Lib Tech

What Lib Tech does

Lib Tech is a US-based designer and manufacturer of handcrafted board sports equipment, operating since 1999 as a brand under Mervin Manufacturing, Inc. (with Mervin Head, Inc. as the parent holding entity). The company's product portfolio spans four core board categories—snowboards, skis, surfboards, and wakesurf boards—plus snowskates and apparel, all produced at its Sequim, Washington manufacturing facility with corporate headquarters in Seattle. The competitive differentiation rests on a portfolio of proprietary construction technologies and materials including Magne-Traction serrated steel edges, the Banana reverse-camber profile, ECO IMPACTO and ECO IMPACTO 2 LITE surfboard constructions, Bio-Matrix plant-based resin, Eco-Light upcycled foam, Ocean Bound recycled top sheets, and the Hammerbox fin system, several of which are registered trademarks or proprietary methods.

Lib Tech serves recreational and professional consumers across snowboarding, skiing, surfing, and wakesurfing segments, with premium unit pricing in the $849-$929 range for surfboards and signature models. The company distributes through a hybrid model combining direct-to-consumer e-commerce (lib-tech.com, supporting five currencies and multiple languages) with a North American authorized dealer network identified via an online dealer locator, fulfilling US orders via FedEx Ground from the Sequim warehouse. Strategic differentiation is reinforced by long-term co-development partnerships with elite athletes and shapers, notably Travis Rice (20+ year signature snowboard relationship), Matt Biolos of ...Lost Surfboards (multi-year Lib x Lost surfboard collaboration), and Kolohe Andino, which function as both product R&D and brand marketing assets.

The business model is straightforward unit-based retail: one-time purchase of physical goods, with revenue generated through direct product sales and dealer/retail distribution, periodic promotional pricing (current site-wide sales of 30% off snowboards/skis/apparel and 40% off surf/wakesurf), and a Pro Program for industry professionals. Lib Tech operates alongside sister brands GNU, Bent Metal, and the Mervin Made environmental technology platform within the Mervin Manufacturing corporate umbrella, and is privately held with no disclosed funding rounds or external investment.

Name

Lib Tech

Legal name

Mervin Manufacturing, Inc.

Website

https://lib-tech.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Lib Tech is a US-based, handcrafted board sports equipment manufacturer (snowboards, skis, surfboards, wakesurf boards) operating under Mervin Manufacturing since 1999, serving recreational and professional consumers through direct-to-consumer e-commerce and an authorized dealer network, with differentiation driven by proprietary construction technologies and elite athlete co-design partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Action Sports Board Equipment (Snowboards / Surfboards / Skis / Wakesurf Boards)

NAICS

Sporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturing (33992), Sporting Goods Retailers (45911)

SIC

Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)

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

• Snowboard manufacturing
• Surfboard manufacturing
• Handcrafted skis
• Wakesurf boards
• Eco-friendly board construction

Headquarters

HQ city

Sequim

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: Lib Tech generates revenue through direct-to-consumer sales of snowboards, skis, surfboards, wakesurf boards, and apparel through their e-commerce website and authorized dealer network. Products are sold at various price points with sales and discounts offered periodically.
2. Dealer/Retail Distribution: Products are distributed through a network of authorized dealers and retail stores, with a dealer locator tool available on the website to find nearby shops.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Lib Tech handcrafts snowboards, skis, surfboards, wakesurf boards, and snowskates at its Mervin Manufacturing facility in Sequim, Washington, selling finished boards direct-to-consumer via lib-tech.com and through an authorized dealer network. Its lineup is differentiated by proprietary constructions such as Magne-Traction serrated edges, the Banana/C2 rocker-camber profile, and the ECO IMPACTO surfboard build (including ECO IMPACTO 2 LITE) that combine plant-based Bio-Matrix resin, upcycled foam, and recycled Ocean Bound top sheets. The company also retails board-sports apparel and operates a professional discount Pro Program for industry, military, and first-responder buyers.

Product overview

Lib Tech is a handcrafted board sports equipment company producing snowboards, skis, surfboards, wakesurf boards, snowskates, and apparel. The product portfolio centers on four core board categories: Snowboards (including Travis Rice signature series and directional/park/freestyle models), Skis (with Magne-Traction technology), Surfboards (featuring proprietary EcoImpacto and ECO IMPACTO 2 LITE constructions), and Wakesurf boards. Lib Tech collaborates with professional athletes and shapers including Travis Rice, Matt Biolos (Mayhem), and Kolohe Andino on signature products. All boards are handcrafted in the USA at the Mervin Manufacturing factory in Sequim, Washington. The company emphasizes environmentally friendly materials including bio-resin, upcycled foam, and recycled content. Notable technologies include Magne-Traction serrated edges, Hammerbox Fin Technology, Banana profile, and the proprietary 'dang difficult to ding' EcoImpacto surfboard construction.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GNU: Sister snowboard brand alongside Lib Tech within the Mervin family of brands.
• Bent Metal
• Mervin Made

