Costco Uh-Oh

[Admin]

Maverix Red
11' Paddle Board
10" Carbon Finn
Board Bag And Paddles
 
$999.99
Item # 306780
Shipping & Handling included


Size:

11’ x 28.5” x 4.5”

Materials:

EPS Core with Wood Stringer
Epoxy Resin with Fiberglass
High  density Foam Deck Pad
10” Carbon Finn

Weight:

24.5 lbs. (11 ’x 28.5” x 4.5

Rider / Board Sizing:

11 footer 100 lbs - 180 lbs.

Wood Paddle:

Classic solid hardwood with stain sealer.
83” long
 Weight 3.25 lbs
Includes:

Board Bag
Deck Pad
Wooden Paddles

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11290756&search=Maverix&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Mo=9&lang=en-US&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&N=5000043&whse=BC&ViewAll=99&Ntk=Text_Search&Dr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ne=4000000&D=Maverix&Ntt=Maverix&cm_mmc=BCEmail_313-_-FOCUS-_-2-_-Maverix&No=2&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&Sp=S&s=1

[gjbstandup]

I was told by a stock clerk at Sam's Club in my local town that Stand Up boards were due to arrive on one of the trucks any day. An 11 footer and 12 footers in a few colors for $999.99 complete pkg... Board ,pad , paddle and bag, he was not sure about the bag. The surfboards 6' and 9' come w/ a bag. I guess we will see when they arrive.. Has anyone been seen on one yet. I wonder where they are made. I'll have to look at the short boards at Sam's Club and see where they from.. Do you feel any SUP manufacture will be threatened by these boards?.. Price point type products.  Cheaply made and so-so workmanship?  Thanks for the update. I'll keep you all posted when they arrive here. I'll do a little re-con'/ pics at the store and see for myself..   Glen

[clayfeeter]

No surprise it's happening with Cosco but it IS surprising it's happening SO fast! -- and Glen that's wild to learn about Sam's Club, too

    -my first concern is for the shapers/manufacturers and the shops that know the sport so well... my gut feeling is it will at first be a good thing for the sup growth and awareness but unless the "specialty" shops that really know the sport can get their loyal customers (and new customers) lined up quick they may be jumped over by potential new customers who go to Cosco, Sam's.

It's going to be interesting. But if we are go maintain grass roots the bottom line is to support your local shop!
                       -Clay
                        Standup Journal

[CB1]

I saw those on the Costco website this weekend!  Too funny.  Like Clay said, it will be interesting to see where all of this goes.

One of the surf shops I have visited has their own shop brand SUPs  The boards actually looked pretty nice (in appearance), but not sure of the complete
construction method....and it sold for under $800.  None of the guys I SUP with have tried them yet, but one of my surfer friends has seen
the guy rip it up at one of the local spots, but he is riding a custom board and not one of the production ones.

Anyway, not promoting these boards, but it will be interesting to see how it affects the SUP community when these local shops who have access to
shapers and builders start carrying their "house" brands and how this affects new comers into the sport, especially if they do not have a water (board)
sports background. 

[Shawn]

Good for Costco, shapers... yikes.  I dont know where my feeling are on this considering a couple of things: who makes them and what trade secrets were 'borrowed' from others who are making better quality factor 100 boards.  It is no secret that our laws and ethics have no pull overseas when building something is concerned. They could be bricks and have a SUP attached as the infamous marketing tool.  $$$$$$$$$$$$
Who really profits... not anyone I'd ever see in the water, see a photo of or talking story over a couple of beers.
Flip side... good into board.
Bad side... being seen in the water on one of those and suddenly one set of eyes tells 20 pairs of ears who done SUP.
We finally went ahead and started boards and expect their completion after sanding and glassing in the next couple of days.  What do we make out of it... enough to get the bills paid, re-invest, pay everyone and get to see alot of happy people. 

[Blane Chambers]

Personally, I'm STOKED!!!        The way I look at it is like this...    Hitting the masses only helps our company.   All the riff raff, BS companies sprouting up all over the place are going to suffer.       I'm not gonna name SUP board companies but there are some real pieces of sh*t out there!   When the Costco customer gets serious about SUP, they will eventually find their way to the state of the art board builders.     

I can assure you this...  Costco will not develop new, state of the art boards every week or month or even year...   Costco doing this is a great thing for the industry, UNLESS, you are one of those low quality POS board companies selling poor performing logs, at higher prices...     

Companies with innovative shaping and a solid foundation will reap the benefits of the influx of the newbie Costco customer...    The trickle down will be awesome!     Not sure if this statement will make sense but any business that's worried about Costco SHOULD be worried about Costco...     For us, we couldn't be more stoked!

[Big Island Mike]

SUB's at COSTCO!!!!   You have GOT to be freaking kidding.   

