I couldn't have said it better myself...

I was thinking about the Stockli Scot Schmidt ski today quite a bit. I had a regular customer interested in a Schmidt 178cm but we have none left. I have a Schmidt 188cm layaway that's getting "past due" in the back on hold. Hmmm... need to make a phone call. But that's the last one in the store. Brian (employee) wants one, preferably cheap (he wants our Stockli sales reps demo ski). As a favorite of mine I want one too, but I know I cant ski an "old" model. I own a ski shop for God's sake! We had possession of a 178cm Schmidt ski for the entire spring last year on loan from our Stockli rep. Brian and myself both fell in love with it. Now our rep needs to sell it and we both want it. But I have to let her go. So I went to bat for Brian. Got him the killer deal. Hopefully I will ski on her again one day.

I also spoke with Nicholas at Stockli USA about availability, show appointments, business trends and the like. Regarding inventory, not a whole lot left in the key models. Four 188's Schmidts left and that's all. The end of an era. He has some XXXL's which may or may not be the same ski as the Schmidt model in question with a different topsheet. Don't ask. His inventory of Stormrider XXL's is good. Rotor 76's were the number one seller so far this year. The movement next year is towards more "mainstream" skis (in my opinion) from Stockli. As a business owner, I think this may be a good thing. Stockli is at a level of excellence unsurpassed. The new skis are still at the same level. Just more modern in shape and flex. We will sell more than ever before. That's good. Everyone deserves a Stockli!

On the other hand, the Stormrider series has been the last holdout of "old school" flex patterns combined with semi-modern sidecut features. The past few years they have begun mixing more aggressive shapes and flexes into the line. I will miss the Stormrider XL and the Scot Schmidt pro model a lot. They will be the last of the "old school" models. We have about 10 pairs of the XL left and then it's the end. I am also sure that I will love the new ones even more. And in five years I will be writing an obituary for them too. So goes progress. I did a search on the Schmidts to say good bye tonight. Someone on a forum summed it up for me. His review of the Scot Schmidt(SS) is as follows:

Contributed by Goose Tuesday, 11 April 2006 The Stöckli Stormrider "SS" is basically a fattened race ski – a true pro rider ski not a commercial imitation - and true to form with this type they are a heavy couple of planks. Stiff as if they’d just seen Micha Barton step out of the shower and almost as good looking.

Model: Stormrider Scott SchmidtSize(cm) / Radius(m): 160/14.4 168/16.1 176/17.9 184/19.8Sidecut: 122-89-112Length tested: 188

Manufacturer's Description: "Limited Production Ski"

Ski-Review’s verdict:

Skier stats: 170cm, 70kg, skied since 4 and 7 seasons in the French Alps.

Snow condition: Ice to slush on piste, tracked crud off piste.

Not ideal conditions to test a ‘race stock’ off piste ski but I’ve always wanted to try this or it’s big brother – the Stöckli Stormrider DP – especially after I’d just been given the Stöckli Stormrider XL – a legendary ski. The start runs were icy but set an edge and just go. You have to stay on top of them because they are amongst the most unforgiving skis I’ve been on but they are a fast fish and truly stable compared to skis that pretend to be from the same stable (excuse the pun). When things get slushy they just plough through it and do the same in crud. Again, they need to be skied hard the whole way down. I guess the best way to explain them is that you have to get them up to a speed where you need to really concentrate and then they will perform. Prat about on them and you’ll go front side. They are designed to be skied fast with skill and don’t do anything else. I did manage to find some untracked stuff but not enough to really see how they performed, however I’m in no doubt that they would super G through the fluffy stuff with ease. The Stöckli Stormrider Scott Schmidt is truly an awesome ski, one that will do exactly what it is designed for, a true honour to ski it. "

I couldn't have summed it up better! By the way, a little more research found that the XXXL is the same sidecut as the Scot Schmidt Pro model but with the synthetic core and a 20% or so softer flex. Our customer opted to go this route and the skis turned out to be out fantastic. Ride 'em long and hard Guido! Thanks for the business.