RIDE Snowboards
RIDE Snowboards designs, manufactures, and sells snowboards, boots, bindings, outerwear, and accessories globally through DTC e-commerce and a worldwide dealer network. The brand, founded in 1992, operates as a subsidiary of K2 Sports within Elevate Outdoor Collective Holdings and holds proprietary construction technologies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1992
- HeadquartersPenzberg, Germany
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What RIDE Snowboards does
RIDE Snowboards designs, manufactures, and sells snowboards, snowboard boots, snowboard bindings, outerwear/apparel, bags, and parts under the RIDE brand. Founded in 1992 in Redmond, WA and now headquartered in Seattle, WA, the company operates as a brand subsidiary of K2 Sports, LLC, which is itself a wholly-owned subsidiary of Elevate Outdoor Collective Holdings, LP — a private holding company whose brand portfolio also includes K2, Marker, Volkl, Dalbello, Tubbs, Atlas, BCA, Madshus, and Line. RIDE's products are sold globally through direct-to-consumer e-commerce on ridesnowboards.com (serving the US, Canada, and 14 European countries plus Australia, New Zealand, and Japan) and through a worldwide network of authorized dealers and retail stores, with a Pro Program providing seasonal memberships to industry professionals.
The company's product engineering centers on a portfolio of registered proprietary technologies developed and manufactured at its owned production facility in Corona, CA (acquired as Thermal Snowboards Inc. in 1995) with supplementary capacity at an expanded Asian manufacturing facility. Board construction technologies include Cleave Edge™, Slimewalls®, Carbon Array, Membrain™ topsheets, Pop Rods™, Pop Stixs™, and Thermal Construction Technology using aerospace engineering and aircraft-grade tooling. Boot construction features In2grated Construction with Body Active Intuition Liners, marketed as the lightest weight, shortest-length performance boots available. RIDE Bindings hold the market share leader position in aluminum bindings.
RIDE's revenue model is hardware sales across multiple product categories (snowboards, boots, bindings, apparel, accessories) with a recurring-revenue layer through its seasonal Pro Program membership for industry professionals. Pricing is not publicly disclosed on the website, though shipping is tiered ($9.99 / $14.99 / free over $100, with $50 flat rate to Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico). The company previously went public on NASDAQ in the mid-1990s during snowboarding's mainstream emergence and was subsequently acquired to prevent insolvency, ultimately becoming part of the Elevate Outdoor Collective portfolio. RIDE celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2022 with a documentary, 'Rough Around the Edges,' produced in partnership with Homestead Creative.
RIDE Snowboards firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- RIDE Snowboards
- Legal name
- K2 Sports, LLC
- Website
- https://ridesnowboards.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1992
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- RIDE Snowboards designs, manufactures, and sells snowboards, boots, bindings, outerwear, and accessories globally through DTC e-commerce and a worldwide dealer network. The brand, founded in 1992, operates as a subsidiary of K2 Sports within Elevate Outdoor Collective Holdings and holds proprietary construction technologies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
RIDE Snowboards industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Snowboard Equipment
- NAICS
- Sporting Goods Retailers (45911)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Ski & Snowboard Equipment Retail (Skis, Boards, Boots, Bindings, Poles) (CRAMAJAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Winter Sports (Ski/Snowboard) Retail (CRAMABAJ), Ski & Snowboard Apparel Retail (Outerwear, Base Layers, Gloves, Socks) (CRAMAJAB)
Keywords
Where RIDE Snowboards is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Penzberg
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices6 records
Markets served
RIDE Snowboards business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Snowboard Sales: Direct-to-consumer and dealer sales of snowboards across multiple collections including All Mountain, Park, and Powder categories
- Snowboard Boot Sales: Award-winning snowboard boot collection featuring proprietary In2grated Construction technology
- Snowboard Binding Sales: RIDE Bindings are the market share leader in aluminum bindings, offering lightweight durability, mobility and response
- Outerwear and Apparel: Technical outerwear line providing fusion of street fashion and snowboard function, including bags, parts, and gear accessories
- Pro Program Membership: Seasonal membership program for industry professionals providing pro deals on products
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Shipping Tiers |
| Subscription | Annual | Pro Program Membership |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
RIDE Snowboards product offering
Product offeringCore offering
RIDE Snowboards designs, manufactures, and sells snowboards, snowboard boots, snowboard bindings, outerwear/apparel, bags, and replacement parts under proprietary construction technologies (Cleave Edge, Slimewalls, Carbon Array, Membrain, Pop Rods, Pop Stixs, Thermal Construction, In2grated Construction). Products are sold through ridesnowboards.com and a global dealer network across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific for men, women, and youth riders across all-mountain, park, and powder categories.
