companies that put the most into inline

[eaglehockey33 0]

Rink Rat

I would hope the wheel companies put their all into the sport ;) I think he was asking more about the overall big manufacturers. Rink Rat, Labeda and Hyper all do a good job though as well with sponsering teams and such.

dont forget about revision

I haven't seen near as many teams with Revision listed as a sponser as the other three.

they havent done as much because they are fairly new, but hey, theyve done more sponsorship and other contributions then NBH even as a much smaller company

They aren't any newer than Rink Rat is, and Rink Rat has been much more active in the sponsership area. I'm not trying to say Revision isn't commited to inline, they very well could be. My point is the companies who go above and beyond to really push the sport.

Red Star, Kuzak and Volcanix all came before, but were also overshadowed by Labeda and Hyper because Labeda and Hyper were everywhere sponsering all the major teams. I unfortunately can't see Revision having a much better fate than these companies who are gone or very low profile compared to the big three of RR, Labeda and Hyper because those three are the ones who are out the sponsering as many as they can and trying to really help the sport along in every aspect.

It works the same way for the major manufacturers too. NBH and CCM/RBK have been the big dogs in ice for a long time (Bauer and CCM for most of it), yet pure inline guys have stuck with Mission and Tour for the last decade because they were the companies commited to the roller sport. CCM/RBK really stepped it up a few years back with the Externo line, and has continued to push into roller with good product lines that go from entry level to top of the line to compete with Mission and Tour. NBH has made minimal strides trying to rely on their name alone and not really offering a full lineup. RBK has the hottest young star in all of hockey wearing their stuff, and have made the effort to provide full lines to roller players, so it's no surprise to me that they are surpassing Tour.

The thing here is that through all of this, Mission and Tour have continued doing what they do best: making killer inline products that are the best products for inline. Most of the top inline players I can think of are sponsered by one of these two companies.

gman's original post asked who are the companies doing the most for growing inline and sponserships within the sport. Mission, Tour, CCM/RBK, Rink Rat, Labeda and Hyper are the answers to that question. I personally choose to support Mission because the products feel the best to me and Justin has been world class on these boards, even fixing a problem for an ice player that Graf should've handled in the first place. For anyone looking to really give back to the companies who cater to us, I'd direct them to those six companies first and foremost.

agreed, point well made

[nummer55 10]

Revision is out there sponsoring as much as it can. Maybe you don't see there name as much as the other brands, but they do sponsor several teams, they sponsor NCRHA (college), NARCh (silver), Statewars, Topcat, and more.

Oh, and aren't Tour and Labeda practically the same?

[sdcopp 1]

Revision is out there sponsoring as much as it can. Maybe you don't see there name as much as the other brands, but they do sponsor several teams, they sponsor NCRHA (college), NARCh (silver), Statewars, Topcat, and more.

Oh, and aren't Tour and Labeda practically the same?

I have zero retail shop availability in my area, and they retail for ten bucks a wheel. To support the sport includes all aspects, not just sponsering the elite few. It's great that they're getting out there with some of the bigger tourny scenes, but they haven't done much in my area to support my local shops or be available to the common joe house league player. I know that may sound a bit harsh, but I live in a pretty good market for the sport and can get any product from the six companies I named within a twenty minute drive. Revision has had a couple yrs to get a network going with retailers, so it's not like they appeared a few months ago and are still trying to work on that.

If they expect me as a player to pay ten bucks a wheel, I need more than a good word from Pro's like Kirk French telling me it's a good product. It may be the best for him, but not necessarily for me. Hell, I play house league at an arena that CJ Yoder and Brian Yingling do, who are both on Tour and Labeda products, but I'm still fully in Mission and Rink Rat because I can go to my LHS and try stuff out and found the best fit for me.

If Revision comes to my area in the local shops and I can see and try their stuff, my opinion might change. Until that time I can support places like Hockeygiant, or I can support my LHS and the company sales reps who bring the products to my LHS. That to me is the other half of what truly supporting the sport is all about.

[MDE3 0]

Revision is out there sponsoring as much as it can. Maybe you don't see there name as much as the other brands, but they do sponsor several teams, they sponsor NCRHA (college), NARCh (silver), Statewars, Topcat, and more.

