Yow 2022 Surfskate Preview
Retail Buyers Guide: Surfskate 2022 Retail Buyer’s Guide
Brand: Yow
Interviewee: Xue, Brand Manager
How has the surf skate trend been evolving over the last 12 months?
It has completely exploded! The growth of the sport has been unbelievable, ‘specially the last 6 months.
What are the main products in demand in the segment right now (completes etc)?
I would say completes with wide decks.
Pipe
What are the “stars” right now; the products you couldn’t live without?
Our best seller is still the Pipe 32”, people love that board. But now and since we changed its shape, the Arica 33” is one of the MVPs this season. In the other hand, our new collaborations with Christenson Surfboards and Gabriel Medina have been on the top 10 most selling boards too.
What are the main features on your surf skate completes?
This year we have updated our completes with our new surfskate system Meraki, an evolution of our previous V4 system. This system is basically lighter and more stable than the previous versions, but still has the exact same mechanism and feeling as the rest. We have added as well our new Ura wheels 66x51mm 76a, the first wheels we are producing 100% in our own factory.
What kinds of trucks and wheels do you offer for this segment
We use our own trucks which were designed to fit our system’s needs. As mentioned above, we use our own wheels too. So far we are producing just one durometer, but we plan to offer more options in the near future.
Snappers x Arica
Which technical features are you the proudest of?
The new Meraki system has been the result of the last 5 years of constant R&D and it’s definitely the product we are most proud of. The feedback we have received so far is really positive.
On the other hand, and sorry for repeating the topic so much, but I would put the Ura wheels in this list too, since it’s one of the biggest advancements we have ever done in HLC.
What are you doing with materials and tech next season?
This year has been an absolute challenge for us and has left no time for development, so 2022 won’t see any tech upgrades or new materials in our boards, although we will change the concave of most of our boards.
What are your main price points for next season?
We presented our new price point series this year, the Grom Series, which was an upgrade from our The First collection. It consists in 4 of our best selling boards mounted with our S4 system, which we recommend mainly for kids.
BEST SELLERS
- Pipe: The Pipe 32” is our absolute best-selling board. The outline is inspired by the fish surfboards and the design is based on the legendary Lighting Bolt surfboards shaped by Gerry Lopez aka Mr. Pipeline. The classic red ink is now combined with a golden foil layer which covers the lighting and our logo, making this board even more unique. The long wheelbase (18.5”) makes it more stable and helps you draw wider and more fluid lines. It is built with a medium concave that gives enough grip to prevent your feet from moving and mounted with the Meraki (S5) system and the Ura wheels 66x51mm 76A (soft).
- Arica: The new Arica 33” has been re-designed based on all our riders’ and customers’ feedback. Thanks to its wide outline, new high concave construction and rocker in nose and tail, the Arica 33” has become a favourite amongst our ambassadors for its outstanding performance in complex situations. Probably our best option for riders looking for a board to perform airs with. Its short wheelbase (17”) allows you to make deeper and sharper turns. It is mounted with the Meraki (S5) system and the Ura wheels 66x51mm 76A (soft).
- Mundaka: The Mundaka 32” is the smallest of the High Performance Series range of boards. Named after one of the best left-handers in the world located in our homeland, the Basque Country, the Mundaka 32” couldn’t be an average board. Its small size combined with the shortest wheelbase of our catalogue makes it a very reactive board, perfect for anyone looking for a very progressive surfskate. Shaped with a wide tail and nose, plus a high concave for an increased grip, it is mounted with the Meraki (S5)system and the Ura wheels 66x51mm 76A (soft).
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