Author Topic: Is the SUP industry tanking?  (Read 27032 times)

ukgm

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Re: Is the SUP industry tanking?
« Reply #15 on: July 11, 2018, 12:10:51 AM »
1) It took much longer than normal since SUP as a general sport was born in a recession, but nearly every sport goes through an unsustainable growth cycle that dies back to something real when people discover it's more difficult than sitting on the couch playing video games.

2) Racing was always weird. How does a sport that is hardly visible in a google trend, with all the spectator excitement of race walking.

3) There will still be some survivors. Those that know how to market, those that know how to give a little love back, those that present an interesting challenge.


1) The key thing moving forwards is the relationship between recreational paddling, racing and elite racing. If the narrative of those is stitched together well, it'll survive and (if MTB enduro is anything to go by) can thrive. However, SUP is going the other way ably assisted by the fact that nobody is holding the wheel and the reindeer doing the towing are frisky to go anywhere they like.

2) So is sailing, triathlon and modern pentathlon. You can survive it but it all looks very niche at that point.

3) I expect SUP racing to go the route of surfing whereby lots do it recreationally but only a few brand ambassadors compete and are really corporate billboards rather than apex athleticisism. The possible way out for this is to create desirable race formats or iconic events that have widespread accessibility and appeal (as ironman was originally, or marathon d'sable, etc).

Califoilia

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Re: Is the SUP industry tanking?
« Reply #16 on: July 11, 2018, 12:41:56 AM »
Oh it's dying. The sand is as crowded as ever, but the surf is wide open most of the time. At 2 o'clock today on admittedly not the greatest of days, but one that we'd see plenty of SUPers of all sorts out on in years past....there wasn't a single one out from "Old Mans" south as far as the eye could see. When I paddled out a 11:00, there were six foilers (SUPs and surf), and less than a dozen SUSers in that same local. Not that I'm complaining, but it's definitely hit a lull, if not a complete exodus of the "it was fun while it lasted crowd", and all were seeing are mostly just the same "regulars" who've been doing since it wasn't "cool", but the butt of all the "sweeper" jokes who persisted on regardless.
Me: 6'1"/185...(2) 5'1" Kings Foil/Wing Boards...7'10 Kings DW Board...9'6" Bob Pearson "Laird Noserider"...14' Lahui Kai "Manta"...8'0" WaveStorm if/when the proning urges still hit.

TallDude

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Re: Is the SUP industry tanking?
« Reply #17 on: July 11, 2018, 08:08:10 AM »
"but the butt of all the "sweeper" jokes have persisted on regardless."
And always will......
It's not overhead to me!
8'8" L-41 ST and a whole pile of boards I rarely use.

stoneaxe

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Re: Is the SUP industry tanking?
« Reply #18 on: July 11, 2018, 09:34:32 AM »
The race scene is all but dead...I've lost interest anyway. I'm considering turning the 18' Speedboard on the ceiling of my garage into a rowing scull..... :P
Bob

8-4 Vec, 9-0 SouthCounty, 9-8 Starboard, 10-4 Foote Triton, 10-6 C4, 12-6 Starboard, 14-0 Vec (babysitting the 18-0 Speedboard) Ke Nalu Molokai, Ke Nalu Maliko, Ke Nalu Wiki Ke Nalu Konihi

JimK

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Re: Is the SUP industry tanking?
« Reply #19 on: July 11, 2018, 11:22:41 AM »
Things are going well here in New Jersey & PA
Chinese Junk is a reality and something I pretty much ignore because I don't have to Fight'm I'm getting a few who bought junk (Chinese, Costco or Internet) and they are (of the few) who actually join the sport and realize junk is just junk no matter the price. I market to them (the few) and get them set up right for a "GOOD" price and they are very appreciative ...I even got tips delivering boards with some pointers on how/where to have more fun on their SUP's

Its all fun

JimK
Extreme Windsurfing

Oh yeah Windsurfing has been growing the past 2 yrs
Kites are holding their own with slight growth
Foils are Booming
Just thought I'd let you know

Zooport

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Re: Is the SUP industry tanking?
« Reply #20 on: July 11, 2018, 11:52:42 AM »
Things are going well here in New Jersey & PA
Chinese Junk is a reality and something I pretty much ignore because I don't have to Fight'm I'm getting a few who bought junk (Chinese, Costco or Internet) and they are (of the few) who actually join the sport and realize junk is just junk no matter the price. I market to them (the few) and get them set up right for a "GOOD" price and they are very appreciative ...I even got tips delivering boards with some pointers on how/where to have more fun on their SUP's

Its all fun

JimK
Extreme Windsurfing

Oh yeah Windsurfing has been growing the past 2 yrs
Kites are holding their own with slight growth
Foils are Booming
Just thought I'd let you know

U da bomb.  I'm very happy with the Creek you sold me and the price was good. 
8'6 Soul Compass
9'1 Sunova Creek
9'6 WaveStorm SUP
9'8 Starboard Element

supsurf-tw

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Re: Is the SUP industry tanking?
« Reply #21 on: July 11, 2018, 05:54:41 PM »
You just have so many used boards in good condition for cheap that it's difficult to rationalize buying a new board. It was bound to happen.....
Boards:

 
8-10 x 31 Egg
8-11 X 32 Double wing Fangtail Tom Whitaker
8-6 X 30 1\2  Inbetweener Tom Whitaker
8-4 x 30 Hyper quad Tom Whitaker (wife's now)
8-4 X 31 1\4.  Round (wide) Diamond Tail Quad Tom Whitaker
 9-4 X 30 1\2. Swallow Stinger Quad Tom Whitaker (ex wifes now)
10-0 Brusurf for teach

Zooport

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Re: Is the SUP industry tanking?
« Reply #22 on: July 11, 2018, 06:02:35 PM »
You should talk...except you made all yours. 
8'6 Soul Compass
9'1 Sunova Creek
9'6 WaveStorm SUP
9'8 Starboard Element

supsurf-tw

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Re: Is the SUP industry tanking?
« Reply #23 on: July 11, 2018, 06:23:09 PM »
You should talk...except you made all yours.
   I actually give my boards away when I'm done with em. Getting a few hundred bucks for a board to me is a waste of energy and petty. If a friend or a friend of a friend expresses interest in one of my boards in my quiver and I'm done with it I gift it. Gotta spread the aloha always.