Oh, and aren't Tour and Labeda practically the same?

Labeda is primarily a wheel company that also makes chassis...they work closely with Tour...Tour makes the boots and complete skate assemblies of course usually with Labeda wheels, but also makes gloves, jersey's, pants, helmets, sticks etc...

[Hoffer 0]

Yes Revision also sponsored a league I played in called NAYRHL. They don’t seem to sponsor one team as much as they sponsor a league.

[OhMyGodImOnFire 0]

OH SNAP YOU PLAY IN THE NAYRHL TOO? WHAT TEAM WHAT DIVISION?

anyways, all revision did was sponsor a drawing-they put in like one set of wheels and a backpack.

woops, sorry, did a search for the topic. impulse of the moment.

[Hoffer 0]

Yea I know they didn’t really do much. I believe they also gave some shirts and hats away. But the main sponsor of that league was clearly Mission with that massive cup for the winner of each division being mission and the medals we got for 2nd place were silver Mission logos. I played last season for the U14 Typhoon and this year U16 typhoon/tornados if we play in it again.

[eaglehockey33 0]

you want to see an expensive wheel,

http://www.inlinewarehouse.com/descpage.html?pcode=HZCW

19.00 a piece, now thats an expensive wheel, and has anybody else here used revision wheels, my personal experience with them has been very good, usually when i get into the travel season and start playing alot i tear through a set of rink rats in a month, i got a set of revision wheels last year and they last me at least twice as long

[OhMyGodImOnFire 0]

anybody used those factory wheels? everybody said they sucked, cuz we got them free from somewhere and everybody trashed them by the next practice.

Hell, I play house league at an arena that CJ Yoder and Brian Yingling do

where's that? he used to play where I play now, but then married and moved.

[sdcopp 1]

CJ and Brian are in Colorado Springs now at the Tour Inline Arena. I believe they are both on the Thunder this year for PIHA, last year it was CJ on the Thunder and Brian on the Prowlers.

[Hoffer 0]

Yes they both play for the Colorado Thunder this year.

[Dante2004 0]

Revision is out there sponsoring as much as it can. Maybe you don't see there name as much as the other brands, but they do sponsor several teams, they sponsor NCRHA (college), NARCh (silver), Statewars, Topcat, and more.

Oh, and aren't Tour and Labeda practically the same?

I have zero retail shop availability in my area, and they retail for ten bucks a wheel. To support the sport includes all aspects, not just sponsering the elite few. It's great that they're getting out there with some of the bigger tourny scenes, but they haven't done much in my area to support my local shops or be available to the common joe house league player. I know that may sound a bit harsh, but I live in a pretty good market for the sport and can get any product from the six companies I named within a twenty minute drive. Revision has had a couple yrs to get a network going with retailers, so it's not like they appeared a few months ago and are still trying to work on that.

If they expect me as a player to pay ten bucks a wheel, I need more than a good word from Pro's like Kirk French telling me it's a good product. It may be the best for him, but not necessarily for me. Hell, I play house league at an arena that CJ Yoder and Brian Yingling do, who are both on Tour and Labeda products, but I'm still fully in Mission and Rink Rat because I can go to my LHS and try stuff out and found the best fit for me.

If Revision comes to my area in the local shops and I can see and try their stuff, my opinion might change. Until that time I can support places like Hockeygiant, or I can support my LHS and the company sales reps who bring the products to my LHS. That to me is the other half of what truly supporting the sport is all about.

So you won't buy from a company that isn't big enough to be sold in every LHS? How do you expect "small" companies to grow to be big enough to compete with the "big" dogs if they aren't first supported by internet sales, a handful of LHS and word of mouth? Take the Sprung chassis for example. Read that thread, people love it. But I promise you 75% (or more) of the LHS that you walk into haven't even heard of it before. Does that mean I shouldn't buy one?

you want to see an expensive wheel,

http://www.inlinewarehouse.com/descpage.html?pcode=HZCW

19.00 a piece, now thats an expensive wheel, and has anybody else here used revision wheels, my personal experience with them has been very good, usually when i get into the travel season and start playing alot i tear through a set of rink rats in a month, i got a set of revision wheels last year and they last me at least twice as long

Big $$$

And this wheel was ~$24.95 when I first saw it on the market.

