4FRNT Sells to Jason Levinthal

[Supermoon]

Just saw this on Mike Rogge's Twitter. Good for Sterbenz, and glad it's staying independent.

[reckless toboggan]

Ahhh crap.

*Surveys current 4frnt stockpiles at home and considers gaps and wants to fill before it all goes to shit. Mostly need the Devastator and the Inthayne.


Founded Line then bailed.

Founded Full Tilt then bailed.

I'm glad 4frnt is staying indy for now, but it does seem that JLev builds hype in smaller indy co's then sells off.


Starts out as, nothing to see here, not gonna change much, keeping all the same people...and ends up with "xxxxx sold to Amer Sports after short hype, long decline, and internal irreconcilable differences."

I hope I'm wrong.

[Supermoon]

Yeah, I hope that isn't the case. Sounds like most of the crew is staying on including Sterbenz.

[reckless toboggan]

Yeah, I hope that isn't the case. Sounds like most of the crew is staying on including Sterbenz.

The other pattern is the crew stays on for a few years (usually by contract to save street cred and reputation).

Meanwhile, new management starts making mass market "value" quality skis in China to "grow the sport" and all of a sudden everyone is making DPS dentist skis, which are expensive, but ski like most of the uninspiring K2 lineup.

Then the price and quality comes down, the mass production and marketing go up, and the end is nigh. About this time Amer comes sniffing around.

The original crew then quietly depart "to explore other innovative opportunities"..."I've poured my heart, blood, sweat, and tears into xxxxx which I founded 20 years ago. But it's time to begin a new chapter, I'm really looking forward to blah blah blah"...

The brand we loved is trashed, but the heart of skiing, us,...by this time we'd jumped ship years ago to ON3P.

Again, I hope I'm wrong.

[Supermoon]

Me too.

[reckless toboggan]

Anyone want to start a ski company...

I'm thinking of calling it 5frnt.

[johnnyg82]

Anyone want to start a ski company...

I'm thinking of calling it 5frnt.

I'll start one called 4skin

[#######]

Jskis stays the same, 4FRNT remains alive and independent — speculate all you want but I don't think they're going to let it end that way.

[alev]

Ahhh crap.

*Surveys current 4frnt stockpiles at home and considers gaps and wants to fill before it all goes to shit. Mostly need the Devastator and the Inthayne.


Founded Line then bailed.

Founded Full Tilt then bailed.

I'm glad 4frnt is staying indy for now, but it does seem that JLev builds hype in smaller indy co's then sells off.


Starts out as, nothing to see here, not gonna change much, keeping all the same people...and ends up with "xxxxx sold to Amer Sports after short hype, long decline, and internal irreconcilable differences."

I hope I'm wrong.

I hope you're wrong to a certain degree, but if 4frnt was in trouble, they would be looking for a buyer regardless.

I also wouldn't say he 'bailed' on Line.

I don't think J bought the company to let them fizzle out and turn into amer owned or dads pretty skis.

Still hope you're wrong.

[muted]

Wow, some heavy misguided predictions here. What happened to Line can not be summed up as "Founded Line then bailed." And that's also one of the shittiest descriptions of J's life in a difficult industry.

[reckless toboggan]

Calm down Francis.

Obviously there's some exaggeration and drama involved in my posts, this is TGR.

Jeezus.

However, the pattern and premise are valid and reoccurring in our sport/industry.

Once again. I hope I'm wrong.

[XavierD]

When Jason sold Line to K2 sports it was a lifeline to Line skis, it took another decade to force his obnoxious ass out. When K2/Line/FT were put on the auction block last year he called trying to buy them back. His old employees wouldn't call him back.

Since forced out of the K2/Line picture he started J skis, which is just a marketing company selling cookie cutter skis from Utopie with funny top sheets.

4FRNT has always been the opposite of J skis, a ski focused company that had a marketing problem. I have never been the biggest fan of 4FRNT's various skis, but what they did do is bring something unique to the table and were not scared to make the skis they wanted to ski, not what they thought would sell well.

I just don't see what it was about the 4FRNT business model Jason Leventhal was attracted to.

[Dee Hubbs]

Anyone want to start a ski company...
I'm thinking of calling it 5frnt.

Then someone will just come alone and make a 6frnt ski.

[DBdude]

there was an epic thread on here back in the line days with an unhappy customer who seemed pretty sane and jason. jason basically called him a bitch and told him to fuck off. I remember when line had some serious quality issues.

[Long duc dong]

the EHP in a 186 is my all-time favorite ski.

I hope you guys are wrong. I guess we will see.

[Merlyn]

the EHP in a 186 is my all-time favorite ski.

Seconded.

[geo039]

When Jason sold Line to K2 sports it was a lifeline to Line skis, it took another decade to force his obnoxious ass out. When K2/Line/FT were put on the auction block last year he called trying to buy them back. His old employees wouldn't call him back.

Since forced out of the K2/Line picture he started J skis, which is just a marketing company selling cookie cutter skis from Utopie with funny top sheets.

4FRNT has always been the opposite of J skis, a ski focused company that had a marketing problem. I have never been the biggest fan of 4FRNT's various skis, but what they did do is bring something unique to the table and were not scared to make the skis they wanted to ski, not what they thought would sell well.

I just don't see what it was about the 4FRNT business model Jason Leventhal was attracted to.

Some interesting points in here...respect to Sterbenz on keeping the unique indie alive.

[muted]

Xavier has one perspective, probably from some K2 employee. Another perspective may be that K2 corporate douches compromised the brand of Line and when Jason fought for what he wanted he wasn't liked.

Not a lotta love for Jason here, that's fine. Only a few people really know the story anyways. Which is probably none of us posting here.

[#######]

Another perspective may be that K2 corporate douches compromised the brand of Line and when Jason fought for what he wanted he wasn't liked.

The industry is ripe with old egotistical ass-hats lacking imagination and vehemently poo-poo any idea regardless whether it's a good one or not.

[Speedfreak]

Can't wait to see the new Line of 4Frnt snowbladez.

[reckless toboggan]

the EHP in a 186 is my all-time favorite ski.

I hope you guys are wrong. I guess we will see.

193 EHP is my all time.

My current stock is:

2 pairs 193 EHP
2 pairs 186 EHP
2 pairs 186 Renegade
Picking up the Devastator and the Inthayne this fall.

[muted]

Now I understand your concern, you are an addict scared of losing his supply.

[reckless toboggan]

Now I understand your concern, you are an addict scared of losing his supply.

Duh. This is TGR.

I've been skiing 4frnt for a bit over a decade. Hundreds and hundreds of days. The skis Eric designs work so well for me. Of course I don't want to see that go away, or diminished in quality. 4frnt is the good dope.

*smacks vein in arm repeatedly

... what they did do is bring something unique to the table and were not scared to make the skis they wanted to ski, not what they thought would sell well.

I do really dig their skis. They make the skis I want to ski.

[babybear]

the EHP in a 186 is my all-time favorite ski.

agree but in 179 for meez

Jason is a funny dude- like the kind of guy in your group of friends that you like but is always on his own program
not sure about the "old employees wouldn't call him back" comment. We're pretty close to many of the parties involved and that doesn't sound like how it happened.
But of course we steer quite clear of most all dramas

[Supermoon]

4FRNT has always been the opposite of J skis, a ski focused company that had a marketing problem.

Yeah, it's a chicken and egg problem. Hard to market with no money. Need marketing to sell more skis.

In many ways skiing media and marketing is a pay to play business that is dominated by the big companies with $ tied to an incestuous inside bros culture.