Park skis do not sell the numbers that backcountry and powder skis do.  Park is big but in no way the biggest catorgory. Salomon are shifting focus to the pow/all mnt market. Im not too happy about it, but hopefully things may change. Its a bit of a stupid move as they have a chance to cover the podium in the olympics but there getting out just before it starts.

The suspect and SPK stay in the line but thats pretty much it. No pro pipe and no new deveolpments in the park sector. I still beleive they should have changed the name of the suspect a long time ago. That ski instanly got a bad rep and even though its now fixed and an amazing ski, that bad rep still hangs around it. If they had just changed the name maybe it would be one of the biggest selling park skis ot there.
Dec 12 2011 1:39PM
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Crispy.
Posts: 6119 - Karma: 7,721
Lets not forget that they dropped bpaul
Dec 12 2011 2:00PM
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ctownsend
Posts: 48 - Karma: 166
Definitely not true.  There are individual reasons for each individual departure of Sammy and Simon.   
Dec 12 2011 2:18PM
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Huck_Norris
Posts: 11487 - Karma: 18,627

I think the key to the answer is progression.  Park skis aren't really changing all that much whereas the technology involved in big mountain skis are morphing and evolving almost daily.  Why dump a ton of money into selling and pumping gear that hasn't changed much?  Their rep in park skis is pretty solid, and they aren't exactly reinventing the wheel so proper allocation of marketing funds to me means that they will lean more towards the growing segment rather than the old bag that's already saturated at this point.   

That and I think they aren't liquidating people, this is probably just a coincidence that they all left at the same time.  Salomon is huge and I highly doubt they would make any decision to drop that many big names for any reason.  Not like they're hurting for cash and can't sponsor those guys (it doesn't cost them much) or they're looking to get out of park skiing equipment, y'know? 

Like I said, I wouldn't panic.  It's Salomon, they aren't going anywhere and reshuffling the deck periodically is normal. 

Dec 12 2011 2:59PM
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Huck_Norris
Posts: 11487 - Karma: 18,627

Also some of this. 

Their quality has gone to shit the past few years.  I know several guys who were buying Solly skis strictly for the proform deals what bailed after several skis delammed, separated edges and straight up broke.  I know one guy in particuar who went through three pairs of shoguns in a season and they all broke in different ways before he threw up his hands and said fuck that. 

Dec 12 2011 3:04PM
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El_Patcho
Posts: 182 - Karma: 53
I spy a fan
Dec 12 2011 3:14PM
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grambo
Posts: 1125 - Karma: 93
obviously Salomon is not going to exit the park/pipe scene, with the Olympics coming up in 2014.
Dec 12 2011 3:25PM
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Karma_Police
Posts: 2655 - Karma: 1,628
PM GEAR FOR LIFE BRO!!!!!


Also I agree they're are VERY late witht he whole touring binding.  Although I know cody, abma, mike d had them for a while it would have been nice if I had another resort/touring binding option besides dukes...
Dec 12 2011 3:37PM
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Balto
Posts: 25985 - Karma: 4,403
splat does make some pretty banger pow sticks
Dec 12 2011 3:39PM
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TheClap.
Posts: 21678 - Karma: 4,218
Im amazed how dumb you are
Dec 12 2011 3:48PM
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404404
Posts: 11358 - Karma: 21,035
Salomon is about done. Haven't made ANY money is freeskiing in a long time. You can't run a company as a whole when one sector is leaking money like the ski program. Wouldn't be surprised is the skiing side is gone in the next 3 or 4 years.

That and who thinks Salomon skis are still cool? Or for that matter seen someone that isn't sponsored by Salomon riding them?