[Dante2004 0]

Back to the original topic...

I am curious. Why do people feel compelled to purchase gear from the companies that back RH the most? Why not buy the gear that fits you the best, has the best performance and fits your budget? If all things were equal, then yes, I can see you supporting the companies that support our sport, but don't do it just for the sake of doing it.

I don't want to plug a bunch of companies, but my elbow pads and shin pads happen to be from a "top 5 company" in the ic hockey world (not RH). I selected these products because of the strap system they use (I don't like using tape). I didn't think for a minute about the $$$ they invest in RH R&D. I went for comfort. I chose my skates based on fit, not what players they sponsor. I chose my stick (not even a top 10 company) based on performance that was equal to a "top 3", but at half the cost. The skate frame I use was selected based on reviews and a demo. Not a poster on the wall of my LHS. Of the "availability of the product". In fact, I had to order them from the only place in the world that I know of that sells them. But my PP is that this product is second to none. My bag was purchased from a company that would work with us on custom logos/graphics and yet give us a good price. I don't think they have EVER sponsored a national RH tournament...

I understand the desire to support the companies that support our sport when all things are equal, but not at the sacrifice of comfort/performance/price.

Big $$$ on RH R&D does not equal best fit for YOU and your PP

Just my $0.02.

[wk_style 0]

I agree with many of the above statements. It is obvious that I also chose on comfort and personal taste as well. Ive been wearing Mission skates for about 11 years now, and have not used anything else since. They tend to push the envelope with trying new technologies: some work (HiLo) others didnt (Vibe). I buy from roller hockey brands mostly to support the sport and because I dont need 6 inch think shin guards.

However, I am in love with Eagle gloves... gotta love those cuffs... heh

[sdcopp 1]

Revision is out there sponsoring as much as it can. Maybe you don't see there name as much as the other brands, but they do sponsor several teams, they sponsor NCRHA (college), NARCh (silver), Statewars, Topcat, and more.

Oh, and aren't Tour and Labeda practically the same?

I have zero retail shop availability in my area, and they retail for ten bucks a wheel. To support the sport includes all aspects, not just sponsering the elite few. It's great that they're getting out there with some of the bigger tourny scenes, but they haven't done much in my area to support my local shops or be available to the common joe house league player. I know that may sound a bit harsh, but I live in a pretty good market for the sport and can get any product from the six companies I named within a twenty minute drive. Revision has had a couple yrs to get a network going with retailers, so it's not like they appeared a few months ago and are still trying to work on that.

If they expect me as a player to pay ten bucks a wheel, I need more than a good word from Pro's like Kirk French telling me it's a good product. It may be the best for him, but not necessarily for me. Hell, I play house league at an arena that CJ Yoder and Brian Yingling do, who are both on Tour and Labeda products, but I'm still fully in Mission and Rink Rat because I can go to my LHS and try stuff out and found the best fit for me.

If Revision comes to my area in the local shops and I can see and try their stuff, my opinion might change. Until that time I can support places like Hockeygiant, or I can support my LHS and the company sales reps who bring the products to my LHS. That to me is the other half of what truly supporting the sport is all about.

So you won't buy from a company that isn't big enough to be sold in every LHS? How do you expect "small" companies to grow to be big enough to compete with the "big" dogs if they aren't first supported by internet sales, a handful of LHS and word of mouth? Take the Sprung chassis for example. Read that thread, people love it. But I promise you 75% (or more) of the LHS that you walk into haven't even heard of it before. Does that mean I shouldn't buy one?

Ah good, someone was paying attention to my emotion getting the little bit better of my brain, and I was waiting for someone to say something about that. Keith with Sprung is working to get a dealer network going. He is working with major manufacturers to get his product out there any way he can as strongly positioned as he can. He also hasn't had his product on market for a few years.

