Gin Kites 2022 Kiteboarding Preview
Retail Buyers Guide: Kiteboarding S/S 22 Retail Buyer’s Guide
Brand: GIN Kites
Interviewee: Tiana Laporte, Digital Communication Manager
Trends
What discipline (big air, wave, foil…) have sold well in the last 6 months and why?
In the last 6 months, our trend has been more focused on snowkite and foiling / freeride. Our company has some products that can be used on snow and have proven to be “best sellers” for us, such as the Instinct HB.
What do you believe will be the main trends for 2022 in kiteboarding, in terms of riding disciplines?
With the arrival of foiling, our playground has grown. The popularity of kitefoiling has grown during the past few years, and the fact that it is now an Olympic discipline has encouraged riders to try it. We offer an extensive range of ram air kites that can be paired up with any support. Due to the Olympic Games coming up, we have the Boom V2 kite that is IKA registered. Our race weapon. We will be offering the new Marabou product in 2022, a unique Swiss product. If you have never heard of the Marabou, it’s a hybrid kite that can be used on land, snow and water. The leading edge of the kite inflates with the air like a pump kite, and the rest of the kite is like a single skin kite. With its insignificant weight and small size, it’ll make the perfect kite companion. Moreover, we are launching our new brand Quiver Kites. Three specific kites are included in the Quiver: a low, medium, and strong wind kite, and a kite for each of the three levels. Furthermore, this new approach makes Quiver more compatible with the expectations of every rider.
In what discipline do you expect the biggest growth in 2022 and why?
On the wing market, we expect the biggest growth. This is why we are bringing two wings to the market this year.
Among our wings, the Delta, is an easy-to-use product that will allow you to learn this new discipline and then once the learning curve is over, allow you to progress and maximize your water time. The other wing will be devoted to riders searching for perfection. If you want to compete, race, or start feeling the rush of speed, the Alpha Wing will be the perfect choice for you.
Kites
Which of your Kites have sold well in the last 6 months and why?
During the past six months, the trend has been snowkiting and foiling. Because of this, our most popular kites were the Spirit and the Instinct HB. With the Instinct HB and all of its innovations, our sales increased significantly.
What innovations in kite construction, materials and design are most popular?
Research and development is one of Gin Kiteboarding’s main goals. Introducing the latest high-quality materials, the best manufacturing process, and a unique design that represents the brand. For riders who live their passion in harmony with nature, we aim to develop the best equipment products.
Boards
What innovations in board design, materials and construction are most popular?
We are excited to announce the Geek, a 100% Swiss product utilizing the best technology on the market, namely the same technology used on skis.
Aesthetics
Have you introduces any new graphics, artwork collaborations or pro models during the season?
The Quiver and the Delta introduce brand new designs never seen on any Gin products so far. It goes however hand in hand with our brand’s overall visual aesthetics. A complex forest of lines highlighted by deep and well sought out colors, along with some organic fine touches, which you can find across all of our products, website and overall branding.
Retailer Help
How are you helping retailers sell your product and which method of help seems to be the most effective?
In 2021, we worked on our new website to make it available to our retailers. With constant access to products,and easy-to-use B2B sites, we want to simplify the daily grind. Furthermore, we have a global presence that allows us to enjoy a good reputation and effective marketing tools.
Have you suffered any stock or delivery issues due to supply chain bottlenecks? If so, what solutions have you implemented?
As with global industry, there is a supply problem, more demand than supply. Covid interferes with our production and delivery processes. As a result, we adapted with some different fabric colors and tried to schedule regular deliveries.
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