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krazedkiter
Since 08 Jun 2009
183 Posts
Florida
Stoked
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 Fri Feb 05, 10 6:59 pm Slingshot Comp bar OMG $$ |
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I was all set on getting a SS comp for my other brand kite. But then I saw the price.
500 bucks?
How is that justified. Im not bashing. I was interested but that price changed my mind.
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SalmonSlayer
Since 27 Nov 2005
648 Posts
Addicted
CGKA Member
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| Fri Feb 05, 10 8:14 pm Re: Slingshot Comp bar OMG $$ |
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| krazedkiter wrote: | I was all set on getting a SS comp for my other brand kite. But then I saw the price.
500 bucks?
How is that justified. Im not bashing. I was interested but that price changed my mind. |
Perhaps in anticipation of the fallout from those propositions approved that "stuck it to the man" there was a price hike.
funny how that works
Last edited by SalmonSlayer on Fri Feb 05, 10 8:15 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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f0rgiv3n
Since 26 Jan 2009
6 Posts
Kook
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| Fri Feb 05, 10 8:14 pm |
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| I've noticed the prices of the bars sold alone have gone freaking nuts. The peter lynn navigator bar is up there at the same price... ridiculous.... |
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Spike
Since 13 May 2007
1414 Posts
Alameda
Spelling Expert
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| Fri Feb 05, 10 8:23 pm Re: Slingshot Comp bar OMG $$ |
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| SalmonSlayer wrote: | | Perhaps in anticipation of the fallout from those propositions approved that "stuck it to the man" there was a price hike. |
I cannot for the life of me deconstruct this sentence  . Even if it is grammatically correct, it's simply a terrible choice of words. I highly recommend some additional punctuation. |
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kitebot
Since 20 Feb 2007
251 Posts
Obsessed
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| Fri Feb 05, 10 10:14 pm |
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| It seems totally in line with Slingshot pricing to me. |
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SalmonSlayer
Since 27 Nov 2005
648 Posts
Addicted
CGKA Member
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| Fri Feb 05, 10 10:41 pm Re: Slingshot Comp bar OMG $$ |
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| Spike wrote: |
I cannot for the life of me deconstruct this sentence . Even if it is grammatically correct, it's simply a terrible choice of words. I highly recommend some additional punctuation. |
spike bait |
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Pepi
Since 16 Jun 2006
1831 Posts
Pure Stoke Sports
Shop Owner
CGKA Member
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| Fri Feb 05, 10 10:45 pm |
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| kitebot wrote: | | It seems totally in line with Slingshot pricing to me. |
Not to try to come out and tell you that you now need to spend $400-500 for a complete bar/line set, but, material costs have been going up for manufacturers these past 2-3 years and they many of them had not really been raising their prices. Now many of the kite manufacturers have brand new bar systems with fairly high tech engineering involved in the design/production of the new chicken loop release safety systems.
The price jumps this year are most likely unavoidable. One thing to remember though, is better safety means better kiting, more fun and hopefully increased durability.
Pepi
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Pure Stoke Sports
Hood River, OR
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hood-River-OR/2nd-Wind-Sports/35891485558?ref=mf
www.Purestokesports.com |
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Spike
Since 13 May 2007
1414 Posts
Alameda
Spelling Expert
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| Sat Feb 06, 10 2:11 am |
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| Pepi wrote: | | One thing to remember though, is better safety means better kiting, more fun and hopefully increased durability. |
And more dummies taking more risks and fewer precautions because they feel "safer". No matter how easy it is to ditch your gear, if you are 1/2 mile offshore (because you feel so safe out there) and you ditch your gear in a textbook manner, you are still in trouble.
My 2007 SS (Super Simple) quick-release has never failed me. I don't see the need for a 10-piece machined stainless steel quick-release assembly. It's heavy, makes the bar sink more easily, and more parts = more shit that can break/jam. Especially since all this crap is what makes it so insanely expensive in the first place. I understand there is a need to keep inventing new stuff and marketing it as "safer than anything else out there", but you have to draw the line somewhere.
Feel free to disagree, but I think the real reason that shit is getting expensive is that the used market is supplying 80% (this number is entirely fictional) of the people out there, and that some pretty good competition. |
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SalmonSlayer
Since 27 Nov 2005
648 Posts
Addicted
CGKA Member
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| Sat Feb 06, 10 8:37 am |
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| Spike wrote: | | Pepi wrote: | | One thing to remember though, is better safety means better kiting, more fun and hopefully increased durability. |
And more dummies taking more risks and fewer precautions because they feel "safer". No matter how easy it is to ditch your gear, if you are 1/2 mile offshore (because you feel so safe out there) and you ditch your gear in a textbook manner, you are still in trouble.
My 2007 SS (Super Simple) quick-release has never failed me. I don't see the need for a 10-piece machined stainless steel quick-release assembly. It's heavy, makes the bar sink more easily, and more parts = more shit that can break/jam. Especially since all this crap is what makes it so insanely expensive in the first place. I understand there is a need to keep inventing new stuff and marketing it as "safer than anything else out there", but you have to draw the line somewhere.
Feel free to disagree, but I think the real reason that shit is getting expensive is that the used market is supplying 80% (this number is entirely fictional) of the people out there, and that some pretty good competition. |
I agree that the pricing seems high, but, I know nothing about the true cost of bringing these products to market. I can only guess. Marketing, R&D and distribution may be more costly than I think. Also, higher corporate taxes (as I so articulately pointed out in my earlier post) are paid by the consumer. All else held equal, you will probably see higher prices as the new taxes come into play. It will not get better.
I wonder how may people actually buy this bar at full markup. I would guess a lot of riders using a "$500" bar will get some sort of "Bro" discount.
