Ion Gmbh

What Ion Gmbh does

ION is a German action-sports brand, headquartered in Munich and operating as part of Boards & More GmbH, that designs, manufactures, and distributes watersports equipment and mountain bike gear. Founded in 2004, the company built its initial reputation on neoprene wetsuits and harnesses for the international windsurf, kitesurf, surf, SUP, and wakeboard scene, and claims global market leadership in wetsuits and harnesses within the wind- and kitesurf segment. In late 2012/2013 ION extended into mountain biking, creating a second core division.

The product portfolio is split across ION Water and ION Bike. ION Water covers wetsuits (fullsuits, springsuits, drysuits in varied thicknesses), harnesses for kiteboarding/windsurfing/wingfoiling, waterwear (rashguards, neoprene tops), impact protection (vests, helmets), apparel, travelgear (board bags), and accessories. ION Bike covers technical bikewear (jerseys, pants, shorts), body armor and protection (ARCON line with CE Level 2 certification), weather-resistant outerwear (Shelter collection using Pertex Quantum and Thermolite Ecomade T-Down with FC free C0 DWR), gloves, and apparel. Proprietary technologies include 3D Fit (harness ergonomics), Water_Gate (back-zipper seal), RE ZRO (impact protection), GRDXKN (bike material durability), and a 13-size Color Code System for the dedicated Base / Base Re school & rental wetsuit line. Sustainability features include recycled materials and PFC-free DWR finishes.

ION makes money through wholesale-style hardware sales via three channels: (1) a multilingual direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront on ion-products.com with global shipping and 30-day returns, (2) a global network of authorized watersports and bike dealers accessible through a dealer finder, and (3) a dedicated B2B channel selling bulk School & Rental wetsuits to surf schools and kite centers under multi-year contracts. Pricing is unit-based across consumer SKUs, with no subscription or tiered pricing visible. The customer base spans individual watersports and mountain bike enthusiasts (primary), plus surf schools and kite centers (secondary B2B). Marketing is driven by brand-site content, segmented Instagram accounts (international, Waterwomen, Bike), YouTube, email/newsletter with welcome discounts, and the ION Crew athlete program.

Name

Ion Gmbh

Legal name

ION

Website

https://ion-products.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Short description

ION is a German action-sports brand under Boards & More GmbH that designs and sells watersports equipment (wetsuits, harnesses, protection) and mountain bike gear (bikewear, body armor, outerwear) globally through DTC e-commerce, authorized dealers, and a dedicated B2B school-and-rental channel.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Action Sports Apparel and Protective Equipment

NAICS

Sporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturing (33992), Sporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturing (339920)

SIC

Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine Apparel & Footwear Retail (Wetsuits, Rash Guards, Deck Shoes) (CRAMAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Surf & Beach Sports Retail (Surfboards, Bodyboards, Skimboards) (CRAMAIAE), Swim & Surf Performance Wear (CRAAAEAG), Water Sports & Marine Recreation Retail (Paddle/Surf/Dive/Boat Accessories) (CRAMABAI)

Keywords

• Watersports wetsuits
• Mountain bike protection
• Neoprene waterwear
• Action sports gear
• Kiteboard harnesses

Headquarters

HQ city

Munich

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Watersports Equipment Sales: ION generates revenue through direct sales of wetsuits, harnesses, waterwear, and accessories for watersports including surfing, kiteboarding, windsurfing, wingfoiling, and wakeboarding.
2. Cycling Gear Sales: Revenue from mountain biking equipment including bikewear, body armor, gloves, helmets, and apparel.
3. School & Rental Wetsuits: Specialized bulk/rental wetsuit line for surf schools and kite centers, sold through B2B channels.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ION designs, manufactures and sells branded watersports gear (neoprene wetsuits, harnesses, waterwear, protection, apparel, travelgear, accessories) and mountain bike gear (bikewear, body armor/protection, outerwear, gloves, apparel) for action sports participants. It also offers a dedicated School & Rental wetsuit line for surf schools and kite centers through a B2B channel.

