Gear Gotten Too Expensive?

[TheGoalNet]

Everyone will immediately say "yes", but I wanted to look at data...
 

Pulled the 1996 Don Simmons catalog and the Koho 500 Roy vs the CCM EFlex 7 from Monkey. All i

[TheGoalNet]

[coopaloop1234]

Now integrate relative buying power compared to prices. 

Comparing rates against inflation is a great surface level indicator, but without the context of how expensive these costs are relative to the rest of life, it's incomplete.

 

[jerd31]

Just for fun, I looked back at my emails from 2010- I purchased a set of SP5000’s from Pete Smith, with some mods, for $1405 shipped.  
 

My Brian’s Gnetik V set was purchased in 2022 for around $2300 shipped- and that was with a nice discount on the CAD-USD conversion rate.  I’d probably have been at close to $3k if I purchased from a US dealer.

Edited September 27 by jerd31

[TheGoalNet]

2 hours ago, coopaloop1234 said:

Now integrate relative buying power compared to prices. 

Comparing rates against inflation is a great surface level indicator, but without the context of how expensive these costs are relative to the rest of life, it's incomplete.

 

That’s above my skill set…. 

[DL42]

adjust for inflation and go for market price not what is seen on internet online that is online prices which may or may not be below retail. but it is common to get 

10% off the online price if you call them or go in stores.

The price are cheaper if u ignore the higher price line .  a pad is a pad.

mfg just put a higher price  but that just to give it value.

the margins are just marketing  just buy last years model at discount.

[Korppi32]

12 hours ago, jerd31 said:

Just for fun, I looked back at my emails from 2010- I purchased a set of SP5000’s from Pete Smith, with some mods, for $1405 shipped.  
 

My Brian’s Gnetik V set was purchased in 2022 for around $2300 shipped- and that was with a nice discount on the CAD-USD conversion rate.  I’d probably have been at close to $3k if I purchased from a US dealer.

This is little unfair...I guess you bought Smith pads straight from Pete Smith. Did you buy Brian's pads straight from Brian's factory? What was the price of Brian's pads 14 years ago? What was the price of made in Canada Warrior Ritual 1st gen pads (maybe 2012)?

 

I don't understand why blockers are so expencive nowadays 

Edited September 28 by Korppi32

[jerd31]

8 hours ago, Korppi32 said:

This is little unfair...I guess you bought Smith pads straight from Pete Smith. Did you buy Brian's pads straight from Brian's factory? What was the price of Brian's pads 14 years ago? What was the price of made in Canada Warrior Ritual 1st gen pads (maybe 2012)?

 

I don't understand why blockers are so expencive nowadays 

Yeah, that's a valid point and had thought of that, I guess the closest we'll come to the Smith equivalent of today is something from Factory Mad/Battram/PAW/etc.  

[TheGoalNet]

On 9/28/2024 at 4:03 AM, Korppi32 said:

I don't understand why blockers are so expencive nowadays 

I might ask the OEMs this question... it's the one piece of gear that has me confused... does a piece of Carbon fiber really cost that much?

[A.YOUNGoalie13]

3 hours ago, TheGoalNet said:

I might ask the OEMs this question... it's the one piece of gear that has me confused... does a piece of Carbon fiber really cost that much?

seems like. great question. Especially when you look at its use in the car industry, especially among aftermarket parts. They're always more expensive than the steel parts. Pagani goes as far as manufacturing their own carbon fibre entirely in house, granted they build their cars completely by hand and its entire body is carbon fibre, but still, goes to show that maybe it is a legitimate cost. 

I just wonder the most about the sticks. They raise the prices every year especially on the player side, and I've seen with my own eyes the prices that retailers buy the sticks from the manufacturers for, and its disappointing to say the least. Definitely some greed involved.

[MTH]

The question is - do you need carbon fiber in your blocker?

Easy way to look at today's prices vs then - use minimum wage and number of hours to buy something. For example - in 1996 the Koho pads were $900. If minimum wage for me in NJ then was $5.15 - those pads cost me about 175 hours to buy. Yikes!

The CCM Pads today at $1800 in NJ at $15.15/ hr minimum wage now are just 119 hours to buy them. 

175>119. Maybe today's gear isn't that expensive?

Edited Wednesday at 02:42 PM by MTH

[TheGoalNet]

1 minute ago, MTH said:

The question is - do you need carbon fiber in your blocker?

Easy way to look at today's prices vs then - use minimum wage and number of hours to buy something. For example - in 1996 the Koho pads were $900. If minimum wage for me in NJ then was $5.15 - those pads cost me about 175 hours to buy. Yikes!

The CCM Pads today at $1800 in NJ at $15.15/ hr minimum wage now are just 119 hours to buy them. 

