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PSA FYI - Liberty VMT skis on sale for $199 w/ free ship. Good sizes.

Muleski

So much better than a pro
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Take them to REI. I had all of that work done for $85. It was almost only $45. I went to pick them up and the counter guy kept staring at the work order. I asked him what was the problem and he said, "Uh, nothing. That'll be 45 bucks." I told him that there was no way all of that work cost so little and to go check with his manager. He came back and said, "How about $85?"

Works for me.

Glad that you found that solution.
Mine is Mike DeSantis. I’ve been good with him for A LONG time. I have friends with kids in the USST system, at places like BMA who drive a lot of hours to have him set up skis....driving past a lot of “world class” guys:

I am comfortable with MDS, and equallycomfortable with my friend in Maine, who set up skis run in Kitz this weekend. Maine is a bit tougher with COVID restrictions for us.

I like it done right. Price is not really a driver. Even on this $199 pair!! I’ll spend as much to get them set up, and I’m putting plates and bindings on them that retail for about $550....not that I paid for them.

My son in law used to manage the ski department at one of REI’s biggest flagship stores. Very good skier. Has never had anybody there do any work on his stuff. Might just be where he has been, etc. We won't get into the "machinery" used by the guys who truly are the best versus an REI shop.

No offense. I'm not REI's ski customer.
 

ksampson3

Giving 80% effort 100% of the time
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No offense taken. You could tell the difference between a great tune and a so so tune. Me? Probably not. If I ever get to that level of skiing ability, that will be a happy day.
 

AmyPJ

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No offense taken. You could tell the difference between a great tune and a so so tune. Me? Probably not. If I ever get to that level of skiing ability, that will be a happy day.
You could tell if you skied them back to back, I guarantee it. Try sideslipping or pivot slips on a poorly tuned ski.
 

johnnyvw

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near RDU
My V76s checked out pretty good, I'm going to just detune them the way I like my skis and give them a go as-is. Now I just have to decide on bindings...not a lot of choices with narrow skis these days
 

rjski

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My V82's arrived yesterday. The skis were in their shrink-wrap and held together by three heavy rubber bands, packing paper around tips and tails. They survived the 2200 mile journey just fine!

I took a quick look at the bases, and was pleased that they looked "as good" as they did. Meaning that I don't think that they will need a lot of material removed to get them right. They are close. I'm going to have them set up by one of the guys that I use, the one here in Massachusetts. He's very good. It may sound nuts to be paying him close to $200 to do the base prep {which obviously includes setting the base bevels and side edges as well flattening and structuring the base}, mount plates and bindings and torque test them....on a whopping $199 ski purchase. But, I have not skied a single ski right out of the wrapper without doing this in about 35 years. Maybe longer. As @Noodler says it's really rare NOT to need some work. So I just do it. Then I'll feed them a lot of wax.

Hope that I get these set up and get to try them fairly soon!
So then I believe these have to be done before you apply Phantom, right?
 

Andy Mink

Everyone loves spring skiing but not in January
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So then I believe these have to be done before you apply Phantom, right?
If you're going to Phantom it would be good to true the bases first BUT you can Phantom then true. It goes into the base material, not on it. Easier just to do it in order if you're doing both.
 

Magoo

Putting on skis
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So then I believe these have to be done before you apply Phantom, right?
Yep do the Phantom after the edges and base are done and no wax has been applied. I have phantom on one of my skis and I like it lots. Haven't had it in all conditions but at a temp from 20-35 it is working great.
 

Olesya C

Always learning
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I am late to the party. I have taken advantage of the STP sale too thanks to @Ron pointing it out to me. I have gotten V76 and Evolv 90 and skied them both today, I love V76 on very firm PA conditions. Evolv is a very nice ski too.
 

oldfashoned

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Jan 27, 2016
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Picked up the FX85 from the sale. Took an email inquiry before the box made it on the FedEx truck! Shipment came in a well intact box with only 1 strip of packing paper for the tails. The metal tip guards on the Kastle was a welcome site. Skis held together with 2 plastic wrap bands that looked factory applied. Checked the bases with straight edge and their fine. Edges were consist 2 deg with noticeable grinding marks on the sides. About 10 minutes of polishing on each edge and their good to go. Funny to hear the buzzing of the stone on the edge for the first few passes.
 

trailtrimmer

Stuck in the Flatlands
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Oct 18, 2016
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Michigan
My V82's arrived yesterday. The skis were in their shrink-wrap and held together by three heavy rubber bands, packing paper around tips and tails. They survived the 2200 mile journey just fine!

I took a quick look at the bases, and was pleased that they looked "as good" as they did. Meaning that I don't think that they will need a lot of material removed to get them right. They are close. I'm going to have them set up by one of the guys that I use, the one here in Massachusetts. He's very good. It may sound nuts to be paying him close to $200 to do the base prep {which obviously includes setting the base bevels and side edges as well flattening and structuring the base}, mount plates and bindings and torque test them....on a whopping $199 ski purchase. But, I have not skied a single ski right out of the wrapper without doing this in about 35 years. Maybe longer. As @Noodler says it's really rare NOT to need some work. So I just do it. Then I'll feed them a lot of wax.

Hope that I get these set up and get to try them fairly soon!

$200 is insane. I get a perfectly flat ski with World Cup structure and tuned to to my bevel request for under $75. If I do it early season it’s like $40.
 

Delicious

Glass Cranks
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My V76s checked out pretty good, I'm going to just detune them the way I like my skis and give them a go as-is. Now I just have to decide on bindings...not a lot of choices with narrow skis these days
Mine came detuned? In plastic, full of gunk. Cleaned-up very nicely.
 
Thread Starter
TS
jmeb

jmeb

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It's almost like labor prices and expectations are regional.

Here is the price list for what I consider the best tune shop in Denver. $50 for new ski prep -- pulling sidewalls, mounting bindings, hot wax, and bevel/flatness inspection. Depending on what needs fixing you can be paying up to "full tune" ($75) or "race tune" ($140) prices. https://www.denversportslab.com/services
 

johnnyvw

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Mine came detuned? In plastic, full of gunk. Cleaned-up very nicely.
I didn't check, but now that I have I see mine were detuned as well. Maybe a bit more than I would have. I'll still give them a try, if I don't like what I feel I'll have them ground 1/3 with no detune and do that myself.
 

trailtrimmer

Stuck in the Flatlands
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Include mounting bindings?

Add $50 for the mount. Still would cost me about$125 and it's top notch work.

It likely comes down to the shops that spend the coin on a shuttle actually save a ton of time on labor. They can batch a few skis with the same program and turn out better, more accurate tunes than the hand tuning guys in a lot less time. That big investment allows for greater volume with the same crew. Of course they can go the other way and become boutique and charge more because they are that much better.

Tossed some wardens on my 76's last night. Maiden voyage is Thursday. :)
 

Delicious

Glass Cranks
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I didn't check, but now that I have I see mine were detuned as well. Maybe a bit more than I would have.
This was my exact thought as well. Sidewall trimming should at least be easy on this ski.
Bindings should arrive this weekend...
 

Noodler

Sir Turn-a-lot
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Oct 4, 2017
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It's almost like labor prices and expectations are regional.

Here is the price list for what I consider the best tune shop in Denver. $50 for new ski prep -- pulling sidewalls, mounting bindings, hot wax, and bevel/flatness inspection. Depending on what needs fixing you can be paying up to "full tune" ($75) or "race tune" ($140) prices. https://www.denversportslab.com/services

DSL is so far above the rest in the quality of their work and their service delivery. I am so glad I started using them last season.
 

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