Jones Snowboard Bindings 2024/25 Preview

Retail Buyers Guide: Snowboard Bindings 2024/25 Retail Buyer’s Guide
Brand: JONES
Interviewee: Seth Lightcap & Ruairi Collins, EU Marketing Manager

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?
The snowboard market is contracting, but Jones continues to grow by focusing on offering some of the most responsibly made and high-performance gear on the market. We have created strong demand for our gear because riders know it’s designed to help them build their skills and push their limits while doing as little harm to the planet as possible.

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 are very excited to have dropped the price of almost all our binding models for 24/25. The price drops are the result of the continued success of the Jones binding collection and steadfast negotiations with our factory partners.

Is e-commerce sales still strong since most brands have been put a lot of effort in physical retail?
Our e-commerce business in all categories continues to grow, and especially in Europe where we just started selling direct in 2022. Brick-and-mortar retailers are still very important to us, however, as we know our customers look to our dealers for expert product info specific to the local terrain and snow conditions.

After last winter and the lack of snow in Europe, what’s your overall sales and production/inventory strategy for 24/25?
As with our splitboard and snowboard strategy we aim to support dealers across Europe. We have dropped prices in our top selling models as well as in all women’s models to meet market demands and make retailer’s jobs easier.

BINDING SPECIFIC
Are you introducing any new innovations in buckles, straps, highbacks, bases baseplates, heelcups, etc.?
The new Mercury Pro binding model features a three-part highback that is stiff in the middle and softer on the sides and offers the perfect balance of response and tweakability.

Any new design or pattern approaches in your 24/25 gear? Any collabs on the line?
We have a Meteorite binding colorway that is a collab with artist Shaun Gordon. We have also introduced a new model, the Men’s Mercury Pro with a new 3-part highback, for maximum response. This is one of our key product marketing stories for 24/25.

The Meteorite Surf Series binding is made for slash happy riders that want a stable and comfortable binding with a medium soft flex. What sets this model apart is its 3 degree canted footbed that improves knee articulation when turning. For supreme response it also features SKATETECH technology that transfers your energy directly to your edges.

Jones_24-25_Bindings_Surf Series Meteorite

The Women’s Aurora binding is made for fun focused freeriders who are looking for a comfortable and durable freeride binding with a freestyle friendly medium soft flex. The Aurora features SKATETECH technology that transfers your energy directly to your edges and a Progressive Flex Highback that’s stiffer at the bottom and softer at the top for a precise and playful binding feel.

Jones_24-25_Bindings_Aurora_

What are your top product marketing stories for next season?
The big news in the Jones binding collection for 24/25 is the debut of the Mercury Pro binding. The Mercury Pro is a high tech freeride binding that features a unique three-part highback. It’s designed for expert freeriders who need a super responsive binding with a progressive flex. The three-part highback is super stiff in the heel for max response, slightly less stiff along the spine of the highback for manouvrability and softer on the outer edges for max comfort..

Jones_24-25_Bindings_Apollo pro

Are you planning to focus on a special product range or type of customers?
We want to make sure that we have a binding to match the riding style of all our customers. With the variety in the Jones quiver it is important we can match the demand in our binding range. The Jones binding collection includes a high-performance binding option for riders of every style and skill level.