Joe, Matt, Jeff, Ming, Lukie, Dave, Lloyd, Rob, Cat, Eric and JF at Panorama : Photo JF
SPRING-BREAK CHECK LIST Many of you are exiting Winnipeg this weekend, heading to your favorite destination for a little spring-skiing action. Here's Colin's take on what you might want to keep in mind:
The time has come upon us once again, Spring Break 2008. For all the kids out there, this means it’s time to put away your videos, magazines and those shredded toe rope mitts. For parents, its time to escape work for one week, grab the gear and those kids in question and RUN TO THE HILLS! But before you do that, your lovely partners in crime at Gord’s would like to give you a few friendly reminders to ensure that you’re going to get the most out of your ski holiday.
Skis, Boards and Everything in between: Remember before leaving to check absolutely every piece of gear. Make sure your skis/board are ready to rock. Check for rusty edges, any scratches in the base or the big daddy problem of them all, the dreaded core shot. (Remember last year when you just HAD to do Hell’s Kitchen on the last run of the day and you ran over that rock bed.) If you need any repairs, we would love to see you in the shop ASAP. The guys back there are ready for a busy week. That being said, we can only supply them with so much Red Bull before they go on such a glucose high that they wax your poles, adjust your skis and sharpen your bindings. So let’s do them great service and make sure we get all our stuff that needs work done early in the week. That sentiment is double for boot work. JF is ready for you, but believe me wait too long and you have an angry Frenchmen. Anyone who knows about Napoleon can see how this would be a bit of a problem. We would also like to invite you all to take advantage of our wonderful rental program. Come on in to the DONALD street location and we would love to set you up with some gear for your adventure.
Lookin’ Good
Now that you know your equipment is taken care of, its time to make sure you’ll be comfortable on the hill. Bust out all the jackets, pants, goggles, gloves and helmets. Make sure that you have pairs of anything that requires two of something (gloves, mitts, socks, skis and discs one and two of The Wall). Check your pants… and your jacket too! How many times did we rip something and completely forget about it. This can lead to a couple of problems if not addressed:
a) You’ll have to ride with extra ventilation, which can be cold, wet and a little bit embarrassing.
Or
b) You are going to have to buy clothes on the hill, which can be expensive and leave you looking like an extra for a Swiss soap opera.
Remember: kids grow, especially today; I blame good nutrition and exercise. That being said the pants that fit them last year could create the appearance of flood pants today. And don’t get me wrong: it is important to display Manitoba pride on the hills out west, just not in flood prevention awareness.
Getting there.
Some of you are flying, some of you are driving and even some of you are taking the train. All of you need to check the condition of your ski bags. As we all know, airport personnel or “throwers” can sometimes have the occasional accident. A good solid ski bag free of tears and broken straps will allow for your precious cargo to get there in one piece. For those of you brave souls who are driving the highway that brings cruise control a whole new meaning, I know exactly what you are thinking. “ Do I go with Supertramp or Steely Dan as my musical choice leaving Headingley?” I know this is an extremely important decision. However, don’t forget to mount your roof rack a couple of days before. This will give you a chance to see if you are missing any parts that may have been misplaced in the garage. This is not a dilemma you want to be having at 6 am in your pre-Tim Hortons state of mind.
So come on down to one of the shops, we would love to see you. And don’t forget, a bad day on the mountain is better then a good day anywhere else.
-Colin Fraser
DID WE MENTION WE WENT HELI-SKIING? Oh yeah ladies and Gentlemen, we did it. 11 of us spent all our money and fulfilled a life-long dream to shred the 'pow' using what some people call a "helicopter". We went heli skiing at the superlative RK Heli in Panorama last week!
Let us be the first to say that yes, boys and girls, it's absolutely worth it. it's all you ever imagined it to be, and more... Lots more. From our kick-ass guide Graham to our top-gun helicopter pilot Duncan to the majestic terrain and the awe-inspiring views to the boo-yah skiing... we had the time of our lives. Check back soon as we lay it all here for you to see. Videos, pics, the whole story:
MINI SKI REVIEW
A good customer of ours, Sammy C. Took his wicked new Salomon W12's out for a rip and was nice enough to send an email our way. We thought we'd post it here for y'all to read.
"Took (my new Salomon) W12's out for a rip at Frostfire (today). Pretty amazing edge control at speed. I
have never really felt so much control carving medium and long turns until today, it was kind of weird and wicked at the same time...
Short turns smooth and effortless... I
have no issues with them, only after one day,
silky smooth and fast.
I like'em!!!!!!!!!
