Best @ Wsw

[Steve-O]

Been slammed in the past for pimpin. So I will keep it short. We carry Best as of today. This makes Cabrinha, Slinshot, Best, Monkey, Flexi, GK Sonic and Liquid Force as our selection. Still pushin to get more.

Thanks to everyone for your support of the local shop!!!

See ya on the water,
Steve-O

[bryanleighty]

2007 yarga demos are when?

[Steve-O]

Great question Brian. Not sure if that style of kite is going to take off as usually kites that have all sorts of connection options are not big hits, but the Yarga may be different. I'll talk to the staff and see if we can't get two different sizes in for demo. Very interested to fly the kite myself as well. If there is alot of interest....that may help the cause. We got two LF Havoc's last fall and not too many folks were even that interested to give it a try. Still sitting on them. Again, interest will drive a demo to reality. Will keep you posted.

[inferno]

im interested in trying one :)

[xymoxx]

Do you have any of the limited edition white waroos Im looking for an 11 or 13

[kuds]

If the forum is going to allow pimping I would like to remind all the local riders that Randy has a Best Pro Kiteboarding Center and is a certified Retailer with Cindy. Randy has been around from the beginning, is a great instructor, and has always gone out of his way to help the individual riders at the beach as well as the entire local crew. Randy's #727-430-1379. I have no financial interests in any kiteboarding business.

[inferno]

If the forum is going to allow pimping I would like to remind all the local riders that Randy has a Best Pro Kiteboarding Center and is a certified Retailer with Cindy. Randy has been around from the beginning, is a great instructor, and has always gone out of his way to help the individual riders at the beach as well as the entire local crew. Randy's #727-430-1379. I have no financial interests in any kiteboarding business.

nobodies pimp'd anything in this thread.....
we just stated that they sell best...

[Skyway Scott]

I doubt Bruce was pimping he was just letting us know that Randy has been teaching on, selling, and demoing Best products for several months now. He is at the Skyway practically every day. I have seen him demo kites and boards every time I am out there.

[Danimal8199]

If we are going to allow pimp'n on here, does that mean someone can get pimp slapped? Remember pimp slap is using the back of the hand:

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=pimp+slap

[TampaBay Noob]

Steve-0, please keep some replacement parts for the waroos in stock. Ordering through Best's website is a joke... 2+ weeks and counting and the order is still "pending fullfillment." For BRIDLES!!!??? I haven't received any notice of delays, backorders, etc. and no response to my emails... Maybe they will respond to the voicemail I left? Great customer service Best!!! It's gonna be a month, minimum, before I get the parts. One could argue that maybe they're outgrowing themselves, but if they can't fill orders....they shouldn't accept them. I hope you and WSW have much better luck dealing with them then I have. Oh well, maybe we'll get some 18knot+ wind here in the next few days and I can put my 9m up. yeah....

[Codder]

TB-Noob the best thing to do in that situation is contact the shop where you bought the kite, they should take care of you

[Stevil Kenevil]

I would tell them you're reprezentin the Slappaho Tribe and then Bitch Slap 'em with yo d!ck hand, dawg....Fo real YO!

[TampaBay Noob]

Codder,
Yeah I would def. do something like that in this situation. Hence lies our problem, for waroo owners, in the tampa/st. pete area. Until now, there hasn't been any retailers for Best so I can't go to a shop. I had to buy the kite locally from someone. I can't go through WSW because my money is already floating out there. Sure Randy is a dealer, but I don't imagine he carries parts for the '06 line since he sells new gear and mostly the basics. I'll call best again tomorrow....

[TampaBay Noob]

I would tell them you're reprezentin the Slappaho Tribe and then Bitch Slap 'em with yo d!ck hand, dawg....Fo real YO!

or as danimal would put it....pimp slap the bitch. Of course, you have to use the outside of your hand or it doesn't count. lol

[Stevil Kenevil]

This is a good example of why you should buy locally from a shop.(WSW pimpline). Although I dont own the latest and greatest kites on the market like most of you guys, my local shop has never let me down. If I have a problem with a kite, they help me resolve the issue quickly, and do whatever it takes to keep me on the water.I know that Best is smashing the other brands with their marketing tactics and low price points, but taking care of the customer is not at the top of their list, and thats why I am hesitant to purchase a new Best kite.
I had a SS Machine that was heavily ridden for almost a year, the canopy had stretched out, causing a flap in the wingtip area, and affected how the kite was flying. My boys at WSW (and Neil H.)were right there for me, contacting the warranty dept. at Slingshot and getting me a brand new kite, bar and lines, in a hurry. I had to twist the shop owner's arm to take 50 bucks to cover the shipping costs.They could have said that I flew the kite outside of the recomended wind range and shot me a birdie finger. They could have kept the new bar and lines, slapped a price tag on it and made some money out of the deal(approx. 300 bucks), but, instead Steve L. said "That new kite is too pretty to fly on an old bar and lines, take this brand new one and keep the old for a spare, and BTW, thanks for your business". That 300 dollar bar could have bought them a few Martinis, and that moment showed me that WSW looks out for their customer, no matter what. Between WSW and Slingshot, they had all impressed me beyond belief and will always get my businesss.
If anyone plans on being a kite retailer, they should have plenty of extra accesories on hand to replace the stuff that breaks or wears out. If not, they are selling a disposable kite-We want to get on the water NOW, not a month from now...
Support your LOCAL SHOPS............................................. ..........

[muchacho]

"why would you risk your life to a cheap best kite made in china.. think about it like sky diving: why risk life on 100 dollar lines and a 600 dollar kite when you could have 300 dollar lines and a 1500 dollar kite. thats why we dont sell best"

WSW 2005

so now you sell it after all.

