Salomon Quest Tech inserts failure thread

[telelebowski]

Curious behavior by Sally. Rather than man-up, or make things right, they are going out of their way to remind me what miserable piece-of-shit fuck-ups they are. That POM shit is absolutely insulting. Alright. Oakley has lost thousands of dollars in sales just because they pissed me off with a worthless advertisement. I cannot wait to steer everyone I know away from every single thing Amer related. So you have already cost yourself tens of thousands of dollars in sales from me alone.

[njfreeskier]

The Freeskier buyer's guide has Salomon all over it.

Second page is a two page add for the Quest 12 boot.

In the Editor's Setup, the publiser of the magazine shows his boot of choice as the Quest. "From sidecountry hiking to Retallack cat trips, this boot lives up to the billing of being an alpine-capable boot with true exploring capabilities."

In the Boots section they list the Salomon Quest W as an Editor's Pick.

I can't tell from the pictures, but do these models have the touring inserts?

It's like no one even heard what happens, or they did, and Salomon just pays too much in advertising/sponsorship, that they are overcoming it.

No there are no touring pads on any of them, just the regular, tech free, no tech insert toe peices and heel pieces.

[ex-powderbroker]

What happened to TC is a bummer, especially if it could have been avoided by Salomon spending more time on the R&D of the Quest boot before releasing so many of them to the public. I was seeing that boot everywhere last spring.

However, you guys do know that Amer is also the parent company of Atomic and Atomic is now one of the primary sponsors of TGR, right? Amer and TGR are in cahoots. Heck, the TGR website was even promoting the launch of Atomic's 2011 line on their homepage. I've never seen them do that for any ski manufacturer. I would say if you guys really want to "boycott" Amer, that would include TGR and this website. I know ski season is right around the corner and everyone is getting stoked, but for those of you truly opposed to all things Amer, I think posting here is a contradiction. Something to think about...

I think this jong has a point, even if it is misconstrued. Would tgr delete this thread if it got rowdy enough? Amer obviously has a huge advertising budget and enough different slices of the pie to make a straight boycott less promising.

I'm back at writing letters tomorrow though, the pot must be stirred because people are getting stoked!

[half-fast]

The gist of their piece is that its not Salomon's fault that the inserts they designed SUCKED and may have been responsible for Dalton getting hurt, because companies like Garmont aren't using dynafit inserts either.

Did you actually read the article?

The product launch, however, has not come without challenges. Demo units of the boots that were first made available to industry pros and media last season included "tech inserts" that made the boots compatible with Dynafit bindings. After Dynafit's patent on the design expired last January, Salomon eschewed licensing Dynafit's tech inserts in favor of crafting their own. An accident which the victim claims was caused by a failure of the tech inserts was followed by the recall of the few demo units in the field. Others, including the noted backcountry blogger Lou Dawson have gotten the tech inserts to deform in bench testing.

Salomon is tight-lipped about the issue due to pending litigation. In all fairness, other manufacturers including, for example, Garmont, are now creating their own tech inserts as well, but the setback forced Salomon to release the boots this winter without Dynafit compatibility. Dynafit compatibility may be restored in future models, but for now the issue is irrelevant to this year's production models.

[LightRanger]

Did you actually read the article?

Except they weren't demos. They were production boots that Dalton bought from a distributor.

That article still blows it on how big the fuckup was.

[laseranimal]

What I should have said was the gist of the CONVERSATION, not the article

sorry

[Skidog]

What I should have said was the gist of the CONVERSATION, not the article

sorry

I have an affiliation with FTO. I will however state that the editor takes a "wait and see" approach to everything and just tries to state "facts". Often ill see a new report here DAYS before its printed there since the editor is "fact checking". Obviously them being "demo" or "pre release" boots is flat out wrong, but otherwise the article itself is dead on and others, in bigger more mainstream, media publications are still touting the Quest boots merits (see backcountry mag and Freeskier).

I dont know what happened in the twitter feed and i really dont care as that was not what was printed. I do know that Salomon should have to pay dearly for this fuck up, no matter who was hurt because of their negligence.

[Conundrum]

I've never met thin cover but every time I hear the name Dalton, I hope Salomon gets a little of this.

[garyfromterrace]

I sent an email to the ski club of Great Britain (re their affiliation with the Salomon Quest product), here's parts of the reply to my email:

"Thank you for your email.

The Quest boot that you are contacting us about is part of a voluntary recall by Salomon and you can find out more about this on their site here - http://www.salomon.com/others/minisi...st_%20FAQ.pdf/. This is not an enforced recall but a recall they have voluntarily put out to ensure the safe use of their products and the continued safety of skiers. This does however affect Salomon USA products, and not Salomon UK.

We work with organisations in all aspects of snowsports in the UK, including Salomon, and from time to time manufacturers do offer recalls on their products to ensure the safety of skiers and boarders, and this is a good thing for snowsports in general. This does not affect our close working relationship with these organisations. A close relationship with all of these companies across snowsports is how we can help to ensure the continued safety for skiers.

