Bad news about Sombrio
- Thread starter UncleHowie
- Start date
What could go wrong?
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Explain the cartoon, I don't get it?
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Apparently TLD sucks/makes you look like a clown and everybody wearing it just slams Red Bull and talks crap to people with different sized wheels. At least that's what I gather from the cartoon.
As far as Sombrio, not surprising. Nothing in their line was unique, same style as their well established competition, at the same or higher prices.
As far as Sombrio, not surprising. Nothing in their line was unique, same style as their well established competition, at the same or higher prices.
that cartoon is terrible, makes no sense.
bummer about Sombrio, their shoes are my favorite at the moment.
bummer about Sombrio, their shoes are my favorite at the moment.
This is clearly a work of conceptual art. Comic sans ftw... or is that wtf.
Odd cuts, odd fit, off sizing . . . I found nothing in the Sombrio items I had to tempt me to own more. Sounds harsh I suppose but a cool vibe, sincere people and counterculture cult following atmosphere is not enough when it comes to clothing. It's got to fit and feel right or what's the point?
Yeah I can't figure out how these companies get away charging $150+ for these shorts. Does anyone buy these things aside from when they are on closeout?
I like how Sombrio stuff looked and always wanted to get some stuff, but their prices are ridiculous. The stuff on sale was usually still more than normal priced stuff from other brands. Closing in on $100 for Jerseys and $150+ for shorts is full retard.
That's really strange. I always do that when I wear TLD. Though it is to piss off people who think this way. The lift line has never been so fun.
As for sombrio - it's nice they support the freeride scene but where most of the people who take part in the sport are young a premium product is really an option. Especially if it's not something flashy with a strong brand like TLD. Maybe if they pushed a little in enduro direction where a lot of the older (and wealthier) riders are they would be in a better situation.
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I definitely like Sombrio's styling and design. They made some pretty cool and unique stuff. Their high prices and sometimes questionable durability were probably some of the factors that led them to their situation of today.
It's sad to see another Canadian company go out... Hopefully someone will come and save them like Race Face...
It's sad to see another Canadian company go out... Hopefully someone will come and save them like Race Face...
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Roach was bought by raceface but I doubt they will buy any company soon.
I own some Sombrio gear; some of it is high quality and a good fit, some of it not so much. I know that I overpaid for all of it, even the stuff on sale. Sad to see small mountain bike companies go out of business, but how much of a market is there for $140 mountain bike shorts?
So a consulting company waltzes in and says to a small niche MTB clothing company that going "big time" in the retail world on their own with multiple stand alone retail stores is a solid business move....I think the only question is how you throw them out of your office on their ass while laughing so hard. I like the brand and the guys behind it, but that must have been one HELL of an Alec Baldwin/Ben Afflect speech for it to cloud over any reasonable judgment no?
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Well, Sombrio does have a lifestyle line. I think they were possibly trying to expand beyond bike related wear. Think of all those mainstream "surf" brands. Going retail before having tried a full range of products on the market was a pretty risky move. Clearly, sh*t hit the fan...
Not hard to believe they got talked into seeing the "big picture". When you're struggling to keep gear in stock, and sales are through the roof because you're the new guy on the block, it's hard to think straight when the big-shot marketing guys start blowing smoke up your butt about retail stores, and worldwide expansion. They keep stringing you along until you're out of money, then move on.
If they made gloves that lasted more than two weeks, maybe they'd be doing better............
Were sales really through the roof? Also I don't think '98 makes them new guys on the block....
I'm of the opinion their gear had nothing to do with their lack of success. I swear a company logo winds up carrying over into every product they design.
TLD's logo (just that damn signature alone) sets apart the most plain piece of clothing there is. Fox's FoxHead logo for the most part too. RaceFace's logo sells if you ask me. Sombrio's logo itself does nothing for me and I don't know why that is.
I like Dakine too, even though I'm on the fence there too. But their logo is middle of the road in terms of being distinctive...and not ironically, it reflects my feelings about their goods.
2 cents.
TLD's logo (just that damn signature alone) sets apart the most plain piece of clothing there is. Fox's FoxHead logo for the most part too. RaceFace's logo sells if you ask me. Sombrio's logo itself does nothing for me and I don't know why that is.
I like Dakine too, even though I'm on the fence there too. But their logo is middle of the road in terms of being distinctive...and not ironically, it reflects my feelings about their goods.
2 cents.
Coming to you live from the land of NASCAR
muhaha
Never owned any of their clothes, but always liked them as being a 'rider owned' brand. Not too surprising they are on their way out though when you could buy two pairs of almost any other brands shorts for the price of their one; or the fact that they roll around in what is probably a $1/2-3/4+ million RV/pumptrack/mobile store, seems that could have been better relocated money (or at least kept the cost of the product down a little...)
Either way I do hope they can be bought and re-made into what they could have been for the sport.
Either way I do hope they can be bought and re-made into what they could have been for the sport.
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yeah, the truck was a bit of a surprise; looked like they were substantially more profitable than what i had thought. evidently this wasn't the case. wonder if the consulting group suggested the rig as well...
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for everyone talking about price, all shorts are not created equal, they did/do have superior construction...
heck check out kitsbow if you want sticker shock...you get what you pay for.
heck check out kitsbow if you want sticker shock...you get what you pay for.
Brain isn't working right now, which surfing company tried to do the same thing and pretty much wiped themselves out?
That has always seemed like such a BS argument to me. I mean what, more, high quality stiching, slightly better polyester adds like...$4-5 to manufacturing costs? It doesn't justify $150 shorts. Not even close.
remember 5 bucks turns into $15 at msrp with all margins factored in
Ha ha yes, exactly! Not $100.
All of the above runs on the assumption that there may have even been some of that "high-quality stitching" involved.
High quality stitching in MTB riding gear basically means it looks good wadded up in the closet next year whern you buy that fresh new kit and neglect it forever more.
i came across roadie stuff the other day. $250 for a pair of shoe covers, $200 for a hat....
I like the Sombrio stuff and hope the brand survives. Sounds like they were doing fine until they were convinced a retail expansion was a good idea. Given how retail is suffering in the MTB industry, those investors must have had a hell of sales pitch.
Never bought the shorts though, I was always worried about them falling down like they did on Watson when he jumped the Tour.
Never bought the shorts though, I was always worried about them falling down like they did on Watson when he jumped the Tour.
oh, and a pair of $600 bibs
My one and only pair of Sombrio shorts were great, when they would stay snapped. Two snaps on the waist was still not enough to keep them on. Not even mentioning the crappy velcro side adjusters that didn't stay glued after a couple washings. The fabric, cut and fit all seemed good, but what does that matter if I have to keep re-doing the snaps every switchback? Now if they had the same snap as my Fox shorts... Of course the Fox shorts have way oversized velcro side adjusters that like to grab my jerseys b/c they won't stay closed.
Gotta say this about TLD - they make the best shorts I've tried so far.
Gotta say this about TLD - they make the best shorts I've tried so far.