Product overview

ION is an action sports brand offering two distinct product divisions: ION Water and ION Bike. The Water division provides watersports gear including wetsuits (Fullsuits, Springsuits, Shorties, Drysuits), harnesses for kiteboarding/windsurfing/wingfoiling, waterwear (neoprene jackets, tops, rashguards), protection (impact vests, helmets), apparel, travelgear (board bags, travel bags), and accessories. The Bike division offers mountain biking gear including bikewear (jerseys, pants, jackets, gloves), body armor and protection (knee pads, ARCON Protection line), outerwear (Shelter collection), and apparel. The company also provides specialized School & Rental wetsuits for surf schools and kite centers with color-coding systems for easy organization. The product portfolio includes technology features like SQlab Adaptive Sizing for protection gear and GRDXKN material technology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ION Water Wetsuits Fullsuits, springsuits/shorties and drysuits made from neoprene for surfing, kitesurfing, windsurfing, wingfoiling and wakeboarding, available in multiple thicknesses for different water temperatures.
• ION Water Harnesses Specialized harnesses for kiteboarding, windsurfing and wingfoiling with spreader bars, hooks and 3D Fit Technology for comfort and support.
• ION Water Waterwear Neoprene jackets, tops, rashguards and bottoms providing thermal protection and sun protection for watersports activities.
• ION Water Protection Impact vests, helmets and leg protection engineered for watersports safety, featuring the 360° Fit System.
• ION Water Apparel Streetwear-inspired clothing including tees, hoodies, jackets, boardshorts, shorts, pants, caps, beanies and socks for the watersports lifestyle.
• ION Water Travelgear Travel bags, board bags and luggage designed for transporting watersports equipment, including kite, foil, wing, surf, windsurf and SUP bags.
• ION Water Accessories Neoprene shoes, gloves, hoods and beanies; leashes for kiteboarding, wing/foil, SUP and surfing; beach accessories, surf ponchos, surf hats, board accessories, uphauls and harnesslinesets.
• Base / Base Re School & Rental Wetsuits Dedicated B2B wetsuit line for surf schools and kite centers with extra durability, easy entry/exit, color-coding system across 13 sizes, reinforced legs and summer/cold water options.
• ION Bike Bikewear Technical mountain bike clothing including jerseys, pants/shorts, jackets/vests, shoes, gloves, socks and base layers for enduro, downhill, trail and gravel riding.
• ION Bike Body Armor & Protection Knee pads, elbow pads, body protection, shin guards, helmets and spare parts, including the ARCON Protection line with CE Level 2 protection.
• ION Bike Outerwear (Shelter Collection) Weather-resistant mountain bike jackets, pants and vests with waterproof/breathable membranes, sustainable materials and C0 DWR finish for unpredictable mountain conditions.
• ION Bike Apparel Streetwear-inspired cycling apparel including tees, boardshorts, hoodies, jackets, caps/beanies and socks for the mountain biking lifestyle.
• ION Bike Gloves Full-control mountain bike gloves designed for optimal grip and handlebar protection.
• ARCON HD Pro Chest Protector Chest protector combining maximum protection with freedom of movement, featuring RE ZRO technology, CE Level 2 protection and 360° AC_cooling for freeride/big mountain riders.

Quantifiable outcome

• Global market leader position in wind- and kitesurf wetsuits and harnesses

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SQlabcoreTechnology or IntegrationSQlab and ION collaborated on limited edition products combining SQlab's ergonomic saddle technology with ION's All-Mountain bike gear. The partnership focuses on long-distance comfort and precise control in a cohesive All-Mountain setup. SQlab provides adaptive sizing technology for ION bike protection products including knee guards.
• 1% for the PlanetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerION donates 1% of their online revenue to selected environmental partners through the 1% for the Planet initiative, supporting sustainability causes including reef protection through Coral Gardeners.
• Coral GardenersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for coral reef reforestation and protection. ION adopts corals worth 1% of their online turnover each year through Coral Gardeners, supporting reef ecosystem restoration.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Mystic: Netherlands-based action sports brand specializing in kiteboarding, wakeboarding, and windsurfing harnesses and protection. Closely overlaps with ION Water's core categories of harnesses and impact vests.
• Troy Lee Designs: Iconic MTB helmet, protection, and apparel brand founded by a motocross artist. Directly comparable to ION Bike in body armor and lifestyle mountain bike apparel.
• POC: Swedish premium bike and snow protection brand with strong MTB helmet, body armor, and apparel lines. Competes with ION Bike on premium protection and technical bikewear.
• Rip Curl: Australian surf brand and wetsuit manufacturer with strong search/wetsuit positioning. Competes head-to-head with ION in wetsuits, particularly for surfing and wind-powered water sports.
• Fox Racing: Leading mountain bike protection and apparel brand (helmets, body armor, gloves). Direct competitor to ION Bike across MTB protection and bikewear, with significantly larger scale.
• O'Neill: Iconic California-based wetsuit and waterwear brand with a global presence. Directly competes with ION across wetsuits, rashguards, and surf apparel, and has a broader product portfolio in surf lifestyle.
• Neil Pryde: Hong Kong–headquartered windsurfing, kiteboarding, and wingfoiling brand with deep roots in wind-powered water sports. Overlaps with ION Water's windsurf/kite core customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Quiksilver: Large global surf apparel and equipment brand. While broader in focus (lifestyle apparel dominant), Quiksilver's wetsuit and surf accessory lines overlap with ION Water's offering.
• Billabong: Global surf heritage brand with wetsuit, boardshort, and surf accessory lines. Broader lifestyle focus than ION but competes in the same watersports consumer market.

Emerging players

• Endura: Scottish cycling apparel brand with strong mountain bike clothing and weatherproof outerwear. Comparable to ION Bike's technical apparel and Shelter outerwear range.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC1tg1a4zbhqt5uFI2ggsL5w
• Facebookfacebook.com/ION.Bike
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ionactionsports
• Instagraminstagram.com/ion_international

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Ion Gmbh