Odp: RAX Ski: a ski revolution
1)... why do u advertise them on this forum?...see them in shops, tv ...it's not a new product but after 3 years...
2)... where do u sell them? any shops? ... did u try to intrest some distributors? like inter sport...r?
3) ... where do u manufacture them? what are the costs and prices. did u sell any of them? did u make any profit? i ...?
4) ...I tried to understand you... and I came to a conclusion that it might be only a joke,...
1) and 2) We started these discussions in October 2007 in US (TetonGravity and Epicski),
followed by UK (snowheads, natives, j2k), DE (carving-ski, freeskiers and alpinforum)
and FR (pistehors, skipass).
Then in Feb 2008 we launched campaigns in Norway, Russia, Spain and Poland.
The whole was a pure provocation of the ski establishment (experts and industry).
We just wanted to announce this invention worldwide but we had no expectation and no goal.
We invested nearly nothing - Internet is cheap - and got a huge profit in form of
new ideas and critisism in tousands of replies from more than 30.000 visitors.
The input from this first internet campaign made us completely change the design of Rax skis.
We dropped the exotic look and made skis comfortable for normal customers skiing piste.
We adopted the carving style for Rax skis and Big Mountain features.
Rax skis learned to ride on ice.
Ski shops and distributors ?
They are welcome but if they try to demand 50% profit we say NO.
Rax is not just another model of conventional ski, potentional distributor must be willing
to carry some risk.
Up to now we have been selling via Internet or directly on piste
but in summer we will try to imbrace Intersport et al.
TV ?
Yes but you need a bunch of money to start there.
Rax idea is 3 years old but the first pairs were fabricated in Autumn 2008.
The technology was further developing until April 2009.
That means: Rax ski as a commercial product is 1 to 2 months old.
3) In summer 2008 we were not sure whether we should start any manufacturing.
At that time all Rax skis were sawed from old skis and equipped with metal fins.
Now we have 7 forms at 2 ski factories and 2 smaller snowboard producers,
all in CZ. 6 forms for wood-core sandwich (mostly cap), 1 is for foam injection.
For Rax extensions (metal fins and carrier) 4 different technologies are availale:
- individual fins are screwed to a separate carrier
- aluminium casting
- bent sandwich panel (aluminium or steel)
- bent, milled and bolted together
All in CZ.
The best way to choose a Rax model for you and the terrain you prefer
is to test them on this terrain. You can try 4+ different models within few hours.
Then you simply buy the best for you, prices starting at 120 Euro per pair with binding.
If you decide that a non-standard prototype is the best, you get it even cheaper.
Any profit up to now?
Hahaha, what an unusual question!
We have been spending money all the time
but developing the technology in Eastern Europe was much less expensive.
No credits were necessary.
4) This is no joke, we are all committed
to change the skiing.