Borealis Snowboards 2024/25 Preview

Retail Buyers Guide: Snowboards FW24/25 Retail Buyer’s Guide
Brand: Borealis
Interviewee: Ben Hall, Founder

OVERALL

How would you describe the current state of the snowboard market? What big developments, changes, challenges, and/or opportunities are you seeing and how is your brand navigating them?

Last season, snowfall in France and the Western Alps was quite low. One consequence has been that shops have been quite conservative in their preorders, sticking to bigger brands with higher marketing power. Even though inflation is slowing, people have less money to spend and due to this there has been a slight decrease or stagnation in sales in many European countries. This is a challenge for smaller brands which tend to be squeezed out of the equation when the preorder season is on. So we are focusing on informing clients how they could stand out from rival outlets and benefit by offering Borealis, a premium French/European brand of the highest quality available. Once they handle our equipment and test it, they will see instantly our superior construction, finish and quality. We also stress how our timeless, universal graphics can appeal to a wide range of customers.

Following overall price increase, any positive developments with regards to manufacturing, sourcing, or logistics and the changes you’ve made? Are there any examples you can share of how your business pivoted effectively? What developments are you seeing with regards to product pricing?

We moved 100% of our production to GP87 last year as they produce the highest quality snowboards on the planet. This move increased our costs and the price of our gear quite significantly but we did this for super positive reasons: to shift towards ultra-premium quality and increased performance, which is why we now2 have a 4-year guarantee on all our gear.

Is e-commerce sales still strong since most brands have been put a lot of effort in physical retail?

I think both brick and mortar and e-commerce are the way to go. They cater for different types of clients. Some like to visit a shop and see the product for themselves. Others know what they want or like the conveniency of buying online.

After last winter and the lack of snow in Europe, what’s your overall sales and production/inventory strategy for 24/25?

Since our first season, our output has been determined primarily by the quantity pre-ordered by shops. This will stay the same for 2024-25. One thing we have done differently is to reduce the number of sizes of each board we make, allowing us to focus on core market segments

SNOWBOARD SPECIFIC

What trends or developments are you seeing with regards to board construction, shapes, and general innovation? How is this shaping your 24/25 range?

Technology is constantly evolving and this snowboard manufacturing in no exception. Brands are looking for new ways to make boards lighter and more performant. Shape wise, the renaissance that took place 6/7 years ago is still producing new shapes and ideas, which I think is good for snowboarding. It shows that people are still looking for ways to further evolve our industry.

Anything new concerning sustainability and related product or construction you would like to highlight?

Since Borealis was launched for 2013-14, we’ve been focusing on using sutainable materials wherever we can: organic bamboo topsheets, sustainable wood, zero-COV resin, flax pads, recycled steel edges, biodegradable wax, bioplastic topsheet, etc. But most importantly we believe in building long-lasting and highly-performant snowboards – each of our boards are designed to have a long life and that is a core element of sustainability.

Are you using any new materials in your hardware for 24/25? If so, what and why? We’re interested in anything new in inserts / edges / cores / sidewalls / glue / resin/ wood types / base material / top sheet / etc. here.

No new materials really but only the highest quality there is. Key features include our Liquid Sidewalls (PU) that eliminate chatter for a super smooth ride or our ultra-fast Electra 5920 graphite base, for unmatched light speed riding.

Any new design or pattern approaches in your 24/25 gear? Any collabs on the line?

Through our new Auriga Series, we want to explore a different kind of design, more modern and geometric. We think the result is pretty cool!

Are you planning to focus on a special product range or type of customers? What’s your newest range?

We also introduce for 2024-25 the new Storm model. A classic twin shape available in both women and men’s sizes. The Storm is our entry-priced model designed for riders looking to further enhance their snowboarding skills. The Storm includes quality materials, a middle of the line flex, beautiful graphics and like our other boards is guaranteed for 4 years. It could also be ideal as rental boards for shops looking for long-lasting superior gear that customers will be attracted to. The Storm is available in sizes 146-149-155-158-161.

What is your top product marketing story for next season?

Borealis, the highest quality boards on the market protected by an industry-leading four year guarantee. Test them and feel the difference.

For 2024-25, we are launching new models under the name “The Auriga Series”.These are Auriga, a super fun twin shape, the Auriga One, a directional twin powder board and the Auriga Prime, the premium version of the Auriga, more exclusive, aggressive and built with the crème de la crème of materials. These three models will constitute the middle of the range of our line, bringing truly unmatched value for money to the market. All three will be available in sizes 155 and 158.

Our new Auriga Series bring 2 new shapes and 3 models to life for 2024-25Try the New Auriga Series, an alternative collection of new shapes and models with a modern, spacey but timeless feel and look.

Auriga

Auriga One

Auriga Prime