retail buyer’s guide
RETAIL BUYER’S GUIDE
S O F T B OA R D S 2021
PYZEL
Softboards are certainly no flop, if anything they are looking pretty solid by following their rigid equivalents closer and closer. 2021 trends by David Bianic.
In an international context where surfing - like other outdoor activities - has enjoyed a massive influx of new participants, the range of softboards on offer is perceived as a ready-made outlet for newbies to get their first thrills on the waves. However, the figures do not paint such a simple picture: “2021 did see a huge increase in demand for all types of surf products”, relates Santi Zaldua from Mobyk Soft Surfboards (Industry Surf), so much so that “it’s hard to say if the consumer favoured one over the other”, especially since “the trend is to get a softboard for the summer months regardless of the level of surfer.” It’s the same story at MDNS where Marketing and Brand Manager Benoît Brecq tells of growth in both types of construction: “We’re talking about volumes of beginner boards in general having increased”. Brad Rochfort from Softech is daring 82
“the trend is to get a softboard for the summer months regardless of the level of surfer.” Santi Zaldua, Mobyk Soft Surfboards (Industry Surf)
enough to even reveal his figures to us: +30% sales, soft and hardboards, even though the biggest challenge remains the supply of raw materials that go into softboards. SOFTBOARDS MARKET 2021: NO NAME VS CORE Softboards are like big sugary sweets: behind their attractive wrappers and appealing, explosive colours, you never really know what their ingredients are and even less about whether they are good for you or good for the planet. This attribute has worked in favour of emerging
