Do ya think US is biggest XC market?

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JeffXCD
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Do ya think US is biggest XC market?

Post by JeffXCD » Tue Dec 12, 2017 10:14 am

Here's a summary of a high-end market survey of the global XC Ski Industry. I'm not sure what it all includes (does it incl tele, XCD? who knows), but it says the US sells like 500k "items" a year and at $16million is the biggest player in a $50million global trade.

This link discusses the survey and disagrees with it. It uses guesswork to do the disagreeing. But the survey seems outlandish.

The full report for some reason costs $2500. But some conclusions are made public.

My impression is that US XC is steadily shrinking. Gets zero PR or marketing. So how could it be big?

Our brick'n'mortar is nearly gone. ...The sad news about ORS made me think of this info.

https://www.dailyskier.com/2017/09/06/s ... -findings/
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Coolwhip
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Re: Do ya think US is biggest XC market?

Post by Coolwhip » Wed Dec 13, 2017 12:27 am

JeffXCD wrote:My impression is that US XC is steadily shrinking. Gets zero PR or marketing. So how could it be big?
Americans have some of the highest incomes in the world, many spend more money than they earn, and there's lots of them, so it would be surprising if they weren't high on the list of buyers of something people purchase out of discretionary funds. I don't know if people on this forum would call themselves big spenders, but how many have 5 or more pairs of skis?

The linked article suggests that Russians might account for a large amount of ski purchases, but on average they only make about 20% of American wages. I expect they're more frugal in purchasing ski gear. What I've seen on Russian websites suggests that the backcountry touring gear especially tends to be based on older designs and costs less, and even the more familiar stuff is lower cost there.

Gear used by a Siberian ski touring company: Siberian Expeditions
zubiya-foto-6.jpg
Some store links:
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Крепления с плавающей платформой Абакан-2
Akkord Premium - Универсальные тросовые лыжные крепления с качающимися щечками
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lilcliffy
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Re: Do ya think US is biggest XC market?

Post by lilcliffy » Wed Dec 13, 2017 9:39 am

Thank you for posting those Russian ski equipment and backcountry expedition links!

Very cool and very interesting.

I agree- old school traditional Nordic touring tech- reasonably priced, utilitarian, and likely VERY durable.

Those 75mm-waisted touring skis are made of solid hardwood and have metal edges- they would likely last a lifetime.

The universal bindings are cool too.

That expedition site is quite something. I want to go!
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lilcliffy
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Re: Do ya think US is biggest XC market?

Post by lilcliffy » Wed Dec 13, 2017 9:43 am

No idea whether the US is the biggest market.

I know that in Canada the dominant Nordic ski market is for fitness/performance skiing on a groomed track.

Traditional rural BC Nordic ski touring- which was very common one generation ago- has almost died out.

And most off-track skiers I meet are still primarily XC skiers- not XCD/Telemark- and have a quiver of one ski- often an E-99 Tour (waxable base) in a traditional XC length.
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
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lilcliffy
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Re: Do ya think US is biggest XC market?

Post by lilcliffy » Wed Dec 13, 2017 9:47 am

AND- being the largest market, is simply based the number of sales- not the number of skiers.

Nordic skiing is a way of life in Fennoscandia and northern Russia.

And perhaps they aren't buying junky cheap plastic skis and boots with slippery waxless bases, that may only last a season or two.
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
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Coolwhip
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Re: Do ya think US is biggest XC market?

Post by Coolwhip » Wed Dec 13, 2017 2:52 pm

lilcliffy wrote:That expedition site is quite something. I want to go!
Yeah - I came across the expedition site first. Then I started wondering where they got the bindings... They looked new, but when was the last time you saw ski shops selling cable bindings like that?
lilcliffy wrote:I know that in Canada the dominant Nordic ski market is for fitness/performance skiing on a groomed track.
I can see it. Seems like skate skiing has grown in recent years - benefiting from some crossover appeal for cyclists and runners.



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lilcliffy
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Re: Do ya think US is biggest XC market?

Post by lilcliffy » Wed Dec 13, 2017 3:01 pm

Yeah- freestyle skate skiing has REALLY grown in popularity.

To the point that I overhear fitness snobs actually poo-pooing classic skiing.

The local Fredericton club is actually taking some heat in the media for widening traditional forest trails so that the skate skiers can ski on more trails.

Skate skiing is FUN- I admit- but I must say that I have never been interested in skiing equipment and technique that utterly relies on a groomed surface.
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.



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Re: Do ya think US is biggest XC market?

Post by Johnny » Wed Dec 13, 2017 3:48 pm

Coolwhip wrote:Image
I need a pair badly... Right now. Where is the buy link?
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lilcliffy
Posts: 4112
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2015 6:20 pm
Location: Stanley, New Brunswick, Canada
Ski style: backcountry Nordic ski touring
Favorite Skis: Asnes Ingstad, Combat Nato, Amundsen, Rabb 68; Altai Kom
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska BC; Lundhags Expedition; Alfa Skaget XP; Scarpa T4
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Re: Do ya think US is biggest XC market?

Post by lilcliffy » Wed Dec 13, 2017 4:34 pm

Johnny wrote:
I need a pair badly... Right now. Where is the buy link?
Aren't they wicked? 75mm- solid hardwood- steel edges. Wow.

I saw them listed with a price earlier today- can't seem to find them again...

Another really cool site:
http://zabroska.su/snarjazhenie/turisti ... vyibo.html
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.



User avatar
lilcliffy
Posts: 4112
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2015 6:20 pm
Location: Stanley, New Brunswick, Canada
Ski style: backcountry Nordic ski touring
Favorite Skis: Asnes Ingstad, Combat Nato, Amundsen, Rabb 68; Altai Kom
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska BC; Lundhags Expedition; Alfa Skaget XP; Scarpa T4
Occupation: Forestry Professional
Instructor at Maritime College of Forest Technology
Husband, father, farmer and logger

Re: Do ya think US is biggest XC market?

Post by lilcliffy » Wed Dec 13, 2017 4:36 pm

These bad boys are 100mm wide and up to 180cm long!
http://ekipirovka.ru/catalog/lyzhi_konk ... henie_100/
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.



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