[Stevil Kenevil]

Muchacho- Its easy to run your mouth when you dont have to back it up.Identify yourself or keep your mouth shut.

Noob's problem is not WSW's, its Best's. Its a warranty issue. You just jumped on the chance to bash the shop, maybe they said something stupid in 2005, you said something stupid TODAY.

You are bagging on THE SHOP THAT ALWAYS SPONSORS EVERY KITING EVENT IN THE TAMPA BAY AREA AND DONATES THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN PRODUCT EVERY TIME. You and many others buy elsewhere trying to save a few bucks. Take your savings and buy some class you F'N CHEAPSKATE. (And make sure to wear a helmet when butting heads with a billy goat.)

I have bashed Best for years, its kinda fun(and really easy). The fact is that I like the Waroos a lot, but I dont have the slightest bit of confidence in their customer service dept. and I have chosen not to buy their product. I am really glad that WSW is carrying them now, because I know that they are a solid shop and will carry everything you need for those kites. They will end up being a savior to those Best owners(Noob, for example) who need parts to get back on the water, but only after the manufacturer SUPPLIES them with the goods. They(WSW) have jumped through the hoops of becoming a Best retailer, and now its up to Best to provide them with necessary items to fully service ALL of their customers, both past and present. If Best can't do that, they are selling disposable kites and should advertise as such. Until then, I will stick with the brands and SHOPS who have proven themselves to respect their customers.

[Stevil Kenevil]

***OFFICIAL SCORECARD***

Team Stevil Kenevil.......1

Muchacho and the Moaners........0

Next batter please....

[Skyway Scott]

Geezus, talk about not backing up your words.

Steve, you just "bought" a used waroo, did you not? It wasn't a new one from WSW.
Buy from the local shop and stop talking about it. They save you money, earn your respect, and then you save by getting a kite used instead of buying one new off of them.
Don't throw stones unless you want some thrown back.
Keeping score? What is this?

[Danimal8199]

Let me just go on the record and say that when I first entered this sport 2 months ago I like many others getting into this sport looked at e-bay and craigslist for a good deal. It wasn't until I wandered into WSW and was given about 2.5 hours of personal time and service that I bought my entire set up from them.

During a water relaunch something went wrong and I snapped 2 of my lines.

I went to the shop and I had 2 new lines overnighted. Was up and riding again a day later when the wind picked up. You have to give it to them on the service aspect, they take care of their customers.

Yes, best is easy to bash. I took lessons on a Waroo and had no problem with it, its a nice setup. I also am aware that they did have problems with their kites in 06 with the leading edge. Those problems seem to be addressed for 2007. Plus, WSW has the right to change their mind anytime they want, including over a 2 year period as we have all seen great improvements in gear.

My point is that if you want a good experience as a kiter and great support, then the shop is where you need to go.

As Stevil said, the shop will probably be a blessing for best...

[neil xrated]

Stevil gets my support and he is the kind of customer I will always support and bend over backwards for. Cheers Neil

[Skyway Scott]

Sounds exceptionally reasonable given your information, Danimal.
I have to ask this one question. Who locally had an '06 leading edge problem on a Waroo? In other words, where did you get this 06 LE issue info?

I have to say Steve, I think you are exceptionally misinformed on Best customer service. While working at EK, I had SO much confidence in Best and their customer service, I would mail out a replacement kite the moment I got a warranty issue from a customer and then call Best secondarily to get a kite mailed to the shop for "reimbursement". I did this about 6 times. That was out of hundreds of kites sold. (low failuire rate)
Extreme always covered the customer when I was at Extreme and Best always had our back. It was impressive.
I suspect some of this is the result of Daryl showing faith in the company from very early on.

[Danimal8199]

SKyway, I had two sources:

1) I discussed my purchase with Randy, my kiting instructor and he mentioned on a fw occasions that the quality of the 06's were not up to that of the 07's, this could be because he may have been trying to pursude me to buy from him????

2) In researching kites I found a number of forum threads and researching kite repairs I found other threads about a number of examples where there were problems with the LE giving out.

Here is a thread from the best site itself: http://forum.bestkiteboarding.com/viewtopic.php?p=29571&sid=f88ee5d57132076c6b3d31fbc80b5357

If you feel this is the exception rather than the rule, it was enough for me not to buy an 06 waroo, and of course is my own opinion.

Keep in mind though that I learned how to kite on a waroo and have no problems with them, and I see alot of ppl flying them.

[muchacho]

just because you dont know wsw history doesnt mean everyone else forgot it.

which new kites have u bought at wsw stevil?

[popeye]

Wow been away for awhile and didn't even know they were selling Best now!

It's probably true that the shop has a history of bashing best and it's retailers (who doesn't?)... etc, but hey so what, that's how it works if you are trying to sell another product right!

I say it's a good thing they started selling Monkey and now Best. Honestly, Best's gear hardly ever fails and when it does they are quick to replace it (unless they are back ordered of course, but every company has that issue now and then). Since I ride Best gear myself, I would love to see a few more people selling it locally.

I usually order my stuff from http://www.oceanextremesports.com because as far as I know they sell more best gear than best themselves so the prices are good. When I called they had 300 bars in stock. Best had none in stock because they shipped them all to extreme... that gives you an idea of how much Best gear extreme sells.

Problem is, they are on the east coast so I can't see or hold what I'm buying...

Randy sells and demos Best gear, and St. Pete Kite Sport has been dealing and demo'ing best gear for YEARS now... longer than anyone else in the area. He was the first guy with a hellfish...remember that?

