EDITION NUMBER 4
Fresh bi-monthly news…
SKI BOOTS
Boot adjustment appointment: What to expect…
You had your buying appointment three days ago and you’ve since skied in your new boots in -18 °C weather.
Your impressions: The boots are warm and comfortable. Even if the flex is lower than your old boots (90 vs. 110), they are stiffer. They will take a few days to get used to, but you love how your skis respond. Despite a slightly deformed left foot due to a bunion, both boots feel comfortable. You checked the original soles and saw that they are insulating but offer no support. Too bad Birkenstock doesn’t make ski boots! You decide to opt for custom insoles but don’t think you’ll need heated ones. If you change your mind, it’s easy to install boot heaters on your soles.
You put on your ski boots, and we take a look at the alignment. I make a small adjustment to the cuff, especially on the left boot. That’s it. You’re all set for a good number of years!
Before leaving, I remind you of the importance of drying your liners well after each use. Dry liners retain their thermal qualities and are much more resistant to abrasions.
If ever there’s a problem, come back right away. It’s always a pleasure serving customers as courteous as you!
In my next article, I’ll be teaming up with my coworker, Raymond Lesage, to present problematic situations that a specialist advisor was able to solve. Depending on your interest, we could delve deeper into the subject over several articles.
Don’t hesitate to come see us at our store in Beaupré!
See you next time!
Rudy Guidez
Ski advisor and sales representative
SKI EQUIPMENT
At Avalanche, we sell skis!…
We sell skis at our Beaupré store. I love our selection of Head, Salomon and Stöckli products. I must admit that Stöckli is my favourite brand. And yet they are not easy skis to sell. This small manufacturer doesn’t advertise much, so few people in North America are aware of how well their skis perform on the slopes. While a little more expensive than other brands, Stöckli skis offer incredible durability and performance. These are skis built for 200 days of skiing, nearly double that of skis of the same calibre.
Let me explain what sets these skis apart:
- Stöckli is the only ski brand we have that is made in Switzerland
- 80 employees produce 60,000 pairs of skis per year (Atomic produces 500,000 per year)
- Each pair of Stöckli skis is handmade using computer-assisted tools
- It takes 5 days to make a pair of Stöckli skis, while it only takes 9 hours to make a pair of Solomon skis
- Stöckli skis are built in 63 steps, while Rossignol only take about 10
What does this mean?
Made by hand in Switzerland in 63 steps = 63 quality controls!
That explains the price difference and the product’s excellence. Make no mistake; all our skis are great, but Stöckli is truly one-of-a-kind.
And that’s not all. All ski manufacturers press their skis two-by-two, which are then paired. At Stöckli, Thomas Hänsli tests each ski and pairs skis with the same camber and rigidity. A very meticulous approach that is typically Swiss.
Come share our passion for skiing at our Beaupré boutique!
Raymond Lesage
Ski boot fitting advisor
SKI CLUB UNIFORMS
A jacket for a new coach…
I’ve spent twelve years on the team, from U8 to U18. I got my level-1 coaching certificate last spring. It’s not a PhD, but it qualifies me to coach. Paula, the head coach, offered me the U-10s, which is the perfect level for me.
It doesn’t pay very much, but getting paid to ski during my years in CEGEP is pretty great.
I received my brand-new coach jacket, in the same red as my jacket from last year. Same embroidery, but a more fitted quilted jacket, with a great attached hood and high collar with two zippers. It’s even warmer than my other jacket. I really feel like I’m part of the coaching crew now!
And it’s well thought-out, too. There’s even a pocket for the radio phone. Thanks Avalanche!” —Victoria, 18 years old
A coach’s needs are a little different from an athlete’s, so we have models that are adapted to their role. Coaches move around less, which makes it difficult to stay warm, compared to the athletes taking turns on the course. Coaches don’t hit the gate poles, but they do carry them on their shoulder.
At Avalanche, we treat coaches with the same passion as we do athletes, because we want them to feel just as proud to be wearing our clothing.
Their needs are similar to those of ski resort employees working on the slopes, which we have good knowledge of, given our contracts in North America and Europe. So we put our crossover skills to good use, which allows us to offer a quality product at an attractive price for each club.
In my next article, I will be explaining why a four-year contract is win-win, for us and for the clubs.
Carolyne Gagnon, Director of Sales and Ski Development