Hardgoods 23/24

[C.Fuzzy]

Why ARE Mervin boards so costly btw?

I don't exactly know, but I'm going to blame the Orca. Somehow.

[SJF_NH]

"Surprise hit: GNU Banked Country 155. Stable, solid but not too stiff, turns incredibly well in all kinds of snow. More pop than I expected but so smooth and comfortable to ride at speed. Minimal input for maximal output. It can absolutely rail carves and I didn't need to do a bunch of hand jive to make it work. Very very enjoyable board and I’m basically a magne-hater. The base looked pretty dry but was easily the fastest of the three boards I tried."

Very well put and mirrors my opinion 100%. I'm in my third year of riding a 159 and it's a freight train at speed or on steeps, but somehow it's still fun going slower. I had a Billy Goat back in the day too, which I liked, but the Banked Country blows that right off the hill. I can't imagine anyone not liking the BC except for maybe a jib kid.

[kimchi]

Surprise hit: GNU Banked Country 155. [...] I’d get one immediately (maybe 159) if they weren’t so expensive. Why ARE Mervin boards so costly btw?

US labor costs + US environmental standards + shite Euro-USD conversion.

Also I forgot, Mervin is owned by a private equity firm, so they're under more pressure to consistently drive strong returns since they're just line items in some bean counter's portfolio tracker. If they're not willing to offshore labor, that extra money has to come from somewhere.

[Kevington]

Surprise hit: GNU Banked Country 155. [...] I’d get one immediately (maybe 159) if they weren’t so expensive. Why ARE Mervin boards so costly btw?

US labor costs + US environmental standards + shite Euro-USD conversion.

Banked Country's been on my demo list for a while. I enjoyed the Billy Goat, and progressive mag sounds like just the ticket for my style (I also don't like mag). Main thing keeping me from hunting one down is standard is a little narrow and the wide is a little wide wide for my tastes. Split the difference on a 260 mm waist on the 162-ish, and I would have at least have tried it.

Minimal input for maximal output.

Love this quote. That's how I feel about the Aeronaut. Long as I have decent technique, I get a lot out of that board without working too hard.

I would’ve thought the European wages and environmental standards are as strict as the US? I suppose shipping and exchange rates make a difference.

I’ve got a feeling the normal (narrow these days) width was a big part of why I liked it and the same might go for the Aeronaut too. Camber and a 25something waist just pings edge to edge so easily and doesn’t beat you up as much when the conditions are bad. The Banked Country feels like that classic type of board but with a longish nose for pow and with the pro-mag it has a new and exciting feeling for carving that doesn’t involve extreme width or taper.

[kimchi]

I would’ve thought the European wages and environmental standards are as strict as the US? I suppose shipping and exchange rates make a difference.

US GDP per capita is $70k USD, Austrian GDP per capita is $54k. And Washington state is more expensive and Carinthia less expensive than respective country averages. Significant difference, although both far cry from Shenzen (~$30k).

How expensive is the price difference in Euros btw, versus say an Aeronaut? Anecdotally Mervin (and Never Summer, the other major US-made brand) are about 15% more expensive than equivalent foreign-made boards. Banked Country is $630, I'd expect it to be more like $550 if it was a China board in line with K2 Instrument or Passport. FWIW the Mercury is also $630 for us, so maybe Euro labor + trans-Atlantic shipping = US labor.

Burtons are more like 20% more expensive but that's just because they can charge a brand premium lol.

[casjcade]

Don’t see much of a differency in quality between Burton and Mervin. Burton used to be cheaper, but all the brands went up alot, about the same price, maybe Nitro a little cheaper. Europe has min 20% tax too. Orcas and Jones can be hyped up a little higher.

[AyAyRon]

Kind of off topic but just a reminder. This guy is 44, broke his back and rides a Yes Basic for everything. I don’t need a new snowboard.

Droz is a legend. His corked b/s 7's will live forever in my dreams.

[AyAyRon]

I would’ve thought the European wages and environmental standards are as strict as the US? I suppose shipping and exchange rates make a difference.

US GDP per capita is $70k USD, Austrian GDP per capita is $54k. And Washington state is more expensive and Carinthia less expensive than respective country averages. Significant difference, although both far cry from Shenzen (~$30k).

How expensive is the price difference in Euros btw, versus say an Aeronaut? Anecdotally Mervin (and Never Summer, the other major US-made brand) are about 15% more expensive than equivalent foreign-made boards. Banked Country is $630, I'd expect it to be more like $550 if it was a China board in line with K2 Instrument or Passport. FWIW the Mercury is also $630 for us, so maybe Euro labor + trans-Atlantic shipping = US labor.

Burtons are more like 20% more expensive but that's just because they can charge a brand premium lol.

Not all things are equal. The Mothership gets massive credits for its green production from Austria. Labor in Tunisia is cheaper than China. Poland basically has minimal business taxes. Who knows how tarifs and exchanges etc factor in.

[Kevington]

I just checked. Banked Country and Aeronaut are actually the same price in euros. I guess everything is expensive now, the exception being Korua which didn’t go up in price from last season.

[jota]

My theory is that my old camber boards are just as good as new camber boards, so I buy something else.

Sometimes I'm tempted to pull the trigger on some old X custom But when I'm about to do it, a chill runs down my collarbone…

The old boards don't have a worse camber, they just are different, more direct… less forgiving… I think this year I have dusted off my old Supermodel