Ramp Skis

[sfotex]

Ramp is manufacturing in the US now:
http://www.rampsports.com/store/about_us/

They're also spancering Mr. Moles:
http://www.rampsports.com/store/brant_moles

[deft_funk]

^^^ Saw that, pretty cool.

But.

I skied Peacepipes and Groundhogs last year, thought the groundhogs were fun but not remarkable. There's a lot of skis in that 100mm waist category and they didn't really stand out in a good or bad way.

Peacepipes on the other hand I really disliked. I was on the 189's, they felt chattery and not terribly stable when opened up but were also hard to throw around in tight spots despite the turn radius. I was with a friend who tried them as well, he didn't have as strong a negative reaction but wasn't a big fan either. I only skied them for a run and don't feel qualified to offer a real review other than to say I was ready to get them off my feet. Base durability seemed a little suspect too.

[The Dad]

Ramp is manufacturing in the US now:
http://www.rampsports.com/store/about_us/

Nice. If they can make some special skis this way, I'd think seriously about it.

[MTT]

I just clicked on the link on the TGR side add.

I like the concept. Brant Moles is involved. Factory in Park City.
I like it. BUT

The web site is broken I cannot see any of the skis they offer. Says there are 13 items but no content??

FIX DAT SHIT!!

[sfotex]

Article about Ramp in the news:
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/money/5...stein.html.csp

[whitesmoke]

Well this is pretty neat. Skiing some mellow glades at a mellow pace with all 150lbs of myself and I hit the brakes high sided and recovered only to look down and see my vastly improve rocker profile on my RAMP Corks.

This was a ski I had enjoyed for about 30 days of skiing at the frightening terrain of Ragged Mountain. Full disclosure... I did buy these off geartrade from a rep and they were Demo's and very cheap but I think I will be taking my business (frugal as it may be) somewhere else.

[Vt-Freeheel]

Paging 333

[ExoticSkis]

I've been looking at the new, U.S.-made RAMP skis, and they are definitely head-and-shoulders above the original Taiwan-made versions in both material and finish quality. I haven't gotten a demo ride yet, but will try ASAP....I am psyched they are bringing production back to the U.S. (like a bunch of other companies are doing), and having the factory in Park City means they can get revisions tested lickety-split and into production, which should be good for R&D. The new vertical-laminate bamboo cores, Kevlar and U.S.-made base material and new pressing technology should make a big difference. I talked to a guy who just bought a new version of the Groundhogs after a season or two on the originals, and he said it was like night and day, while the old designs worked just great for him, the new ones were way better than other ski brands he demoed, and the price was right.

I have been chatting back and forth with Ramp's founder, Mike Kilchenstein, since he started his company, and he is definitely passionate about building skis to make skiers happy, and bringing them to market at a competitive price, and he wants to make the best product he can. That's why he brought production back to the U.S. and upped the material quality to get the performance and durability skiers wanted.

Talking with lots of small, indie companies, I found every one of them has growing pains and lots of improvements they make along the way (the number of delaminated, broken, pulled-binding and pulled-edge skis endured by small builders during R&D and live production runs is something they all have nightmares about). When you find something doesn't work the way you want, you make the changes to your operation to make things better, and I think this could be a good example.

Personally, I think the new RAMP skis are completely different (new factory, new materials, new pressing process) than the last two seasons, and I'll be willing to give them a try, just like any other builder learning to improve their goods...

I like the new bamboo topsheets:

Well this is pretty neat. Skiing some mellow glades at a mellow pace with all 150lbs of myself and I hit the brakes high sided and recovered only to look down and see my vastly improve rocker profile on my RAMP Corks.

This was a ski I had enjoyed for about 30 days of skiing at the frightening terrain of Ragged Mountain. Full disclosure... I did buy these off geartrade from a rep and they were Demo's and very cheap but I think I will be taking my business (frugal as it may be) somewhere else.

[jstorrs]

14M Side cut on the peace pipes - 146-115-134mm

Where are these things made?, the office is in Park City.

They are Made in Park City.