[Lightning Bolt Maui]

I agree with Blane. Its great for the SUP market.
   
     It is going to bring SUP to the masses and they will get in to the sport and grow out of those boards and seek better boards. Just like most of us have done already.
     
     I know myself alone the boards I started on less then 2 years ago. Six in all. I have no interest in ridding. The better you get the better your board needs to be.
   
     I believe your board should always be better then your ability and you grow in to it. 

    Costco will never be able to provide a custom board built for your height and weight and wave conditions.  They will stamp out the same old thing like boogie boards.

  I would like to try one myself.

     The down side is. There is going to be way more standup people in the line ups. Up until now it was usually surfers that got in to standup. Now it will be people that have no water knowledge or experience out there with a big board and paddle. 

So be more careful out there

[flipperade]

Be really interested to see how they handle in the water.....but I'll wait for someone else to try them first 

Adrian

[Bald Brother]

A guy who is not afraid of giant cloudbreak surf is not likely to be intimiated by a giant company as well.

I agree with Blane... but I'm referring to him, of course, and not to me as 1) I don't surf giant surf and 2) I'm not in the business. Many of us got our first boards (body, surf or SUP) used, handed down or bought the "cool" brand when were younger. As adults, we then like things custom. I can't see how more SUP's, business wise, is a bad thing.

[paddledaddy]

I think this is good for the industry. But, I doubt too many people are going to lay down $1000 for a Costco board. In fact you can already buy an Oxbow, Bic, or  Suthpoint package for about that price.  I will further predict taht these will not sell well for Costco and Sams but a second wave of a cheaper boards will come along in the $600 to $800 range available either at Club stores or Sporting goods stores. Now that might actually help feed new people into the sport. How many of us started on a piece of crap 1979 Windsurfer board to see if we liked it, and discovered we were hooked even at that level? It wouldn't have hurt anyone if I would have started with a box store board instead of an old windsurfer before moving up to a used Munoz and then a new Jimmy Lewis. And I know I need at least two more boards in my future.

Here in Florida boat owners and especially those into fishing have been trading the headaches of boat ownership for Kayak paddling and fishing for the past 5 or 10 years and people are enjoying the experience. If Kayak manufacturers get in on standup paddling there will be another group of people coming at the sport form a more recreational and less athletic angle.

All this is good for the sport and good for our coastlines. The more people take an interest in actual coastal activities the better we take care of them. Only a portion of those people will  move up to Surfing and distance paddling activities with  higher end equipment, but some will and they will appreciate the difference.

I agree with Blane, SUP manufacturers that are truely making great equipment are going to be appreciated in the marketplace. Those that make junk are going to have a hard time competing with the box stores.

[Admin]

Some places where this will likely have an impact:

-big board resale (the days of the $1,100 chipped-up resale are likely ending)
-first boards for casual users and family users (lake houses, boats, etc)
-rate of adoption (widespread, cheap availability has previously not been the norm in most areas)

It will be interesting to see how this does play out.  Some random thoughts: Although the first thought is poor durability, some ultra expensive, top name production boards have been pretty terrible in this area.  Adding on a pad at $100 and a paddle for at least $200 plus a bag for at least $90 and possibly shipping-plenty of on the cusp, might-be-participants have been priced out until recently.

[Byronmaui]

Man these guys must have zero profit if they are selling them through costco. I was a partner in a local cookie business and when we tried to get into costco I think profit was like 5% when I wholesaled to costco. 
When costco supplied surfboards it really did not dent the market and I think with SUP it won't hurt custom performance builders. Actually it will benefit them because after a couple of uses the buyer will want a better board.

Aloha

Byron

[Blane Chambers]

Man since yesterday I must've gotten 10 e-mails about this...     It's funny because most of them are with the "SKY IS FALLING" type of vibe...    Hee hee!    All I see is we have made the corner to the absolute mainstream.   Fight it or flow with it, the choice is ours to make...   More people?    Heck, it is gonna happen whether we want it to or not...     This thing is gonna be montrous!.   Some of you may not agree but I been saying this very bold statement for a while now.     SUP WILL BE BIGGER THAN SURFING ITSELF.    We're stoked to be exactly where we are in this whole thing...     

[Stewart]

Just my two cents, but I think the Cosco board will definitely benifit the better board builders.  As people progress they will realize their need to progress to boards that are much more responsive.  And I like the idea of people having the opportunity to feel the enjoyment that I have gotten since I started SUPing, whether its surfing or paddling.

On the downside I 'm afraid of what the lineups will look like as people progress, or even worse before they progress.  They won't be getting the benefit of having someone (like what Blane promotes) educating them as to ettiquette in the water, or the safety issues that most beginners might overlook.