Buy Line or Armada.
Dec 12 2011 3:58PM
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-emile-
Posts: 6613 - Karma: 8,593
hahaha

but I ride salomon suspects
Dec 12 2011 4:00PM
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404404
Posts: 11358 - Karma: 21,035
Sorry little guy, but I had to say it. You officially ride for them?
Dec 12 2011 4:05PM
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Tikayt
Posts: 1031 - Karma: 1,543
Hey hey, Sammy.C left salomon ski, not shoe or bindings, that means he's still sponsored by salomon.
However, i've seen on Bobby Brown's facebook wall, he added a photo and a comment "ready to shred" or s'thing like that, and the skis were totally white. So i'm gessing, is it just a salomon prototype with no topsheet yet ? Or is it because he's in transition between 2 brands ?
Dec 12 2011 4:07PM
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KravtZ
Posts: 6637 - Karma: 2,627
i demoe'd there entire line of skis worth trying...all types, powder, park, carving, racing. All I have to say is compared to other companies comparable skis, salomon was awful. The other companies right now are producing way more quality and better riding skis. Like the salomon lord they claim as their all mountain ski. That ski is fucking pathetic. just one example
Dec 12 2011 4:11PM
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Tikayt
Posts: 1031 - Karma: 1,543
ˆ not the first time I hear this.
I believe LINE is making a great job on every aspect of their brand even though it is headed by k2 (so as Fulltilt). Yeah, there are few good ski companies out there, not based on chain production.
Dec 12 2011 4:13PM
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stefC
Posts: 458 - Karma: 846
I have been getting hooked up with Salomon for a few years now. I'm one of those local "unofficial" sponsored skier and have been getting gear through a Salomon Rep here in the Maritimes. I get 2 pairs of suspects a year with bindings and even full outerwear this year which is great. What I'm trying to get at is, what will happen to skiers like me? Do you guys think Salomon will be dropping small sponsorship like me? I get the feeling that potentially moving up to being legitimately sponsored or "on the team" is not going to happen with Salomon's new direction in skiing. What do you guys think?
Dec 12 2011 4:20PM
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-emile-
Posts: 6613 - Karma: 8,593
nono , I won them at a comp ,
I like them up to now,.
Dec 12 2011 4:22PM
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ORDEAL
Posts: 6386 - Karma: 75
This sounds interesting
Dec 12 2011 4:28PM
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-emile-
Posts: 6613 - Karma: 8,593
not true,
They just picked up chowens and still have nick kaya keri woodsy and a bunch of really good skiers
Dec 12 2011 4:31PM
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codizzle
Posts: 909 - Karma: 2,313
sure, it's newsworthy when a giant ski manufacturer parts ways with huge-name athletes. but it in no way reflects Salomon's stake in the freeski market, their finances or their ability to support progressive riding.

ctownsend said, "There are individual reasons for each individual departure of Sammy and Simon," and I imagine that's exactly what's up. Sammy probably isn't that motivated by $ - he's making a shitload through other sponsors - and he probably wants a ton of freedom and very little pressure. From Dumont's angle, I'm guessing he could probably get more $ from Head.

Salomon remains in a really strong position. They have, by far, the biggest budget of any ski manufacturer dedicated to a team, and it's only a matter of months until Salomon signs the next big thing, the next kid to come out of the woodwork a la Bobby Brown, etc.

Dec 12 2011 4:43PM
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FUUUCK
Posts: 18426 - Karma: 4,889
Don't let Andy tell you what to like!
Dec 12 2011 4:47PM
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codizzle
Posts: 909 - Karma: 2,313
it makes me remember back when Salomon let its entire team leave back in 2001: Vinny, Philou, JF, JP.

Also, consider Forum and Burton: both companies have overhauled their teams over the last decade. No one remains from the Forum 8 except for Peter Line. And few people remain with Burton except for Terje, S.White and Jussi.


Dec 12 2011 4:52PM
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Session
Posts: 5404 - Karma: 22,511
Realistically companies like Salomon, and Rossi make most of their money selling rental grade equipment. The loss of a couple of marquee athlete's in a genre that probably sells the least ski's is not that huge.
Dec 12 2011 5:01PM
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