Member of the Month

theabortionator
April, 2025

Online

Welcome to the Newschoolers forums! You may read the forums as a guest, however you must be a registered member to post. Register to become a member today!

What happened to Klint skis?

profile picture
codizzle
Posts: 920 - Karma: 2,269
?
13 years ago
33 11
profile picture
C.A.V.
Posts: 1706 - Karma: 1,644
and to be 100% honost klints were my favorite skis i have ever used and actually think they could go plaves, sad to here this
13 years ago
1 0
profile picture
Session
Posts: 5408 - Karma: 22,545
LOL....not like it matters if the company can't even last 1 year.
13 years ago
1 0
profile picture
MikeUrich
Posts: 289 - Karma: 2,042
I don't like reading the smack talk about how they ran the business and how they screwed the athletes over, when you all don't know the reason why. It isn't really my place to say anything about the situation of KLINT but its not over yet. They have an awesome product and treated me and all the other riders respectfully. They are good people that work for KLINT.

ps- Spriggs left KLINT on his own.
13 years ago
1 0
profile picture
TOAST.
Posts: 7745 - Karma: 39,557
was looking to pick a pair up in the future possibly because there durability from what i saw was really good
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
C.A.V.
Posts: 1706 - Karma: 1,644
out of every ski ive had there are by far my favorite, and the durabiltoys nuts i run over rocks and hit rails alot and they have lasted longer then any ski ive ever owned
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
WVskiing
Posts: 3007 - Karma: 1,949
never heard of klint
13 years ago
1 0
profile picture
MikeUrich
Posts: 289 - Karma: 2,042
They have been around for 5 years. They just started selling skis fall 2011. They marketed and such for 4 years before selling.
13 years ago
1 0
profile picture
Session
Posts: 5408 - Karma: 22,545
Oh you mean Snowfab? Cool....where can I get some sweet Paul Frank Ski's to wear while I suck a gang of dicks.

Obviously Klint is going big places. They just have to figure out how to get there with no one buying their ski's.
13 years ago
1 0
profile picture
MikeUrich
Posts: 289 - Karma: 2,042
i don't get why your talking shit...  i was just stating some facts about the company ha
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
GayWolf420
Posts: 38064 - Karma: 129,402


For real, man. We get it. You hate Klint skis. You've posted more than anyone in this tread. It's time to leave.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Session
Posts: 5408 - Karma: 22,545
I don't hate Klint. I almost bought a pair.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
ski_ENDUB
Posts: 2535 - Karma: 86
Their ski designer is Eric Bobowitz, aka the guy who made the rossignol scratch and bandit which were both very successful skis. Check your facts son.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Lemuel
Posts: 14544 - Karma: 11,157
Klint never did it for me anyway. Something about the name and the meh graphics that never drew me in. I don't know a single person who has bought a pair.
13 years ago
1 0
profile picture
Coalescent
Posts: 4871 - Karma: 2,063
I know about 10 at our mountain that bought Klints. I rode a pair last season and were easily my favorite skis. Picking up a pair in the next two weeks!
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
zahava
Posts: 7791 - Karma: 12,039
For APO, no fucking way, scratch/s4's are my favourite skis, love mine to death, the perfect park ski!
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
ChasingFlakes
Posts: 822 - Karma: 1,544
seriously! whats the story here?!!!?
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
BWalmer
Posts: 9141 - Karma: 12,886
From what I've heard, they told their athletes they're broke and can't pay them...
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
CaroSauve
Posts: 259 - Karma: 154
this
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Pugalope
Posts: 376 - Karma: 508
Bump for info/gossip
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
JsNeagle
Posts: 1406 - Karma: 1,580
I work in the industry and directly with Klint.  As far as I know they are still in business and still making awesome skis.  I'm expecting our 2013 Klint skis to arrive at Skiershop.com any day now. 

That being said, it was a REALLY shitty ski season to start a new ski company, especially on the massive scale that they did.  It's really hard for a new company to make up their expenses when the whole industry is down across the board.  The first, easiest cut to make is athletes and advertising because it doesn't directly effect production and operation (i.e. the company keeps running essentially the same).  I do know that an investor of Klint (I don't feel comfortable saying more) has had some financial things happen in his personal life that has effected the company a bit as well.

I expect we'll still see Klint around, but I'm guessing they learned a lesson in self restraint this past season as well.

I personally think they make absolutely awesome skis, which when it all comes down to it, is what a ski company should be doing.  It's a bummer if they have to drop their team, but I hope they can continue to produce a wide offering of fun skis.
13 years ago
0 1
profile picture
Ghini
Posts: 2267 - Karma: 3,057
What distinguishes them from other brands? Can you give some info on their build; kind of cores and other materials they use? Nothing on their website..

Would suck for the skiers if they are dropped..
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Session
Posts: 5408 - Karma: 22,545
lets stop pretending Klint makes ski's. The only reason anyone even knows who they are is because they sponsored some riders that people know.

I don't see that the industry will ever be ripe enough to try and launch on that level. The failures just keep stacking up. The problem is that at this point of the game there are already TONS of options if I want to buy a ski made overseas. If I'm going to buy a "smaller" brand why would I buy something new when I can get in to companies like Armada, 4FRNT, and Line who have a more proven track record.

