so, uh, where were the demos today?

[mirror70]

I stop by the places where the demos were supposed to be, but only Madd was there. The Madd guys were great and it was nice to demo their boards. I got to demo a couple of their softboot setups and they rode "like buttah, only bettah."

Since I won't buy a product I haven't ridden, I guess this was quite the money-saving opportunity.

[Guest NLM]

I hear ya. I trucked all the way up there Saturday to try some boards and got skunked. I did talk to the Madd guys and they were cool, but they didn't have any bindings. I only had my 3 hole race plates. The conditions sucked, too; it was mush, or boilerplate.

[~tb]

I would like to apologize for the lack of demo tent you are refering to on saturday. On friday, we had to fight all day long to keep the tent from blowing away with one partial knock down of the board rack.

We awoke on saturday to sustained winds of 20mph with gusts greater than 40 mph and knew we would have no chance of keeping the tent from blowing away. It was a decision on my part with input from multiple sponsors that (for safety reasons) it would not be in our best interests to set up. We tried our best to spread the word to those on hill, but unfortuneately, not everyone got the message.

I apologize for the inconvience but hope all understand.

-Todd

[mirror70]

While I appreciate the creative energy required to try and pass it off under the guise of "safety," that doesn't really do much to appease anyone who would have otherwise been a paying customer.

Will there be any other opportunities to demo equipment this season? If so, will there actually be gear there, or will everyone be turned away because of "security," "terrorism," or some other convenient umbrella?

[Jack M]

wise-ass.

was hoping to meet you Jeff, but you were a no-show. for the 3rd time.

[mirror70]

I was there under an assumed identity. I was at the previous ECES, too.

I guess this is a good thread for talking about no-shows though, eh?

[trailertrash]

While I appreciate the creative energy required to try and pass it off under the guise of "safety," that doesn't really do much to appease anyone who would have otherwise been a paying customer.

Will there be any other opportunities to demo equipment this season? If so, will there actually be gear there, or will everyone be turned away because of "security," "terrorism," or some other convenient umbrella?

you are kidding right?

having been there, it was a saftey issue. boards were getting blown down and there were a few near misses. (see post about getting hit in the face with board.) i don't know the numbers but i would be willing to bet the demo tents were not bringing in the bags of cash needed to get them from denver to sugarloaf.

honestly, i hope you are kidding.

[mirror70]

Confucius say "Man who lay down snowboard will not have snowboard blown over."

I suppose that's enough wise-assery for one thread. Seriously, making this a monday through friday event without any warning made it a waste of time for anyone who wasn't there during the week.

[~tb]

Confucius say "Man who lay down snowboard will not have snowboard blown over."

I suppose that's enough wise-assery for one thread. Seriously, making this a monday through friday event without any warning made it a waste of time for anyone who wasn't there during the week.

Jeff,

I have refrained from posting what I initiall wrote in response to the above.

If I could have controlled the weather, or predicted it, I would have put out more warning. I probably would have also ordered more snow, and more daylight hours so I could have put in equal times in the demo tent and on snow. I also would extend winter by another month or so to make things less chaotic and find a week that better fits everyone's schedule. Certain things are out of our control at events like this. I wish that wasnt true but it just is.

Laying down 60-80 boards on the snow, and having no tent would have gotten us kicked out for sure. Had you been there on friday I think you would have had an appreciation of this. I know that you traveled very far from carrabassett valley maine to sugarloaf maine and I once again apologize for this inconvience for you.

[Jack M]

Jeff,

Todd et al made the right decision. If they hadn't, Sugarloaf Security would have made it for them. It is Sugarloaf's policy not to allow demo tents in high winds.

[RDY_2_Carve]

Funny as much as I wanted to demo at SES I just didn't find the time. Think I demo'd three boards in three days. And this was after I told myself I was going to demo everything under the sun.

Having too much fun actually riding with other carvers, killing the trees with Billy/Russ/Dave, etc etc...I don't get to ride with other carvers as much though so perhaps my priorities were a little off. I guess folks from other areas have more hardbooters to ride with so maybe that explains why your priorities would be demo first?

