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To rip off 12 year olds? Now before you tear my dick off... this is just the impression of the brand that I've been getting lately. Maybe its not true. I bought a pair of whipits and didn't like the flex at all, so I sold them (and bought noodles that I could eat instead ;) )... But that was a year ago so maybe they have changed.
I have seen so much hype and love for the brand lately and I'm pretty curious where it's all coming from. Is it their strong marketing and frequent features in magazines? The abundance of cats and junk food graphics? Or are the skis actually any good? The use of different graphics on the same models and the fact that you will be "One of just 100 skiers with this ski" strikes me as a wonderful way to lure beginner skiers into grabbing mom's credit card... but what about JSKIS actually makes them solid skis for people who rip, if at all?
All ski companies have marketing schemes, J skis is just very different so it stands out. People do actually like the skis it seems like and the exclusivity of different graphics released in certain numbers is no different than you buying a ski with your favorite pros name on it, from a marketing stand point at least.
Jut because you didn't like the skis doesn't mean no one does. One could comment on the lack of support the company provides for riders, however it seems to be involved in many other ways that positively impact the ski community so it's hard to say. Also, it is viewed by me as more of an open project that J lev does for the love of the sport more than the profit which is commendable in every way
I have the friend and it rips...easily the best fat ski i have owned. i even bought a second shorter set of friends for touring. i also intend to buy the metal this year, and i know that that will probably be the best ski in its class as well. jlev is very responsive via email (legit has responded to me within 30 minutes always, including a dissertation describing the friends mounting point), and makes very high quality stuff. sorry the whipits didnt work for you, but im loving the skis i have.
i am 27 with a lot of my own money and an 8 ski quiver featuring a whole lot of brands and shapes of skis (armada, moment, surface, ninthward, volkl, etc), and i buy j skis because 1. they are a boutique freeski brand, and i want to support them and 2. they make good shit. yes, their marketing is good and their shit is expensive, but j lev isnt hustling the kids by any means, he really is making great stuff for the love of the sport.
if you don't buy his shit, at least buy some ON3Ps or something
Yes and no. Js are killer skis by any measure but they also are small enough to act on live trends so they appeal more to the fad marketing #omgdoge demographic.
Best st of both worlds IMO. JLev is a fucking genius by any measure.
I've had a pair of both the whipits and currently ride the all plays and love em, haven't had issues with durability as of yet. I truly think the hate on this forum is unwarranted - all skis hve their issues (maybe not on3p as those are god-tier) as we are constantly abusing them. I do think their graphics are a little excessive but Ive never bought a pair of skis due to their top sheet looking cool
I think the company is actually a computer simulation created by aliens to see how humans would react to a ski company that wasn't like all the others. I'm also pretty sure Jason Levinthal is a robot. Obviously no human would ever invest so much of their life's time and energy into something so tiny, unprofitable and pointless as skiing unless they just really, really loved the sport and were on a mission to do whatever it took to help make it better something?
hot.pocket1. Find something that's been popular on the internet for the last month
2. Make a ski with said popular thing as the graphic
3. ????????
4. Profit
I get the feeling that there will be harambe j skis in the near future...
SconnieTo rip off 12 year olds? Now before you tear my dick off... this is just the impression of the brand that I've been getting lately. Maybe its not true. I bought a pair of whipits and didn't like the flex at all, so I sold them (and bought noodles that I could eat instead ;) )... But that was a year ago so maybe they have changed.
I have seen so much hype and love for the brand lately and I'm pretty curious where it's all coming from. Is it their strong marketing and frequent features in magazines? The abundance of cats and junk food graphics? Or are the skis actually any good? The use of different graphics on the same models and the fact that you will be "One of just 100 skiers with this ski" strikes me as a wonderful way to lure beginner skiers into grabbing mom's credit card... but what about JSKIS actually makes them solid skis for people who rip, if at all?
JLevI think the company is actually a computer simulation created by aliens to see how humans would react to a ski company that wasn't like all the others. I'm also pretty sure Jason Levinthal is a robot. Obviously no human would ever invest so much of their life's time and energy into something so tiny, unprofitable and pointless as skiing unless they just really, really loved the sport and were on a mission to do whatever it took to help make it better something?
