Elite behavior can occur in some pretty unusual situations. I've heard clarinet players go off on a line of bull when it is very clear from their statements that they have not even played the horn in question.
One area where this comes to the fore is with string ligatures. This is something that's very easy to test (given a little beeswax and some twine, and it works almost as well on a French style mouthpiece as it does on a German (grooved) one. It's not like it costs a significant amount, in any event.
Yet, bring up "string ligatures, use of same on clarinets", with many players here in these United States and they act as if you want them to cut off their left little fingers. Mind you, I'm not talking dropping the metal, leather, or whatever type completely - I'm just suggesting that they try the string approach. Not one in a dozen will even experiment.
I guess all of our German and Austrian friends are fools...