[Michelle]

What's all this talk about FIN??? I seem to remember standing in the demo tent a lot too...... trying to keep from getting hit from flying boards. Jeez you guys.

And I have to say, that with SO MANY boards to choose from it would have been impossible to "lay them on the ground". Believe me, setting up and taking down we have to do this, and it's a real pain once they are all set to manuever them. They would have been stepped on, slid on the ice, etc. Would not have been a fun day, nor would it have been a positive thing for the boards to be treated that way. I'm sure Chris Prior and Sean Martin, along with the MADD guys would agree. Sorry but we did the best we could.

[fin]

Ah, gotta love those warm and fuzzy "thanks yous" from Maine :rolleyes:

I do want to make one thing clear, we did all talk that morning about running demos that Saturday in the high winds as a group, but the bottom line it was my call to cancel it. I own the tents and most of the gear so I did not want to be responsible for any injuries or damage it caused. So if this decision upsets you, talk to me about it.

I have done over 100 days of demos (snowboard and tele) in the past 15 years of business and one of the scariest things I have seen is multiple tents take off, do several summersaults and land on a group of unsuspecting visitors. Now our tents weight about 60 lbs (plus anything attached to them) each and we would have had them lashed together. So that would have been 120 pounds of flying aluminum bars and vinyl that might have possibly spun onto that huge lift line at the Super-Quad. I could see over 30 people getting clocked in the head as they simultaneously hit the speed dial on cell phones for their attorney. They still sue in Maine right?

Not to mention this happening would also jeopardize the ECES being allowed to come back to Sugarloaf.

Funny side note: I actually made some special weights for the demo tents to help hold them down. They are 4" PVC tubes, capped with sand inside. We hang them from the top posts on each corner. Well, apparently Boston Airport did not like what those tubes looked like (Bombs?) and they where confiscated and we had no weights for the tents. So yes, terrorism did effect the demo tent.

Now, lets talk about your apparent theory we had a secret ulterior motive to not do it that day. I understand you treat paranoia as a hobby (never did get a final response from you on this thread: http://www.bomberonline.com/VBulletin/showthread.php?t=5235&page=2&pp=30) but I am interested to find out what you think it may have been? Here is a list of what happened to just get two days of demos:

- Spent one full day just packing, crating, and documenting the equipment

- Sean with Donek spent a good chunk of time creating a special crate for all the boards just for this trip

- Shipping cost has now just about doubled due to the huge snafu that slowed it down

- I personally lost a day (a good one I heard) at the Loaf so I could spend that evening and day in Boston to pick up the boards that shipping screwed up

- Lost a full day of demoing (Tuesday) because of the above

Now after all that why would we decide to not set-up Saturday? Were conditions and crowds good that day (you were there)? Does an aluminum foil hat stop the "secret rays"? Be real.

So in conclusion, my apologies we could not control the weather. We will certainly try harder next time to do a better job for you. When "next time" is will also be our decision.

[D-Sub]

you guys amaze me with your patience.

um...doesnt "demo" usually = FREE?

anyone who has the audacity to get indignant when a FREE event doesnt work out has some serious, serious attitude adjustment needs.

CRIKEY! (there, non-denominational)

mirror, youve always seemed really cool to me, but dude...pull your head out of your ass, or out of the clouds, or maybe out of the pow since youre getting snow over there and just acknowledge that people TRIED, apparently very hard, to do what basically amounts to a FAVOR, and you're doing nothing but giving them "poo" for it not working out?

errr....:nono::nono:

[Michelle]

Actually, the demos were $10/day. However, you tell me where you can go and demo (1) Performance Equipment and (2) Carving equipment for $10/day? It basically covers our insurance and costs of shipping all that gear out there, plus a day or two of work for me and Fin. Wonder if we break even (or even come close)???

[RJ-PS]

Wasn't there, won't be going anytime soon, but wanted to send out a big Carve hug (such a thing?) to Fin, Michelle, Sean, Jack, and anyone else that had anything to do with the event.

We all benefit from the increase in visibility of carving/hardboot/racing/etc events. So whenever there is an event like this it increases our chances of having more gear to choose from at lower prices, and more people to ride with in the future.

Thank you all for your long-term vision for the sport!

