SPARK R&D SPLITBOARDING F/W 2025/26 PREVIEW

Retail Buyers Guide: Splitboarding F/W 2025/26 Retail Buyer’s Guide
Brand: Spark R&D
Interviewee: Billy Madej, Marketing Manager

How was last season in the splitboard market?
The 23/24 season was one of the toughest on record. With a covid correction, excess inventory, and a rough snow year, the industry saw mostly downs. Orders were cancelled instead of being added and retailers and brands struggled to stay afloat. However, the core splitboard community provided hope by sharing great vibes and reminding us all of why we do what we do. The 24/25 season brings huge rays of sunshine. Orders are up, customers are stoked, and onward we go!

With the recent overall price increases, have there been any positive developments in manufacturing, sourcing, or logistics?
Though the cost to manufacture post-covid has settled near an all-time high, at least it’s stable and more predictable. We are seeing timely fulfilments and sourcing is less complicated.

What are the major trends you’re seeing with product pricing in the splitboard market?
There was a substantial price adjustment over the last couple of years for splitboard products to reflect the true cost of manufacturing in this new era. Now that things have begun to stabilize in sourcing, prices should stabilize as well. Inflation is still the wild card here, but as a brand, we’re trying to absorb that cost as much as we can for as long as we can. Consumers have been through a lot in the last few years with a bleak economic outlook in the near future. We’re trying not to add insult to injury when they’re just trying to buy gear to have fun!

E-commerce Vs. physical retail, how are you balancing both channels?
Retail brick & mortar shops are the foundation of the splitboard community. It’s a hands-on sport. Customers need to go in a shop, feel the gear, ask questions, and try it out in-person. That being said, there are a few online retailers who do an excellent job in their customer service who can explain the gear, have good educational videos, and really understand splitboarding. Those are the ones we work with. We are proud to have such an amazing network of dealers in both e-comm and physical retail.

How are you supporting retailers to sell this category?
Above all else, we prioritize good communication with our retailers to make sure we give them what they need to stay educated on the product, and also able to make a profit from doing the good work of selling it. We have a dealer portal with product photos, videos, and all the info they need on tech. Most importantly, we have an up-to-date ATS sheet on the portal with visibility on what’s in-stock for ASAP orders. We’ve also been extending longer payment terms to shops who are able to take their orders early. We focus on shipping on time or early to best support our dealers. Whatever they need, we try to support. Another thing we’ve really been focusing on is bringing good splitboarding content to the market. With our talented team of riders, we’ve helped support some really incredible projects that showcase the fun and beauty of splitboarding. We host a Film Festival every year in our hometown called “Earn Your Turns” that features a variety of splitboard films that gets everyone hyped for the year! Hyped riders are hyped customers. We try to move the needle for retail sales using our grassroots marketing style. We even produced our own short film called THIS that dropped in Fall 2024. Check it out!

What unique brand messages are you focusing on for the 2025/2026 splitboard season?
Get out there and have fun! It’s why we do this. Along with the fun, comes the responsibility. We’ll be focusing on getting out there and getting after it, with an emphasis on avalanche education and safety. #GoSplitboarding

Have you made any new innovations in buckles, straps, highbacks, baseplates, heel cups, etc.?
For the 25/26 season we are working with Nick Russell on a pro model binding. This binding will be a limited-edition hybrid of our award-winning Surge and Arc ST Pro models. Expect some fun aesthetics and features. Stay tuned.

Are you using any new materials in your bindings for 25/26? If so, what, and why?
We’ve been working on a new model of our pucks to improve board feel and connection in ride mode. To do this, we’ve worked up a new design to add to our line that features a smaller, fibre-reinforced plastic centre disc in place of aluminium. The updated geometry of the disc and outer plastics give enhanced mobility and better alignment to the two halves of the board.

Key Products:

Arc ST Pro:
The lightest and highest performing splitboard bindings in the world – made with incredible attention to detail and no compromises.

Arc ST Pro

Surge ST:
The Surge ST is trusted by professional big line riders and mountain town legends alike. It’s a powerful binding perfect for big days and big lines.

Surge ST – Violet

Arc ST:
Our industry-leading splitboard binding excels in the trees and powder, but is tough enough to handle more complex all-mountain conditions.

Arc ST – Gold