How soon will we see a Harambe inspired Ski? I need this so I can show how hip and current I am. Also the possibility of a PETA-type of girl will see this and I can get some action are greatly enhanced if this comes true.
yea j skis graphics r dope but i don't like paying $10000000000000 for skis that r gon get fucked in the park. c'mon ski companies we aren't all rich and sponsored, sell your fucking skis for cheap... from a marketing stand point i get you wanna jack the prices up when the ski is in high demand so you can get rich af,.... help a nigga out
_ALPHASQUAD_yea j skis graphics r dope but i don't like paying $10000000000000 for skis that r gon get fucked in the park. c'mon ski companies we aren't all rich and sponsored, sell your fucking skis for cheap... from a marketing stand point i get you wanna jack the prices up when the ski is in high demand so you can get rich af,.... help a nigga out
But how am I going to go on yacht cruises and live in my giant mansion if I don't jack the prices up?
I have a pair or the ski the east all plays and they absolutely shred. I would say I'm an advanced all mountain skier and an intermediate park skier and they hold up in all conditions at all speeds under any circumstances. I take them for at least 9-13 park runs every time I go skiing and they haven't chipped or cracked and no core shots. Besides the usual top sheet scratches j skis are extremely durable, fun to ride, and look good too. That being said I don't like to stick to one company forever so my next pair of skis will probably be hg skis after these ones fall apart eventually.
nothing wrong with Jay going back to how he started Line. This concept isnt new. Hopefully the company gets to the size he likes but doesnt get so big that he just sells to K2 again.
Or secretly its already owned by K2 and its all a big marketing scheme to grab another corner of the market. but then again.. big companies wouldnt do that...
_ALPHASQUAD_yea j skis graphics r dope but i don't like paying $10000000000000 for skis that r gon get fucked in the park. c'mon ski companies we aren't all rich and sponsored, sell your fucking skis for cheap... from a marketing stand point i get you wanna jack the prices up when the ski is in high demand so you can get rich af,.... help a nigga out
Between your "what the heck armada" thread and some of the shit you post I think it's fair to say you have no idea how the ski industry works.
I got 2 pairs of whipits and im surprised you didn't like the flex. i think the tip and tail are nice and soft and give me some sweet pop. the underfoot is strong too so it remains stable on jumps. the only problem ive had is the space from the end of the edges to the skis. that gap is gonna get water in it and then freeze expand and contract thus blowing out my edge. . . . fingees crossed that that dont happen
partyand_BSthe only problem ive had is the space from the end of the edges to the skis. that gap is gonna get water in it and then freeze expand and contract thus blowing out my edge. . . . fingees crossed that that dont happen
Nah, this is a tried and true method for edge resiliency. full wrap edges actually blow out at the tip and tail (like a duck bill) rather frequently, in my experience. note that every good boutique ski brand has edges that dont fully wrap (j, on3p, moment, etc). im sure one of the homies from those companies can clarify why this is a better design than a full wrap
Randy_QuenchBetween your "what the heck armada" thread and some of the shit you post I think it's fair to say you have no idea how the ski industry works.
I had to go look through the Armada thread, boy was that fun.
partyand_BSI got 2 pairs of whipits and im surprised you didn't like the flex. i think the tip and tail are nice and soft and give me some sweet pop. the underfoot is strong too so it remains stable on jumps. the only problem ive had is the space from the end of the edges to the skis. that gap is gonna get water in it and then freeze expand and contract thus blowing out my edge. . . . fingees crossed that that dont happen
dizzydizzyNah, this is a tried and true method for edge resiliency. full wrap edges actually blow out at the tip and tail (like a duck bill) rather frequently, in my experience. note that every good boutique ski brand has edges that dont fully wrap (j, on3p, moment, etc). im sure one of the homies from those companies can clarify why this is a better design than a full wrap
So, 100% disclaimer - the Jskis image I pulled below is one that is used just to preview graphics and appears to be the same ski over and over again with a new graphic applied, so the comments below only apply to the ski in question. With this the same ski I've seen used in all their media, I cannot comment on their skis in general, as I have only handled a few pairs in person, but in regards to what you are talking about above & the discussion of no wrap vs 3/4 wrap vs full wrap and base-edge gaps...it applies. Not my intention here to come across as talking shit. Rather, I am interested in educating Newschoolers on skis and ski construction, as I feel the knowledge base of the community as a whole can be better.