The bottom line is if I don't like the price of kite boarding gear, I don't buy it.
Supply and demand. Supply and demand. Supply and demand. |
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Kataku2k3
Since 14 Aug 2005
3753 Posts
Los Angeles, CA
Videographer
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| Sat Feb 06, 10 9:15 am |
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| Most of the people with the Comp Stick bars are going to have gotten it with their 2010 kite packages... Prices have always been close to that for an SS bar alone. |
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K4L
Since 19 Jan 2009
483 Posts
Obsessed
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| Sat Feb 06, 10 9:18 am |
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| Spike wrote: | | Pepi wrote: | | One thing to remember though, is better safety means better kiting, more fun and hopefully increased durability. |
And more dummies taking more risks and fewer precautions because they feel "safer". No matter how easy it is to ditch your gear, if you are 1/2 mile offshore (because you feel so safe out there) and you ditch your gear in a textbook manner, you are still in trouble.
My 2007 SS (Super Simple) quick-release has never failed me. I don't see the need for a 10-piece machined stainless steel quick-release assembly. It's heavy, makes the bar sink more easily, and more parts = more shit that can break/jam. Especially since all this crap is what makes it so insanely expensive in the first place. I understand there is a need to keep inventing new stuff and marketing it as "safer than anything else out there", but you have to draw the line somewhere.
Feel free to disagree, but I think the real reason that shit is getting expensive is that the used market is supplying 80% (this number is entirely fictional) of the people out there, and that some pretty good competition. |
Its not just SS
Even $300 is ridicoulous in my opinion for a bar, which seems to have been the starting price point recently.
For the sake of "SAFETY" yeah right
Whatever, I am fine using my 07 bars until they are ready for retirement and then pick up a used bar in good shape for pennies on the dollar. |
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bwd
Since 04 Aug 2007
385 Posts
Obsessed
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| Sat Feb 06, 10 10:31 am |
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| Quote: | | always been close to that |
sure, if you call $150 or so "close."
Bars/lines remain the biggest rip off in the business.
Too complicated, inferior materials often used even by good brands, etc.
Just because Slingshot or Naish etc., have to pay a few more pennies for the rebar they make those bars from, is no excuse for a $500 price.
If the companies aren't making great profit on bars at that price,
they are clearly doing something wrong.
ok, rant over. |
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SalmonSlayer
Since 27 Nov 2005
648 Posts
Addicted
CGKA Member
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| Sat Feb 06, 10 10:40 am |
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| bwd wrote: | | Quote: | | always been close to that |
sure, if you call $150 or so "close."
Bars/lines remain the biggest rip off in the business.
Too complicated, inferior materials often used even by good brands, etc.
Just because Slingshot or Naish etc., have to pay a few more pennies for the rebar they make those bars from, is no excuse for a $500 price.
If the companies aren't making great profit on bars at that price,
they are clearly doing something wrong.
ok, rant over. |
It is not a rip off if you have free choice. Just don't buy the product. it is not a monopoly controlling a necessity like drinking water
I don't begrudge a business owner from making a "great profit". They take risks and should be compensated accordingly. |
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bwd
Since 04 Aug 2007
385 Posts
Obsessed
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| Sat Feb 06, 10 11:10 am |
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A rip-off is a rip-off.
Either ok product , but the price inappropriate -as with kite bars, OR ok price but a product that just doesn't work -at least we usually don't have that problem....
Free choice is obviously a given, but not terribly relevant to a conversation about value for money.
But the bar -it's some some steel tubing ($5.00 maybe) plus about $100 worth of line, plastic parts and fittings.
Companies choose to reinvent the wheel with new tooling for more molded parts that wear or break every year, and pass that along. What a win 
For $500, they need to offer all carbon tubing, durable SS ferrule, bar ends that with an "inside" and "outside" connection, etc., -and it has to float!
The quick release and other stuff need not be expensive or reinvented every other year.
That's my take, and it has nothing to do with anyone's right to make money.
If it makes people happy to pay through the nose for unimpressive gear, I won't try to take that away from them... just my pov. |
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Lurk
Since 04 Apr 2009
355 Posts
Obsessed
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| Sat Feb 06, 10 12:33 pm |
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Every year one or two companies try and push the envelope on price.
Funny how its usually Cabrihna or SS that do it.
Thank God for new companies like Epic or eclipse to give them something to think about. Otherwise.. we all be payin Cab prices for gear.
And I agree, its the used market thier trying to get higher. |
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wjb
Since 14 Aug 2007
223 Posts
Nor Cal
Stoked
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| Sat Feb 06, 10 1:02 pm |
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It is all the extensive r & d http://www.nwkite.com/forums/t-16557.html 
In reality there a are a couple companys that put a lot of effort in coming up with innovative and safe gear. Slingy is one of them. They have one of the sickest bar setups out there. Kiteboarding is not like other sports where you can get back your tooling and other costs amortized through hundreds of thousands of units. |
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Spike
Since 13 May 2007
1414 Posts
Alameda
Spelling Expert
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| Sat Feb 06, 10 1:19 pm |
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| wjb wrote: | It is all the extensive r & d http://www.nwkite.com/forums/t-16557.html
In reality there a are a couple companys that put a lot of effort in coming up with innovative and safe gear. Slingy is one of them. They have one of the sickest bar setups out there. Kiteboarding is not like other sports where you can get back your tooling and other costs amortized through hundreds of thousands of units. |
From the very same thread you just linked to:
| wjb wrote: | Is it just me or does it seem like a lot of Slingshot's R and D involves this kind of research
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Sign me up for one of those $500 bars bro, its going towards a good cause! |
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