Products and services

• Snowboards (Men's, Women's, Youth, Travis Rice Collection, Lib x Mayhem, Rippers, Accessories) Handcrafted snowboards for men, women, and youth featuring Banana and Magne-Traction technologies, including Travis Rice signature series (T.Rice Orca II, Golden Orca), directional free ride and volume-shifted designs, park/freestyle boards, and accessories, made in Sequim, Washington.
• Skis (Men's, Women's, Youth, Accessories) Handcrafted skis for men, women, and youth featuring Magne-Traction edge technology and C camber/rocker hybrid profiles for all-terrain and freestyle skiing, made in Sequim, Washington.
• Surfboards (Lib Tech and Mayhem / Lib x Lost models, Fins, Accessories + Apparel) Handcrafted surfboards featuring proprietary ECO IMPACTO and ECO IMPACTO 2 LITE constructions with "dang difficult to ding" durability, Bio-Matrix plant-based resin, upcycled foam, Hammerbox fin boxes, and FSC II compatibility — including the Lib x Mayhem collab line with Matt Biolos (Pisces, Big Rig Driver, Super Smooth Operator, Rocket Redux, RNF Retro, Quiver Killer, K.A. Swordfish, Freak Flag Bean Bag and Mick's Tape models).
• Wakesurf Boards (Boards, Rippers, Technology) Wake surf boards handcrafted in the USA from EcoImpacto construction with environmentally friendly materials, positioned as fast, rugged, and clean models for behind-the-boat progression.
• Snowskates Handcrafted Lib Tech snowskates designed for year-round riding across pavement and snow surfaces, sold alongside the brand's other board-sports equipment.
• Apparel Board-sports clothing and outerwear designed for the Lib Tech rider base, sold direct via lib-tech.com under the same environmental and performance positioning as the brand's boards.

Quantifiable outcome

• Surfboards resist dings with 'Dang Difficult to Ding' construction
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Kona Big WaveminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 October 2025Marketing collaboration for a special edition Kona x Lib Cold Brew product. Lib Tech and Kona Big Wave partnered to create a limited edition product with a giveaway campaign. Athletes including Eric Jackson, Devin Tubbs, Austen Sweetin, and others featured in collaborative content at locations including Mt. Baker, Baldface Valhalla, Park City, Woodward Park City, Brighton and Wasatch backcountry.
• Matt Biolos / ...Lost SurfboardscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing collaboration producing Lib x Lost surfboard collection including Rocket Redux, RNF Retro, Quiver Killer, K.A. Swordfish, Mick's Tape, Freak Flag Bean Bag, Super Smooth Operator, and Pisces models. Matt Biolos is a legendary surf shaper who combines world tour performance with understanding of everyday surfer needs. Partnership has produced multiple successful surfboard models over 8+ years.
• Travis RicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPro athlete collaboration producing Travis Rice signature snowboard models including T.Rice Orca II and Golden Orca. Partnership spans over 20 years with models like the T.Rice Pro. Travis Rice is a Natural Selection winner and world-class snowboarder who contributes to board design and development.
• Mervin ManufacturingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company that owns Lib Tech along with sister brands Gnu, Bent Metal, and Mervin Made. Mervin Manufacturing is headquartered in Seattle, WA with manufacturing in Sequim, WA. The company has over 25 years of experience in handcrafted board sports equipment.
• Kade MatsonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSurf athlete featured in Lib x Mayhem Pisces collaboration content. Featured alongside Taj Lindblad, Hayden Rodgers, and Ian Crane in promotional content for the Pisces surfboard model.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• GNU Snowboards: GNU is the sister snowboard brand under Mervin Manufacturing, founded by the same craftspeople as Lib Tech. It competes directly in the same snowboard category through shared manufacturing and dealer distribution, giving a real-world read on Lib Tech's relative positioning within its own corporate family.
• Never Summer Industries: Never Summer is a US-based, family-owned snowboard manufacturer with proprietary construction methods and a similar mid-market premium positioning. Comparable to Lib Tech as an independent, technology-driven US maker competing on dealer relationships and graphic-driven brand identity.
• Burton Snowboards: Burton is the dominant global snowboard manufacturer with the largest market share in boards, bindings, boots, and outerwear. It is the closest direct competitor to Lib Tech across the snowboarding category, competing in the same pro-athlete and dealer-channel ecosystem.
• Ride Snowboards: Ride is a long-established US-based snowboard manufacturer offering all-mountain, park, and freestyle boards. It is directly comparable to Lib Tech in product lineup, price band, and dealer-channel distribution.
• Channel Islands Surfboards: Channel Islands is a premium performance surfboard shaper/brand with strong pro-surfer signature programs. Directly comparable to Lib Tech's Lib x Lost / Lib x Mayhem surfboard line in target customer, pro-athlete model strategy, and dealer-led distribution.
• ...Lost Surfboards: Lost is Matt Biolos's signature surfboard brand and Lib Tech's deepest co-development partner. Despite the partnership, Lost also sells its own surfboards independently, making it a directly competing brand for the same surfer customers that Lib Tech targets.

Broad incumbents

• K2 Snowboards: K2 Sports is a broad incumbent producing snowboards, skis, bindings, and boots alongside a wider portfolio of winter and outdoor equipment. Comparable to Lib Tech on snowboards and skis, but at a much larger scale and with broader product breadth that Lib Tech does not attempt.
• Rossignol Snowboards: Rossignol is a heritage French winter-sports incumbent producing skis, snowboards, and boots globally. It is a broad incumbent comparable to Lib Tech on the snowboard and ski categories, but operating at a far larger international scale.
• Salomon Snowboards: Salomon is a global winter-sports incumbent producing snowboards, skis, bindings, and boots as part of the Amer Sports portfolio (Arc'teryx, Atomic). It competes with Lib Tech across both ski and snowboard categories at substantially greater scale and global distribution.

Emerging players

• Firewire Surfboards: Firewire is known for performance-oriented, more eco-conscious surfboard constructions (EPS, epoxy, sustainable materials). It is comparable to Lib Tech's EcoImpacto positioning as a technology-led alternative to traditional PU/PE construction.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/libtechnologies
• Facebookfacebook.com/libtech

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lib Tech