The search is ON! Why are we getting bent over for VDS?

[heliski989]

Like most all of you we are using "VDS" in our skis. With the recent price increases and little to no availability through CDW we have been on a search for the manufacturer of the so called "VDS"! Does anyone know what it is? I have taken the product to Exotic Rubber in Farmington, MI and tried to have them ID it... No luck, they said it is some type of synthetic that they have never seen.

So here is my proposal. Lets find out what it is and who makes it and just order the stuff. Are there any Materiel Science guys out there? Ill send you samples of the "VDS" that we have to test and ID. We are going through thousands of dollars of this stuff... there has to be a solution!

-JT
SCC Skis

[MontuckyMadman]

we need like an infrared spectrometer or some shitake.

I just ordered like 3 meters and it cost $35 12 inches wide but still!

Insane!

It must have another application as a sheer layer in aerospace or another laminate form that sees allot of stress.

[Head Monkey]

It all comes from one place: Haberkorn in Austria. Give 'em a call and see about importing some. I have no idea what the minimum order size is, but I'm willing to bet it's actually reasonable, probably a few 12" wide rolls or so.

[brodo]

As Head Monkey said Haberkorn in Austria is the source. No problems to order small quantities. Last time I ordered, minimum order of 2,5cm wide VDS was around 300 meter and 70 meter for 34 cm wide. Cost; approximately €30/ per 100m for the 2,5cm wide and €430/100m of the 34cm.

[heliski989]

Those prices still seem high. Anyways, i just sent an email off to them. Jeff@sccskis actually called me last night and told me about Haberkorn. Needless to say I was kicking my self that he found out where to buy VDS before me. Damn Brother!

Anyways, I hope they get back to us. Ill try and get a bulk discount and try and help some of y'all out.

[skibum]

Does anyone know where to get the rubber they use in the tips of Rossignol S7 and Prior skis. They have a 2mm sheet in the tips and tails. I talked to the Rossignol rep and he called it Viscoelastic rubber.
Anyone know where we could find some of this?
I would be in for a for a group buy of VDS also.
Let me know

[MontuckyMadman]

dude at pm gear, pat was messing with some 2mill rubber a while ago.
Try calling him maybe he will give up the supplier.

[jvangelder]

I have sales reps from a few plastic/nylon/synthetic's distributors come to my work on a monthly basis, ill snag some of the vds that i was given and see if they can ID it, any info i get ill pass along.

-Jacob

[heliski989]

Does anyone know where to get the rubber they use in the tips of Rossignol S7 and Prior skis. They have a 2mm sheet in the tips and tails. I talked to the Rossignol rep and he called it Viscoelastic rubber.
Anyone know where we could find some of this?
I would be in for a for a group buy of VDS also.
Let me know

Just got some info from Haberkorn, They produce VDS in a 2.1mm size.

Should have pricing for the 0.2mm material on monday.

[MontuckyMadman]

Id be down for VDS, thin and thick.

[doughboyshredder]

2mm vds! wow. That would be interesting to try out for a variety of things.

I would be down for a good amount of 32 cm wide thin stuff for sure.

[Docta]

If there is a group order, I would like to be in on it also, thick and thin. I would like to try using the 2mm as a replacement for my tip and tail spacers, might dampen things up nicely.

[chaka]

Rossi Scracth Bc is one of my all time favourite skis. I really love those rubber tip/tail spacers. If some of you get price for 2mm vds sheets, please let us know.

[heliski989]

Ok, so i just got the pricing back from Haberkorn... It comes out to $700 / roll + Shipping
At this price we will have over $20 a pair for rubber. That's crazy!
I just dont understand this, It is cheaper to buy form SBM than the manufacturer! I have a rubber expert at a local store trying to ID the product. We will see what they say, I think he has some ideas for us.

[MontuckyMadman]

I was reading some old stuff on viscoelastic dampeners from the 70's and 80's and they were using thin neoprene as the shear layer, perhaps in place of the VDS we use today. Perhaps other rubber options in thin material could be used in place of this obviously controlled price product.

There is a reason they price it in such a way. I think the big companies have pricing arrangements with this manufacturer and control the sale price, in order to dominate the market. Lots of proprietary materials are handled in this way in the market place. Its sucks.