Product overview
RIDE Snowboards is a snowboard equipment manufacturer offering a comprehensive product portfolio centered on three core product lines: snowboards, snowboard boots, and snowboard bindings. The company also produces outerwear/apparel, bags, and parts. RIDE's snowboards utilize proprietary Thermal Construction Technology featuring innovations like Cleave Edge, Slimewalls, Carbon Array, Membrain topsheets, Pop Rods, and Pop Stixs. Their boots employ In2grated Construction with Body Active Intuition Liners for lightweight, performance-focused designs. The bindings lineup, which includes aluminum and composite series, leads the market in aluminum binding technology. The product line spans multiple categories including All Mountain, Park, and Powder collections for men, women, and youth riders.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Snowboards RIDE's flagship product line featuring all-mountain, park, and powder boards for men, women, and youth, built with proprietary Thermal Construction Technology, Cleave Edge, Slimewalls, Carbon Array, Membrain topsheets, Pop Rods, and Pop Stixs. Models include Vantum, Saturday, Warpig, Commissioner, Berzerker, and Burnout among others.
- Snowboard Boots Performance snowboard boots featuring In2grated Construction with Body Active Intuition Liners, marketed as the lightest weight, shortest-length performance boots on the market. Available in multiple flex ratings and with BOA and Traditional Lace lacing systems for men and women.
- Snowboard Bindings Aluminum-Series and Composite-Series snowboard bindings marketed as the market share leader in aluminum bindings, offering lightweight durability, mobility, and response. Available in mellow, medium, and aggressive response flex ratings for men and women.
- Outerwear/Apparel Technical outerwear line providing a fusion of street fashion and snowboard function, originally launched as Cappel Clothing and now evolved into RIDE's technical outerwear collection.
- Bags Board bags and gear bags designed for protecting and transporting snowboards and equipment.
- Parts Replacement parts for snowboards, boots, and bindings including inserts, edges, and other components.
- Pro Program Seasonal membership program providing pro deals on RIDE products for qualifying industry professionals including retail employees, instructors, resort staff, mountain guides, avalanche professionals, outdoor educators, military, first responders, outdoor media, and professional athletes. Accounts expire June 30th annually.
Quantifiable outcome
- Market share leader in aluminum bindings
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use RIDE Snowboards
Customer profileSegments6 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
RIDE Snowboards technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration17 records
Feature7 records
RIDE Snowboards partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Homestead CreativecoreRIDE contracted Homestead Creative to produce the documentary 'Rough Around the Edges: 30 Years of RIDE Snowboards'. The documentary featured over 50 in-depth interviews with past and present RIDE team riders, employees, and snowboard industry luminaries. Directors John Cavan and Tom Monterosso led the two-year project.
- RIDE Team AthletescoreCurrent and former RIDE team riders participated in the 30th anniversary documentary premiere, including founders, original team riders, in-house staff, and current riders. Notable attendees included founders, T-Bird, Dave Banks, Mikey Leblanc, Hana Beaman, Jill Perkins, and many others from the brand's history.
- Elevate Outdoor Collective Holdings, LPcoreRIDE Snowboards is operated by Elevate Outdoor Collective Holdings, LP subsidiary K2 Sports, LLC. The parent company also owns K2, Marker, Volkl, Dalbello, Tubbs, Atlas, BCA, Backcountry Access, Madshus, and Line brands.
- GLS (General Logistics Systems)minorTransport service provider for order delivery. RIDE passes on email address and/or telephone number to GLS for delivery appointment arrangements or delivery notifications.
