UKBouldering.com
the shizzle => news => Topic started by: Ethan on November 03, 2011, 01:18:03 pm
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Seems quite random, but interesting...
http://www.dpmclimbing.com/articles/view/adidas-acquires-five-ten (http://www.dpmclimbing.com/articles/view/adidas-acquires-five-ten)
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Bernrd must be the happiest man alive
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maybe they'll finally bring back the old v10s
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They purchased Salomon a while ago and have the benefit of their R & D. Some of their products look remarkably similar :-\
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They purchased Salomon a while ago and have the benefit of their R & D. Some of their products look remarkably similar :-\
I thought they Addidas bought Salomom in the 90s and then sold them to Amer sports about 5 years ago?
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Here at Five Ten, we like the philosophy of adidas’ founder Adi Dassler, with his focus on product quality
ummm
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Does this mean we will be able to get Anasazis at knock down prices in JJB Sports?
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They purchased Salomon a while ago and have the benefit of their R & D. Some of their products look remarkably similar :-\
I thought they Addidas bought Salomom in the 90s and then sold them to Amer sports about 5 years ago?
You are probably right, didn't know they had sold them on
(http://s1.outdoorsmagic.com/uploads/images/original/14216.png)
(http://www.e-outdoor.co.uk/images/salomon_xr_crossmax_neutral_mens_shoe1.jpg)
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A bit of googling reveals Amer own:
Salomon
Wilson
Arc’teryx
Atomic (skis)
Volant (skis)
I always new Arc’teryx was part of Salomon group but I thought Atomic and Volant were independent companies. You live and learn.
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Not really random as Adidas have had an involvement in climbing for a while:
http://www.outdoorsportsteam.com/index.php?id=30&L=1 (http://www.outdoorsportsteam.com/index.php?id=30&L=1)
http://www.adidas-rockstars.com/en/ (http://www.adidas-rockstars.com/en/)
etc etc
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Get in! Three stripes and sticky rubber! :bounce: 8)
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It wont be the same if you now know what size shoe you are trying on...
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Yeah, you will lose that Lotto / Cinderella feeling when trying them on.
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Not really random as Adidas have had an involvement in climbing for a while:
Yeah they sponsor Alex Huber
adidas Outdoor Alexander Huber - Free Solo (Hasse BrandlerVIII+) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96JIohKsQVY#ws)
adidas Outdoor Alexander Huber - Free Solo (SchweizerfüreVII+) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6iW2xAVeCs#ws)
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Been sporting the wonderful combo of red/blue 3 stripe trackies and dragons/teams for a while now. Could be good for scally chic fashion conscious sponsees I guess 8)
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http://www.outdoorsportsteam.com/index.php?id=30&L=1 (http://www.outdoorsportsteam.com/index.php?id=30&L=1)
The Hubers look like they're contemplating the journey to Mordor...or maybe thinking about their future careers in hair product commercials?
(http://www.outdoorsportsteam.com/fileadmin/user_upload/Climbing/AlexanderHuber/Portraits/1AlexanderHuber.jpg)
(http://www.outdoorsportsteam.com/fileadmin/user_upload/Climbing/ThomasHuber/Portraits/1ThomasHuber.jpg)
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When Adidas wanted to design some hiking boots they got Reinhold Messner involved, that's pretty awesome.
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I know Adidas have had a lot to do with climbing and the outdoor world in general for a good while now, and are really pushing to become a major force in the industry. Be interesting to see where things go for them... They certainly have some of the top names in climbing on their team with the Huber bros and Sasha!
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Wasn't/isn't John Dunne sponsored by them too?
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They’ve [Addidas] got a full page advert in the current Alpinist for some jacket in very pretty colours.
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Wasn't/isn't John Dunne sponsored by them too?
He definitely was, not sure if he still is.
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(http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRAaWDqVm3uDNRZzNdbZJTBiLiyI8rfenuX8XWvjhQ1KoL5Bu9N)
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Not forgetting 5.10 have a fair market share in the mtb/similar and watersports market and afaik are the dogs danglies in the free-running market. Presumably a very sensible acquisition for the beancounters.
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Normally the takeover of a specialist manufacturer is the death-knell for its niche, high-spec output and something to be regretted. But I can't help but think a bit of large-scale German manufacturing expertise and attention to detail might really benefit 5.10, at least from a quality control perspective. To get my approval all they have to do is promise to buy a pot of decent glue - some that prevents the rands of Verdes and Anasazi velcros from unsticking from their uppers after a handful of sessions. I'd be pissed off though if they decided to treat the rock shoe market like that for trainers in terms of number of models. There are already quite enough misbegotten models clogging up the bargain bins.
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:agree:
A bit of influence on quality control and fly colour schemes and we could be onto a winner.