It's no surprise that WSW would *FINALLY* start selling Best instead of fighting it... fact is Best has the one of the best warranties in the industry and the gear is excellent. Face it they became popular despite the bashing because their customer service really IS as good as the products. Yeah they screw up now and then...

Personally, I've never seen a best kite rupture, explode, or otherwise self destruct. The 06 seam problem hasn't popped up on any of the 06 waroos locally (we have a lot of them here) so it is a non-issue. I have two 06 waroos myself.

Guys, competition means lower prices... and if WSW can beat extreme's prices (they say they beat any price on their website), then we are gonna get kites ultra cheap :) No point in dredging up harsh words from the past... I say let their actions speak and see where they leads us.

I think I just pimped every shop. Do I need to pay an advertising fee?

-tom

[bryanleighty]

ahhh i can see we are getting to another lull in the winds.. tempers are begining to flare.

:)

between myself and Dan B. we have 7 2006 waroos and all have been well used. I pump my LE to rock solid pressure (CrazyJay once told me he'd never launched a kite so infated before) and I've never had an issue that was not my own fault.. damn trees... so that exploding leading edge thing is probably blown way out of proportion. maybe.

Ive had my kites for well over a year and ride them constantly.. never had a problem with a bridle and never have had to change my pulleys.

Ive read stories of riders w/ failed pulleys after 2 sessions.

who knows .. might be someone telling stories to bash a company.. maybe not. Ive NEVER seen this issue locally and there are a f*cking sh*tload of waroos around here.

then again.. telling stories like that scared you out of buying a BEST kite.. guess it worked.

New riders will all find their preferences .. thats why i think they should always try to get a good used kite at first until they get some experience to lay down the cash for a kite they really know they want. my 2 cents.

I am very happy for WSW to be selling BEST.. think that is going to be a great venture for them as BESTs kites are popular as hell.. and how great to buy local and know you will be taken care of by the folks there.

I purchased most all my stuff from Extreme Kites because they sold what I wanted and they have been there for me when I've needed warranty help..

This is GREAT thing for our area. I hope they sell more and more kite brands. I would love to have the option to demo all sorts of brands when I am ready to update my quiver. I do love my waroos, but I am always on the lookout..

Extreme Kites has only done good for me and the guys at WSW have only done good for me.. this pissing match is pointless.

[Stevil Kenevil]

FYI, MYWAY SCOTT- I have purchased all 2 of my NEW kites from WSW, as well as 2 boards, in my kiting existence. I also have a Skywalker board that WSW doesnt carry.

What you witnessed the other day and HAD NO BUSINESS posting about was, a conversation between two friends about helping each other out. He asked for help with repairing his bladder and I offered to help him. In return, he offered a kite for a good price, because my friend understands that I do not have an endless kite budget like some of you guys, and he doesnt throw that in my face as you are trying to do.... If I had the money I would drive straight to WSW and buy a whole quiver of kites because the HAVE earned my RESPECT, and they HAVE come through for me many times over. I have seen that dealing with a local shop is well worth the few extra bucks when you're in a pinch and need some parts. My original point was about buying NEW kites from a shop instead of online and I used my dealings with the shop as an example of good customer service from SS and WSW. Yes, MYWAY, I might purchase the used kite from my friend to update my old 2004 Fuel 11m. Thank you for pointing that out.
Now its my turn.........


Next batter up- Stevil Kenevil


Now, be honest MYWAY, whats your annual kiting budget and how much of that has been spent locally to support your local scene?(# of kites and boards purchased and where will be sufficient)
How much swag do you have from attending WSW sponsored event parties in which you did not participate?
Were you and Tomuchacho at any of the beach cleanups to help build positive relations with us and park officials? As I recall, there were 42 volunteers there that didn't see either one of you. Every one of those people earned my respect that day, most of them non kiters or newbies. It saddened me to see that 99.9% of the kiting community didn't even bother showing up.

Tom- wasn't it a Best quick release that failed you a few years ago at East Beach, sending you on a trip down the "Muchacho Memorial Highway"?(Thats the NORTH/SOUTH road at EB, perpendicular to the main road, ending in the mangroves) Now if WSW had carried Best back then, you could have drove right to the shop and picked up a new QR (complete with instructions), some band aids and a clean pair of shorts, and not have had all the hassles that you had, right? Why bash the shop? You didnt buy there.

This forum happens to have more than just one opinion and no censor button(unlike the last one), shall we continue? This is FUN!!!!

[Stevil Kenevil]

Since there are no fees for entering this pissing match, I am getting a little closer to getting that shiny new kitethingamajigger.....
Is there any prize money involved? This could help my kite budget increase very quickly!

My feelings about Best's customer service are merely from my observations with situations like Noob's. I am confident that if purchased at WSW, Noob would be out riding with me and his buddies, instead of staring at his mailbox waiting for a bridle. If they didn't have one, I think that they would pull a bridle off a display kite or give him a loaner until the parts arrived, because WSW looks out for their homies, and that was my point.
Thanks Neil!- I will now buy you a martini (since I am apparently too damn cheap to buy a new kite) and a few shots of local shop loyalty for my friends here.

[popeye]

(cleaned up)

Glad to see WSW selling BEST but I think they should hire a new sales team.... you are not doing a very good job of representing them. You are bound to have a few guys out there that are still sore with WSW over things they've done in the past (muchaco?).

But as I said in my post, so what! The more people selling kites here locally the better. It means better prices for all of us.

BTW, best sent me a quick release the next day... I didn't even have to drive all the way to clearwater to pick it up. It showed up right at my door for free. I'm not sure what your point is? Are you saying I am bashing best, or the shop, over that quick release or what? I guess I don't understand what you are saying.