Base edge gaps can be two different things. One is the meet of the ski edge to the base, which should be tight, including up the curve of the tip. Second is the edge meet, either edge to base in a non-full wrap, or edge to edge in a 2 or 4 piece full wrap. Any gap is bad.
Every method of doing bases works. Here is a brief bit of info on the ways you can go.
No Wrap - Edge stops around start of tip rise.
3/4 Wrap - Edge runs 3/4 of to the tip.
One Piece Full Wrap - Full wrap edge, one single seam (normally on the tail)
Two Piece Full Wrap - Full edge wrap, left & right edge, seam in tip & tail
Four Piece Full Wrap - 1 edge per side, 1 edge cap per tip. 4 seams per ski (2 tip, 2 tail).
Good skis can be done with every method if the edges are prepped correct - meaning heat treatment, proper bending, proper bonding prep, and proper pressing.
So, the No Wrap, 3/4 Wrap, and Four Piece Full Wrap have one shared goal, which is tip flex. Ski tips flex a lot, so allowing the tips to vibrate more increasing the ski's ability to stay together. All of those designs increase the ski tips ability to flex, obviously at various levels, but same goal. No Wrap & 3/4 wrap also subscribe to the belief that tips take a lot of impacts, and a ski without an edge in that area is easy to fix once impact occurs. Production wise, No wrap is also the easiest, requires the least prep, and is the fastest to produce, though requires a skilled finisher to shape the tip beyond that edge so they are symmetrical and don't look like shit.
They all work well if done right. As for the gaps at the end of the edge, that isn't ideal on ANY of the set ups for the reason stated - water freeze and expands. Any gap that it can get in and go through a freeze/melt cycle is an area of weakness.
For clarity on what you are talking about, is it the arrows you see in the below image?
If so, ideally those gaps are not there. If they are there but filled with epoxy, while not ideal, they should be reasonably durable as long as the epoxy doesn't fall out. The key here is keeping water out. If you have gaps there, I would dab some epoxy in there to ensure you keep as much water out as possible.
Again, to note - that is a photo of one pair of skis used over and over, so it could have been rushed a bit or whatever, but those gaps shouldn't be there and indicate the edges were cut too short when they were applied to the base.
I just popped out on the floor to snag a photo of a ski in the middle of finishing to show you how we believe an edge should look. You want the meet as well fitting and tight as possible. Lots of big brands either just leave these gaps if they exist, or fill them, and for the most part, it isn't make or break for the life of the ski. That said, if you are every looking to see how the skis base quality looks, this is one of the areas to check and see how tight the fit is.
Hope that helps.
**This post was edited on Sep 7th 2016 at 8:57:02pm
dizzydizzyNah, this is a tried and true method for edge resiliency. full wrap edges actually blow out at the tip and tail (like a duck bill) rather frequently, in my experience. note that every good boutique ski brand has edges that dont fully wrap (j, on3p, moment, etc). im sure one of the homies from those companies can clarify why this is a better design than a full wrap
iggyskierSo, 100% disclaimer - the Jskis image I pulled below is one that is used just to preview graphics and appears to be the same ski over and over again with a new graphic applied, so the comments below only apply to the ski in question. With this the same ski I've seen used in all their media, I cannot comment on their skis in general, as I have only handled a few pairs in person, but in regards to what you are talking about above & the discussion of no wrap vs 3/4 wrap vs full wrap and base-edge gaps...it applies. Not my intention here to come across as talking shit. Rather, I am interested in educating Newschoolers on skis and ski construction, as I feel the knowledge base of the community as a whole can be better.
Base edge gaps can be two different things. One is the meet of the ski edge to the base, which should be tight, including up the curve of the tip. Second is the edge meet, either edge to base in a non-full wrap, or edge to edge in a 2 or 4 piece full wrap. Any gap is bad.
Every method of doing bases works. Here is a brief bit of info on the ways you can go.
No Wrap - Edge stops around start of tip rise.
3/4 Wrap - Edge runs 3/4 of to the tip.
One Piece Full Wrap - Full wrap edge, one single seam (normally on the tail)
Two Piece Full Wrap - Full edge wrap, left & right edge, seam in tip & tail
Four Piece Full Wrap - 1 edge per side, 1 edge cap per tip. 4 seams per ski (2 tip, 2 tail).
Good skis can be done with every method if the edges are prepped correct - meaning heat treatment, proper bending, proper bonding prep, and proper pressing.
