So here’s a followup on the topic of Swiss cheese skis.
Last year I wrote about myfrustration with the prevalence of mis-mounted skis.
But that was never my intent.
Rather, ski techs who screw up mounts are simply the final piece in a larger puzzle of failure.
Mismounted skis are usually a systemic issue, and we need systemic solutions.
And to be clear.
Mistakes will happen, even inside of good accountability systems.
But right now, the state of the industry is far from perfect.
Put a piece of painters tape on each of the two skis in the pair.
So telling them any details verbally, without writing them down, is just playing telephone with important information.
I draw the center line where I want my skis mounted with the same paint marker.
That makes things very simple.
The same goes for timing.
Dont expect an immediate turnaround.
Give them time to do a good job.
Ive reviewed skis that had the recommended lines printed 2.5 cm further forward on one ski than the other.
First: Always measure your own mount points.
Its pretty easy to find the actual center of your skis.
Once you know where the actual center of the ski is, check the manufacturers recommended mount point.
If its not on the site, they probably have a chatbot function that can help you.
Most shops need to implement better systems to ensure the tech knows exactly what the customer wants done.
When a customer drops off skis, the paperwork they fill out should be comprehensive.
It should include the ski model, length, boot model, and boot sole length.
I know, I know, your shop already requires that paperwork right?
Ive been to plenty of shops that have those forms covered.
Beyond the paperwork, the industry needs to take steps to make it harder for techs to screw up.
A good start would be to pay experienced ski techs more.
Most ski shop employees are underpaid in money in favour of non-tangible remuneration in things that feed their passion.
Not everyone has access to pro deals and demos and is constantly surrounded by the latest and greatest.
And you get to take a drill and put holes in it wherever your careless ass pleases.
Skis are special, dont ruin them before they even get used.
So lets take steps to make techs less burnt out.
Incentivize them working with precision and doing good mounts.
confirm they are armed with good information about where the customer wants the mount to happen.
Encourage them to call the customer if theres anything that seems outlandish on that check-in sheet.
Cost vs. Value
Ski mounts are usually not cheap.
Tanner Halls recent insta posts reflecting shock at being charged $75 for a mount were a good reminder.
Its common practice for shops to offer a free remount and tune if they mess up your mount.
Thats not really a fair restitution though.
Some folks were not stoked on that.
But Ill stand my ground.
If a ski shop mis-mounts your brand new skis, they should replace them.
That sucks, its frustrating for the shop, but it should be written into their margins on mounts.
This shouldnt be controversial.
Mounting skis is one of the few things you dont need to compete with the .coms for.
Its one of the few things that youre set up to do significantly better than generic outdoor stores.
But for some reason, so many small local shops drop the ball on mounts.
To the ones that do, thank you!
Why it all matters
So much of the magic of skiing is present in the tiny details.
Only a few degrees of angle distinguish a zeach from a proper grind.
And in the big picture, none of that really matters.
Were sliding down frozen water on overly-fancy planks.
But thats no excuse to drill the wrong holes in the wrong places in those planks.
If anything, its an exhortation to be more careful and precise with that process.
None of this really matters, so you might as well take pride in the little things.
