Good Boards & Good Schi

At Good Boards & Good Schi we find snowboards and skis with a great design - handmade in Europe. There was also an award for the design. The founder is particularly pleased because the award is presented by the retailers. Let us show you a few boards and skis. Join us - watch our video!

Skis and snowboards made of wood

Jürgen Groh: Silver in the Design Award for boards. What did you get it for? Josef Holub: We got it for the new series, it's a rotor. And the nice thing about this award is that we got it from the retailer. Shortly before the Ispo trade fair, the dealers get together and vote for the most beautiful board. In the last 5 years, we've already won 4 awards and this year we got it for the new Rotor. Jürgen Groh: It looks really good. It's a bit old-style wooden. What else is in the board? Josef Holub: This is our first twin tip. This has to do with the fact that we as a company are more aimed at older snowboarders: 25-30 years upwards. That's why we've concentrated on all-mountain and freeride boards. This is actually our first twin tip with which you have the same performance in both directions.

Boards with real wood veneer

Jürgen Groh: Do I stand with the binding at 90° degrees, or how do I stand on it? Josef Holub: You stand on it with the binding in both directions, which is usually plus minus 15° degrees, so that you have the same performance in both directions. Jürgen Groh: Okay. So it's also a proper halfpipe board? Josef Holub: You can ride halfpipes with it. But the board also works really well on the piste because we have a classic camber in the middle and therefore good edge grip. The board is slightly rockered at the front and back - so you can move it more playfully. What's interesting is that the widest point is not traditionally at the front, but more towards the middle of the board. That's why you have a short edge and that makes it even more playful. Jürgen Groh: But the main attraction for you is that the boards are made of wood, right? Josef Holub: That's right. Not just the wooden core, but a lot of the topsheets. These are real wood veneers that we use. Depending on the series, it's ash, sometimes cherry wood or maple. This not only makes the board smoother, but also gives it a unique look. It's a bit difficult to produce something like this, but people are happy because every board is an original.

Jürgen Groh: How did the idea for wood come about? Josef Holub: Wood is a natural material, it is a warm and lively material. Our exhibition stand is made of wood, we really like working with wood. My business partner is a carpenter. That's why it wasn't an issue for us. We do a lot with wood. Jürgen Groh: So what is the difference to a normal board? Josef Holub: All high-quality boards are made from a wooden core. The difference is how much fiberglass I use, which wood top layer I use, which profile I have and so on. We focus on quality. All our boards have sintered graphite rubbers. Really fast rubbers. They are a bit thicker and therefore wear out more slowly. Our wood cores are made from two different types of wood. We also have basalt in the bottom layer. Basalt has a very good back strength for the board and is a high-quality material and fiberglass in the top layer. It's a package that gives customers a durable product that they can enjoy for years to come.

Cost of wooden snowboard

Jürgen Groh: How much does an average board cost for you? Josef Holub: The boards are priced between 450 and 700 euros. That's a lot of money. That's why we are on the road 130 days a year with a test stand where end consumers can try out the boards. They get expert advice, try out all possible boards and then go to the store to buy the board that suits them. The board is not a pig in a poke, but you have tried out different lengths, hardnesses and widths and with a test beforehand you know that it is a board that you will have fun with and you buy it. Jürgen Groh: I don't see you using bindings now. You don't specialize in that, do you? Josef Holub: They're not made of wood. We really specialize in products made of wood. In winter it's snowboards and skis. In summer, wakeboards and kiteboards. All products that have a wooden core and a similar construction. Jürgen Groh: But now I would like to see your skis. Josef Holub: But I would love to.

Freeride ski with wood core and wood veneer

Jürgen Groh: The model is called Draco the Dragon, why is that? Josef Holub: It's a completely new ski that we've been working on for two years now. It's a freeride ski that works very well on the piste. We achieved this by moving the widest point - just like with the snowboards - more towards the center of the ski. You have a short edge, very playful. The nose is nice and flat, so it grips immediately on the piste. The skis are nice and soft, which means they give way in powder snow and I have a lot of fun. You have a lot of float in powder snow, which makes it a ski that is easy to ski. We also use real wood as the top layer here. It's 0.6 mm thick and it's ash. Not normal ash, but red heart ash. You can recognize the red heart ash because it has a fine grain. Each ski is an original, a beautiful piece. The price is in the region of 700€. They are available in 2 lengths: 1.80m or 1.90m. Jürgen Groh: Is your production also at the Ammersee? Josef Holub: Our headquarters are at Ammersee. This includes development, sales but also the workshop where we repair the skis and snowboards after every test. We produce them in Europe. There are two factories just 5 hours away from Munich that manufacture skis, snowboards, wakeboards and kiteboards for us from our molds and materials. Jürgen Groh: Sustainability. Is the wood from the Czech Republic or where does it come from? Josef Holub: All types of wood are European types of wood, which means short distances. The issue of sustainability is very important, which is why we also have thicker bases, thicker edges, so that you don't throw the skis away after one season, they last a little longer. We use basalt in the base. It takes significantly less energy to produce basalt than fiberglass. There are many points. One of them is, for example, that we walk around the Ammersee with our friends at the end of the summer season and collect the garbage, that's also part of it. Jürgen Groh: Great campaign. I wish you all the best for the trade fair, good luck! Josef Holub: Thank you!

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