[toby wilson]

Guys, chill out. Say something positive or don't say anything at all. Bad vibes suck. We're all bros here, share the stoke, you never know when the shop or person you are bashing will save your ass one day or have an extra kite or board or harness one day when yours breaks and its nuking all day long...just my $0.02.

[popeye]

Ohhhhhhh I get it. You think I am Muchaco. No.... my new nick is invisible but I forgot the stupid password so I am using my old one. So no, I am not muchaco.

I would try to resist using personal attacks though guys... if someone doesn't agree with you, it's no reason to start insulting them personally with ridiculous name calling, etc. I mean really, grow up.

If someone didn't do the cleanup that's their choice. You can't pretend to know what's happening in someone else's life. Do you have kids? Weddings to go to? Sick family members? Vacations planned? Give it a rest.

[Danimal8199]

It is hard to convey/get across emotions and tones correctly on these forums sometimes so just to add a little humor to this situation:

Can't we all just get along?

[Stevil Kenevil]

Nope, I just like messin with you guys and all your aliases. Its a form of entertainment much like your WSW bashing for no reason earlier in this thread, or Popeye's weak attempt at insulting me.Now Popeye- identify yourself or quit runnin' your d!cklicker....I was originally giving my opinion about buying local vs. buying online and the advantage of buying local, but have gotten sidetracked with all the insults...And if someone insults me, I dont get my feelings hurt, I cut them down twice as hard, its all entertainment and I have said that from the start.
I said before that WSW sponsors every kite event in Tampa Bay, which we all attend, and take something home. Why would we ALL not support them? Its a 2 way street. They will not keep sponsoring events if we dont appreciate their contributions, why would they? Its a waste of their money.


I said something about the beach cleanups because it was a shocker to only have 2 or 3 veteran kiters out of over 40 people. I was hoping to see our kiting community pull together as a group and pull off something positive for the park. Don't we owe that to them for us all using and abusing the park year after year?
Or will we just take them for granted until were banned for good?

[amber]

wow. way too much animosity and not enough wind. Sounds like the preschool i used to work at. Temper tantrums! This thread was not posted in order to lead to negativity like this. (right steve-o?) Not much is black/white in this sport. (OR LIFE!!)There are many kite/board companies for many consumers. We're not all supposed to love the same thing! Many shops to sell the kites/boards to the many customers. No need to fight over resources that aren't in danger. Last time i checked there were PLENTY of new/veteran riders to buy plenty of gear. Share the wealth.

with the amount of drama that this forum creates, you'd think it was a cheesy mexican soap opera (the one with erick's sister).

Shut up, ride, relax and look out for one another. You never know when you're gonna be the guy getting dragged down the beach and someone is going to have to save your a$$. Can you say Karma?

[popeye]

I said something about the beach cleanups because it was a shocker to only have 2 or 3 veteran kiters out of over 40 people. I was hoping to see our kiting community pull together as a group and pull off something positive for the park.

42 people sounds like a pretty good turnout to me! Not bad at all.

-tom

[Big G]

I picked up a used 06' 15M Flexifoil that I'm excited about. Its my first bow. I feel so lucky!

[bigairal]

i just came from wsw today. Imagine my pleasant surprise to walk out of the store with a brand new ocean rodeo harness that is both seat and waist harness in one. and they even had the nsi straps stick on straps so i can put some footpads and staps on my surfboard. I feel very lucky to walk into a local kite store and find those items that i thought they would never stock actually on the shelf. Very cool. Also John took the time to put on the underground footpads and straps on a board i borrowed from the matt sexton.
Can you say excellent customer service??? I can, thank you John.
Steve-O has been a great addition to the kiting community, and he is always cheerful and ready to let you demo a board or whatever gear you might need.

I am also glad for randy is selling best and teaching on their products. I wish him continued success. I am sure he will continue to prosper by teaching folks and then sell them gear good for him.

Bottom line is this sport is growing. I am sure there is room for all of us

[TampaBay Noob]

I just picked up an 11m GK Sonic orange/black. I'm excited too, no more kite gap for me. Now if I can just get that 16 up and running I'll be money. I haven't been around long enough to know what WSW "did in the past," but I CAN say this... I went out to EB recently with only a 9m bow, which I wasn't able to fly until about 5:30pm. I saw steve-o in the morning and started bullshiting with him, as we ride quite a bit up north together. He had no problem letting me demo a 15m omega and 12m sbII all day. I can't thank steve-o and WSW enough for making my afternoon for me as well as for giving me advice (lots of it) when I was trying to get into the sport. I haven't been on the water since but am thankfull they were generous enough to let me ride there gear. They know full well I buy used kites too! So I think that says quit a bit about their character. I, personally, could care less what "bashing" they did in the past, I'm excited about their new arrival (Best) and the great customer service all us waroo guys will now receive. I do buy everything else from the shop though, so I'm not a total bum. ;) Scott, I also appreciate the 13m fuel you offered me that day! Stevil, i appreciate the lessons you NEVER CHARGED ME FOR! I'd say we have a decent crew in this community....shops included.
-sean

[TampaBay Noob]

Imagine my pleasant surprise to walk out of the store with a brand new ocean rodeo harness that is both seat and waist harness in one.

I KNOW!!! I did the same thing a few weeks ago. After john told me, I turned into a little kid again. "I"M COMING!!!!!!!, SAVE ONE FOR ME!!!" lol

[Stevil Kenevil]

Al, you forgot to mention they have gone the extra mile to send their instructors to get certified (congrats Steve-O and Gabe) and that we have all helped each other in the past and the future, and always will....