While Keith is word of mouth advertising at this point, he is trying to grow his company so that he can give back into it and support each facet of the sport. Same way that Rink Rat came on scene. As soon as they got some good word of mouth and product reviews, I found them in several LHS and getting a dealer network going. Revision had that opportunity to expand off of good initial reviews and word of mouth to provide the LHS additional items to cater to the players with.

If the Variant series was cheaper, thus making it better than others in it's price range, it becomes an easier product to sell to and for LHS and more appealing to players who have never tried it.

Bottom line is, Revision has been on market for a few years, they expect players to pay premium retail on a product few if any stores carry and comes on NONE of any of the inlines anyone can go out and purchase.

[eaglehockey33 0]

Revision is out there sponsoring as much as it can. Maybe you don't see there name as much as the other brands, but they do sponsor several teams, they sponsor NCRHA (college), NARCh (silver), Statewars, Topcat, and more.

Oh, and aren't Tour and Labeda practically the same?

I have zero retail shop availability in my area, and they retail for ten bucks a wheel. To support the sport includes all aspects, not just sponsering the elite few. It's great that they're getting out there with some of the bigger tourny scenes, but they haven't done much in my area to support my local shops or be available to the common joe house league player. I know that may sound a bit harsh, but I live in a pretty good market for the sport and can get any product from the six companies I named within a twenty minute drive. Revision has had a couple yrs to get a network going with retailers, so it's not like they appeared a few months ago and are still trying to work on that.

If they expect me as a player to pay ten bucks a wheel, I need more than a good word from Pro's like Kirk French telling me it's a good product. It may be the best for him, but not necessarily for me. Hell, I play house league at an arena that CJ Yoder and Brian Yingling do, who are both on Tour and Labeda products, but I'm still fully in Mission and Rink Rat because I can go to my LHS and try stuff out and found the best fit for me.

If Revision comes to my area in the local shops and I can see and try their stuff, my opinion might change. Until that time I can support places like Hockeygiant, or I can support my LHS and the company sales reps who bring the products to my LHS. That to me is the other half of what truly supporting the sport is all about.

So you won't buy from a company that isn't big enough to be sold in every LHS? How do you expect "small" companies to grow to be big enough to compete with the "big" dogs if they aren't first supported by internet sales, a handful of LHS and word of mouth? Take the Sprung chassis for example. Read that thread, people love it. But I promise you 75% (or more) of the LHS that you walk into haven't even heard of it before. Does that mean I shouldn't buy one?

Ah good, someone was paying attention to my emotion getting the little bit better of my brain, and I was waiting for someone to say something about that. Keith with Sprung is working to get a dealer network going. He is working with major manufacturers to get his product out there any way he can as strongly positioned as he can. He also hasn't had his product on market for a few years.

While Keith is word of mouth advertising at this point, he is trying to grow his company so that he can give back into it and support each facet of the sport. Same way that Rink Rat came on scene. As soon as they got some good word of mouth and product reviews, I found them in several LHS and getting a dealer network going. Revision had that opportunity to expand off of good initial reviews and word of mouth to provide the LHS additional items to cater to the players with.

If the Variant series was cheaper, thus making it better than others in it's price range, it becomes an easier product to sell to and for LHS and more appealing to players who have never tried it.

Bottom line is, Revision has been on market for a few years, they expect players to pay premium retail on a product few if any stores carry and comes on NONE of any of the inlines anyone can go out and purchase.

revision made this wheel to solve the pricing issue you were talking

http://www.inlinewarehouse.com/descpage.html?pcode=RVAWB

[G60 0]

Back to the original topic...

I am curious. Why do people feel compelled to purchase gear from the companies that back RH the most? Why not buy the gear that fits you the best, has the best performance and fits your budget? If all things were equal, then yes, I can see you supporting the companies that support our sport, but don't do it just for the sake of doing it.

Big $$$ on RH R&D does not equal best fit for YOU and your PP

because without sponsorships and support from these companies, leagues go bankrupt and fold, and roller hockey becomes a footnote in history.

why support someone who does not give back to the sport? you're just making them rich, and they don't give a damn about you.

why are you so curious about people wanting to support the people that give back to them?? it is really that hard to comprehend??