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Surprised we haven't already had this:
RUN DMC - My Adidas Official music video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJ8ZY-c-9Oo#)
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Been sporting the wonderful combo of red/blue 3 stripe trackies and dragons/teams for a while now. Could be good for scally chic fashion conscious sponsees I guess 8)
Ha. Ive got the same pants. Not as good as my green and yellow pair though.
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They’ve [Addidas] got a full page advert in the current Alpinist for some jacket in very pretty colours.
Yeah looks good.
(http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqd4djnBGi1qfkjggo1_500.png)
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Incidentally today would have been Adi Dassler's 111th birthday.
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Incidentally today would have been Adi Dassler's 111th birthday.
Good skills. I suppose this is as good a time as any to remind anyone who might be wavering that the founder's name is a handy cue to pronunciation, i.e. not "a-dee-dus".
Fingers crossed for some daescents with white rubber, corduroy sides and big-ass laces.
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All my life I've dreamt of a sticky Gazelle.
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Hopefully we'll be seeing Jess Ennis dressed in Stealth sometime soon
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All my life I've dreamt of a sticky Gazelle.
Fair play JB, as fantasies go that is quite far out!
I can just see you charging across the african plains with a lusty look in your eyes...
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Been sporting the wonderful combo of red/blue 3 stripe trackies and dragons/teams for a while now. Could be good for scally chic fashion conscious sponsees I guess 8)
Ha. Ive got the same pants. Not as good as my green and yellow pair though.
How about shiny purple track suit with matching quantums?
Korn - A.D.I.D.A.S. |Music Video| (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5O8Y4u2dgw#)
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I think thr reported 25 mil is a bargin to get a foot hold :slap: in a new market
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Congratulations to Charles Cole for selling-up whilst he still has plenty of time to enjoy spending his money. It also gives me an excuse to tell this story...
Cole was a pretty decent slab-climber in the early 80s and his interest in sticky rubber stemmed from a desire to repeat Yosemite's Hall of Mirrors (http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=527185&msg=527622), a 16 pitch 5.13 friction slab. He went to the library and taught himself how to make better climbing shoe rubber. Clean-cut and diet-coke swilling, he stood out from the usual Camp 4 crowd who mostly looked like they had just got back from a Grateful Dead concert (and often had). I didn't realise he had just finished an MBA, not that I would have had known what one was, which I'm guessing was also an unusual choice in the early 80s.
Charles asked me what I thought of his idea of a "five tennie" - a training shoe with a sticky rubber sole - and even asked me if I was interested in helping distribute them in Europe. With the business acumen I retain to this day, I told him I didn't think much of the idea and never took him up on the offer.
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From the press release:
The Five Ten Elite Team consists of some of the world’s most exciting athletes such as Dean Potter
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With the business acumen I retain to this day, I told him I didn't think much of the idea and never took him up on the offer.
LOL. Good story.
Maybe with the backing of Adidas they'll start putting something better than cardboard in their midsoles ;)
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Am I alone in thinking that this may not be a good thing?
From what I understand (which may be wrong I accept) the rock shoe business is not the most low over head, high profit scheme, so surely all that will happen with a big industrial monolith (like adidas) in the market is prices will likely go up and quality down in an effort to increase profits?
Also have other mainstream brands not tried to break this market and given up? Reebok springs to mind, so what does adidas have which reebok didn't, probably shoes being north of £110 now helps I suppose.
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I think it's impossible to say. May be a good thing, may not.
Going to be interesting to watch, that's for sure.
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I think it's impossible to say. May be a good thing, may not.
Going to be interesting to watch, that's for sure.
hmm that was a slightly fatuous comment, of course no one can predict the future but has there been a wider precedent set by large companies taking over relatively small specialist outdoor companies?
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..... so surely all that will happen with a big industrial monolith (like adidas) in the market is prices will likely go up and quality down in an effort to increase profits?........
I really hope 5.10 quality doesn't go down, I'm not really sure it's possible.
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so what does adidas have which reebok didn't,
Five-ten.
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You can't blame the man for selling on and taking the dollar.. thats life...
But its also a shame that 5:10 is now owned by a monster global company - that at the end of the day answers to its shareholders not any Owner/MD's concience..
Where's me tent, I'm off to St Pauls....
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I think it's impossible to say. May be a good thing, may not.
Going to be interesting to watch, that's for sure.
hmm that was a slightly fatuous comment, of course no one can predict the future but has there been a wider precedent set by large companies taking over relatively small specialist outdoor companies?
Fatuous! Am I turning into Slackers??
When Timberland took over Howies it didn't seem to make much difference. They still produce lovely ecologically friendly clothes very few people can afford.
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I think it's impossible to say. May be a good thing, may not.
