Author Topic: Can I buy a Gong SUP in the states? Unfortunately non...  (Read 6730 times)

Dusk Patrol

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Can I buy a Gong SUP in the states? Unfortunately non...
« on: April 16, 2019, 05:57:57 PM »

But I do like their style:

Thanks for contacting us here at GONG.

I wish I could help you out but for the moment we do not send rigid Boards to the States. It is very expensive for the client and possibly risky with the transport services.

I can send many items just not rigid Boards.

I do have some hard headed clients over there that have come over on vacation and taken one home, even a guy who forced his poor mom to drag one through the Paris airport for him…

I can get them sent anywhere here, hotel, campgrounds, depots, coffeeshops. Just need an address and local cellphone.

If those are options for you I can get it sent anywhere in Europe for the price you see online.

Thanks

JR
Service Client International / International Sales
 
GONG SUP 1
111, avenue des Noelles, ZA de Beslon
44 500 La Baule, France
Siret : 514 988 237 00038
 
www.gongsupshop.com
 

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Bean

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Re: Can I buy a Gong SUP in the states? Unfortunately non...
« Reply #1 on: April 16, 2019, 07:31:27 PM »
Wow, I just sent an inquiry a couple days ago without response.  Oh well, thanks for the post.

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Re: Can I buy a Gong SUP in the states? Unfortunately non...
« Reply #2 on: April 16, 2019, 08:25:53 PM »
If anyone sorts out a method, let me know. I'd sure like one of their 8'1 Alley Pros and they are apparently the only ones on earth able to fit that much volume into a board that size.

Bean

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Re: Can I buy a Gong SUP in the states? Unfortunately non...
« Reply #3 on: April 17, 2019, 03:14:00 AM »
That was pure PDX, but I know what you mean.  But, you could always go custom with Infinity...

Area 10

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Re: Can I buy a Gong SUP in the states? Unfortunately non...
« Reply #4 on: April 17, 2019, 04:24:14 AM »
Gong are a highly innovative brand that has been around since 1996 but IMO has only quite recently developed a manufacturing/distribution/pricing structure that is really going to accelerate them away from just being a local French brand. So I wouldn’t be surprised if they had a US distributor soon. But they probably want to consolidate their position in Europe for a season or two first.

And they are right, shipping to the US from Europe is silly money.

I was out yesterday on a sandbank bombie, a mile offshore. Had the place to myself. Shoulder to head high, clean, with looooong 500 yard rides. So easy. I was on a Gong 12-6 Perv, which cost me literally half (or less) as much as an equivalent board from one of the main brands, but is made better than eg. my Naish or Fanatic boards. It can go, too: GPS showed a peak speed of 23.3mph on one wave, which is pretty good for a 12-6 on a fat shoulder-to-head wave.

So I was left wondering why (a) other brands don’t make more board designs like the Gong, (b) why we pay so much for boards made so badly from the Cobra factory; and (c) why everyone in Europe doesn’t have a Gong.

This is a promising time for SUP brands in Europe, after 10+ years of us having to follow the US brands (and so pay a small fortune for our equipment). There’s another French brand called Redwood Paddle, and they do a very interesting longboard SUP for advanced riders called the Spoon Vectra, with dimensions of 10' x 26"5 x 4" - 105 Liters. If you have the skills, and love the modern longboard style, that would be quite a board.

https://redwoodpaddle.com/gb/sup-boards/489-10-spoon-vectra.html

The cost of this longboard is literally HALF the cost of an Infinity New Deal, despite being full PVC sandwich and carbon construction. There are also detuned versions of the board, of course, for less advanced riders.

It will be interesting to see how the big windsurf brands cope with these local specialist SUP brands, who are providing more radical designs, better built, for less money. It’s been a long wait for us in Europe, paying through the nose for 10+ years.
« Last Edit: April 17, 2019, 04:42:51 AM by Area 10 »

Bean

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Re: Can I buy a Gong SUP in the states? Unfortunately non...
« Reply #5 on: April 17, 2019, 04:36:16 AM »
A big part of the cost savings comes from mfg in Portugal and obviously saving some significant freight.