So, the No Wrap, 3/4 Wrap, and Four Piece Full Wrap have one shared goal, which is tip flex. Ski tips flex a lot, so allowing the tips to vibrate more increasing the ski's ability to stay together. All of those designs increase the ski tips ability to flex, obviously at various levels, but same goal. No Wrap & 3/4 wrap also subscribe to the belief that tips
take a lot of impacts, and a ski without an edge in that area is easy to fix once impact occurs. Production wise, No wrap is also the easiest, requires the least prep, and is the fastest to produce, though requires a skilled finisher to shape the tip beyond that edge so they are symmetrical and don't look like shit.
They all work well if done right. As for the gaps at the end of the edge, that isn't ideal on ANY of the set ups for the reason stated - water freeze and expands. Any gap that it can get in and go through a freeze/melt cycle is an area of weakness.
For clarity on what you are talking about, is it the arrows you see in the below image?
If so, ideally those gaps are not there. If they are there but filled with epoxy, while not ideal, they should be reasonably durable as long as the epoxy doesn't fall out. The key here is keeping water out. If you have gaps there, I would dab some epoxy in there to ensure you keep as much water out as possible.
Again, to note - that is a photo of one pair of skis used over and over, so it could have been rushed a bit or whatever, but those gaps shouldn't be there and indicate the edges were cut too short when they were applied to the base.
I just popped out on the floor to snag a photo of a ski in the middle of finishing to show you how we believe an edge should look. You want the meet as well fitting and tight as possible. Lots of big brands either just leave these gaps if they exist, or fill them, and for the most part, it isn't make or break for the life of the ski. That said, if you are every looking to see how the skis base quality looks, this is one of the areas to check and see how tight the fit is.
Hope that helps.
**This post was edited on Sep 7th 2016 at 3:55:05pm
So the first pair i had was a full wrap with 2 pieces of metal and the tips and tails on both skis all came out after over 150 days and a season and a half on them, J was awesome and gave me $250 off the next pair as they noticed the issue and adjusted the model. However, there are those large gaps at the end of the edge as shown in the pic. i think there was epoxy in them when i received the second pair but there was for sure epoxy in the tip and tails of the original. i currently have no epoxy at the ends of all the edges however I do have over 100 days on them and they are fuckin solid! I do love me some J skis!! and the "individuality" or i guess rarity of each graphic design is next level marketing. also the customer service is superb.
SconnieTo rip off 12 year olds? Now before you tear my dick off... this is just the impression of the brand that I've been getting lately. Maybe its not true. I bought a pair of whipits and didn't like the flex at all, so I sold them (and bought noodles that I could eat instead ;) )... But that was a year ago so maybe they have changed.
I have seen so much hype and love for the brand lately and I'm pretty curious where it's all coming from. Is it their strong marketing and frequent features in magazines? The abundance of cats and junk food graphics? Or are the skis actually any good? The use of different graphics on the same models and the fact that you will be "One of just 100 skiers with this ski" strikes me as a wonderful way to lure beginner skiers into grabbing mom's credit card... but what about JSKIS actually makes them solid skis for people who rip, if at all?
My brother bought some last year, whatever their all mountains are called: maybe allplay blackouts, as his first set of skis.
I thought they were really solid skis, and better constructed than mine were [Line SFB - which is a great ski].
We were standing in some lift line somewhere up on Steamboat and an Icelantic rep was pretty excited about his skis, and he was telling his friend about them.
iggyskierSo, 100% disclaimer - the Jskis image I pulled below is one that is used just to preview graphics and appears to be the same ski over and over again with a new graphic applied, so the comments below only apply to the ski in question. With this the same ski I've seen used in all their media, I cannot comment on their skis in general, as I have only handled a few pairs in person, but in regards to what you are talking about above & the discussion of no wrap vs 3/4 wrap vs full wrap and base-edge gaps...it applies. Not my intention here to come across as talking shit. Rather, I am interested in educating Newschoolers on skis and ski construction, as I feel the knowledge base of the community as a whole can be better.
Base edge gaps can be two different things. One is the meet of the ski edge to the base, which should be tight, including up the curve of the tip. Second is the edge meet, either edge to base in a non-full wrap, or edge to edge in a 2 or 4 piece full wrap. Any gap is bad.
Every method of doing bases works. Here is a brief bit of info on the ways you can go.
No Wrap - Edge stops around start of tip rise.