Going to be interesting to watch, that's for sure.
hmm that was a slightly fatuous comment, of course no one can predict the future but has there been a wider precedent set by large companies taking over relatively small specialist outdoor companies?
Fatuous! Am I turning into Slackers??
When Timberland took over Howies it didn't seem to make much difference. They still produce lovely ecologically friendly clothes very few people can afford.
RE: Howies - I think their stuff has gone a bit more mainstream (ie Fat Face stylee) since the take over - but agreed its not a huge change... Interesting to note that their (former) Owner Dave Hiatt is now starting his own Jeans company...
I wonder if 5:10's vegan leather alternative cowdura will now be replaced... I kind of admire 5:10 for sticking to their vegan morals and not using leather, but 5:10 boots in leather would be big improvement - certainly to the smell of my car...
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be good to see some 510 overstock at their adidas factory outlet stores. one right next to a climbing wall in stockport iirc
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I think it's impossible to say. May be a good thing, may not.
Going to be interesting to watch, that's for sure.
hmm that was a slightly fatuous comment, of course no one can predict the future but has there been a wider precedent set by large companies taking over relatively small specialist outdoor companies?
Fatuous! Am I turning into Slackers??
When Timberland took over Howies it didn't seem to make much difference. They still produce lovely ecologically friendly clothes very few people can afford.
RE: Howies - I think their stuff has gone a bit more mainstream (ie Fat Face stylee) since the take over - but agreed its not a huge change... Interesting to note that their (former) Owner Dave Hiatt is now starting his own Jeans company...
I wonder if 5:10's vegan leather alternative cowdura will now be replaced... I kind of admire 5:10 for sticking to their vegan morals and not using leather, but 5:10 boots in leather would be big improvement - certainly to the smell of my car...
Mocassyms are already leather. As far as I know their other model's synthetic uppers are to reduce stretch, rather than any dubious dietary concession.
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Just seen the answer to this on Twitter:
Screw Stubbs, from now on all 5.10 shoes are going to made from cow. #pickonvegansfriday
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I wonder whether 'das are aware of 5.10s reputation for poor build quality and sizing?
In fact, I often wondered whether 5.10 were aware of this reputation.
Changing to cow skin and small fingered cheap labour is sure to improve quality
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Am I alone in thinking that this may not be a good thing?
From what I understand (which may be wrong I accept) the rock shoe business is not the most low over head, high profit scheme, so surely all that will happen with a big industrial monolith (like adidas) in the market is prices will likely go up and quality down in an effort to increase profits?
Also have other mainstream brands not tried to break this market and given up? Reebok springs to mind, so what does adidas have which reebok didn't, probably shoes being north of £110 now helps I suppose.
:agree:
I can't see it being positive really. I've only recently realised (from the rarity of climbing-related posts on their Facebook page) that climbing shoes are actually only a small part of Five Ten's concerns and will therefore be a miniscule blip on Adidas’s radar.
I recently read piles of 90s climbing magazines and learnt that Adidas put a lot into outdoor stuff in the 90s, when they sponsored John Dunne, made weird approach shoes etc. they pulled the plug on it all as it wasn’t making enough money. It could easily happen again, possibly taking Five Ten with it, I imagine.
I read the Supertopo thread about this yesterday and they raised the issue of resoling. Supplying your main selling point in a raw form so independent businesses can profit from extending the life of products you’ve already sold sounds very much like what small companies run by climbers do and nothing like what multinational megacorps run by ‘the man’ do to me.
It’s probably good news for climbers sponsored by Five Ten, though- it seems to me that there’s quite a difference between most sponsorship deals and those of big rich companies (The North Face, over-caffeinated sugary drink company, er…) so hopefully this means a few more climbers will be able to have career closer to being a pro athlete.
Like everyone else I’ll be delighted if it means rudimentary quality control and sizing consistency are introduced, of course.
Disclaimer- I know virtually nothing about businesses and money and stuff.
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The other concern may be that Adidas may try to broaden their climbing shoe market by trying to get their existing loyal customer base into climbing.......
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I guess whether its :devangel: depends on whether Five Ten will be fully integrated into Adidas or run as an owned company (much the same way as BMW bought Mini, probably a fancy name for this but I know dick all about business management and such like as I've forgotten all my GCSE Business Studies).
I suspect that it will be the later as as has been pointed out their past attempts to break into the area weren't that successful. By buying an established and respected company they're already known to their potential market and don't have to compete so fiercely.
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From the press release it sounds like they are loking to use 5.10's reputation and market placement to make it easier for them to sell Adidas clothing specific to the sports that 5.10 supply to (climbing MTB, etc.). I think this would only work if they didn't mess up 5.10's reputation. I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens... if it all goes wrong I guess Cole can just leave and set up 5.14 shoes!