[sdcopp 1]

revision made this wheel to solve the pricing issue you were talking

http://www.inlinewarehouse.com/descpage.html?pcode=RVAWB

Right, almost three years later with no distributorship at the retail level in some areas such as my own.

I'm all about having competing products in the shop, even if they don't work for me personally because competition forces better pricing and innovation. I don't like supporting companies like Hockeygiant who undercut all the LHS and make life more difficult by shaving 3 points off of a price to have the better deal. Revision seems to be only online, and only at the big box stores. Again I ask, what are they doing to keep my LHS open? Nothing at this point.

This wheel would be perfect to feed to stores in any area with a decent hockey population as a taste of their products, it's at that price point that more people pick up. Granted it doesn't offer their signature technology of the Torus Hub, at least it's not mentioned, but that's my own preference to see consistancy in a product line up instead of one super product and then water it down drastically to save cost and up margin on lower models instead of offering a step down.

At that price it's competing with Hot Shots and probably Milleniums at this point. I can go to one of four shops right now within 15-20 minutes to pick up either and have them right then and there and support the local guys I might need for service at another time.

I didn't mean to turn this into a pissing contest about Revision's ends or means or how dedicated they are to the sport. It's good to see them making a product that claims to be as good or better than the competition with testimonial from those who use it. It's good to see them supporting the bigger tourny series even though I think they missed the bus early on and now are overshadowed by another company who started at around the same time (Rink Rat) and who decided to run with the big two and get into everywhere and everything to compete and force innovation.

Like I said before, supporting the sport is more than giving stuff away. It's supporting those people like the guy at the LHS who goes to bat for you on a warranty issue or gives you the advice and personal attention that the online guys lack.

sorry for anyone who may be offended or think less of me for my rant here, but in my area I'm losing 2 possibly 3 shops in my area in the next 6 months to a year due to online mega e-tailers undercutting the little guys. I don't personally have anything against Revision's product nor anyone who is trying to truly advance and promote the game of roller hockey.

I do however have a problem with my options getting less and less and the future looking almost totally online. There are some exceptional online shops, but they are fewer and further between than dealing with a warehouse and sub-standard customer service. I hope we can see all good products meant to advance this game in the hands of our local retailers with pricing competitive to the online warehouses.

[Dante2004 0]

Back to the original topic...

I am curious. Why do people feel compelled to purchase gear from the companies that back RH the most? Why not buy the gear that fits you the best, has the best performance and fits your budget? If all things were equal, then yes, I can see you supporting the companies that support our sport, but don't do it just for the sake of doing it.

Big $$$ on RH R&D does not equal best fit for YOU and your PP

because without sponsorships and support from these companies, leagues go bankrupt and fold, and roller hockey becomes a footnote in history.

why support someone who does not give back to the sport? you're just making them rich, and they don't give a damn about you.

why are you so curious about people wanting to support the people that give back to them?? it is really that hard to comprehend??

Vice Versa is also true. Why would a company support roller hockey if they see that RH players are too busy blindly supporting the "big dogs".

You also suggest that big compaines sponsor tournaments to be "kind" and "support" the sport, when they are actually doing it for advertising purposes.

[sdcopp 1]

You also suggest that big compaines sponsor tournaments to be "kind" and "support" the sport, when they are actually doing it for advertising purposes.

An interesting concept, but then why wouldn't companies like Easton and NBH want to sponser as well for the advertising? True, putting money and your name out there gets you some publicity and might spark some local sales. Easton and NBH both pulled out of the roller game. I think p&l statement sheets had something to do with that. Other companies have remained dedicated to providing top notch products specifically for the sport, even if they don't have the margins and volume like they do in ice gear.

[Aussie Joe 0]

Not everyone agrees on the same method of advertising. Hence why there are so many different methods used. Some companies may prefer NHL players sporting their latest gear, while some might feel the odd sponsorship here and there might work at a more regional/localised level. RBK has TV ads, magazine ads and sponsors RH teams. They are an example of using as many different mediums as possible.

Afterall the medium does make up most of the message.

