Buying Asnes skis...

[lilcliffy]

As I experience the weather extremes here in the extreme Northeast (the snow base is late here in Central New Brunswick, BTW)- I have been doing some research and math on buying Asnes skis.

Current North American Retailers-shippers:
1) Neptune Mountaineering (USA)
2) LaCordee (CAN)
3) Norseman (CAN)

European retailers (that ship to North America):
1) Sport Albert (GER)

Question #1: Does anybody know of any other retailers that ship to North America?

Notes:
1) Neptune Mountaineering will not ship to Canada.
2) LaCordee will ship to the US.
3) Oslosportslager will not ship outside Norway.

4) The price at LaCordee is actually VERY competitive- the Ingstad is $490CAN- $546CAN at Neptune- $637 at Sport Albert. (Haven't gotten a quote from the Norseman yet).

5) The price at Sport Albert is likely very competitive if you have $USD!

6) Cost of shipping skis from Sport Albert to Canada is $121CAN.

7) The price at Sport Albert drops significantly if you bundle the skis with bindings, boots, etc.

If I want the skis alone- I am likely best trying to get them from a Canadian retailer (though I notice that LaCordee- unlike the Norseman- does not stock 205/210cm skis!?).

HOWEVER- I am after a new pair of leather XCD boots soon- and am eyeing the Alfa Quest Advance. If I buy both the boot and the ski- at the same time- then it could be better value shipped from Germany:
1) LaCordee: Ingstad + Quest Advance BC + binding = $1170CAN (shipping incl.)
2) Sport Albert: Ingstad + Quest Advance BC + binding= $1166CAN (shipping incl.)

The Sport Albert price includes VAT- which gets taken off...

Canada has a new trade agreement with the EU- does anyone know if sales tax applies?

Saving my pennies- need to cut back on beer again so that my ski fund adds up faster! $1200 is outside of my budget for a while!

[Johnny]

The best way to go is to have them shipped to the nearest US town from your location... Then go pick them up there and bring them back home yourself... I order so many things online, I could only order about 20% of all I buy if I only had a Canadian address... I'm sure the Maine border must be like an hour from central NB?

Just wait until the new skis arrive at LaCordee... It can take several weeks to cross the ocean... Give them a call and let us know what's going on...!

About sales taxes and import duties, you never know. One day it's something, the next one it's different. It depends on the carrier, the country, the value and mostly on the guy who is working there that day. I did have to pay duties on my Ingstads, coming from Norway to Canada...

[lilcliffy]

Yeah- I have a shipping address in Houlton, ME- have used it for years.

The price at Neptune is VERY steep with the weak Canadian dollar...

Definitely waiting for LaCordee and Norseman stock and pricing.

[bgregoire]

LC, the thing with boots, as you know, is that the size you order just might not be right! Another + for a Canadian order. And think about all the lonely black bears you are saving by keeping your money inside our borders!

By the way, the Alfas fit wider than all the others, so if width is the limiting factor for you, you can easily drop a EU size.

Good luck!

[lilcliffy]

LC, the thing with boots, as you know, is that the size you order just might not be right! Another + for a Canadian order. And think about all the lonely black bears you are saving by keeping your money inside our borders!

You are so right here on every count- and I am very committed to supporting Canadian retailers- in fact, I would prefer to buy everything from my local shop- despite the staff being steeped in fitness arrogance.

I am going to need a new pair of boots soon- I can almost feel it...I can get another pair of Alaskas at local shop for a competitive price...BUT- I really want to try those Alfas...

By the way, the Alfas fit wider than all the others, so if width is the limiting factor for you, you can easily drop a EU size.

This is excellent info- and further leans me towards a 42EU in the Alfa. In terms of length I am really a 42 to a 42.5 maximum- but I have had to buy as long as 43EU to get the toe box wide enough sometimes.

My Alaskas are 43EU- if I were to buy another pair I would get the 42EU, now that I know how they break in.

[bgregoire]

I think there is a precise size pic on their website. Definitely do not get a 43. I'm wide 42s to and at first I got alfa 43s and I was floating! Even the 42s are a tad big, but i cant complain.

[lilcliffy]

This is very helpful man- thank you!

[Woodserson]

I would prefer to buy everything from my local shop- despite the staff being steeped in fitness arrogance.

"fitness arrogance"

Don't get me started. From bicycles to skis. It's wild. They know better, but only because the manufacturer told them what to tell you/how it really is. Very little actual real-world experience where they have to live the consequences of their advice in a body that isn't theirs. That's the rub. What's good for them, isn't necessarily good for you, or your wife.

I have a thing with bikes, that I won't go into here. Let's just say a salesperson told me, "we don't have a bike that fits your wife" (she's 120lbs and 5'5"). Needless to say, a 1986 cro-moly Trek off Craigslist with a tall Japanese quill-stem took care of all the problems.

There ARE good shops out there, but you need to ferret them own. Like Onion River... sigh...

[fisheater]

I was doing a little window shopping. I logged onto Neptune, no Ingstad. They had Nansen,Skog, Ammudsen, and Gamme, but no Ingstad. Logged onto LaCordee, after all I have greenbacks! There he is Mr. Ingstad, but they sawed him off at 185! Window shopping ended fast.

[lilcliffy]

They had 195cm listed a few days ago- must have sold out.
Damn.
The price at the Norseman is $700CAN- oil patch pricing.