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Exactly, above all else Adidas have bought a brand (with a certain amount of specialist knowledge behind it) which they will hope to leverage with their greater marketing (and R&D) clout allied with presumably high quality ops management (logistics, QC etc.) The climbing market per se is probably not the lure so much as the potential for cross marketing. Such acquisition are much the most effective way of entering niche markets close to but somewhat differentiated to core business.
But its a tricky strategy to pull off. Some big companies are brilliant at it. Unilever, for example, have a superb track going back decades of acquiring smaller brands and working them well without killing off what made them good in the first place. Others stuff it up time and again and end up divesting again a couple of years later. If you'll excuse the business BS integrating acquisitions is a core strategic competence in its own right - no idea if Adidas have it. Its interesting that some of the 'contingent payments' are dependent on Five Ten achieving certain perfomance goals. Adidas are hedging their bets.
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I did some access work at Proctor & Gamble once. The factory produced the top three best-selling brands of washing powder. If the brand dropped out of the top three they sold it and bought the one that had ousted it.
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I quite like the description of Five Ten as a "family owned company", at the bottom of an announcement that it has just been sold to one of the world's largest sports companies
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Family firms don't have to be small. Germany for example has many very large family firms; BMW, the Bertelsmann Group and for a long time Adidas
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Ah. Yes. Fair point. :oops:
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Still, there's a difference between the family (Ma & Pa) and "da Family" (cosa nostra, concrete shoes and sleeping with da' fishes). Unfortunately most large companies seem to fall into the latter category...
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Five Ten ideas + German attitude = the world is a better place.
IMHO.
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What if it's German ideas and 5.10 attitude? :-\
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More details (http://www.outsideonline.com/blog/what-does-the-adidas-five-ten-buyout-mean-for-climbers.html)
"We're not cheapening the brand, it's going to stay a high-end specialty brand," he says. According to Cole, Five Ten will continue to manufacture its rock and approach shoes, like the Guide Tennie, in its U.S. factory in Redlands, California. In an email, adidas spokesperson Katja Schreiber confirmed that it planned to keep the Five Ten brand intact. Cole will remain in charge, but will now report to adidas Outdoor's Senior Vice President Rolf Reinschmidt.
Five Ten will, however, likely cut the number of models of climbing shoes it offers. "[Adidas] didn't think we had enough bike shoes, maybe too many of certain kinds of rock shoes.
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Adidas seeing sense there then, the current range of shoes is ridiculous. About 20 of their boots could be binned in favour of about half a dozen bangers.
In an almost unrelated note, Outside have got a pair of adidas approach shoes in I noticed yesterday.
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What if it's German ideas and 5.10 attitude? :-\
(http://www.lasportiva.com/catalogue/images/Scheda/199.jpg)
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:lol: :lol:
Actually Italian manufacturers aren't too bad: I used to have Sportivas, those Glowacz things and then Kendos for many years, they were great. Now it's Scarpa Spectros and Magos. The rubber's duff, but I like the colours. :)
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that's hilarious!!!
I didn't want to mean that Solutions are a result of a bad idea and bad attitude, I meant that if they take German ideas and 5.10 attitude I'll only be using Solutions in the future!!!
(after stocking as many Dragons and Team as I can).
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I hope that integrating the back office side isn't the business equivalent of the Human Centipede.. :/
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Not sure what this bit means "We will also keep Five Ten as an independent brand, integrated primarily on the back-office side, with a clear focus to create synergies wherever possible."
It's bollocks. £500 please.
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Not sure what this bit means "We will also keep Five Ten as an independent brand, integrated primarily on the back-office side, with a clear focus to create synergies wherever possible."
It's bollocks. £500 please.
I thought I could smell the hand of LSF industries involved in this take over...
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Just looking for my corporate bullshit bingo card.
several white spaces
is a new one to me.
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I'm excited about the new "synergies" - wondering if thats an edging boot or a smearing boot.
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I imagine a edging boot would be better for climbing up the brickwork of Carphone Warehouse.
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Just looking for my corporate bullshit bingo card.
several white spaces
is a new one to me.
Yeah ... me also. I can see it being useful.
Colleague: What are you making of the Italian debt crisis?
Me: Sorry, can't help ... I have several white-spaces across my knowledge architecture.
fool
"white spaces" is supposed to be used as though it refers to an objective lack of substance/data rather than a personal failing
you know, like a bit of the map that represents undiscovered land - well, undiscovered by the culture of the map maker - which isn't actually.. that.. um... objective... - unless you are only talking to people who use the same map maker as you and your pals - in which case they really will... well, you get the idea
I may have made up the above rambling based on cynicism and a basic distorted understanding of language
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That's a crap explanation Lagers.. -£500.09 please.. ;)
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True Largers,
Still Corperate Crap Speak, should be a capital offence in any civilised society....
Murder/rape of an entire language!