- UPSminorShipping provider for order delivery, including UPS and UPS Austria operations.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
RIDE Snowboards competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- GNU Snowboards: GNU is the sister brand to Lib Tech (both owned by Mervin Manufacturing), producing snowboards for park/freestyle and all-mountain riders. Competes directly with RIDE in the park and freestyle snowboard category.
- Burton Snowboards: Burton is the global market leader in snowboards, boots, bindings, and outerwear. Founded in 1977, it is the most direct and dominant competitor to RIDE in snowboarding equipment, with significantly larger scale, broader distribution, and stronger brand equity.
- Capita Snowboards: Capita is a globally distributed snowboard brand known for premium boards, environmentally focused manufacturing (the 'Mothership' facility), and strong artist collaborations. A direct competitor in the mid-to-premium all-mountain and park snowboard segment.
- Never Summer Snowboards: Never Summer is a US-based independent snowboard manufacturer based in Colorado, focused on all-mountain and freeride boards with proprietary construction. Comparable size and positioning to RIDE in the US specialty channel.
- Lib Tech Snowboards: Lib Tech is a US-based snowboard manufacturer known for its experimental materials and environmentally focused construction (often with a banana/camber-rocker profile). Direct competitor in mid-to-high-end snowboard segment with similar specialty retail focus.
- Union Binding Company: Union is a binding-only snowboard brand that holds significant market share in premium bindings, including aluminum and composite offerings. It is the most direct competitor to RIDE Bindings in RIDE's flagship product category.
- Rome Snowboard Bindings: Rome SDS produces snowboards and bindings, known for its binding systems and freeride boards. Direct competitor in snowboards and bindings, particularly relevant given RIDE's strength in bindings.
- K2 Snowboards: K2 is a sibling brand under Elevate Outdoor Collective / K2 Sports, LLC, producing snowboards, boots, and bindings. It competes with RIDE for shelf space at the same parent company's retail partners and offers the most directly comparable product line to RIDE in the same corporate portfolio.
- Jones Snowboards: Jones Snowboards is a backcountry-focused snowboard brand founded by big-mountain rider Jeremy Jones. Competes directly with RIDE in the powder and freeride segments, and also produces boards, bindings, and backcountry gear.
Broad incumbents
- Salomon Snowboards: Salomon is part of Amer Sports (parent of Arc'teryx, Salomon, Atomic, Wilson) and offers snowboards, boots, and bindings alongside its much larger ski business. A broad incumbent that competes with RIDE in snowboard boots and bindings with the scale advantage of a major multi-sport brand portfolio.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
RIDE Snowboards social profiles
Digital presenceRIDE Snowboards financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
RIDE Snowboards leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
RIDE Snowboards funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
RIDE Snowboards M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about RIDE Snowboards
What does RIDE Snowboards do?
RIDE Snowboards designs, manufactures, and sells snowboards, snowboard boots, snowboard bindings, outerwear/apparel, bags, and replacement parts under proprietary construction technologies (Cleave Edge, Slimewalls, Carbon Array, Membrain, Pop Rods, Pop Stixs, Thermal Construction, In2grated Construction). Products are sold through ridesnowboards.com and a global dealer network across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific for men, women, and youth riders across all-mountain, park, and powder categories.
Is RIDE Snowboards a public or private company?
RIDE Snowboards is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was RIDE Snowboards founded?
RIDE Snowboards was founded in 1992. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is RIDE Snowboards based?
RIDE Snowboards is headquartered in Penzberg, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does RIDE Snowboards make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Snowboard Sales are the primary driver. The others are snowboard Boot Sales, snowboard Binding Sales, outerwear and Apparel and pro Program Membership.
Who are RIDE Snowboards's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are GNU Snowboards, Burton Snowboards, Capita Snowboards, Never Summer Snowboards, Lib Tech Snowboards, Union Binding Company, Rome Snowboard Bindings, K2 Snowboards and Jones Snowboards. Salomon Snowboards is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does RIDE Snowboards have an API?
No public API is recorded for RIDE Snowboards.
What industry is RIDE Snowboards in?
RIDE Snowboards's product category is Snowboard Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAMAJAA, Ski & Snowboard Equipment Retail (Skis, Boards, Boots, Bindings, Poles), with a secondary code of CRAMABAJ, Winter Sports (Ski/Snowboard) Retail. Its NAICS code is 45911.