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Flow Snowboards

Flow got its start when in 1992 Neil Pryde of NeilPryde Ltd, the leading brand of windsurfing sails and equipment, and Reinhardt Hansen formerly of F2 Windsurfing turned marketer decided to explore opportunities in the snowboarding market. The pair saw a need in the snowboarding market for an improved binding technology. The sport at the time was relatively young, gaining acceptance, and starting its rapid growth phase. Snowboarding technology was still fairly crude and there was much room for improvement. Mr. Pryde and Mr. Hansen employed product designer Werner Jettmar to make a snowboard binding that was more convenient than a two-strap, more comfortable than hard shell boots and plate, and gave the sensation of the “barefoot feel.” Werner set to work, and began the creation of a new soft binding, that would soon be known to the world as Flow.

In 1995, Flow kicked off a complementary snowboard boot line. In order to achieve the “barefoot feel” the designers decided to forego traditional liner style boots and went with an integrated liner, in order to give a more precise and close fitting anatomical fit. Creating an integrated liner proved to have it challenges both in manufacturing and in the market. Today, the boots have evolved to include heat moldable liners that can be molded for exact fit. The new '06/'07 line has features such as an articulating cuff, articulating tongue, Airtek soles, and a material called Flow Form which alleviates and cushions pressure points.

In late 2002, the management of the brand, which had previously been in Austria, was moved across the Atlantic to settle in San Francisco. The reason was to focus on achieving the same success in the US market that Flow had seen in Europe where Flow already enjoyed double- digit market shares in most regions. Anthony Scaturro was named President of the brand, and new marketing, product development, and sales teams were put into place. In 2005, the offices headed south to San Clemente, CA and into the heart of the action sports industry. Much has changed since the early years of the Flow brand. What was first seen as an outsider brand has pushed its way to the number two spot in binding sales worldwide. This is quite an achievement when considering the deep pockets of previously established brands that have been at it long before Flow came to market, as well as the resistance to change inherent in human nature. In 2004 Flow came to the tradeshows with the slogan “First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they copy you.” This rang true as rival brands showed for the first time their version of the Flow binding. The one key feature missing from other reclining hi-backs was the Patented Power Triangle, the vital feature that makes a Flow binding ultra responsive. Finally after 10 years of hard work to break down preconceived barriers about what a binding should look like, Flow has reached the mainstream. After all, imitation is the highest form of flattery.