YES Snowboard Bindings 2024/25 Preview

Retail Buyers Guide: Snowboard Bindings 2024/25 Retail Buyer’s Guide
Brand: Yes
Interviewee: Yes marketing

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?
I believe we’re in for a tough winter in Europe. Inflation is beginning to affect shoppers, and families have less disposable income. Moreover, the lack of snow in recent winters is leading people to explore alternative winter activities. In this situation, YES can seize a significant opportunity by teaming up with NOW, making both brands stronger together. We’ve merged these brands to provide a more comprehensive and prominent range of products. This move gives us a stronger visibility, increased resources for development, and an overall better product offering.

What developments are you seeing with regards to product pricing?
By merging NOW and YES, we’ve boosted our development team’s resources, allowing us to work more efficiently and offer our products at competitive prices. This is the first year we’re producing bindings under YES, and there’s no price increase. When we compare the prices to the NOW collection, we can see a decrease in prices for similar products.

Is e-commerce sales still strong since most brands have been put a lot of effort in physical retail?
E-comm sales are growing for us but we also focus on brick-and-mortar stores. You need to have both to thrive.

After last winter and the lack of snow in Europe, what’s your overall sales and production/inventory strategy for 24/25?
We are lucky enough to have a clean stock, we were able to shift the stock to the regions that had plenty of snow this winter. For winter 24/25 we are offering a brand a more segmented ordering dates so we can adapt our production schedule and avoid over producing.

BINDING SPECIFIC
Are you introducing any new innovations in buckles, straps, highbacks, bases baseplates, heelcups, etc.?Yes, we developed a new low profile injected ankle strap for the IPO and VETTA. Additionally, we redesigned the IPO’s highback to complement its intended flex rating and modern design. We have also improved all bushings to have a better, more consistent press fit onto the hanger.

Are you using any new materials in your bindings for 24/25?
We are injecting the Drive HB With 5% glass fibre to add extra stiffness to improve its intended riding characteristics.

Anything new concerning sustainability and related product or construction you would like to highlight? We have done some thorough testing on all our manufacturing equipment and materials to detect and eliminate PFAS. All our bindings are free of intentionally added PFAS. We are working towards being 100% PFAS free by researching where detected residue is coming from and changing it to PFAS free materials/equipment.

Any quick entry bindings in your collection for 24/25?
No

Any new design or pattern approaches in your 24/25 gear? Any collabs on the line?
Plenty of new artwork and colourways. Thanks to the merger we have new branding on all bindings. Throughout the whole line we have a new coherent design which visually represents the #YES style.
We have a rad new Fridge signature artwork, fresh Kowalchuk design as Airmaster and Select colourway and a new UNINC graphic to celebrate the connection of these brands.
Regarding collabs we worked with UNINC, Fridge and kowalchuk. As mentioned before the kowalchuk and Fridge are offered as colourways of the Airmaster and Select bindings this year.

Are you planning to focus on a special product range or type of customers?
By merging YES and NOWwe are aiming to reach all our current customers combined and expand to whoever is ready to ride innovative products. By offering a complete package bindings and boards for different riding styles and levels we believe we have something to offer for everyone who wants to have awesome days on the hill.
With our unique designs, rad artwork and wide range of high-quality bindings all featuring the famous SkateTech we differentiate ourselves from the pack.

What are your top product marketing stories for next season?
Our top Marketing stories in Bindings are the Airmaster Fridge and the Kowalchuk collab that bring a fresh and edgy twist to the Airmaster and Select binding.

Fridge ST: Fridge Approved! Introducing the new Fridge, pro model from NOW team rider, Fridtjof “Fridge” Tischendorf. Designed and tested by the man himself to ensure it can handle whatever you throw at it. The Fridge Pro is perfect for knuckle dragging or good ol’ freestylin’.

Fridge

Airmaster : Park Domination. A legend in its own right, the Airmaster is our top freestyle binding. If it is park domination and on-the-fly customization that you’re after this winter, the Airmaster is your ticket.

Airmaster

Kowlachuck: Artist Series. This binding design is brought to you by none other than Mark Kowalchuk, Mark has made a name for himself designing for reputed skate brands as well as designing board graphics for YES. We are stoked to have him back at it designing for the binding category.

Konda