Indiana 2021 SUP Preview

Retail Buyers Guide: SUP 2021 Retail Buyer’s Guide
Brand: Indiana
Interviewee: CEO & Co-Founder

How has Covid affected your 2021 range’s development & production? (supply chain, delays, cancellations, carry over, prices…
The SUP sport is growing and skills are growing. Products need to be adapted and diversified and improved. We released two Inflatable River SUPs and a super light Hollow Carbon Dugout Raceboard. We worked on more SUP 2.0 Features such as Shoulder Strap and Tear-Off-Edges for all Inflatable Classic and Limited Edtion Boards. No cancellations from shops, but some delays and shortages in some products. For example for the new river SUPs and Feather SUPs. Retail prices stay the same for 2021, but we have to take tripled transport costs and higher production costs on our shoulders. Might need to increase retail prices for 2022.

As new participant figures went off the roof, does it mean this entry-level customer base is less picky on SUP technologies, less educated?
No, newbies are pickier because they have no idea about a production process that has a big part in handcraft. Older windsurfer customers are less picky because they know how to fix smaller issues and know how to sand a finbase down a bit etc.

Which hardboards/inflatables designs will be trending in 2021?
Our family packs are still demanded a lot. But the lighter and more expensive classic touring boards with woven pre-laminated double-layer are

Inflatables: Which new technologies are you implementing in 2021?
For River SUPs we work with Woven Single Layer with a second layer of robust PVC on top and bottom. We worked on more SUP 2.0 Features such as Shoulder Strap and Tear-Off-Edges for all Inflatable Classic and Limited Edtion Boards. The well-appreciated SUP 2.0 Features like Split-Finbox, Wheelie Bag with Paddle-Connection, Hyperflow-Fins etc. are still applied on all our inflatable SUPs.

Hardboard: Which new technologies are you implementing in 2021?
For rental stations, we offer premium rental Touring and Allround boards made with light and robust PVC carbon sandwich construction.

The multitool designs (SUP/FOIL/WING/WIND/SURF) are still gaining traction in 2021: what is your take on that trend?
We have developed a few of them. The 166 Liter All In One Board and the smaller 135 Liter All In One out of PVC Carbon Sandwich for Schools and Rental Stations can be used for everything and the 10’6 Wind & Wing Inflatable Board for SUPing, Winging and Windsurfing without foil.

Any piece of advice to give to brick & mortar retailers concerning their order sorting in these COVID times?
Get as soon as you can as much as you get. Otherwise, warehouses will be empty!

With shops closed temporarily due to lockdown, have you adopted new distribution channels (online, D2C, drop shipping)? If yes, did you stick to it when things got back to normal?
We always offered dropshipping for our partner shops and key accounts. Had not much to change. Good service and warehousing is key as well for the future.

Please tell us about your 3 most important highlight pieces that retailers should definitely order.
Indiana Inflatable Familypack 11’6:
Retail Price: 849 Euro
The 11’6 Touring Family has a pointed, flat and therefore fast shape and offers a lot of volume and payload areas for longer trips. Thanks to the «pre-laminated double layer dropstitch, the board is stiff and robust. The practical 3-piece 30% carbon paddle is included in the pack. Incl. Split Fin Box, 8.5 Hyperflow Polyamid Fin, Wheelie Bag + Paddle-Connecting-System, HP 2 Double Action Pump

Indiana Inflatable Touring 12’6:
Retail Price: 1049 Euro
The perfect choice for micro-adventures and smaller tours. Stable and secure thanks to its 31-inch width and with the pointed and flat touring shape, it allows you to move forward quickly. The woven pre-laminated double layer makes it very robust and stiff. The fibreglass foot bases in the stand area provide a hardboard feeling.

Incl. Split Fin Box, 8.5 Hyperflow Polyamid Fin, Fibreglass Foot Bases, Shoulder-Strap, Tear-Off-Edge, Wheelie Bag + Paddle-Connecting-System, HP 2 Double Action Pump

Indiana Inflatable Feather 11’6
Retail Price: 899 Euro
The feather-light board for adventurers, who like to take their board with them everywhere they go without missing out on performance The length of 11’6 and the pointed, flat shape allow for brisk speed and good directional-stability Thanks to the thickness of 6 ’’ it is stiff enough and the volume of 307 litres allows a large payload.

Incl. Slidefin Box, 8.5 Hyperflow Polyamid Fin, Light Dry Transport Bag, Mini Double Action Pump