All of you guys are friends of mine, even Scott, Tom, and the many alias @ssholes out there. I would gladly save any one of your asses in a heartbeat if that was the situation.
My frustration does not come from lack of wind, its from the lack of positive actions when its not.(take this thread, for example) We are blessed to have so much knowledge, talent, and style in our little kiteboarding world, but we waste our time pointing fingers instead of taking action when it comes to getting things accomplished. My friend Noob still has the Bridle issue, and with so many Best kites in this town, a loaner shouldn't be too hard to find.(hint, hint anyone) Hell, someone loan him a kite so he can quit stressin' over a missed session.....

[bryanleighty]

guys ive been rocking the OR session harness for over a year now.

:)

great harness..

but.. MAKE sure you keep the slip covers over the straps.. i didnt and the constant rubbing against the spreader bar wore through a little bit .. too much wear in it for me to feel safe.

i called OR and they had me ship in the harness for repair..

well.. instead they just mailed me back a brand new harness a couple weeks ago.. so.. even tho i didnt follow their usage instructions they still honored the warranty 100%...

that is the *general* policy that most companies seem to stick to. i know that some folks have fallen through the cracks with problems.. but for every problem that i have had ive been completely compensated by the company and/or the shop that ive purchased through.

having options is amazing. we are damn lucky.

i can get something i ordered from extreme kites in my hands the next day every single time.. as well i can go to WSW (out of my way) and get quality gear and service.

there is absolutley no need for slinging BS around regarding this topic.

i love to kite.

i love to have options on where to purchase my gear.

i love to know that if i have problems I can make a couple phone calls to get things sorted out as quickly as possible.

nuff said.

[Stevil Kenevil]

Yup, I always seem to forget that part of the lesson. Congrats on the new kite, Sean. Time for a name change bro...........You can pick one, or we will pick it for you.................What's it gonna be?

[Skyway Scott]

Steve, I wish it was more positive but for some reason you took personal attack on riders in the community. You went so far as to call us wankers and moaners. Then you laid into a personal attack on me when I responded to your post and now you are asking all of us to be positive after you took a personal shot on somebody.

Since you asked here’s how much gear I bought at WSW:
I stopped purchasing from WSW approximately 3 or 4 years ago. In terms of kite gear I probably bought 6 kites, 6 bars, 3 harnesses, wetsuits, etcetera, etcetera… At that point in time their choice of boards and accessories was so limited that I looked for another kite shop that was dedicated to kiteboarding.

I’ll keep this short, once I’m given exceptional customer service from a very knowledgeable rider who stocks all the major brands, I remain loyal to that shop, especially if the prices are very reasonable.

In terms of doing good deeds, I don’t feel I need to do them on an announced day for them to add up. I’m quite confident that I have done several good deeds whether you witnessed them or not. To claim that a good deed is only worthy when pre-announced and publicized goes against the grain of a “true” good deed. In terms of SWAG I don’t remember taking even a hat.

I happen to believe in Karma.

[TampaBay Noob]

lol...shit I don't know. I'm gonna go poop, and before I come back, SURPRISE ME! :) Just nothing gay like KiteQueen or BridleBoy. lmao

[toby wilson]

*PLOP*

New nickname for Sean...Man-Grover. Since Roy is leaving we need someone to follow in his footsteps!!! ;)

Glad to hear you got a new kite Sean. Hope that Waroo gets fixed soon. I'd loan you my 14M but I got rid of it because I had some overlap, my 16M Thruster came in the mail today!!!

On another note, does anyone on this thread know how to be the "bigger person" rather than shooting insults back and forth? I think I'm gonna set up an FKSA user name for my 15-Month old Niece so she can run a forum seminar about maturity and getting along with others even if you do have differences...

[popeye]

On another note, does anyone on this thread know how to be the "bigger person" rather than shooting insults back and forth?

I think I'm gonna set up an FKSA user name for my 15-Month old Niece so she can run a forum seminar about maturity and getting along with others even if you do have differences...

I guess not since you just did it yourself. :D

[TritonKiteboarding]

Much love to watersports west dey be da bes' ting roun'

Big ups to John Cleckner!!!!!!!!!!!! Bryan Eagle, Allan Lindsey!!!!!!!!! Toby Wilson!!, Neil Hutchinson, Steve Levine, Steve Visnage, Steve Saddler, Randy, Roy, East Coast Paddle Surfing, Arnette, Dennis "Rusky"!!, Jayson Orkins, Billy Parker, , Amber, Chris Moore!!, Tammy, Josh, Raul and Paul Menta, Brian Wood, Mira, Nikki, Gabe. These are all people who have directly helped out with the promotion of our school, club, riders, college kite scene, ect... there's a damn cool group of kiters around here and we're super stoked to be accepted into it. Watersports West made it possible to get in touch with these people and accomplish what we have, we have a pretty large demand repping over 10 different companies, they provide service for all.

This is lame.

[TritonKiteboarding]

TritonKiteboarding.com

[kuds]

Well said Toby, Tom, and Amber. I was simply pointing out on my earlier post that Randy has been selling Best just like Steve-O pointed out that WSW sells Best. I did not think it would lead to all the name calling and tension. I do not have any aliases and do not have any ties to any kiteboarding business. I have been kiting here for a long time and consider several of the people mentioned on the forum as good friends. Many have bailed me out in times of need-this is what makes our sport different-you need to be able to take care of yourself but it's good to have a brother (or sister) to help you out once in a while. Keep the peace and share the stoke.
Bruce

[Big G]

I picked up a used 06' 15M Flexifoil that I'm excited about. Its my first bow. I feel so lucky!

That's kewl Big G...do you know how to use it or would you like some help?

I could use some help thanks, its my first....Bow/Hybred. Thanks for noticing thru all this shat chat on the forum....

