Salomon Snowboards F/W 2026/27 Preview

Retail Buyers Guide: Snowboards F/W 2026/27 Retail Buyer’s Guide
Brand: Salomon
Interviewee: Basti Kuhn, Marketing Specialist Salomon Snowboards EMEA

How would you describe the 2024/25 snowboard season in terms of market performance and consumer demand?
The 24/25 season was solid for us—no complaints at all. Even the demand of our freestyle range is unbroken, we recognized strong interest in freeride and all-mountain hardgoods, which aligns perfectly with our focus on the Horizon series that we introduced this FW 25/26 season.

What major trends are shaping the snowboard market (pricing, consumer preferences, rider demographics, retail shifts)?
Similar to other hardgoods categories, there’s a clear push toward high-quality products from the core snowboard community, while entry-level and rental gear remain in high demand. Demographics are shifting too—we’re seeing more families and younger riders entering the sport, which drives growth in youth products.

From changing consumer behavior to tariffs and supply chain stress, what’s been the biggest challenge for your brand recently?
Price comparison across Europe has become the norm, with riders checking e-tailers across borders. Big players start discounting early in the season, which makes it harder to communicate value through product storytelling. On top of that, we’re seeing retailers being more cautious with inventory, which is understandable. Many are leaning toward just-in-time ordering rather than overstocking, especially with how unpredictable snowfall and shorter seasons have become in many regions. That uncertainty makes it tough to forecast demand and plan production cycles accurately. And when you add rising material and production costs, shipping issues driven by global conflicts, and things like US tariffs—it all stacks up. These challenges aren’t isolated; they’re interconnected, and together they form one of the biggest hurdles we’re facing as a brand and as an industry. Our goal is to keep snowboarding accessible and affordable, but it’s definitely a balancing act right now.

BRAND FOCUS

What is your brand’s core mission or philosophy, and how does it influence snowboard design and development?
Sustainability is a cornerstone of Salomon’s design and development process. Every decision we make considers the environmental challenges our sport faces. Beyond that, our philosophy is shaped by rider input—people like Wolfgang Nyvelt and Nils Mindnich bring their experience and board-building expertise to the table. On the creative side, Tommy Gesme teamed up with artist Jake Durham for the 26/27 Sleepwalker graphic, and the result is incredible.

How has your brand’s role in the snowboard market evolved in recent years?
Salomon has been committed to the core for decades and when you look at our huge global team—ranging from up-and-comers to legends—shows that we’re here to make an impact and stay at the forefront within the snowboard universe. Beyond strengthening our position in snowboarding, Salomon’s current momentum as a modern mountain lifestyle brand—with year-round visibility among outdoor enthusiasts—is a real driver for the business. Nevertheless we’re doubling down on staying authentic and continuing to share the passion for snowboarding culture.

Who is your target rider for the 26/27 season, and how has this profile changed compared to the past?
Freestyle snowboarding remains a big part of our DNA, but we’ve expanded our focus to all-mountain and freeride. This evolution came naturally through many years of shaping diverse freeride boards in the -Hillside- series with Wolfgang Nyvelt. We’ve channeled that knowledge into the Horizon Series—three shapes designed for modern freeride terrain with an eye toward the future.

Which product ranges or categories do you expect to drive the most growth in 26/27?
We expect a lot of attention on our freestyle range, especially with the Huck Knife family getting Olympic-level exposure in 25/26. At the same time, we’ve invested heavily in the freeride and all-mountain range. Seeing riders like Blake Moller (BMO) & Nils Mindnich pushing our freeride vision for example on famous backcountry events like Natural Selection. To see Nils rocking the backcountry on the -Highpath- he helped redesign, is impressive and reinforces our belief that authenticity and strong storytelling drive customer interest.

SNOWBOARD SPECIFIC

What trends or developments in construction, shapes, and innovation are guiding your 26/27 snowboard range?
The Horizon series, launched in 24/25, is evolving. The Highpath has been refined by Nils Mindnich for versatility—from backcountry lines to side hits. We’ve also added a fourth shape: The Indicator. Inspired by an iconic Hillside Project design, it’s built for deep powder with a tapered directional shape, Powder Camber, and a long rockered nose for float and agility. And of course, Wolle Nyvelt continues to shape the future with updates to the legendary HPS Fish for that timeless surfy feel.

What new materials or material innovations are you using — inserts, edges, cores, sidewalls, resin, glues, base material, top sheet, wax, or others?
SELECT PRODUCTS – BOARDS
30% Bio based resins on all boards >$420
20% Recycled edges
Less UV lacquer 1500kg saved per season
50% Recycled sintered base (Horizon & HPS)
100% Sustainable and cruelty-free skins
50% Recycled extruded base on rental boards

How are you incorporating sustainability and ethical production into your boards (materials, processes, lifecycle, packaging)?
ETHICAL POLICY:
We´ve established criteria and tools for environmental responsibilities, based on continuous improvement of performance by monitoring and controlling the impacts linked to our in-house activities such as chemical safety waste and wastewater. Social Compliance Policy defines how we conduct a supplier monitoring program on documentation recognized social principles to ensure the safety and well-being of playmakers. In addition to making durable goods, we strive to take direct actions on the way we build, produce and transport our products. It is a way to reduce our impact and continuously improve their performance. Based on previous years experience we´ve expanded the range of products in which we implement our most sustainable materials from the newest innovations down to the renewal of existing products. Our goal is to continue expanding our range of products that offer a more sustainable solution season after season.

PACKAGING:
No single use plastic on boots
650 000 single use plastic bags not being produced for bindings packaging.
100% FSC Certified cardboard (boards, boots & bindings)
Bulkpackaging on Unite bindings

TRANSPORTATION:
90% Sea freight
10% air freight (air freight = 540gr of CO2 per ton/kilometer vs. sea freight = 15gr of CO2 per ton/kilometer)

RESPONSIBLE FOREST MANAGEMENT:
The Forest Stewardship Council is dedicated to the promotion of responsible forest management worldwide and helps take care of forests for future generations. Some of our snowboards are FSC certified wood core.

What design directions are you taking — graphics, patterns, collabs, or signature editions?
Tommy Gesme collaborated with his longtime friend Jake Durham on the 26/27 Sleepwalker graphics. It’s an authentic partnership that produced a design we’re all stoked on—I can’t wait to ride it myself.

Are you focusing on particular rider groups (freeride, freestyle, all-mountain, women’s-specific, youth, beginner) for 26/27?
Our main push is toward freeride and all-mountain with the Hillside and Horizon series, but freestyle remains a core focus. Salomon’s approach is inclusive—we offer plenty unisex boards in a wide range of sizes so every rider can find their perfect fit.

Key Products:

Jetstream:
The Jetstream is a charismatic and maneuverable freeride board with versatility for everyday use, regardless of conditions. Equipped with Rock Out Camber and a tapered directional shape, the Jetstream carves like a knife and floats like a dream with lightning-fast edge to edge transition thanks to a progressive flex and a refined radial sidecut.

JETSTREAM

Highpath:
The Highpath is a culmination of our efforts to design a high performance, all-mountain snowboard built with recycled and bio-sourced materials. With Rock Out Camber, the tapered directional Highpath is the pinnacle of all-terrain performance from the backcountry to the frontside, through side hits and wind lips.

Highpath

Fastlane:
The Fastlane is a hard charging freeride board built for steep and deep terrain. A tapered directional shape with a pin tail, aggressive flex, and backseat camber provides incredible float and maneuverability with maximum response and stability underfoot at high speeds and on steep terrain. Loaded with tech for a lightweight, damp ride underfoot.

FASTLANE