Rad Air Snowboards F/W 2026/27 Preview
Retail Buyers Guide: Snowboards F/W 2026/27 Retail Buyer’s Guide
Brand: Rad Air
Interviewee: Harry Gunz, co-fonder
How would you describe the 2024/25 snowboard season in terms of market performance and consumer demand?
We are in a niche of the market, but we see a slight increase of snowboarding on the mountains.
What major trends are shaping the snowboard market (pricing, consumer preferences, rider demographics, retail shifts)?
Pricing will play a key role in the future. We negotiated with our manufacturers and suppliers on the best possible pricing and we are not increasing our prices for 2025/2026 as we are in a premium market segment already.
From changing consumer behavior to tariffs and supply chain stress, what’s been the biggest challenge for your brand recently?
We purchased, paid and got shipped prior the tariffs hick-hack, so we are safe. We address the older customers and they got a different behavior then the young customers.
BRAND FOCUS
What is your brand’s core mission or philosophy, and how does it influence snowboard design and development?
Our core mission is longboarding. Period. We know this is a niche within the niche, but that is our DNA.
How has your brand’s role in the snowboard market evolved in recent years?
Well, we are too small to play a role in the snowboarding market. But we love what we do and our customer like it too.
Who is your target rider for the 26/27 season, and how has this profile changed compared to the past?
In the past years we have seen many customers who buy our product because they have been riding it for many years or the y have already a huge collection in their living room if not in the bedroom. This profile didn’t change from last year.
Which product ranges or categories do you expect to drive the most growth in 26/27?
Boots and bindings, foremost easy step-in/step-on models
SNOWBOARD SPECIFIC
What trends or developments in construction, shapes, and innovation are guiding your 26/27 snowboard range?
Everybody want to be sustainable, light and the perfect shape for any condition you can imagine. We believe that if you are a longboarder you want one of our TANKER models. Against popular believe – size matters.
What new materials or material innovations are you using — inserts, edges, cores, sidewalls, resin, glues, base material, top sheet, wax, or others?
superlight recycled woodcores, water-based printing processes, no solvents
How are you incorporating sustainability and ethical production into your boards (materials, processes, lifecycle, packaging)?
See above
What design directions are you taking — graphics, patterns, collabs, or signature editions?
We will stick to surf-related graphics which are in our DNA. In 2023, we launched “Project X,” which marks a collaboration with “Winterstick,” one of the very early snowboard manufacturers, made in Maine/USA. We continue this collaboration with the 25/26 “Project X TANKER 191 split-tail”.
Are you focusing on particular rider groups (freeride, freestyle, all-mountain, women’s-specific, youth, beginner) for 26/27?
Yes, definitely on the all-mountain freerider no matter male or female
Key Products:
TANKER 171:
A lightweight longboard shaped for lighter riders and YES, ladies too! If your preferred terrain is the steep and deep, couloirs, and narrow trees – this is the board to go with. It’s a 171 but feels much shorter, and you’ll be surprised by its quick edge-to-edge transition!
Tanker 171
TANKER 181:
You know that you want that extra 10 cm for wide open and not super steep terrain. This is what drove the design for the 181, and you’ll find a ride that is the perfect all-around all-mountain board you always wanted. Incredible edge hold makes it a deck that is extremely versatile, no matter if it’s untracked terrain or corduroy groomers.
Tanker 181
TANKER 186:
This deck is designed for the big-footed or heavier rider or one who wants to take advantage of its wide body shape and outstanding floating performance. Wide-bodied but still remarkably quick from edge-to-edge. Its extra surface area offers incredible float and surf ability, especially in waist-deep powder and tracked-up terrain.
Tanker 186
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