[Woodson]

Ahhh, Triton, Wa’ppun rude bwoy?

Gang,

Why yu fe galang so with de tek smadi mek poppy-show? I no come to hear about how horse dead an' cow fat!

Everyting Crash, come bad in de morning can't come good a evenin'

More time!

[rigger]

I find it funny that WSW is selling Best now. As most of you seasoned guys know, Randy use to promote Slingshot for WSW through his lessons and probably was the best word of mouth advertising for WSW. I find it ironic that when Randy decided to Rep. Best, that Steve at WSW flipped and cut all ties with Randy. Now WSW is going to sell Best? See the irony?

Randy has spent just about 7 days a week for the last several months (wind or no wind) beating the sand and getting his little operation going. I think WSW should have tried to discuss their decision with him, just like Randy did when he made his decision. They have known him for years. Big or small, Randy is still a local kite shop. I’ve read and also listened to the reps at WSW say, “support your local shop.” Maybe its time to practice what is preached?

This is not at all a stab at Steve O or John. They are both very cool guys.

[dpfly]

Let me "Jump" into the fray! First, help with that Waroo. I had the leading edge seam in destruct mode on both sides of my '06 14m. I restitched with fishing line and sealed with sail tape. I can hear the cringing, but that was over a month ago and a few good high speed whacks into the water with that leading edge. The kite performs like new and the repair is perfect. I recently had a bridle failure on the same kite. I saw that the wear area was about 1.5 inches, so I tried tying a knot at the failure point and doing the same on the opposing side. Hey, I hear the cringing again. That was 2 weeks ago and many flights 10 feet off the water. Result, kite flies like new and bridle will not wear out again!

My approach is one of self sufficiency within reason. I know the risks involved and would not choose hospital bed over another day of riding.

My time in the sport is only 5 months. My thanks to everyone that have unselfishly given support and advice.

Personally, I question the BEST companies choice to trample the territory of an established dealer, but these are things better left to the pros to decide.

I am currently trying to support my local shop, but my kite has been on order for over 60 days! Seems all manufacturers are having trouble supporting their lines. The sport is not main stream enough yet to actually receive a product advertised worldwide in ones choice of color advertised worldwide!

No slams intended on anyone in our community, we're a pretty lucky bunch to have the riding areas and knowledge base so local. Safe Flying to all....

[popeye]

I find it funny that WSW is selling Best now. As most of you seasoned guys know, Randy use to promote Slingshot for WSW through his lessons and probably was the best word of mouth advertising for WSW. I find it ironic that when Randy decided to Rep. Best, that Steve at WSW flipped and cut all ties with Randy. Now WSW is going to sell Best? See the irony?

Randy has spent just about 7 days a week for the last several months (wind or no wind) beating the sand and getting his little operation going. I think WSW should have tried to discuss their decision with him, just like Randy did when he made his decision. They have known him for years. Big or small, Randy is still a local kite shop. I’ve read and also listened to the reps at WSW say, “support your local shop.” Maybe its time to practice what is preached?

This is not at all a stab at Steve O or John. They are both very cool guys.

Amen... local is not only wsw.

[Kitespear813]

I can understand Both sides of the story. I own A Scuba Manufacturing Company and I understand how important it is to support your local shop. They can help you out with warranty issues and items you might need ASAP.
However I too have had bad expieriences with WSW. Granted it has been awhile since I have been there and shops/people can change. The first time I went to WSW about 3 years ago, I was trying to get info on the sport how to get strated ect. and I was grilled about having lessons first, Before they would even show me any equipment or give me the time of day. So that put a bad taste in my mouth. Also when I was looking to purchase gear, WSW seemed way over priced.

I have been Kiteboarding now about 2 years w/ 1 year off due to a knee injury. A couple of months ago I went into WSW Just to check out The new Undergrounds and equipment. I was greeted by a younger guy who was very helpfull and didn't grill me about how many lessons I've had and who I took them from. He was very nice and took the time to answer all of my questions.
He did alot for the way I see WSW.

I also Found out that WSW has some Used Gear a Pretty good prices for those who can't afford brand new gear.

Any way my point is I will give WSW another shot and others should think about doing the same, Maybe they have their shit together now.

[Kitespear813]

Also,

A Good Shop, SHOULD Fix your equipment Or help You out any way they can
REGARDLESS of who you bought your kite from.

[Stevil Kenevil]

Good to see that its getting back to normal around here....

I wish that Skyway sensor worked as well as your guys edit/delete buttons.(Just kidding) but if youre gonna delete it, dont bother saying it.


My intentions were not to hurt anyone's feelings here, but please remember that if you insult me or post my business on here, its game on.... My posts are usually made in a joking manner, and should be taken as such. If you can't handle a good ribbing, the maybe you should not read my posts. If you still get your feelings hurt, I will buy you a box of Kleenex.....

Congrats to Matt Sexton and the Eckerd crew for completing their I.K.O. Instructors Course. That makes about 15 certified instructors in this area now.
Later

[Steve-O]

I never expected my initial thread to spark such emotions. I think it is incredible we have such strong feelings about our sport on and off the water....it truly shows our passion and dedication to one of the best sports in the world. How exciting to be a part of it....it has truly saved my life.

My only response to all that I have read is how folks tend to bend words around. We all know that misinterpretations happen on here all the time. I would like to address the comment that I have stated "support your local shop". I have checked all of my threads and post and I clearly state "thank you for supporting your local shop." The first is a demand or request while the latter is a simple thank you.

