The 2018/19 Stratton ski and snowboard demo is in the books! Upper management and our top salesmen spent most of the week testing next year’s models of skis and snowboards at Stratton Mountain from February 5th – 8th. The event is always a blast to rip up the hill on next year’s products, and was helped this year with a foot of fresh snow. But we also spent time trying on new boot models, new bindings, plus trying on new helmets and goggles.

So Why Do We Take Time to Test Next Year’s Products?

1. Sifting Through the Duds

It’s a simple truth, not all skis are created equal. Even though two skis priced at $599 are designed to compete with one another, it doesn’t mean that both of those skis will preform exactly the same. So we’ve done all the “hard work” for you (heavy sarcasm). But it helps us know how each ski will preform. Is it better on ice? Is this ski truly an “all mountain” ski that can be skied everywhere in New England? And we’re simply not going to carry the $599 skis that are outperformed by other skis in the same price range.

The nice thing about the crew we have at Zimmermanns is that everyone who tested is a different height, weight, and has a different skiing style. So after we’ve tested all the skis and boards we compare notes to see what each person liked or disliked and why; all in an effort to make sure our customers will always get the best selection.

2. Finding the Best Value

While skis at the same price are designed to compete with one another, sometimes a less expensive ski out preforms a more expensive ski. So why carry the lesser and more expensive option? We want every customer to feel 100% satisfied and confident on what they are going to buy. And we can’t possibly know that without trying them ourselves. Part of the problem is that you can’t always believe the hype. If company “X” is touting a new ski design as the latest and greatest in skiing technology, it’s important to try that ski and try it’s competitors to see if the hype is real, or just an elaborate marketing ploy. We don’t want to be fooled by the write-up about a ski in the catalogue, and we want to make sure you aren’t fooled either.

3. Testing Skis is Just Good Old Fashioned Wholesome Fun!

None of us mind getting out of the shop for a few days and testing about 20+ skis per day. What’s better than skiing and riding with your buddies? It’s the hardest part of our job (again, heavy sarcasm). We’ve done all the “hard work” — you’re welcome!