Jump to content
Slate Blackcurrant Watermelon Strawberry Orange Banana Apple Emerald Chocolate Marble
Slate Blackcurrant Watermelon Strawberry Orange Banana Apple Emerald Chocolate Marble

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Kgbeast

Hockey Equipment Manufacturing Venting Thread

Recommended Posts

All hockey gear sold in North America used to be made in North America. Now most of it made in... not North America. I would think and hope that at least the custom shops are within the reach of the headquarters locations. You would want a limited manufacturing ability at the place where you do the RND and manufacturing sequencers design. It would be smart to have those manufacture low quantity custom builds. Anything you buy in the store however, would make sense to make in the cheapest facility you can come up with. That said, however, you would still charge the full price for the product (maximizing returns). By the way, Bauer and them make products in Asia not because they have to do it to remain competitive in the market, they do it to maximize the profit margins and make more money so they can build bigger houses and put their kids through better schools = todays' deprived version of the american dream. Look at Nike... selling $10 shoes for $200... As long as there are losers that are ready to pay $200 for $10 shoe, why not let them have it? Hockey industry is no different.  Would you be surprised to find out that it costs Bauer only $40 a pair to make 1N skates? Was there anything wrong with MX3 skates that was addressed in S1 design? I think they have to come up with upgrades every year so the people who bought a pair of skates last year, feel that they have to get this year model? What is next? A subscription programs? Like with phones, you pay a monthly fee and be qualified to exchange your current skates for a latest model? You get different subscription plans, $10 for basic model like Supreme 160... Then for about $60/month you get to play with 1X and similar. Sounds like a good plan... You do not get to accumulate a garage full of skates that you do not use. Make this someone leses problem to get rid of the old stuff.... Send them to India to be burned in their land-fields. That is with skates, what about sticks... Thousands of sticks in every store... How many sticks one would need and why one would need 20 sticks of the same flex and durability to choose from? The one thing that is not being looked at as close as it should be is the protection stuff. That is the only thing that actually makes a huge difference. The materials are being developed that can make impacts more tolerable. New foams and things for your pads, armor, and pants. More protection, more mobility, less sweating.... That makes sense, the direction where skates and sticks go is pretty ridiculous... It looks like the mfgs just milking that for what it worth without adding an appreciable value to the product.... LS4 runners? Is that really the kats-meow and bees-knees when comparing them to LS23 or even LS2? Did that make any one a better player? Did that make the sport more popular or more appreciated? There are things that need to b e concentrated on and then there are things that just bad stewardship of the game of Hockey. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

That is assuming that this anatomy is true. For everyone of those, there is a slew of the ones that suggest otherwise.  Poor  Nike give their sneakers at cost,  how philanthropic of them... not sold. Regardless, my post is not about Nike... well not about their Jordan shoes at least.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I put some tuuk holders on a fresh pair of jordans. When I'm done crushin it on the ice and on the court I'll make sure to send them to the indian landfills to burn.  You're welcome.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
12 hours ago, AIREAYE said:

Can we please get a tl;dr? 

I think I fully understand the complex hockey market and don't realize the enormity of hidden costs that occur in the retail world. Things such as the retailer needs to make their profit to pay all of their bills, the manufacture needs to make a profit and since they all come with warranties, build in a safety net for that. Further they don't understand that the following things need to be paid to people in order to make the 1N skate for instance:

 

Product designers

Product managers

Product testers

Manufacturing plants

Manufacturing workers

R&D

Materials

Cost of transport (of materials, product from Asia & distribution to retailers through the world)

Sales representatives

Customer service representatives

HR

Executives

Credit analysts

Accountants

Etc
Etc

Etc

Etc

Etc

 

 

And I find it hilarious how he says productive gear is okay to innovate because that makes sense, you need higher quality protective pieces because it protects you. Well with skates and sticks, the gain here is competitive edge, not protection. A better stick and one that is tuned into your playing style will increase velocity on shots and generally provides a better feel of the puck to help stick handling. If you take Weber a fiber glass $60 stick, if they can make one stiff enough, his shot will decreased noticeably. Give him a wood stick and he'd be down probably 8-10 MPH. For many of us that difference would mean a goal or not a goal. Sticks also keep becoming more and more durable - I can't remember how many I broke in the 2000s but lately I don't break them with same regularity. Before composites it wasn't uncommon for a high school player, yes, high school, regardless of talent level either (Minnesota, Michigan, New England HS or house league player) to go through 12, 24, 36, 48 + sticks in a season. I still have old times come in and talk about sticks, keep buying the same woodies 3X a year for men's league. Those who I can convince to go composite use the same one for years. With skates, every stride counts so that's why you see more responsive and responsive skates with innovations to increase performance. Lighter skates mean less tired legs in the 3rd period. More supportive skates mean every turn you take you can go 100% without fear if repercussions. Taller holders (innovation) allow players to get lower in their turns. With LS4 for example it holds an edge better than LS3, so for us average people it means we should get more value out of our steel due to decreased sharpenings. They've also become more durable - I still see Bauer One95s from 2008 on the ice in men's league, and this is after they played two years of juniors in them. The only time I see old high end skates is those who put them away for a couple of years, or, those who bought them after playing competitively. 

 

So while material cost of the 1N may be $40 (blowing out of my ass, I have no idea how much they cost materials wise), there are hundreds of other expenses that need to be taken care of, first, and that's just with the manufacture. The retailer who you purchase them from has their costs as well that need to be taken care of. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

You make it sound like people are being forced to buy top of the line equipment, but nobody is forcing you to buy it. Sure, the materials in a skate are going to be a fraction of the overall cost, but i think there are a few more elements to getting that skate on your foot than you realize.

 

However, I have a solution: Lets have the skate manufacturer send you the raw materials for the skate and you design and build it. Everybody wins. You get your 1N for $40 (hopefully with free shipping), and those greedy corporate assholes make zero profit. Then they have to buy a smaller house, and their kids go to crappy schools. Serves them right, because business = bad!

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...