If I'm going to buy indie then there are companies like Moment, ON3P, Folsom, PMGear, etc. Companies that are run by skiers, and who put in countless hours to develop their product, and brand personally. They aren't the result of a branding company putting in an order to a faceless Chinese factory.

I don't see that Klint is a bad ski by any means, they have decent "reviews", and by all accounts are pretty well put together. But you can't expect to sign a bunch of riders and then just expect anyone but 10 kids on some random midwestern lump to buy your ski's.
13 years ago
1 1
profile picture
kvan
Posts: 3086 - Karma: 1,232
Was looking into buying a pair a while back but the only place they actually sold them was their website which seemed to be way overpriced.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
JsNeagle
Posts: 1406 - Karma: 1,580
For the most part I don't disagree with you, but Klint definitely comes pretty darn close to what you consider "making skis".  The owners of Klint own the factory where their skis are made, which makes quality control way easier because it's a direct line of communication. 

Klint also differs from some of the companies you mentioned because they tried to release a full line of skis (not just park skis), which was probably ultimately their failure this past season.  To say Klint is made in a faceless Chinese factory is kind of ridiculous because it's not a faceless, nameless factory.  The Swallow factory is one of the only factories in China/Japan that actually HAS a face.

http://www.swallow-ski.com/

I really do think that if last season wasn't as bad as it was Klint would be in a much better position.  Yes they were ambitious, and sometimes with high ambition comes high risk.
13 years ago
1 1
profile picture
JsNeagle
Posts: 1406 - Karma: 1,580
Most of their skis use birch as a core with a classic sandwich construction, done well.  ABS sidewalls and nice, flat, stone ground edges.  There are similar and more expensive skis that don't come with as nice of a factory tune, or no factory tune at all.  They have a couple of carving skis with titanal as well as the new Krypto TI and Krypto Lite TI which are pow skis with double titanal laminate.
13 years ago
0 1
profile picture
.jAkE.t
Posts: 521 - Karma: -8
i have a pair of klints, armadas and a pair of surfaces and my klints are by far my favroite skis. so durable and really ment to last
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Blurst
Posts: 13577 - Karma: 10,169
Too bad they didnt build the company the same way.
13 years ago
2 0
profile picture
Dr.Gonzo
Posts: 2552 - Karma: 87
The good 'ol ski industry pushing the smaller companies out again. I shouldn't be talking though, I bought some new Thalls for this season. Didn't want my warranty to go under if my skis broke so i figured I'd go with a brand I know will be around next year.
13 years ago
1 0
profile picture
onenerdykid
Posts: 6744 - Karma: 11,760
It has nothing to do with large companies pushing out smaller companies. It has to do with how you manage your business. Lots of small companies are solidly still in the game.
12 years ago
2 0
profile picture
andrewblackie
Posts: 292 - Karma: 109
That is so clearly not the case here. Their own irresponsibility is obviously the problem. Never had any experience with Klints, but I don't think the quality of their skis really come into this issue.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
ruff_ruff
Posts: 172 - Karma: 37
so what actually happened?
12 years ago
1 0
profile picture
Stainr
Posts: 1186 - Karma: -1,150
Speaking of, i need to mount my primes up
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Dibs
Posts: 496 - Karma: 86
fuck i thought him and klint were such a prime match up. i guess hes onto better places now or something.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
MikeUrich
Posts: 289 - Karma: 2,042
If anyone is still following this thread, here is what happened. You all can say how poorly they ran things, how dumb it was to do this and to do that but actually that isn't it at all. The owners wife divorced him. She had a big part in the company. Along with the owner his wife had a lot of money into Klint. As part of the divorce she totally removed herself from the company and took a good chunk of the funding away from the company. The owner all of a sudden lost a lot of financial support so that forced him to stop paying riders at the start of the new year, 2013. All riders got their payments for 2012. They treated their riders with respect, I know cause I was one. They also had the best product I have ever skied. There is the scoop on "What happened to Klint skis." It also goes hand in hand that it was in fact a terrible winter and ski sales for all companies were down from average. Basically.. shit happened. You can't predict something like this.
12 years ago
4 1
profile picture
Huck_Norris
Posts: 11487 - Karma: 18,627
Not to mention their proforms were all-time. I nkow a bunch of people on them who got 'em new for like $150. Seem to be good skis too. Sad to see.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
jrl
Posts: 1227 - Karma: 1,239
Why do they still have a website?
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Deej.
Posts: 109 - Karma: 30
Not sure if anyone is really interested in buying them but this website is selling them real cheap
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
mattytru
Posts: 2789 - Karma: 5,632
where?
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Crispy.
Posts: 6126 - Karma: 7,753
click the link he posted.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
beauchamp
Posts: 662 - Karma: 1,191
I know that Spriggs is now with Batalla Skis and so they probably ran out of buisness or such like coreupt ...
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Ghini
Posts: 2267 - Karma: 3,057
this
12 years ago
1 0
All times are Eastern (-4); Currently it's 6:33AM