Many thanks and I hope that you have a pleasant and safe winter,"


My email:

Sent: 29 August 2010 06:49
To: Ski Club of Great Britain
Subject: Salomon Quest

To whom it may concern:

I am a very avid backcountry skier from Terrace, British Columbia who feels compelled to write this email because I believe you should have information on a very sub-standard product that was brought to market by Salomon and the parent company Amer Sports. The product in question was called the Quest with an insert system to make it compatible with "dynafit style" bindings. The product was delivered to the public with insufficient testing (on-slope and bench) and virtually no quality control or assurance . The consequence of this was a serious injury to an unsuspecting expert skier on moderate to easy terrain. The skier has had no offer of compensation from Salomon, and it is only after a large amount of bad press on the internet did Salomon even pull the insert system from the market. This is unacceptable. As a skier who relies on the boot/binding interface while skiing terrain that has serious consequence (or death) in the event of a fall, I find it absolutely abhorrent that this company (Salomon/Amer) would put an inferior ski touring boot on the market. I urge you to re-consider your partnership with Salomon, and I thank you for your time. For more information please see either Wildsnow.com tech forums (re salmon quest) or TGR forums (tech talk, salomon quest insert failure). All the best for a great upcoming ski season, and kind regards,

Gary

[Arno]

sadly a predictable response from the SCGB

[2nd mate]

I've never met thin cover but every time I hear the name Dalton, I hope Salomon gets a little of this.

good one. Your post has channeled today's general Salomon anger in a better direction. I will need to re-visit it daily until they make it right. Keep rolling TC. Sending good vibes on a hot ass day.

[_koppen]

Well what did you expect?
Every store and organisation are now just gonna stop dealing with Salomon?
Be realistic!

A boycott like this is up to the consumers!

[Skidog]

looks like noone will be buying the latest PoorBoyz film eh?

Co sponsored with sallie on that one...

[ex-powderbroker]

I won't be buying it, but if there can be enough NOISE about not buying it maybe the companies will take notice even if people go about their regular business.

[JimLad]

"Demo" boots, what a joke. I shall certainly be spreading the word when I can, and won't be buying any more Salomon gear (own some skis and bindings but no more!)

[pfluffenmeister]

This does however affect Salomon USA products, and not Salomon UK.

what the hell is that supposed to mean?

quest's with tech inserts were only released in the USA?
solly USA and solly UK are completely seperate entities?

left hand neither knows nor cares what the right hand is doing?

[DoWork]

looks like noone will be buying the latest PoorBoyz film eh?

Co sponsored with sallie on that one...

Listen dicksmoke... You want to be a cunt, do it elsewhere.

[Jonathan S.]

This is not an enforced recall but a recall they have voluntarily put out to ensure the safe use of their products and the continued safety of skiers.

Ahh, I get it now -- the recall was not some bureaucratic misunderstanding, but rather because Salomon had designed a product so obviously flawed that catastrophic and potentially life-threatening failures were inevitable. Well, in that case, carry on with the sponsorship!
On the positive side, at least the Club's "F*&^ You" response was very polite and nicely written.

[neck beard]

Good on you for sending them an email.

[Professor]

While I wish T.C. luck and am curious how the lawsuit plays out, I do disagree with the boycott and personally will buy products from Amer and their subsidiaries. I have simply had too many good products from them and personally look forward to the El Dictator. But more importantly I have to point out that you may want to spell SALOMON correctly in the title if you want others to find this thread using google searches and the like. Just my $.02 after 22 pages......

[neck beard]

wtf, I thought we were talking about that evil guy from The Lord of The Rings.
[ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saruman[/ame]

I've been in Japan too long.

[ACH]

While I wish T.C. luck and am curious how the lawsuit plays out, I do disagree with the boycott and personally will buy products from Amer and their subsidiaries. I have simply had too many good products from them and personally look forward to the El Dictator. But more importantly I have to point out that you may want to spell SALOMON correctly in the title if you want others to find this thread using google searches and the like. Just my $.02 after 22 pages......

I guess that is your prerogative.
The point of any boycott is to apply social pressure to exact change.

If you think that Salomon didn't act in a negligent manor, producing a product that lacked sufficient testing before releasing to the market, and or you think they are handling the situation with TC in an socially responsible manor, then by all means support their products.
It's not like there aren't plenty of other companies making equal or better products to choose from.

good point on the spelling OTOH.

[Professor]

Dont get me wrong, I fully support your right to boycott. I just dont believe that all the facts are presented in this kind of internet forum. Put me on the jury and let me hear both sides and then I will tell you whether I think Salomon was negligent. Until then, just count me out, but please fix the spelling in the title, or this thread might simply get lost in the wide wide world of the innertube.

[njfreeskier]

Dont get me wrong, I fully support your right to boycott. I just dont believe that all the facts are presented in this kind of internet forum. Put me on the jury and let me hear both sides and then I will tell you whether I think Salomon was negligent. Until then, just count me out, but please fix the spelling in the title, or this thread might simply get lost in the wide wide world of the innertube.

You can't be serious???

I fully support your right to do what you want in terms of buying whatever it is you want, but to say all the facts weren't presented. That is ridiculous. I think it's pretty clear that a boot with a malfunctioning piece(the tech insert pad) was released to the public. And there are only two scenarios that could have happened at Salomon R&D. 1) They didn't test the product, and released it. 2) They tested it, knew the results, and released it anyway, thinking that maybe it would they would get everything dialed by the time the 2010-11 season came rolling around.

Lou Dawson's tests make it pretty obvious that the product should never have made it to stores. Inferior material/build quality of the insert, and inferior design with the rubber underneath the insert not plastic.

You can do what you want, and I support you in that. But don't say the facts haven't been presented. A very reputable 3rd party (Lou Dawson) tested the products and found the same results Dalton experienced on the mountain. Salomon blew it on this one, and people need to know about it!

[Professor]

^^^Going to have to disagree. Believe it or not, the internet does not have the whole story since companies being sued dont usually present their side of the story. I also have to say that responses above, will likely turn off other readers that may be curious. So how about you respect my right to reserve judgement and fix the title as I originally noted? Or continue to believe there is only one possible solution and alienate anyone you want. Sorry for stating my opinion and trying to help your cause. Feel free to continue to burn your SALOMAN products in effigy.

TC I do wish you luck in your recovery and your action to hold parties accountable.