PS D-Sub even though Jesus was there, it would have made more sense to say Buddha as the conditions were more like Tibet than the Jerusalem. :D

[D-Sub]

Actually, the demos were $10/day. However, you tell me where you can go and demo (1) Performance Equipment and (2) Carving equipment for $10/day? It basically covers our insurance and costs of shipping all that gear out there, plus a day or two of work for me and Fin. Wonder if we break even (or even come close)???

ok, edit. $10 a day.

still lame.

[D-Sub]

PS D-Sub even though Jesus was there, it would have made more sense to say Buddha as the conditions were more like Tibet than the Jerusalem. :D

LOL!

edited.

[Guest NLM]

Just to be clear, as I posted the second reply on this thread, I have no ill feelings or remarks to make on the lack of demos. I bought my Stratos from Bomber this season and did a demo throught the mail with Donek last season and had a great experience in both cases. I was looking forward to the ECES to ride with some other carvers and demo some boards and I was kind of bummed to find neither . The conditons were pretty poor so people must have packed it up.( I did see some nice Priors in the racks but I didn't see them move all day). I guess next year I'll have to get up there during the week. It looked like a great time!

[AaronG]

Damn mirror, u can't be serious!!

When I attended the WTC(Wasatch Trenchin Convention) back in February I didn't demo anything the first day and when I found out that the cost of the demos offset the insurance premium I gave em $20.00 bucks to cover the demos for that day, even though I didn't use any demos. I told 'em to keep the extra $10.00 if I demo the following day, which I ended up doing as my nephew needed a pair of boots.

I felt bad not contributing to the demo fees, I know that Dave, Bordy, Fin & MICHELLE and some others that I am forgetting lug all the equipment to the hill from Colorado and the SLC valley, pay the premiums, have a smile on their face when you cruise up to the tent. Treat you like one of their own kin as they adjust your equipment, share a piece of pizza, a bagel and what not, repeat this process 3 or 4 times a year at 5-7 days per session and that is alot of work.

I surely appreciate these guys being available for demos anytime, so cut em some slack when they take a needed day off due to weather conditions.

Do you bitch to the resorts when they shut down a lift due to high winds???

[kathy brower]

Ah, gotta love those warm and fuzzy "thanks yous" from Maine :rolleyes:

Here is a bonafide warm and fuzzy thank you from NH (almost Maine) - Thank you all SOOOO much for all the work in bringing demos and the effort you all made to have them there every day. I had a ball at ECES and got to demo some boards - Planned to on Wednesday but that didn't work out and I did NOT think it was anyones fault just made it work for a different day. Please do not think opinions of Mirror 70 are shared by most.

Common sense suggests if you made the effort to come you would want the demos available as much as possible.

[mellowjonny]

:lol: Amen-oldvolvosrule

[willywhit]

the only boards worth taking out for a demo on saturday were the boards built to rip through the boilerplate crap the ice coast refers to as "frozen granular".Mike and Steve hung in there thru the gusts.I'm not sure you actually NEED a tent to have a demo, but it's a moot point since the snow completely SUCKED.It was still kewl to get in a few runs with Fin and Bordy et al.MUCH more importantly, I wanna hear more about boards snapping in the friday slush and peeps getting tossed out of Seth's bar later that night .You guys that rode monday thru thursday, well, you all suck.

[mirror70]

Sorry, I'll remember to drink more koolaid next time.

I have a bunch of factually correct but no doubt unpopular things to say, but I think all parties know how well that would go over. Consider my tongue bitten.

[utahcarver]

To echo Oldvolvosrules' comments:

Because of the demo tents (both Hardbooter.com and Bomber) at WTC '06 (and '05) my son and I got to try many new high-end boards, bindings and boots. Which have greatly influenced our purchases in the past and to come. So, though I can understand Mirror70's frustration, I'm taken aback at the level of contempt that is being spewed out in previous posts. Maybe this should've been a private matter betwixt parties involved.

Thanks, to all the vendors who make these Expression Sessions happen. BTW, I've found that it can be interesting and fun to hang out at the tents and listen to the friendly banter and jokes. Hell, I came back to work with a plethora of new material. Fin, ever thought about a stand-up career?

Mark