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jbruxer
Since 24 Jul 2005
398 Posts
Beaverton, OR
Obsessed
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 Mon Mar 03, 08 1:43 pm why the high cost for boards |
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Just curious, why do kiteboards cost so much more than wakeboards? Is it the materials?...design requirements?....time to produce...???
If you didn't know, just looking at the two, there doesn't seem to be that much difference (even though I know there is).
I'm not even about to use one in place of a kiteboard, just would like to understand. 
Any thoughts from you board makers out there?
...sorry if this has been asked before.
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alien
Since 01 Aug 2006
114 Posts
Portland
Stoked
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| Mon Mar 03, 08 2:00 pm |
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| This is purely speculative, but I would guess that it is at least party related to volumes and economies of scale. There are a lot more people out there wakeboarding vs. kiteboarding. When a company can spread out their R&D, marketing and setup costs over 50,000 units vs. 10,000 units, they can charge a lot less for the product that sells more, even if the materials costs for the two units are identical.
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rich
Since 30 Nov 2005
306 Posts
portland
Obsessed
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| Mon Mar 03, 08 2:14 pm |
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| could be. I'd bet that it is more of what the companies feel like they can get for their product. Setting the market in a matter of speaking.
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pdxmonkeyboy
Since 16 May 2006
6081 Posts
forever labled as the
retired kiter & motorhead Unicorn Master
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| Mon Mar 03, 08 2:18 pm |
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| rich wrote: | | could be. I'd bet that it is more of what the companies feel like they can get for their product. Setting the market in a matter of speaking. |
Word. It appears to me that boards have the largest mark up of all the kite gear. One the stamps and dies are all completed they have asian companies just cranking them out. The mark up on boars has to be in the 3-400% range.
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Kataku2k3
Since 14 Aug 2005
3754 Posts
PDX-LA
Videographer
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| Mon Mar 03, 08 2:25 pm |
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The Slingy wakeboards and Lunacy are made in the USA! 
But yeah, kiteboards are just marked up like a bitch! 
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| Wake construction |
SS_wakeboard_photoshoot.jpg |
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pkh
Since 27 Feb 2005
6549 Posts
Couve / Hood
Honored Founder
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| Mon Mar 03, 08 3:02 pm |
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High end wakeboards are about the same price or more if you count in bindings.
Plus wakeboards are HEAVY.
But I'd gather mostly its just low volume vs. high volume sales.
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jbruxer
Since 24 Jul 2005
398 Posts
Beaverton, OR
Obsessed
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| Mon Mar 03, 08 3:10 pm |
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All good points. I guess we need to thank our kiteboard companies for setting the price just high enough to control how many people show up at our favorite spots. 
Kataku2k3...pretty cool to see that core pic! Thanks for sharing.
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pdxmonkeyboy
Since 16 May 2006
6081 Posts
forever labled as the
retired kiter & motorhead Unicorn Master
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magicmaker
Since 29 Oct 2006
895 Posts
da Hood
Opinionated
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| Mon Mar 03, 08 3:35 pm |
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| all i gotta saw is FAWK paying retail for any kiteboarding gear
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pacifichigh
Since 11 May 2005
1004 Posts
ATX
Texan
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| Mon Mar 03, 08 3:37 pm |
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| U better hope someone is paying retail, otherwise no bro deals for the rest of us.
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jbruxer
Since 24 Jul 2005
398 Posts
Beaverton, OR
Obsessed
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| Mon Mar 03, 08 3:38 pm |
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WOW, thats a very informative video. I wonder how the process differs for wood/carbon fiber core boards?
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tinyE
Since 21 Jan 2006
2004 Posts
not really an
XTreme Poster
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| Mon Mar 03, 08 4:39 pm |
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| pacifichigh wrote: | | U better hope someone is paying retail, otherwise no bro deals for the rest of us. |
yeah...unfortunately, it's the retail prices that drive a lot of us away from cool brands like SS and on to more affordable brands like Best.... too bad we can't all get bro deals! I would be riding a rev! (maybe even a fuel!)
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pdxmonkeyboy
Since 16 May 2006
6081 Posts
forever labled as the
retired kiter & motorhead Unicorn Master
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| Mon Mar 03, 08 4:53 pm |
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| tinyE wrote: | | pacifichigh wrote: | | U better hope someone is paying retail, otherwise no bro deals for the rest of us. |
yeah...unfortunately, it's the retail prices that drive a lot of us away from cool brands like SS and on to more affordable brands like Best.... too bad we can't all get bro deals! I would be riding a rev! (maybe even a fuel!) |
Exactly why I typically buy lightly used or last year's gear. Retail is bullshit. I really wanted to try out a Nobile Shin board. $929 for a production run board? PHUCK OFF!!!!!!!
I could have Jimmy Lewis hand scrape, paint, and sign a board for that!!
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pkh
Since 27 Feb 2005
6549 Posts
Couve / Hood
Honored Founder
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| Mon Mar 03, 08 4:55 pm |
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| I bet the cost of the Nobile has something to do with the $1.52+ Euro
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Reaper356
Since 10 Dec 2006
781 Posts
Salem / LC Oregon
Opinionated
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| Mon Mar 03, 08 7:02 pm |
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The carbon is getting really expensive - thanks Boeing. My buddy works there says their strategy is to buy it all to put the competitors out of business!
Secondly the divinly cell core form is bitch ass expensive. $80 / sheet.
So in the end it probably costs $200 to build the damn thing, + bindings. They get a bulk discount, so figure $125-175 construction cost.
Fins probably shouldn't be $20 a piece either when you can make a casting and pour in some epoxy + glass to just make them!!!
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tautologies
Since 24 Aug 2006
602 Posts
Oahu
Addicted
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| Tue Mar 04, 08 10:01 am |
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In terms opf carbon..I heard it is pure nonsense that carbon is so expensive, and there is enough in the market...I dunno if it is true though. I think price is mainly a matter of economies of scale, but of course, there are a lot of other variables in there too such as R & D, shipping and the general value chain ad ons. Price point is a matter of demand and supply really. Our willingness to depart with disposable income for fun-gear affects it too...that said, I don't think the market can sustain as many suppliers as we have now over time...
a.
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DrScoles
Since 13 Nov 2006
25 Posts
Sammamish, WA
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| Tue Mar 04, 08 11:52 am |
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I'm building my own foam core carbon fiber boards... The materials aren't cheap! A yard of fiberglass is $6, a yard of carbon is $38. But we're still getting hosed, lets say it costs them $100 in materials to make a board(thats if they're using carbon) They pay a 12yr old chinese kid pennies a day to run the machines... $800 for a JL model 3? I'm sure the prices will go down as we get more people into the sport and more manufacturers pop up.
My first carbon glide came in at 4 pounds without bindings. The weight savings is nice. I really like the look of carbon fiber too  With all the stuff I have had to purchase to build them, they're still around $350 a piece so far!
Mike
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