JF Ravenelle rippin' it up in soft stuff : Pic Jerry Todd!
REVELSTOKE VERSUS SILVERSTAR
No doubt this is a topic that some may characterize as absolutely lopsided, fraught with references to David Versus Goliath, with comments suggesting that to compare these two resorts is to compare the 1976-77 Canadiens to the 1980-81 Winnipeg Jets. Especially since so many have been loudly proclaiming Revelstoke as the best ski resort on the face of this planet, that skiing Revelstoke is as close to heaven as we humans could ever hope to get, that every self respecting skier
MUST make the pilgrimage to "Revy" in order to avoid outright ridicule... So in order to not be ostracized as infidels we did just that... and yes, Revelstoke is nothing short of awesome.
This little tour came about after our annual Ski & Board Test Trip... We decided to try out these two resorts we'd never sampled before. For our Revelstoke visit we were fortunate enough to have not one but two guides to take us around the mountain. We were guests of Dynastar while testing 2010/2011 prototypes... and our guides included the gentleman who designed the mountain,
it's trail network and it's lifts. We were treated to a first class tour of all that makes Revy what it is. Steep, deep and hardcore.
For our tour of Silverstar we were blessed to have Robin Baycroft, Resorts Services Manager for Silverstar (and all around great guy). Robin gave us such a perfect and fun tour of the mountain that we felt like we'd been here 4 times before. Left us all with a feeling of "man, we gotta come back here another day and rip down that that and that and that run over there.
To understand where I'm coming from you need to know a little bit about my skiing background. (I'll give you the brief version) I started out skiing in the Laurentians (around the time I started to walk) where my family was deeply entrenched in the culture of skiing. I raced, I taught skiing for a decade or two, I coached, I was an active member of the ski patrol system there and I've had the pleasure of skiing most of the resorts in Quebec and New-England. I moved to Winnipeg
in 97 never having skied a western resort in my entire life. (since then I've made it a point to try and ski 3 different western resorts each year).
Skiing to me is more than just acreage, altitude, vertical, number of trails or sheer steepness. It's about the entire "package" it's about speed of lifts, it's about anemities, it's about grooming (summer AND winter) it's about trail layout, it's about quality of staff, it's about the proximity of washrooms, it's about quality of food, trail selection, parking, lodging, how well a hill deals with crowds, how well trails are marked, how nicely spaced-out trees are, the flow that a mountain
has, how happy employees and lifties are to have you as guests... it's so much more than sheer size, it's about how much fun the place is to ski all day (nothing beats a nice "ripper" groomer to relax after a hard day punishing the mountain in the trees).
Using those paramters (sorry if I digressed there for a bit) I opine that Silverstar and Revelsoke do stack up. I even would argue (sorry Loti) that I had a much better overall ski experience at Silverstar (including insanely steep runs off the back side) than I did at Revelstoke (now maybe that'll change one day when Revy sorts out their slightly inadequate infrastructure). Silverstar had everything I cherish in a resort and then some.
For those who are still reading at this point (I can just imagine how many Revelstoke disciples just closed their browsers at the very mention that perhaps Silverstar would be better than Revy)... Let me add that I am ABSOLUTELY going back to Revelstoke... I had SUCH a great time there and so did Rowan, Jerry Todd, Shawn and Danny... The 20-something adrenalyn junkies that accompanied me on this 7 day extravaganza... But when asked if they wanted to return to Revelstoke the
next day ... they sheepishly replied "uh, Revelstoke kinda kick our asses today, maybe we should ski Big White tomorrow".
Rowan put it best when he said "Revelstoke is NOT a family resort"... or Danny when he added "I could not see bringing my girlfriend here" and that's a good thing if you can escape with the dudes and dudettes... Just make sure they can ski or board.
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:
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 (thankfuly) 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.
2008 SKI TEST VIDEOS
LOWEST
PRICE POLICY
We know that for
some of you shopping
at Gord's is probably a
bit intimidating but
relax, we're here to make it a fun and fulfilling experience.
With the lowest prices guaranteed and a friendly fresh staff,
give us a try, you may be pleasantly surprised. Our motto
here at Gord's is simple: NEVER PAY MORE! And if we missed
one, no problem. Of course we'll price match any local competitor's
price, just mention it.
KNOWLEDGE
IS POWER
At the risk of sounding immodest, permit me to say that
it's a fact: We have a pretty stacked team when it comes
to pertinent and passionate knowledge about the sports we
sell. Whether
it be doing a grab off
a tabletop at Fernie,
riding Spruce Woods
to standing around waiting for a bus in February, we've
been there, done that. Whatever the endeavor Novice to expert:
We may be able to help.
This little tour came about after our annual Ski & Board Test Trip... We decided to try out these two resorts we'd never sampled before. For our Revelstoke visit we were fortunate enough to have not one but two guides to take us around the mountain. We were guests of Dynastar while testing 2010/2011 prototypes... and our guides included the gentleman who designed the mountain,
it's trail network and it's lifts. We were treated to a first class tour of all that makes Revy what it is. Steep, deep and hardcore.
The reason internet ski sales are measured in thousands of units rather than in millions of units is simply because ski selection is still (thankfuly) 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.