So yes thank you for choosing to do business with us. These days you have more choices than ever for your kiting needs, and we are certainly not the best, but we are working hard every day to get better at what we do. We want to support the local kiting scene, sponsor events, help create new opportunities (Eckerd) and get the latest gear on the water. As I have said in the past, tell us want you want, and we will try to get it. We are working to stock parts for Waroos as we speak to avoid nightmare's like Sean's.

I sincerely appreciate all of your support. I am the new guy and have always felt welcomed into the brotherhood. I think Scott said this to me one day amongst some of our talks....."You can't dwell on the past, you can only focus on the future". That might be a good lesson to us all.

Steve-O

[Big G]

I wish my kitchen would have gotten that much attention....damn thing looks great and my wifes happy.

Maybe I should post more pictures of it and some more family photos as well while I'm at it...

[Skyway Scott]

I think what generated a lot of "feeling" in this thread is the fact that Randy and his shop were overlooked when announcing the Best demos. It seems to many that he demos the stuff every day. It may have been an oversight.

Even after several people have voiced that WSW is not the only shop in town (and especially for Best kites), you (Steve-O) consistently thank us for shopping at our local shop (singular). You actually consistently call it "the local shop". Seems like you have missed the point. We presently have more than one shop in town. In the future I can guarantee you the numbers will increase locally.

Anyway, Randy isn't much of a forum guy. He is in the process of getting a website up so that oversights like this will be less likely in the future.

Here is a link to show that he actually sells Best products and is recognized by them until his site is done. He is third down on the list. Lists are definitely weird, someone is always left off. Probably an oversight.

http://www.bestkiteboarding.com/s.nl/sc.2/category.49/ctype.SS/SS.47/.f

[bigairal]

Main entry: shop

Function: noun

Etymology: middle english shoppe, from old english sceoppa booth

1: A handicraft establishment

2: a building or room with merchandise for sale

I dont know scott but maybe its you who missed the point, not steve-o

[bigairal]

i did not realize that randy has a store front or shoppe. thats great. but it must be extremely recent. my point is that wsw has spent alot of money to actually stock a variety of kite brands and boards. and equally important is all the essential gear and bits and pieces that go with it. i think they should be recognized for that kind of effort and inventory.

[popeye]

I did see a shop with a bunch of Best Kiteboarding banners in the windows the other day. Not sure if it's open yet or not, I didn't stop. I buy a lot of gear from St. Pete Kite Sports center... small shop but a good guy.

Please support all of our local shops.

[Skyway Scott]

Bayflite has a shoppe? Damn, you learn something new every day.

I think I understand what a shop is, but I appreciate clarification. Nothing wrong with agreeing on terms to make sure we are talking about the same thing.

[TampaBay Noob]

Without getting flamed here guys...because I sincerely respect all of you, the only "real shop" around here is WSW. Period. They benefit from a little macroeconomic principle called "economies of scale," and furthermore a little concept known as "free cash flows." This is the main reason nobody has a clue that other "shops" are available. Who can compete with their pricing/availability?? They have room to negotiate with us. They carry big parts, little parts, fat parts, and skinny parts. The fact remains gentlemen, that for any shop to remain competitive in this area, they need to get big....and quick! I had to replace my CL and depower line on my waroo bar yesterday. Now without purchasing an entire upgrade kit for my '06 bar, what shops could have assisted me besides WSW in this area? We disassembled another bar just so I could have the line and loop. They have their shit together...love it or hate it.

Hope to see you guys on the water...if the wind ever decides to come back! :)

-sean

[popeye]

Who can compete with their pricing/availability?? I had to replace my CL and depower line on my waroo bar yesterday. Now without purchasing an entire upgrade kit for my '06 bar, what shops could have assisted me besides WSW in this area?

Noob, you're right that WSW is currently the largest shop locally...and they are getting bigger FAST! There was a time fairly recently when they really only sold the two most expensive brands. Things seem to be getting better.

But there are other kite retailers here with some inventory. I bought nearly all of my Best gear from these smaller shops over the past 3 years. WSW did not offer best so buying from them was not an option.

[TampaBay Noob]

Nothing wrong with that bro. You buy gear where you can find it. Pretty crazy to think about WSW just starting to carry Best and will already have more inventory, once the shipments arrive, than most dealers that have been around for 3 years. More power to them, make prices cheaper for all of us. "They're carrying quite a few more brands these days," and I think that attests to their desire to serve US, the consumer, in the best way possible. Best of luck to all of the smaller dealers, it's gonna be tough for them. :(

[popeye]

It's true wsw is growing and it'll be good for us, but they are not big by any means. We have a shop 3 hours away (www.oceanextremesports.com) that probably sells more kites in a month than WSW sells in a year and they specialize in mainly kiteboarding.

Shipping is about 5-10 bucks and you will have it the following morning.

For me it's easier to check my mail than to drive an hour each way to wsw and waste 1/4 tank of gas (especially since they don't sell best, or didn't then). I haven't found anyone that can beat their prices yet either (anywhere). If WSW matches their prices I'll be impressed for sure. I'm getting ready to buy a small waroo so maybe I'll give WSW a look and see what they can do.

[Woodson]

I just want to say that I do not recall much from the night I wrote the rasta style rant...

spliff spliff...

back to the regular scheduled program...

[popeye]

nice :D

[TampaBay Noob]

haha...ya 'mon I know da feelin'. ;)

[toby wilson]

What are you guys talking about?

[Stevil Kenevil]

I will explain it to you Toby, right after I finish this triple cheesburger, box of Twinkies and a bag of Funyuns.........

[popeye]

it's an experiment in fuzzy logic.

[shogun1204]

Now I usually don’t post on stuff like this but I have to say something. Everyone needs to remember at the end of the day these are businesses that are trying to compete with each other. It's nothing personal at all.