Thank you guys for all your help :) "
Thank you, Sammy. Glad we were able to help you find ski love.
ETHICAL SKI TESTING This is the time of year when many of you pick up the various magazines that feature what they like to call "ski tests" what some like to refer to as "infomercials". Unfortunately ski magazines have long ago sold their souls in order to survive. The last one to go was our beloved Ski Canada. A once proud and righteous publication who now resorts to advertorial "tests" to pay the bills. (more on that later)
As far as we go, we don't answer to advertisers, and we're certainly not sponsored by any one company, we know who pays our rent (you do)... the only group we favor is you. So in order to get the true facts, the undisturbed, unspoiled information, we do what we must. We go out there and test skis ourselves... Lots of them. And once we're done we only buy skis we truly enjoyed. We don't take anyone's word for it and we certainly don't go by what manufacturers say or by the latest fad dictates. (remember super short skis?) We are 100% accountable to you, our customer. As unbiased as we can be (among the brands sell, anyways) we strive to give you the straight goods. uncompromised. If the ski sucks, we don't sell it. Simple.
February is the time of the year when Gord's Test Team hits the road and heads out to test the latest gear for 2008. Last year the gang decided on Central Vermont for our base of operations and we'll have the full story up on here for you soon. We then gather the best of the test and head West to give these skis a run for their money... Check out the video from the test below.
BRANDS WE SELL
Dynastar, Salomon, Fischer, Head, Nordica, Look, Lange, Tyrolia, Dalbello, Swix, Excel, K2, Atomic... If it's good, if it surpasses our standards, if it shows up o our 'must have' list, we have it on the wall. Read more HERE.
MORE STUFF TO READ YES, WE DO XC We used to not do cross country... Until we decided to give the people what they wanted... So now, when you come in and ask "where are your cross-country skis" we can gladly point you in the direction of our second location, on Kenaston. [more]
L2 TECH SHOP IS GOOD TO GO! Our service department is the linchpin of our operation. They are the ones that fulfil the promises our sales team make.... and we are SO fortunate to have it staffed by some of the best in the business. Check out our 2006/2007 winter tech shop rates... [more]
YOU SPECIFIC We say it over and over... (It's almost annoying) "It's not just Women specific... it's YOU specific." Skiing, more than any other sport we know of, is the most advanced and accommodating as far as gear specifically designed for women... [more]
LOVE YOUR FEET When it comes down to ski boots, we've come quite some ways from the times when Gord used to say in jest "It doesn't quite fit unless -at the end of the day- you can pour blood out of it". Mercifully, that was then... These days, It's all about comfort... [more]
TESTING, 123456 February 2006. The Plan was to assemble our motley group of skiers, boys and girls, fly to Montreal, Ski Wild Cat, NH, Sunday River, Me, Bretton woods, NH, Owl's Head and Tremblant, Qc for the sixth installment of our annual Gord's Ski Test. [more]
BRANDS THAT WE DO
We could carry more brands than we do... But why? After testing for as many years as we've been testing gear we've come to the conclusion that the brands we currently have in our arsenal are the best in the business. [more]
LE CLUB
We spend a lot of time at work... so we can spend even more time at play. If what your looking for is a reason to get away from real-life and go skiing with like-minded individuals, we may have an scratch to your itch. It's Gord's less than official Ski Club [more]
WHERE TO NEXT?
Yeah, we'll admit it, we do get out a bit more often than your average bear. From the 6 mountains of Sunday River Maine to Grouse just by Vancouver, to our favorites: Panorama, Bald Face and Sunshine Village... we've pretty much skied it all. [more]
WE WENT HELI-SKIING! Oh yeah ladies and Gentlemen, we did it. 11 of us went to RK Heli in Panorama and spent all our money to fulfill a life-long dream to shred the pow using what some people call a "helicopter"
5 THINGS ABOUT BUYING BOOTS FROM GORD'S [1] We are not on commission.
[2]
The most expensive boot rarely fits the best.
[3] Our boots are EXACTLY THE SAME PRICE as the same boots at the check and the mart.
[4] Proper ski boots vary from $249 to $$699, most of our sales occur in the $450 range.
[5] We genuinely care.
. . THE NO B.S. APROACH
We've built our reputation on proper bootfitting. It begins with central Canada's largest selection of ski boots and ends with our LIFETIME BOOTFIT GUARANTEE. We rarely sell customers multiple pairs of boots... So we do it right... From the get-go.
