UNITED SHAPES SPLITBOARDING F/W 2025/26 PREVIEW
Retail Buyers Guide: Splitboarding F/W 2025/26 Retail Buyer’s Guide
Brand: UNITED SHAPES
Interviewee: Olivier Garcin/Head of Sales – Gray Thompson/Brand
How was last season in the splitboard market?
Overall we saw a dip in the splitboard market; still down from the Covid boom and subsequent overproduction in the industry – met with poor snow years. It remains stronger in North America than anywhere else in the world for us
With the recent overall price increases, have there been any positive developments in manufacturing, sourcing, or logistics?
We’ve remained committed to sourcing the highest quality, most sustainable materials available for our manufacturing and have focused heavily on increased efficiency in the logistics department to keep up with the changing landscape.
What are the major trends you’re seeing with product pricing in the splitboard market?
Olivier G : Splitboard market is suffering from the post Covid boom, a lot of stock in a lot of countries, a lot of offers but splitboarding is also a great innovation window for brands like us. We currently have a great offer with a great pricepoint, and with team riders like Nick Russel we will for sure invest more in that segment for the next years
E-commerce Vs. physical retail, how are you balancing both channels?
OlivierG : We’re investing more in our ecom strategy for the next season, starting 24 25 especially to give more visibility to the brand, but brick and mortar retail is our focus for now especially in North America
How are you supporting retailers to sell this category?
OlivierG : Close retailer support / on snow demos / trade activations / new external reps in key areas like the Rockies with Joe Rizzo / Pacific Northwest with Luke Yates, Canada BC with Dirk Yarmush or a new distributor in China to ensure we have the best reps in the field to support key dedicated areas for the brand short term growth.
What about new board construction, innovation, or shape trends? Any big advancements in functionality? Skinning, transitions, etc, as well as riding? Any specific effort on ranges for 25/26? If yes, where and why?
Seeing a lot of brands focus on volume shifted, short/wide offerings for splitboards as well as uphill performance and downsizing ability – ultralight, maximum effective edge stories to create more reasons for consumers to grow their Splitboard quiver.
Are you using any new materials in your splitboard for 25/26? If so, what, and why? We’re interested in anything new in inserts / edges / cores / sidewalls / glue / resin/ wood types / base material / top sheet / wax / etc..
For 25/26 we will continue refining our beloved Covert splitboard with an updated, 50% bio-based topsheet material that reduces weight and increases durability. Additionally we are moving forward with Karakoram hardware to ensure riders get the tightest connection possible underfoot.
COVERT Split
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