Verdad Snowboards F/W 2026/27 Preview

Retail Buyers Guide: Snowboards F/W 2026/27 Retail Buyer’s Guide
Brand: Verdad
Interviewee: Démir julià Founder /owner

How would you describe the 2024/25 snowboard season in terms of market performance and consumer demand?
For us, things remain stable. Our target group stays loyal and consistent.

What major trends are shaping the snowboard market (pricing, consumer preferences, rider demographics, retail shifts)?
As you know, we don’t follow trends — that has never been our thing. Our business model has been the same for many years. We have fewer shops than before, but the brand remains stable and healthy.

From changing consumer behavior to tariffs and supply chain stress, what’s been the biggest challenge for your brand recently?
The logistics part is the hardest to handle — it’s often uncontrollable and, in some cases, can cause massive stress.

BRAND FOCUS

What is your brand’s core mission or philosophy, and how does it influence snowboard design and development?
We stay loyal to our roots — part classy, part straight to the core.
Every board we make reflects that attitude: refined in execution, raw in spirit.

How has your brand’s role in the snowboard market evolved in recent years
We focus mainly on France and Belgium, with a little presence in Austria, Switzerland and Spain. In France and Belgium, we’ve held a solid share for the last five years — stable and respected. We also changed factories recently, and the quality of our boards is now on another level. Once riders realize this, we expect to grow, especially since we didn’t raise retail prices while upgrading the entire range.

Who is your target rider for the 26/27 season, and how has this profile changed compared to the past?
In the past, Verdad was mostly freestyle-minded, and the range reflected that mindset. But over the last few years, snowboarding has evolved into true mountain riding — focused on powder and carving. Today, only about 20% of our range is freestyle-oriented. The main focus is all-mountain. Our target has naturally shifted from younger freestyle riders to more experienced and mature snowboarders who appreciate precision, power, and authenticity.

Which product ranges or categories do you expect to drive the most growth in 26/27?
Our all-mountain freeride boards like the Grand Cru and Winter is Mine and the Ride The Line, will be the main growth drivers.

SNOWBOARD SPECIFIC

What trends or developments in construction, shapes, and innovation are guiding your 26/27 snowboard range?
The 15th Anniversary Range continues the line of the 14th, but features all our latest construction updates and refinements — perfected over years of evolution, not revolution.

What new materials or material innovations are you using — inserts, edges, cores, sidewalls, resin, glues, base material, top sheet, wax, or others?
For 26/27, we introduce the “Ride the Line” construction — featuring aluminium honeycomb reinforcement running through the core for extra torsional response and vibration damping. We keep refining our layups with lightweight wood cores, carbon and Kevlar reinforcements, and top-quality sintered bases. Nothing experimental — just proven materials combined with precision and attention to detail.

How are you incorporating sustainability and ethical production into your boards (materials, processes, lifecycle, packaging)?
Our boards are made to last — longevity is our approach to sustainability.

What design directions are you taking — graphics, patterns, collabs, or signature editions?
The Emperor perfectly represents who we are. Skulls are no longer “fashion,” even I didn’t want them — but when Arno Gravebloom designed the new Emperor, fully hand-drawn after hours of work, I was blown away. It’s a true piece of art, authentic and timeless.
On the other hand, we have the new Winter is Mine, designed by Michael Boutillet, featuring the Chamonix Aiguille du Midi cable car — a more mainstream, commercial graphic, yet still 100% true to our identity.

Are you focusing on particular rider groups (freeride, freestyle, all-mountain, women’s-specific, youth, beginner) for 26/27
All-mountain and freeride first, then freestyle. No specific women’s or kids’ boards — we prefer to stay focused on the essence.

Key Products:

Emperor:

Emperor

I Ride The Line:

I-Ride-The-Line

Winter Is Mine:

Winter-Is-Mine