[Dante2004 0]

Is it possible that Easton and Bauer just don't want to focus on roller specific products...and that their names are large enough already?

That doesn't mean I won't buy a pair of Easton gloves or a Bauer stick.

General Motors doesn't sponsor my league either. Should I buy a Toyota? The local Toyota dealership bought advertising on the boards at our rink?

[sdcopp 1]

Not everyone agrees on the same method of advertising. Hence why there are so many different methods used. Some companies may prefer NHL players sporting their latest gear, while some might feel the odd sponsorship here and there might work at a more regional/localised level. RBK has TV ads, magazine ads and sponsors RH teams. They are an example of using as many different mediums as possible.

Afterall the medium does make up most of the message.

I absolutely agree, there are a million ways to get the word out. My last post was just pointing out that in addition to not doing sponserships and the such, NBH and Easton have altogether abandoned roller specific product lines. I know NBH puts out inline skates, but they are rebadged low end ice boots with a hi-lo chassis attached. Anybody can do that, and usually the people who do convert ice to inline want something a little higher end. The profit and loss statements probably told their forecasting group it was financially a bad bet to continue trying, or to sink money into an R&D group, etc. On the flipside, you have manufacturers who own the niche that is roller and continue year after year to redevelop, research and improve upon design to make the best product possible.

I hate to bring this up because I think very highly of Mission and Justin, but do you remember the Helium line two years ago? It was a disaster, the two top end models literally falling apart on a majority of people who got them. I distinctly remember Justin coming on here and saying that Mission was willing to eat some profit and make a significantly better skate costing them more to produce, but not passing much of it along to the consumers. The Helium line last year was phenomonal, the best since the Proto line. That's dedication to the sport. That's a company worthy of the praise and recognition they receive. They are producing top notch products every year, researching better ways every year to make it an even better product and give the customers what they want.

Why then would you want to support a company who is making filler product to have a presence in the market over a company who's focus is doing the right thing for the players and the sport, even at the cost of some lost profits/margin to do the right thing?

General Motors doesn't sponsor my league either. Should I buy a Toyota? The local Toyota dealership bought advertising on the boards at our rink?

Sure thing. If it's a local dealership, you're putting money back into your local economy. Buying from companies who support roller helps support your roller economy. It's a personal choice to support those who support you, and it seems in a couple threads on these boards you are either playing devil's advocate or looking at things as they should be in textbook business. I really wished it worked like the well oiled machine where everyone wins as you have tried putting it a couple times.

Indirectly the companies support me for roller. They make sure there is a market for it. They sponser teams who are the best to both support the team and strengthen the brand, making more money for themselves to produce better products as well as continuing some people's financial ability to play with traveling tournies and such. If roller was in the same place ice was, it'd be a very different conversation. Roller is still at the grassroots level and has had some setbacks over the last decade trying to get true pros established and move the sport beyond the glass ceiling it keeps hitting. Until we have people selling out huge arenas to go watch the Mudcats vs the Pama Cyclones several times a year, the sport is dependant on those who help fund and grow it.

[BEE D0N 0]

Its funny to read what you guys are talking about. The way at first you were talking about brands and how RBK is bigger than Tour now... i dont see that. And sdcopp and the whole wheels thing, my local hockey shop 15 minutes from me has been selling Revisions for a while now. Guess its west coast vs. east coast on each of these issues.

[sdcopp 1]

Its funny to read what you guys are talking about. The way at first you were talking about brands and how RBK is bigger than Tour now... i dont see that. And sdcopp and the whole wheels thing, my local hockey shop 15 minutes from me has been selling Revisions for a while now. Guess its west coast vs. east coast on each of these issues.

I'm glad to hear that they are in shops, I might be wrong about them afterall (wouldn't be the first time but I usually try to get my facts straight). The point being after all of this is said and done, the original question was to which brands support the sport. Let's for the sake of dropping one argument include Revision with the six I mentioned previously. There you have the brands looking out for inline players from sponserships, R&D, retailer network, etc,etc,etc. Will people still buy products from Easton, NBH, Graf and others? You bet. For those who want to make the conscious decision to put their money back where the big sponserships and R&D comes from, there's your answer.