[jstorrs]

You gotta try this year's they are night and day.

^^^ Saw that, pretty cool.

But.

I skied Peacepipes and Groundhogs last year, thought the groundhogs were fun but not remarkable. There's a lot of skis in that 100mm waist category and they didn't really stand out in a good or bad way.

Peacepipes on the other hand I really disliked. I was on the 189's, they felt chattery and not terribly stable when opened up but were also hard to throw around in tight spots despite the turn radius. I was with a friend who tried them as well, he didn't have as strong a negative reaction but wasn't a big fan either. I only skied them for a run and don't feel qualified to offer a real review other than to say I was ready to get them off my feet. Base durability seemed a little suspect too.

[ExoticSkis]

Review of the 2012-2013 RAMP Groundhogs in tele mode by Robin Abeles over at BlisterGearReview...

[oftpiste]

I demo'd Groundhogs and Peacepipes yesterday at Crested Butte. Things are pretty bony there and I didn't want to take them in the rocky spots (which was pretty much everything but groomers), but I really enjoyed the Groundhogs at high speed on the firm groomers. I thought it was the perfect tool for the day, including a few small forays onto ungroomed. They reminded me a bit of ON3P Wrens.

Peacepipes not so much. While I could get them on edge I didn't think they were wonderful on hard snow which, of course, is not what they're made for but there wasn't any soft snow.

For my money in soft snow I'm a fan of tail rocker.

Nice folks including the founder running the booth. Lots of stoke to be had.

[sns123]

Very nice ski but beware the quality control. They have had problems, and keep saying they are solved but not so as of my purchase this past march.
Topskin and sidewalls were seriously compromised after two days of spring skiing, and company really didnt want to stand behind them, just do a patch repair. This quality problem also happened with the Ramps sold by my local shop. So do not buy direct, only from a reputable shop that will stand behind them for you.

[skibum220]

Very nice ski but beware the quality control. They have had problems, and keep saying they are solved but not so as of my purchase this past march.
Topskin and sidewalls were seriously compromised after two days of spring skiing, and company really didnt want to stand behind them, just do a patch repair. This quality problem also happened with the Ramps sold by my local shop. So do not buy direct, only from a reputable shop that will stand behind them for you.

Are you talking about the older skis made in Taiwan or this past seasons bamboo skis that are made in Park City? The difference between the two is huge. I've been skiing on the newer Woodpecker and Beaver and both have held up very well. The woodpecker has ~45 days on it and although some of the topsheet has chipped and peeled a bit the sidewalks are still wicked solid, no dent, cracks, or any separating. I've skied everything from east coast ice, tight trees, and blower days at Jay and even after landing on rocks and skiing over dirt the bases held up great not a single core shot or any deep gouges.

[sns123]

Are you talking about the older skis made in Taiwan or this past seasons bamboo skis that are made in Park City? The difference between the two is huge. I've been skiing on the newer Woodpecker and Beaver and both have held up very well. The woodpecker has ~45 days on it and although some of the topsheet has chipped and peeled a bit the sidewalks are still wicked solid, no dent, cracks, or any separating. I've skied everything from east coast ice, tight trees, and blower days at Jay and even after landing on rocks and skiing over dirt the bases held up great not a single core shot or any deep gouges.

The point is that they would not stand behind them , did a superficial repair, and after a few days of skiing in good snow in December they already look beat up. And I am a good skier who takes care of his equipment

[WasatchReport]

I own a lot of different skis from different manufacturers and for what it's worth, we got our RAMP skis directly from the factory in PC and have had no quality problems. All the adult skis are made in PC, and evidently the quality control issues are in the past. They still offer free demos right from the factory, so I recommend going by and skiing a pair if you're looking for some skis.

[skifishbum]

Being a gapic member earns you promotive access? Am I the only one shaking my head over this?

aint no need to be able to actually throw down
when you can buy your way into the fight club
If vacum baggin skis was so great
ther'd be a lot of presses for sale
and they wouldn't need a gimmicky rep system to pimp their wares