Hydroponic 2022 Cruiser Preview

Is Covid still affecting your sales/supply chains?
COVID and all its ramifications are still a big inconvenience for international business. Productions are late, which means late distribution through all Europe and more problems for shops and brands.

How have you adapted your marketing during the pandemic?
The Pandemic and lockdown brought a renewed interest in skate, so we adapted to offer a bigger collection, but marketing strategies are basically the same.

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How is the European cruiser market faring in comparison to the US?
US is probably the bigger market for cruisers, but the growing European skate culture is making cruisers a must-have for both shops and skaters.

Do you think skateboarding’s inclusion in the olympics will inspire a new surge of cruiser skaters?
Olympics are a great idea for skateboarding in general. The cruiser market will also benefit from the inclusion and growing general skate culture.

Is the current surfskate boom also spanning into people taking up skating a cruiser?
Yes it is, because Surfskating brings older players into the picture that can also enjoy Cruisers rather than trick-oriented skateboarding. In fact, the basis for our Cruiser Collection are surfskate-shaped boards.

Are your cruisers aimed more at people who already skate and want a chilled alternative, or for people to simply use for commuting and convenience?
Both are taken into account. The fact that skateboarding is a sustainable way of transportation sure will enhance its importance for the coming years, especially in cities where cars took over and are in regression.

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What are your collection themes for 2022 and what stories are you most proud of?
We feel so proud of all our collection it’s pointless to highlight a single one!

What shapes and board sizes are currently trending?
Old school shapes and surfskate shapes are the basis of our Cruiser Collections. They offer a retro look that is very appreciated by older skaters.

Are you focusing more on completes or do you have a demand for individual parts for modding normal boards?
Completes are a big part of our Collections, but spare parts are also in demand. We work with both, and have recently introduced a new Skate Truck line to accompany our Wheels, Bearings and Griptape Collections. Any shop willing to check out our big catalogue is more than welcome to do it!

Are production materials staying the same, or are you venturing down a more sustainable path?
At this moment there is not much new in this area. We have improved our Packaging and Deliveries with more sustainable products and hope to keep doing the same in the following years.

What are the cruiser must-haves for retailers to get in the coming year?
Stay tuned for the new SOUTH PARK pool/cruiser decks that will accompany the SOUTH PARK X HYDROPONIC Summer22 Collection, those will be absolutely bonkers!

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Best Sellers
Hydroponic’s FW21 collection of skate cruisers is based on the Surfskate boards from their collection, which feature an improved concave and new shapes. In addition, the cruisers incorporate the new Hydroponic skate trucks and the already successful, soft and delicious Buddha Wheels Tricky wheels, to roll on any surface and get to where you need to be!