Hi all

don't want to be the tight arse of the group but who's getting priced out of a buying new board?

I'm in my mid to late 40s, kids nearly off my hands and starting to save a dollar. I've been looking at new shorter type boards and cant believe what they are selling for.
The bigger brands, are on the money grab as far as I'm concerned. Having to pay up to $2500 - $3000 for the latest boards. You can buy a half decent car for that. Even better, a good custom shape for heaps less.
The big brands, I believe, are losing touch with the average punter. I'm in it for the long hall, as are lots on seabreeze.
I'm your prospective customer, so shouldn't you be looking after me, the average bloke? Keep it real!!!

Bring back the heavy boards if it means dropping the prices..

When it comes to wave SUPs, DJ is right - if you don't want to pay for an expensive light weight board, just get a heavier board. There was a time not so long ago when you didn't need a carbon fibre sub 5kg board to catch a wave. The big brands are just as happy to sell you a heavier, cheaper board.

Its called progress. Just because there lighter doesn't mean they should cost more, does it? There not using more material, just new shapes.

Can anyone explain why they should cost more? I'm interested to know why.

Sunova boards are light, VERY well built and affordable.... and they are Aussie shaped and owned

I think between Bert and the other Oz brands, like Deep and Gulliver, could take a bite out of the big players, in the performance surf SUP market....
but that is small potatoes to the larger paddling market that only know about boards they see in major ads.
The casual paddler is the industry's bread & butter, and most of the boards they buy are the lower end, low tech end of the market.

Surfers and racers are paying a premium for the technology and shaping R&D

However, I think we are seeing a shift in the supply side of that market, with so many good, local and more affordable options out there.... and international shaper brands that have the heart, talent and quality of Sunova.

We'll get through this.... just shop wisely.... affordable quality is here now.... no need to break the bank to get an awesome, light and ripping new board.

Things are a bit different in the US.
Nearly all of the really good local builders, like L41 are in Southern California.... but most of the buyers are in the East.
I am seeing a lot of L41's, Infinity's, King's making into the line-ups around New England.... Sunova is being felt around here as well.

We have a very strong SUP crew, but I almost never see high end, Naish, Fanatic, Starboard, JP boards here any more...
well.....except for a Rep friend, that owns a fleet of the carbon Starboards...but he's not paying the premium price

Does high performance mean a better ride??, only if you are high performance yourself, or should I say high maintenance. If you just want to go out and enjoy yourself and catch a wave or two. You can buy a board for under a grand. Downwinding, you can buy second hand for under 1500.When you realise that downwinding is the best sport on earth, then you can start looking for a Harley.

Hi STM.

Couldn't agree more. I don't care what material they are made from, they are pop-outs!!! What a joke.
They are made in China or equivalent for very low dollars. High volume, low cost and yet they want premium dollars.
It's very simple, have a look at how many sponsored riders the main name brands have. Sponsorship adds cost to every product they sell and accordingly, if people continue to purchase, they will continue to keep upping the price, until they find the maximum.
Go to your local board maker. You will be surprised at what you can buy, custom made, with high quality materials for a lot less than these "big" companies are charging. Seriously, 3 grand plus for a pop-out, bugger that.

Sandsy1 said..
Hi STM.

Couldn't agree more. I don't care what material they are made from, they are pop-outs!!! What a joke.
They are made in China or equivalent for very low dollars. High volume, low cost and yet they want premium dollars.
It's very simple, have a look at how many sponsored riders the main name brands have. Sponsorship adds cost to every product they sell and accordingly, if people continue to purchase, they will continue to keep upping the price, until they find the maximum.
Go to your local board maker. You will be surprised at what you can buy, custom made, with high quality materials for a lot less than these "big" companies are charging. Seriously, 3 grand plus for a pop-out, bugger that.

Too right! And a huge hurdle when it comes to surfing. You want a nice new custom board for $400 - $700 bucks... or a mass produced sup for over 2k?

Would be interesting to see if the board prices from the big brands other water sports (i.e. wind-surfing, kite-surfing, prone surfing) have a comparable price increase to SUP?
This would help to identify if the price increase is because of the low Aussie $$$ and the advancement in technology or is it just the big brands cashing in on the popularity of SUP.

Well, from what I have heard:
- chinese SUP factories worker salaries have been multiplied by nearly TEN in 5 years (from $60 to $500)
- workers quit if the job is not good enough for them. An average turnover of ... 2 days for young workers is not uncommon.
- some SUP companies are in deep trouble: I heard of one whose resellers pre-ordered... zero boards, as they though them too expensive to sell. So the company basically sold with no profit by not raising its prices in 2015 as a desperate move to at least get back some money...
- the financial/economic huge crash happening in China may wreak havoc on the Chinese industry...

I thing that you haven't yet seen the real prices...

Yep it hurts parting with money ..compared to windsurfing it is still a cheap sport as new windsurf boards are a similar price
plus you have your extensions ,base ,harness mast up to $1000. ,sails up to $1000 .i don't pay that ..anymore ..I go on seabreeze and get the secondhand bargains .I think if you buy two really good secound hand supboards @$1500 each + paddle @ $300 ,$3300 it ..is still affordable ,for a sport we love .. Buying new ...buy wisely ..this forum helps you ..buy the right board ..for you .so you don't waste money on a crap board.thats gonna last 1 year .i have friends that have brought the Cheap ones ...they don't look that good after one year ,decking falling off ,fin bolt rusting off ,ding Easy .

i recently brought new, it hurt paying close to $3000 ,.had to sell my motorbike to do it ....don't regret it .
its another SUP FIX. Always wanted a 14
will the big board names come down in price.? not likely ..it ain't going to get much better stm ..worse in 2016.

With the current prices I certainly can't afford a new one this year. I feel sorry for the retailers..they certainly don't get rich out of selling water sports gear. Now they have to try an flog toys that are 20% more expensive and perform the same.

I can imagine at the dealer meetings..How much wholesale?..are you insane?

I think pop-out surf SUP boards at over 2 grand is not sustainable ......and I think the tipping point is close.

Sadly the big names will see the death of the local shop....

PTWoody said..

itbjam said..
When you realise that downwinding is the best sport on earth, then you can start looking for a Harley.

A Harley? Isn't that really outdated technology that is also over priced?

obvious you don't own a new harley.

So we just need the local shapers to sponsor events and conduct demo days in all states. And also set up a distribution and retail chain nationally so that we can go to our local SUP shop and eyeball these boards. As I've said in another version of this discussion, a local shaper in QLD is not particularly local to Victorians and we don't have any shapers making SUP boards down here.

LordKuz said..

Sandsy1 said..
Hi STM.

Couldn't agree more. I don't care what material they are made from, they are pop-outs!!! What a joke.
They are made in China or equivalent for very low dollars. High volume, low cost and yet they want premium dollars.
It's very simple, have a look at how many sponsored riders the main name brands have. Sponsorship adds cost to every product they sell and accordingly, if people continue to purchase, they will continue to keep upping the price, until they find the maximum.
Go to your local board maker. You will be surprised at what you can buy, custom made, with high quality materials for a lot less than these "big" companies are charging. Seriously, 3 grand plus for a pop-out, bugger that.

Too right! And a huge hurdle when it comes to surfing. You want a nice new custom board for $400 - $700 bucks... or a mass produced sup for over 2k?

From what I've heard Starboard carbons are going to be over $3000. Got to be kidding

I say let the big box companies jack up prices for their cookie cutter designs. This drives more traffic to us local, custom builders who are doing the real R&D anyway.