Ye Olde Rocket Forum - View Single Post

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thomas Flint

[QUOTE=ghrocketman]$40 for an Estes Mini-Max kit is insane.

I have to wonder, does Estes discontinue stuff like this on purpose in order to create "better get it while it's available" demand? I just don't buy the "it wasn't selling well so we got rid of it" line in cases like this kit and the Mega Max.

I talked to John Boren about this in the past at a launch in Pueblo. As much as we love kits like the Mini Max, if sales drop off, they get discontinued. Big Berthas and Alphas always sell, and they will likely be available forever. I can imagine that when they decide to continue a kit, factors like ordering thousands of tubes and nose cones becomes a huge consideration. Maybe easy to use nose cones up, but custom length body tubes would certainly be a big issue.

If a rocket kit comes out that I like, I buy multiples. When the Interceptor and Interceptor-E were released around 2010, I bought 8 standards, 7 “E” models. Then Estes brought back the standard. They should bring back the “E”. (For others, I’m good.)