NorthJerzSurfer

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Re: Can I buy a Gong SUP in the states? Unfortunately non...
« Reply #6 on: April 17, 2019, 06:05:11 AM »
someone PLEASE bring these to the states.  The Fatal 7'7 is exactly what i have been looking to ride as a summer sled.... for but not willing to build custom with so many other boards (and prone surfing 50% of the time)

Short Small wave machine- lots of volume without ridiculous witdth in a non- tomo style shape.

https://gongsupshop.com/epages/box1707.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/box1707/Products/GON9SUPFATPRO77


Wetstuff

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Re: Can I buy a Gong SUP in the states? Unfortunately non...
« Reply #7 on: April 17, 2019, 06:15:09 AM »
I had a friend in OZ ship a 12' Venom SUP from the Gold Coast.  It was handled by some random container 'consolidator' and came thru the canal to land in NJ ..then trucked to Baltimore.  Painless  ...'cept for the wait! (and the extra open palms between NJ and MD)   There was not a mark on it - better than I can say for a number of other boards that came air. 

Jim


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Area 10

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Re: Can I buy a Gong SUP in the states? Unfortunately non...
« Reply #8 on: April 17, 2019, 07:57:26 AM »
someone PLEASE bring these to the states.  The Fatal 7'7 is exactly what i have been looking to ride as a summer sled.... for but not willing to build custom with so many other boards (and prone surfing 50% of the time)

Short Small wave machine- lots of volume without ridiculous witdth in a non- tomo style shape.

https://gongsupshop.com/epages/box1707.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/box1707/Products/GON9SUPFATPRO77
I haven’t tried this version of the Fatal, but I tried the version in this video (I hasten to add that this is NOT me in the video) in small mushy waves and it was surprisingly good. This new version looks like it would be even better, so it’s probably insanely good... hmm.. wonder if I should be adding another SUP to my quiver of 20! :)

https://youtu.be/VleG33kB4zI


supsean

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Re: Can I buy a Gong SUP in the states? Unfortunately non...
« Reply #9 on: April 17, 2019, 09:00:08 AM »
That board looks insane. I like the size/volume. Hopefully by the time I need another board, they'll be here...
Fanatic Allwave 8'9"
Sunova Steeze 8'10"
Kenalu Ho'oloa

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Re: Can I buy a Gong SUP in the states? Unfortunately non...
« Reply #10 on: April 17, 2019, 10:14:29 AM »
I guess I just need to case Scott's Cheap Flights for a euro ticket and spend some vacation days. hell of an effort to get a board though. But my efforts to get a local shaper to make a custom high volume board that small have all been busts, so it could be worth it relatively.

Area 10

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Re: Can I buy a Gong SUP in the states? Unfortunately non...
« Reply #11 on: April 17, 2019, 11:11:29 AM »
I guess I just need to case Scott's Cheap Flights for a euro ticket and spend some vacation days. hell of an effort to get a board though. But my efforts to get a local shaper to make a custom high volume board that small have all been busts, so it could be worth it relatively.
Well, if I’m coming to the US on business soon, I’ll let you know. It would be a good excuse for you to have a lovely holiday in France though.

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Re: Can I buy a Gong SUP in the states? Unfortunately non...
« Reply #12 on: April 17, 2019, 12:17:47 PM »
Thanks for the offer! Though in my case I'd still probably have to figure out shipping from the mainland to Hawaii as well. Might still be worth it...

Area 10

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Re: Can I buy a Gong SUP in the states? Unfortunately non...
« Reply #13 on: April 17, 2019, 01:46:58 PM »
Thanks for the offer! Though in my case I'd still probably have to figure out shipping from the mainland to Hawaii as well. Might still be worth it...
Oh well - maybe I should be holidaying in Hawaii this summer then! :)

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Re: Can I buy a Gong SUP in the states? Unfortunately non...
« Reply #14 on: April 17, 2019, 02:06:24 PM »
Then you should definitely get in touch   ;D

 


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