Here are a few things you should know BEFORE you drop by to get fitted for boots at Gord's:
[1] Do your shopping and 'research' first but please, stay off the internet and "Ski Boot Tests" Come on, you're smarter than that. Unless the tester has the identical body and feet as you do, his/her opinions are simply useless.
[2]
We would appreciate it, if you could, if you made an appointment. (just call an hour or so ahead of time so we can clear-out some time for you). Better you come as early in the day as you can since we don't do bootfitting's after 8:00pm
[3] A proper bootfit appointment lasts 1 to 2 hours.
[4] Bring the socks you usually wear and your footbeds... If you don't own footbeds, we'll be selling you one so be prepared.
[5] Bring patience along... this more often than not takes some time.
[6] Once we've agreed on a boot we'll back it up with our unique LIFETIME BOOTFIT GUARANTEE.
BOOT FITTING FAQ
Q: "I need help with the boots I bought at that other place they really don't fit properly... Does it matter if I bought my boots from Gord's?"
A: We'll work on any boot... However It does matter if you got the boots from us because the bootfitting is free when you purchase boots from Gord's.
Our flat Bootfit rate is $75 and that includes up to 2 hours of work and includes return tweak visits and a fit guarantee on work done. All supplies (parts, rivets and shims) are extra.
Keep in mind that we can only do bootwork if your boots are not too big (there's nothing we can do for boots that are the incorrect size) and if you own a decent aftermarket footbed (remember: OEM footbeds do nothing to stabilize your foot, making proper bootfitting almost impossible).
If all that is needed is a small tweak here and there or if you're purchasing qualifying product, you may likely be charged less.
If you are interested in getting some work done to make your feet happier, this is done by appointment. Call us (Donald St, store: 284.2952 or 269.2952 for the Kenaston store) and simply ask to make a bootfit appointment.
LE SKI AU MANITOBA JF gets to push skiing and snowboarding in Manitoba once again on French CBC. "Le vice-président et directeur gérant du magasin Gord's Ski and Bike à Winnipeg, Jean-François Ravenelle, fait le point sur le ski alpin et de planche à neige au Manitoba." Click on the link below to hear him struggle with his mother tongue once again as he talks with Martine Bordeleau. about skiing and boarding in the Prairies.
SELECTING THE RIGHT SKI
We pride ourselves on trying EVERY ski we sell BEFORE we decide to offer them to our customers... So we're uniquely qualified to match skier to ski... Provided, of course, said skier is able to adequately describe to us his or her skiing style and terrain preference.
The reason internet ski sales are measured in thousands of units rather than in millions of units is simply because ski selection is still (thankfully) the exclusive domain of the human experience. the $200 ski and the $900 ski share most of the same components so it's all about HOW the ski is made. Artisans still rule. Art is still a big part of ski construction... It's still about how the ski "feels". You just can't describe that unless you've slapped them on. That's what we do. We try them out, and help you understand the nuances. Help you get the right one for you.
Published ski tests are one tidbit of information that might help... provided you trust these tests not to be tainted by sponsorships, advertising dollars and personal brand preference. Ski-test-review sites are also another source of debatable information. Don't ask us to comment on these faceless, unaccountable, dubious reviews. We can only tell you about OUR experience. We trust no-one but ourselves and that's the main reason (as I've pointed out earlier) we go to considerable lengths and expense to test every single ski we think might be suitable for our customers... [read about our ski test here] We then select the pick of the litter, slap them on our wall and proudly stand behind each and every pair with our "love them or we'll swap them" guarantee when you go with our recommendation (ask one of our ski sales-people what that entails).
Unfortunately that's why we will never guarantee that ski 'X' will perform as advertised on their own website... Most ski manufacturers often mis-categorize their own product, it's a simple result of trying to hit every category... and why even their own 'product selectors' often miss the mark. Sometimes a ski that is supposed to be good at something ends up being AMAZING at something completely different... And there's nothing wrong with that. That's the beauty of our process, finding the jewels that will make your on-snow experience a phenomenal one rather than an adequate one.
That's where we come in.
The only catch is that, unfortunately, we can't help you with selecting the right ski over the phone or by email... It's a process we'll only embark upon in person. And while we stand by our lowest price policy, there is a price to pay for all this knowledge, and that price is that you call (or drop by) one of our two locations, make an appointment with one of our specialists and make the trip to Gord's. Not an unreasonable investment we think, considering the potential upsides associated with finally owning the right gear.
