what can I say to safety manufacturers to get them to advertise?

atxjimatx · 11-30-2006, 10:13 PM

Shootouts end up pretty BS unless you actually wanna give objective reviews--- if you don't wanna alienate potential or current advertisers by saying another brands this or that is better (even if it is) -- then it's just a fluff piece pandering to potential advertisers.

How about you get ahold of someone to interview at every safety gear company who wants to participate and ask them questions about their gear, what makes it good, where they feel safety gear fits in the current market and why, advances they are working on or would like to see in safety gear, what they feel might raise awareness etc. etc. and publish the answers all together --- sort of a roundtable format rather than a shootout.

Momona Boe · 12-01-2006, 05:48 AM

/\ I like that idea

skategeezer · 12-01-2006, 06:23 AM

I will do that...

rawls · 12-01-2006, 07:56 AM

this is the same sort of format that was done long ago in Skateboarder. they highlighted Mike Rector, Torsten/Hallman, Jhoon-ree, (maybe norcon), and a few others.

what it enabled everyone to see was who is really into the skating, who was really into safety and looking to offer something to skating, and then those who were simply jumping on the bandwagon.

I think the market for the equipment is best suited for niche skating, because it is perfectly clear that safety equipment has no marketability in the mainstream skate market.

Product comparisons could be cool, but with everyones falling styles differing, what works for one could be useless for others. I have had good impact pads that were useless at staying in place, even in the calmest of knee slides unless you were positioned just perfectly. I have had pads that a gorilla could not tear off, but lacked the good impact protection. Its not always the beefiest that wins the carrot. Its the best overall combination.

And not all types of skating look for the same characteristics. Some want impact protection only, and some want total sliding. The most aggressive case in each scenario.

skategeezer · 12-01-2006, 09:14 AM

I have sent the questions to 6 different manus...look for HELMET SYMPOSIUM
in the April issue

Mile_High_Mark · 12-01-2006, 09:25 AM

I'd like to know why helmet manu's still sell helmets that contain only soft foam.

atxjimatx · 12-01-2006, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mile_High_Mark

I'd like to know why helmet manu's still sell helmets that contain only soft foam.

Duh Mark-- $$$$$!

Mile_High_Mark · 12-01-2006, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atxjimatx

Duh Mark-- $$$$$!

Oh yeah, that.

I'm still surprised that one helmet manu said that "hard foam" helmets actually caused more harm than good.

Idjits.