175>119. Maybe today's gear isn't that expensive?

This is the sort of dialog I was thinking about with this post. It's sad, but gear hasn't gotten "that much" more. It's just the reality of inflation and what not.

The blocker is a good point too... The Axis FX9 is probably a significantly better product than the 1996 blocker and that is only $299

 

[MTH]

I always look at the cost of sneakers. When I was in HS in the 90s - "expensive" shoes were $100. While sneakers aren't cheap today - the good shoes are still north of 100 but not much more. That to me is an indicator of sorts.

Even video games. Nintendo games were $50 plus when new. I remember buying some of them with birthday cash. Today's games are close to that still. 

Please discount the fact that Fortnite is "free" but I think I spent a few thousand dollars on it for my son. I mean, a ton of skins is way better than paying for a year of college.

[ilyazhito]

38 minutes ago, TheGoalNet said:

This is the sort of dialog I was thinking about with this post. It's sad, but gear hasn't gotten "that much" more. It's just the reality of inflation and what not.

The blocker is a good point too... The Axis FX9 is probably a significantly better product than the 1996 blocker and that is only $299

 

For context, what price point is the FX9? 

[coopaloop1234]

28 minutes ago, ilyazhito said:

For context, what price point is the FX9? 

FX9 is the Senior level blocker. 

XF is the Pro. 

[RichMan]

I'm a throw a log in the fire.

What if prices from top brands become unattainable for the mid to lower income class? Will this give small brands more selling power? Can they eventually occupy more of the market?

Mckenney is a good example with them being sold in PHLs now. They've found a way to go beyond the simple phone call or online order. They used to be very present at Perani's locations as well in the beginning. 

[TheGoalNet]

On 10/9/2024 at 10:54 AM, coopaloop1234 said:

FX9 is the Senior level blocker. 

XF is the Pro. 

Yes, that is my point...

Not apples to apples in terms of Pro vs SR, but a SR now is greater than Pro from 1996... so you could argue the quality of gear is more affordable

Side Note: I am not saying gear is cheap now, haha. Just looking at this from some different angles.

[coopaloop1234]

24 minutes ago, TheGoalNet said:

Yes, that is my point...

Not apples to apples in terms of Pro vs SR, but a SR now is greater than Pro from 1996... so you could argue the quality of gear is more affordable

Side Note: I am not saying gear is cheap now, haha. Just looking at this from some different angles.

Don't even need to stretch to 28 years. Just compare the NXG to the the M5 and you could easily argue that the M5 is better.

Maybe we should compare it to the GSX?  

 

[TheGoalNet]

41 minutes ago, coopaloop1234 said:

Don't even need to stretch to 28 years. Just compare the NXG to the the M5 and you could easily argue that the M5 is better.

Maybe we should compare it to the GSX?  

 

I Always wonder, if I didn't do TGN and needed new gear, would I settle for an M5? OR like the Brian's Exclusive at Monkey?

[coopaloop1234]

1 minute ago, TheGoalNet said:

I Always wonder, if I didn't do TGN and needed new gear, would I settle for an M5? OR like the Brian's Exclusive at Monkey?

Obviously you'd get Warrior. 

[TheGoalNet]

1 minute ago, coopaloop1234 said:

Obviously you'd get Warrior. 

Maybe just the pads... like Tom Barrasso look?

[MTH]

On 10/9/2024 at 4:24 PM, RichMan said:

I'm a throw a log in the fire.

What if prices from top brands become unattainable for the mid to lower income class? Will this give small brands more selling power? Can they eventually occupy more of the market?

Mckenney is a good example with them being sold in PHLs now. They've found a way to go beyond the simple phone call or online order. They used to be very present at Perani's locations as well in the beginning. 

Tough market. Small folks who are in it for the love are one thing, but to make money? Your gear will be way more expensive than the over sea factory stuff to make. Where would you land? The gear is not too much different year to year so unless you make some type of super unique gear (think 90s gear innovations); you're just going to be an expensive version of the same gear made in a far away land.

[RichMan]

On 10/10/2024 at 5:09 PM, MTH said:

Tough market. Small folks who are in it for the love are one thing, but to make money? Your gear will be way more expensive than the over sea factory stuff to make. Where would you land? The gear is not too much different year to year so unless you make some type of super unique gear (think 90s gear innovations); you're just going to be an expensive version of the same gear made in a far away land.

We can agree that the small guy's gear is as good as the off-the-shelf pro gear from the big brands. Buying a full set from Mckenney or Battram or Simmons or Factory Made will cost me a couple hundred to almost a grand less.

Seeing how the SR gear coming out now from the big guys is for some, more than enough for bear league protection, and materials quality/durability aside, protective enough and THEN dollar competitive with the small brands top models. Not to mention, without getting into the debate, made in north America.