JF ON RADIO CANADA TV
DYNASTAR
SKI CROSS
Over the past five years, Dynastar's superlative Ski Cross skis have been staple here at Gord's. Their amazing ability to turn every part of the mountain into your 'hood' is unparalleled. The Dynastar Ski Cross is the one ski that goes beyond the latest hype, the latest trend, the latest industry or media-driven fad. These skis simply do their job and they do it better than any ski on snow. Bypass the crap. get a pair.
THENORTHFACE
REDPOINT
It's no coincidence that most everyone on staff at Gord's owns one. This is the ultimate Fleece replacement... and save for the Patagonia "down sweater" (equally wonderful) there's no one piece of gear we can all agree we would not want to do without in our respective cold-fighting arsenals. Click on the following link and let us tell you why you need, at the very least, one of these FABULOUS garments:
SKI TEST VIDEOS It's as close as you can get without actualy joining us on one of our tests. Simply click on the player above to check out all our latest ski test videos starting with our very latest excursion to the 2008 Gord's Ski Test in Big White. For more information on our ski tests, click here:
Many of you are exiting Winnipeg this weekend, heading to your favorite destination for a little spring-skiing action. Here's Colin's take on what you might want to keep in mind:
Remember before leaving to check absolutely every piece of gear. Make sure your skis/board are ready to rock. Check for rusty edges, any scratches in the base or the big daddy problem of them all, the dreaded core shot. (Remember last year when you just HAD to do Hell’s Kitchen on the last run of the day and you ran over that rock bed.) If you need any repairs, we would love to see you in the shop ASAP. The guys back there are ready for a busy week. That being said, we can only supply them with so much Red Bull before they go on such a glucose high that they wax your poles, adjust your skis and sharpen your bindings. So let’s do them great service and make sure we get all our stuff that needs work done early in the week. That sentiment is double for boot work. JF is ready for you, but believe me wait too long and you have an angry Frenchmen. Anyone who knows about Napoleon can see how this would be a bit of a problem. We would also like to invite you all to take advantage of our wonderful rental program. Come on in to the DONALD street location and we would love to set you up with some gear for your adventure.
Lookin’ Good
Getting there.
Do I go with Supertramp or Steely Dan as my musical choice leaving Headingley?” I know this is an extremely important decision. However, don’t forget to mount your roof rack a couple of days before. This will give you a chance to see if you are missing any parts that may have been misplaced in the garage. This is not a dilemma you want to be having at 6 am in your pre-Tim Hortons state of mind.
Oh yeah ladies and Gentlemen, we did it. 11 of us spent all our money and fulfilled a life-long dream to shred the 'pow' using what some people call a "helicopter". We went heli skiing at the superlative RK Heli in Panorama last week! 
This is the time of year when many of you pick up the various magazines that feature what they like to call "ski tests" what some like to refer to as "infomercials". Unfortunately ski magazines have long ago sold their souls in order to survive. The last one to go was our beloved Ski Canada. A once proud and righteous publication who now resorts to advertorial "tests" to pay the bills. (more on that later) 
A: We'll work on any boot... However It does matter if you got the boots from us because the bootfitting is free when you purchase boots from Gord's. 
The reason internet ski sales are measured in thousands of units rather than in millions of units is simply because ski selection is still (thankfully) the exclusive domain of the human experience. the $200 ski and the $900 ski share most of the same components so it's all about HOW the ski is made. Artisans still rule. Art is still a big part of ski construction... It's still about how the ski "feels". You just can't describe that unless you've slapped them on. That's what we do. We try them out, and help you understand the nuances. Help you get the right one for you. 
Ski-test-review sites are also another source of debatable information. Don't ask us to comment on these faceless, unaccountable, dubious reviews. We can only tell you about OUR experience. We trust no-one but ourselves and that's the main reason (as I've pointed out earlier) we go to considerable lengths and expense to test every single ski we think might be suitable for our customers... [
Unfortunately that's why we will never guarantee that ski 'X' will perform as advertised on their own website... Most ski manufacturers often mis-categorize their own product, it's a simple result of trying to hit every category... and why even their own 'product selectors' often miss the mark. Sometimes a ski that is supposed to be good at something ends up being AMAZING at something completely different... And there's nothing wrong with that. That's the beauty of our process, finding the jewels that will make your on-snow experience a phenomenal one rather than an adequate one.
The only catch is that, unfortunately, we can't help you with selecting the right ski over the phone or by email... It's a process we'll only embark upon in person. And while we stand by our lowest price policy, there is a price to pay for all this knowledge, and that price is that you call (or drop by) one of our two locations, make an appointment with one of our specialists and make the trip to Gord's. Not an unreasonable investment we think, considering the potential upsides associated with finally owning the right gear.
