KARAKORAM SNOWBOARD BINDINGS F/W 2025/26 PREVIEW

Retail Buyers Guide: Snowboard Bindings F/W 2025/26 Retail Buyer’s Guide
Brand: Karakoram
Interviewee: Kyle Hansen Kahn, Marketing Director

How was last season in the snowboard binding market?
Mixed. The US had areas of good snow and solid but not stellar sales as post pandemic inventory cleared out. European snowfall was slower, and their inventory seemed to be about a year behind the US bottlenecks.

With the recent overall price increases, have there been any positive developments in manufacturing, sourcing, or logistics?
N/A—pricing TBD based on early November exchange rates

What are the major trends you’re seeing with product pricing in the snowboard bindings market?
Upwards over the pandemic, stable now

E-commerce Vs. physical retail, how are you balancing both channels?
We continue to believe in and look for ways to support physical retail. The interaction between knowledgeable shop staff and customer remains key to developing lasting connections to the sport and culture of snowboarding.

How are you supporting retailers to sell this category?
This is something we put a lot of focus on, and we have some really cool options to offer this year. Ask us or your local Karakoram distributor about our Local binding and shop specific customization options.

What unique brand messages are you focusing on for the 2025/2026 bindings season?
Built For The Ride: From Karakoram’s start, we’ve been driven by the goal of making bindings that give snowboarders the best ride down. This campaign will highlight how our products are engineered to give snowboarders the feel of responsive, damp, comfortable turns wherever they want to take our gear.

Are you introducing any new innovations in buckles, straps, highbacks, baseplates, heel cups, etc..?
Our ESP surf and power pads provide increased damping and allow for more binding fore/aft roll. Combined with the response of our Active Joining tech, this provides unparalleled turn feel. The pads also offer unique customization options that tie in well with our Local binding program

Are you using any new materials in your bindings for 25/26?Carbon Nyolite, visible on our Ultra Ranger bindings, allows us to drastically cut weight while maintain the response and damping this line is known for.

Any new design or pattern approaches in your 25/26 gear? Any collabs on the line?
Yes! Our focus this year is on true custom artwork and expression. The Local binding is our way of giving shops something to offer that customers can’t find anywhere else, and must interact with their local shop to get their hands on.

Any quick entry bindings in your collection for 25/26?
NO

Anything new concerning sustainability and related products or construction you would like to highlight?
Offering bindings built with a local supply chain and built by snowboarders is something we’re really proud of. The local supply chain allows us better transparency in checking that environmental regulations are followed, as well as minimizing carbon emissions from transport.

Are you planning to focus on a special product range or type of customers?
Our Continuum line has allowed us to expand our reach beyond our existing base of backcountry or quiver focused snowboarders to the broader inbounds snowboard market. Now any snowboarder wanting the Best Turning Bindings can access our products.

Key Products:

Continuum 2.0:
Is turning your art form? Do you find the natural flow of a run, match your speed into a well-timed cutback on a wall or slash a windlip like a closing out wave? The Continuum 2.0 is your binding. Airpod Surf Straps combined with our new ESP Surf Pads allow the Continuum 2.0 to roll tip to tail, giving you freedom to express yourself through your style of turning, while still providing unmatched toe to heel response. Refined over years of prototyping and feedback from snowsurf master Alex Yoder, the Continuum is the next step in the connection of top level engineering and intuitive feel.

Continuum 2.0

Carbon Continuum:
Three. Two. One. Drop! Send off everything in sight. The Carbon Continuum’s pre-preg carbon fiber highback, Active Joining connection and ESP Power Pads keep you locked onto your line as you ride with your hair-on-fire down the mountain. Ride powerful. Stay on target.

Carbon Continuum

Layback:
Laid back responsiveness. The Layback gives you edge to edge performance with a softer tip to tail flex for a surfy feel. Featuring our new low softer flex Surf Sidewall for freedom of movement, a plush 3D molded EVA footbed that forms to your boot sole as you push into it, and our softer flex Surf Strap.

Layback