TW
Boards:

 
8-10 x 31 Egg
8-11 X 32 Double wing Fangtail Tom Whitaker
8-6 X 30 1\2  Inbetweener Tom Whitaker
8-4 x 30 Hyper quad Tom Whitaker (wife's now)
8-4 X 31 1\4.  Round (wide) Diamond Tail Quad Tom Whitaker
 9-4 X 30 1\2. Swallow Stinger Quad Tom Whitaker (ex wifes now)
10-0 Brusurf for teach

Zooport

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Re: Is the SUP industry tanking?
« Reply #24 on: July 11, 2018, 06:29:42 PM »
Can I be your friend? :)
8'6 Soul Compass
9'1 Sunova Creek
9'6 WaveStorm SUP
9'8 Starboard Element

Jacko

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Re: Is the SUP industry tanking?
« Reply #25 on: July 11, 2018, 09:27:43 PM »
The market is definitely  harder now than say 3 or 4 years ago but i don't think this is such a bad thing. What it does do is make companies work harder and not get lazy and the ones that survive will be the ones who take on the challenge. It's not all about making a cheaper product but more making a better product and this has been our policy from the start. Every month we look at what we can do better and how we can improve as a company and i can tell you for us trying to cut corners to make a cheaper product has never been on the table and in fact for us we now pay far more to make our boards better.
I do feel that maybe the second grade top riders might find it harder and harder unless they really have something behind them to help companies sell boards, the few top riders will be safe if they keep growing with their brands but they will have to become more versatile kind of like a Micheal booth for example they have to realize winning is only a very small part of what makes them important.

The cheap stuff will stay but those players will change all the time as once they lose all their money they will move on to the next get rich quick concept!! 

Our whole goal is to only grow once we can afford to do so, and never think you are bigger than you are as we are all still small fish in a small bubble.


ukgm

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Re: Is the SUP industry tanking?
« Reply #26 on: July 12, 2018, 04:56:57 AM »
1) The market is definitely  harder now than say 3 or 4 years ago but i don't think this is such a bad thing.

2) What it does do is make companies work harder and not get lazy and the ones that survive will be the ones who take on the challenge.

3) but they will have to become more versatile kind of like a Micheal booth for example they have to realize winning is only a very small part of what makes them important.

4) Our whole goal is to only grow once we can afford to do so, and never think you are bigger than you are as we are all still small fish in a small bubble.

1) I know that most brands now have been progressively slimming their own race teams down. As per 3), value doesn't equate to race results. The sport is too small for that to be relevant.

2) The problem is that 'being lazy' is being dealt by brands with the need to bring out new board designs every 12 months and that is part of the problem. Anyone who knows anything about product R&D knows that's marketing driven idiocy.

3) I agree. Look at this way, a friend of mine won one or two relatively important domestic level races and has never been offered a team ride. I put out a video that gets 1500 hits within a fortnight on youtube as a favour to some friends and have been asked a few times as a result. That tells you where any aspiring paddlers who take sponsorship seriously need to spend their time...... and its not in the gym or on the podium.
« Last Edit: July 12, 2018, 04:58:35 AM by ukgm »

PonoBill

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Re: Is the SUP industry tanking?
« Reply #27 on: July 12, 2018, 06:58:39 AM »
#3 is certainly true, though the gym and the podium can be part of the package. Living your life online is certainly not for everyone, and everyone won't be successful at it (though some of the disgusting weenies that are would make one think so). Living the life of a pro racer with constant attention to the social media aspect is marketable. Kai Lenny does it in a less intense fashion. Slater Trout does it very well, with multiple sports. The simple reality is there isn't much return on investment in sponsoring a racer who just wins races not many people care about, but the ROI can be huge for a racer living and sharing a lifestyle that millions of people aspire to.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

SaMoSUP

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Re: Is the SUP industry tanking?
« Reply #28 on: July 12, 2018, 08:35:09 AM »
Here's a board company that seems to have a good product and marketing it in a different way from the more established SUP brands.

First I love that board. Looks well crafted, looks kinda fast, has convenient features: snap on fins, retractable paddle holder, tie-downs, ram mounts, and built in CUPHOLDER/storage. Kinda like a SUV commercial.

The messaging caters to its demographic: lifestyle oriented, practical, upscale, recreational. The current SUP companies mostly have action sports messaging to a non-action sport demo. Somewhat like showing a sports car commercial to a mom. Perhaps the marketing groups of most of the SUP companies are rooted in the surf/action sport industry so they're not thinking out of that box. They're trying to fit a square peg in a round hole by forcing SUP to the younger action sports demo rather than the more mature recreational upscale folks.

And these are made in the US.

I have a new definition for SUP...Sport Utility Paddleboard  8)



https://youtu.be/NDTgdwd7DJA
« Last Edit: July 12, 2018, 08:40:21 AM by SaMoSUP »

TallDude

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Re: Is the SUP industry tanking?
« Reply #29 on: July 12, 2018, 08:47:29 AM »
I think a spot for a dog food and water bowl would be a bigger seller in my area. And a deck pad all the way to the nose.
It's not overhead to me!
8'8" L-41 ST and a whole pile of boards I rarely use.

 


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