Boardsport Source

From hyper-niche to slightly more versatile designs, the 2026 surfboard landscape leans towards a more grounded approach from the everyday surfers. Let’s dig in the particulars of the many quiver options. By David Bianic. While headlines tout a 25% surge in surfing participation since 2018 (Global Surfing Industry Trends Analysis Report 2025), the reality on the retail floor has been everything but a continuous vertical climb.

A new Allround length standard, more hybrids iSUP, a surprisingly resilient hardboard category, and an appealing key word –“premiumisation”. Who said 2026 would be boring? Trend report by David Bianic. Pumping up a SUP to full pressure always takes some time, while it deflates in a blink once the valve is released. Metaphorically, the market mimicked the inflation procedure: full of itself, it burst in 2021, flatlined, leaving tons of SKUs in warehouses and retailers sales floors.

Performance-driven innovation is turning the impact vest into a multi-functional essential for a broader and more discerning rider base. By Rocio Enriquez. 2025 was a good year for the impact vest category, with brands reporting steady sales and growth driven by increasing participation in wake, foil, and emerging disciplines. Purchases are performance-led, so retailers are cautious with inventory, favouring proven, safety-focused products.

Not all superheroes wear capes, but we – watersports lovers – sure do. The surf poncho & changing robe market has reached maturity and demands some adjustments for retailers as the product power couple split, leaning towards different directions. By David Bianic. Conveniently, our Retail Buyer’s Guides have been gathering up the two parent designs – ponchos & changing robes, as they were both born out of mere changing purposes among watersports enthusiasts.

A tale of two seasons; winter and spring, with winter excelling whilst spring was battered by weather and politics. Taking a global view, winter saw Europe and the Far East with strong product demand whilst the USA was patchy with their worst snowfall for years. In Europe, the further west you were, the better the snow conditions, with France in particular having an outstanding season, while Eastern Europe had enough snow at the right times.

Website: nspsurfboards.com Richie Lovett’s Volume Shapes Hybrid X  has proven itself in everything from everyday beach breaks to high-performance wavepools, combining effortless paddling, early wave entry and smooth, flowing performance. Now available in NSP’s proprietary moulded HDT construction, the model delivers a lighter, stronger and more responsive feel while staying true to the characteristics that has made Volume a favourite with surfers worldwide.

A collaboration rooted in decades of skateboarding friendship, travel, and shared history. HØURS IS YOURS is proud to announce the release of the Lizard King B1 Slip-On, a limited-edition collaboration celebrating one of skateboarding’s most distinctive personalities and a longtime friend of the brand. The project is built on years of shared experiences between Lizard King, Bryan Herman, and Dennis Martin.

Versatile sunglasses blend technical credibility with style-driven expression for 2026. By Rocio Enriquez. The sunglasses market enjoys a stable growth driven by selective consumers who value technical credibility over price. They research carefully and expect a strong balance between style, performance, and price accessibility. Sunglasses that can be worn across different environments have sold well.

Hanging shoes have become an everyday wear piece, driving demands for comfort, lifestyle identity, and premium features. By Rocio Enriquez. The hanging shoes market remained stable throughout 2025 thanks to the increased perception of this product segment as everyday wear, and not only for beach use. Versatile styles with broad use performed best. Cool’s ranges of adaptable designs, Cloud for men and Aria for women, outperformed their other products. Comfort remained the dominant purchase driver.

As the adoption of water helmets spreads with new disciplines, retailers face a conundrum: either stock multi-purpose lids or discipline-specific gear. Let us guide you through. By David Bianic From “no-no” to “go-to” accessory, the water helmet experienced a not so uncommon trickle-down phenomenon.