3/4 Wrap - Edge runs 3/4 of to the tip.
One Piece Full Wrap - Full wrap edge, one single seam (normally on the tail)
Two Piece Full Wrap - Full edge wrap, left & right edge, seam in tip & tail
Four Piece Full Wrap - 1 edge per side, 1 edge cap per tip. 4 seams per ski (2 tip, 2 tail).
Good skis can be done with every method if the edges are prepped correct - meaning heat treatment, proper bending, proper bonding prep, and proper pressing.
So, the No Wrap, 3/4 Wrap, and Four Piece Full Wrap have one shared goal, which is tip flex. Ski tips flex a lot, so allowing the tips to vibrate more increasing the ski's ability to stay together. All of those designs increase the ski tips ability to flex, obviously at various levels, but same goal. No Wrap & 3/4 wrap also subscribe to the belief that tips
take a lot of impacts, and a ski without an edge in that area is easy to fix once impact occurs. Production wise, No wrap is also the easiest, requires the least prep, and is the fastest to produce, though requires a skilled finisher to shape the tip beyond that edge so they are symmetrical and don't look like shit.
They all work well if done right. As for the gaps at the end of the edge, that isn't ideal on ANY of the set ups for the reason stated - water freeze and expands. Any gap that it can get in and go through a freeze/melt cycle is an area of weakness.
**This post was edited on Sep 7th 2016 at 3:55:05pm
Please make a ski design mini-series, TED Talk, set of podcasts....
I've heard your Blister interview, but would love to learn more.
Put some wet paint on the very tip of the base of your ski and slap the hell out of it down on cement, you'll see the paint transferred to the cement.
This simulates what happens to a tip on hard landings ALL ski tips flatten out and then flex back so you never know it happened. You do this enough and eventually the laminates try to separate from each other due to them all being made of different materials,densities, flex characteristics. The more different layers in the tip, the more chance they delaminate sooner.
I removed the wrap around edge and wood core in the tip on my skis a couple years ago and since then get zero delams. I also use a ton of techniques to be sure the ends of the edges are glued in solid so they not come out of the ski either. The end result is a ski tip that is lighter, does not delam and creates controversy in forums like this one.
JLevPut some wet paint on the very tip of the base of your ski and slap the hell out of it down on cement, you'll see the paint transferred to the cement.
This simulates what happens to a tip on hard landings ALL ski tips flatten out and then flex back so you never know it happened. You do this enough and eventually the laminates try to separate from each other due to them all being made of different materials,densities, flex characteristics. The more different layers in the tip, the more chance they delaminate sooner.
I removed the wrap around edge and wood core in the tip on my skis a couple years ago and since then get zero delams. I also use a ton of techniques to be sure the ends of the edges are glued in solid so they not come out of the ski either. The end result is a ski tip that is lighter, does not delam and creates controversy in forums like this one.
Randy_QuenchBetween your "what the heck armada" thread and some of the shit you post I think it's fair to say you have no idea how the ski industry works.
k thanks dude for informing me.. ik how it works, it would just be nice to have cheap skis :)
Randy_QuenchBetween your "what the heck armada" thread and some of the shit you post I think it's fair to say you have no idea how the ski industry works.
dude the kid with the wu-tang icon and refers to himself as "nigga" definitely knows the ropes of the ski industry.
_ALPHASQUAD_k thanks dude for informing me.. ik how it works, it would just be nice to have cheap skis :)
there are plenty of outlets to buy skis on the cheap..... the sell/trade forum located at http://www.newschoolers.com for instance works great! ebay tends to do the trick! oh and as previously stated you could always get a job in the industry and get pro deals or discounted prices from a ski shop you worked at..... so many choices to save lots of that chang chang chang to quit your bitching $$$$dollar$$$dollar$$$cream$$onalphadogface$$cash$$$$$dollar$$$$money$$$44$$$$$$444444$!!!!!!!1111!!!!!11!!!!
J skis knew that K2 was going down the drain... So he jumped ship and made a new company to capitalize on the down fall of Jarden snowsports brands!!!!!
SconnieI bought a pair of whipits and didn't like the flex at all
what was wrong with the flex? i was thinking about getting some j skis just for the flex because i love soft skis but most soft skis have zero pop and stiff skis have heaps.
i want a soft but poppy ski so was hoping j skis would have a good mix of the two