They are just supplying a need because the demand is there for Best brand kites! Yeah before all they used to sell was Cabrihna and Slingshot. Because think about it, that is basically what everyone flew around here a few years ago I hear.

I totally see there point about saying the 06 kites “Looked” like they where cheaply made. You have to admit when you pumped up a 06 Cabrihna kite or 06 Slingshot kite next to a 06 best kite “Visually” the best kites looked not as high quality. Now a lot of guys flew the 06 kites and never had any issues with them at all with failure! Actually I think the 06 Best kites had fewer issues then the 06 Slingshot kites. Now how the heck would WSW know that at first that best kites where going to hold up? They don’t they have to look at the product and make a choice weather to carry them are not. It seems they made a wrong choice in not carrying the 06 best kites because everyone loves them that flew them. Oh well you learn from your past, now WSW is making the decision to carry Best now because they want to make money! It’s a business and they are going to carry product that sell. Plus the 07 best kites “Visually” look very high quality and are very up to par with any kite out there for quality.

I really doubt that the fact that Randy carries Best gear is the reason is the reason WSW is carrying best. Again it’s a business and they want to carry product that sell! Of course when Randy decided to become a Best dealer WSW had to cut ties with him. For them to send him student would be a BAD business move. The reason they used to send him students is so the students learn and then buy kites from WSW! I mean if they where to send students to him now it would be honestly just “Stupid” on there part. Again it’s nothing personal at all!

I honestly feel bad for Steve-O because anytime he post anything on the forum about gear he has people jump all over him for pimping!!!! I mean his last post a while back he did had a very “Pimpin” feel to it and everyone jumped on him. He learned from that mistake and this time he just posted that they are carrying Best gear now. I mean everyone reads the forum it is a great move for Steve-O to post that they are carrying Best now. A lot of people buy Best kites and he was telling people there is another vendor for Best kites in St. Pete now. He was basically telling us we have another option. Yeah if we call up WSW, and talk to Steve-O to buy a kite from him he is going to make some money off the sale. He sells kites! It’s his job, so good for him.

Really if there is some rule against pimping gear then bad Steve-O. Rick should delete the post and tell him not to pimp gear on this forum. I really don’t know what the rule is. Honestly I hope that is not the case because if they get some cool new stuff I want to know! This way we can demo it and see if we like it. If the other shops are not going to use the forum to say “Hey we got are now carrying (Insert Brand) now” OR “Hey on (Insert day) we are going to demo (Insert Brand) at (Insert location)” then that is what they choose to do. Everyone advertise differently and if Steve-O wants to use the forum I think it is unfair of us to jump on him for doing it because none of the other shops are doing it. (Providing there is no rule against it)

Again everyone it is a business and it is nothing personal at all! At the end of the day who cares where you buy your stuff from. As long as you are happy with what you got that’s all that matters. If it was a great price, good customer service, great product, want to support a certain store, etc that made you buy it from where ever you got it then good for you!

Let just be cool with each other and have good time on the water. It’s great when everyone gets a long and shares the “Wind” buzz together!

[shogun1204]

Edited "Posted it twice" My bad! LOL

[toby wilson]

AMEN!!! Nice post Roy.

[amber]

"Its not personal...its just business"
-Donald Trump on 'The Apprentice" :)

[popeye]

Summary:

This seems to have started because someone posted their surprise that wsw (alleged best hater) now wants to carry Best. Others eluded that it's most likely an attempt to shut down Randy out of retaliation for leaving wsw.

Someone people jumped in with personal attacks taking the thread way off track ... and then that finally settled down.

I didn't really see anything bashing Steve-O. I really don't think anyone has a problem with him. He's been doing a great job of proving himself out there and I am sure everyone recognizes him for it. I know I do.

Open competition sounds good, but if you knew anything about how kite shops do business you'd know that they do not agree with this philosophy. Typically the smaller shops want protection from the larger shops.

I understand what you and Toby are saying about business is business. I sort of feel the same way. Business is war. Shops should be free to compete and set prices where they want to based on their overhead costs. I don't think the distributors allow this because I know they try to enforce retail price (but there are some loopholes).

Anyway, it's time for this thread to die. It's off track and not really going anywhere. Lets just see how it all plays out! Cheaper prices, more availability, etc ...

-tom

[Danimal8199]

I just wanted to chime in here and remind everyone that from Steve-O's original post he stated a few things:

1) He is aware of the "pimpin" rule
2) simply stated that WSW now carries BEST
3) Listed other brands
4) Thanks people for the support

It seems that his intention was not to insult anyone or post a list of the WSW competitors that carry Best.

If Steve-O sells kites, and there is a kiting forum where his target audience communicates, WOW imagine the idea that he might want to get involved with that forum to stay in touch with his customers, present and future.

That post has generated quite a buzz and I certainly have enjoyed the continued posts!

Thanks for supporting your local forum!!!!

[Danimal8199]

We live in America, we are a capitalistic society.

We live in a land where the people who take the bigger risk reap the bigger rewards.

Of course the smaller shops don't want to go out of business, noboby wants to, but that is something decided by market forces.

At the end of the day shops that carry many other items (a strategy called diversification) are protected if the market for kites becomes saturated and business slows.

The shops that carry other items will be supported by their other sports and product lines.

If business drops off for smaller shops they can wind up going under if they have nothing to fall back on.

If anyone wants to talk business strategy I can trade my consulting services for kiting gear!

[popeye]

Thanks for supporting your local forum!!!!

Are you suggesting there is only one local forum?!? kidding.

[TampaBay Noob]

...The End

[BigR]

This thread is pointless.....Closed