Obrien

Does anyone else think they have fallen behind a little? And, if so, do you agree with me that it is because they lack in advertisement? I don't understand why they aren't necessarily as popular(my opinion) as Ronix or Liquid Force because their products are of the same quality, and an even better price.
Don't get me wrong, I am one of the biggest fans of Obrien on WakeWorld. Also patiently waiting on Nintzel to give me some word on their new bindings.

I wouldn't say they fell behind but I think everynoe else really stepped up...
Hyperlite = trying with the sub6 to get new tech
LF - flex boards and all their boots are awesome
CWB - hinge tech, plat. boards
Gator - Transgression, thats all they need
Ronix - dark cores and just quality goods
Slingshot - totally new

obrien is legit but they just haven't thrown out anything new to get people to bite

Less money towards marketing = more money in pocket to them, and cheaper gear for us.

i agree with nick. there is nothing wrong with obrien they just need to step it up to keep up. in my mind the best thing they have is dallas friday on their team.

i wanna know whats up with their website. it still has 07 products on there. They are even showin 06 wakeskates. They never advertise that i know of. I just took them on as a dealer and i used the phone number on the website call in a order and its not even the right number.

They have great boards and bindings its just no one knows about them it seems like. The prices are just great compared to hyperlite and liquid force. they just need to step up the marketing a little bit imo.

And stand behind their products, at least via the distributors. They seem to always be represented in WB magazine, at least

Cliff hit the nail on the head. If you spend allot of money hyping your product, then you have to recoup the expense by increasing the cost of your product. Trust me, I have been an O'Brien supporter since 1997 and the lack of marketing is a little frustrating, but in the end they make a product that is the same quality as the next guy, and can sell it for less! I guess that is why guys like Nintzel and me are always pumping them up. At least I know the people that ride O'Brien ride it because they truly like it, not because of the hype.

As for as progression, all I have to say is: Delta Base Technology. Try it and you will see it really does work.

I recently acquired my (primary) new setup for the year--a Coda with Xenons--and I must say that O'Brien has surpassed my expectations this year already, and I haven't even seen their really new stuff yet. Their boards look really sharp, their designs are awesome (both boards and bindings), etc. I can't wait to see their new flex boards and closed-toe bindings.

(Message edited by ty540 on February 26, 2008)

how do you like that coda, tyler? ive been thinkin about ordering one for myself. i ordered 2 players for guys in my crew but im still waitin on the boards to get here so i can try their boards first before i order.

Whoa! This caught me off guard. I don’t think that O’Brien is falling behind any one; in fact I think that we are silently taking the lead. You say they lack progression, like Jakober says, "Delta Base Technology. Try it and you will see it really does work." Not only that does it making the boards the fastest on the market. I don’t know of any other Wakeboard Company that put serious thought into hydrodynamics and changing the way water flows over the bottom of the board to increase speed and decrease drag, it is truly one of the best innovation I have ever seen. Not that other companies are not making boards faster, they just seem to be doing it with fin placement and rockerlines more so. Also the closed toes are designed from the ground up built on a shoe platform not just closing the toe of a "normal" boot. Finally this years Flex Line of board will be ground breaking as well, we really have focused on making the center of the board more like a conventional wakeboard (stiff non-flex) and the tip and tail flexible, a true hy-bred. Keeping the snap of a traditional board and the pressing ability and soft landings of a flex model. I will have a R5 in my hands this week, customer built and hand delivered from Thailand, I will post mad pictures up and review the heck out of it. That last thing I would ever say about O'brien is that we lack innovation.

(Ding ding ding, I can already hear people getting ready to freak out about my hydrodynamics discussion)

Nick to address your issues, first off, did you contact any one for your shop? Do you need numbers of people to call? If you give me your number I will have some one from O’Brien call you today. As for the website, the new site will be up and running soon, we don’t really push to get the site going until all the gear is finalized and the season is about to get rolling. Finally the wakeskate issue. O’Brien will have some new skates out in the up coming years; we are focused on wakeboards and boot innovation at the moment. We actually had a bi-level ready to release a few years ago, but saw what happened to Cassette and decided to go in another direction. (For those of you who don’t remember, Cassette made the first bi-level, which was sick, but it broke almost instantly. Many people attribute this warrenty nightmare to them closing their doors). Skates will be back. As for the Coda, Nick order one, it will blow your mind, it is hands down the fastest wakeboard I have ever ridden, and I do try all the competitions board for the most part every year, and the Coda is the fastest.

Nick,

1-800-662-7436 (1-800-6-OBRIEN), thats the number on the site and the one that works!

Nick,

I actually haven't ridden the Coda yet . I was somewhat out of the loop with the O'Brien gear last year because I wasn't really focused on wakeboarding at all, but from what I know about board design it is going to be sick. I will also have the opportunity to try out their new goodies, and I'll post my comments of everything when I get the chance.

More on the Coda: I'm extraordinarily picky about the boards that I ride, and I always look for the following features and characteristics.
- Must be really fast, but have good vertical pop: this rules out a lot of boards. I don't like most true three-stages, or boards with more than 2.7in of rocker. (While the Coda is a 3-stage, they didn't go overboard on the rocker, and everyone I know who has ridden it agrees that it is very fast.) I like the idea of the delta base; by the way, I think it's awesome that they changed their Valhalla mold to incorporate this. That shape is awesome, and I'm glad they were willing to make a small change to improve it instead of keeping it how it is, and trying some radical new design to incorporate the delta base that might end up sucking.
- I also try to strike a balance between stability and responsiveness. From looking at this board, my inclination is to suppose that it's a little more on the responsive side--moreso than the Valhalla, which is a fairly similar shape in many ways.
- Feel on the water is very important. I hate boards that track too well, so I generally dislike boards with channels running the entire length of the board, or boards with deep molded in fins that run all the way out the end of the board, or boards that have a deep vented channel or "step-up" tail.
- I think that a variable edge is one of the best design innovations ever, and I don't understand why all boards don't have it (the Coda does). I want a board that tracks well on edge, but is really forgiving for surface spins--i.e., won't catch an edge easily.
- Although I won't be using a center fin except in really rough water, I like the fact that most of O'Brien's fins have multiple inserts so that you can move the fin closer to the center of the board.


Anyway, I'm excited for summer!

Tyler,

08 Valhalla. With the delta base describes exactly what your looking for. The board is smokin fast, much faster than the original. Take the fins off and it rides loose with no stickyness at all, yet when you put it on edge it holds great. It's extremely forgiving on sketch landings. Pop is big and way more predictable than the Coda.

I didn't think I'd find anything that could get me off the Natural and I was leary of the Valhalla, because the original didn't really impress me all that much. The only reason I bought the 08 was so I'd have a spare consistent board on the boat. To my surprise, when I strapped it on I fell in love with the ride. My Natural is now my spare.



Natural / Coda comparison




Valhalla





I swear, I'm getting as bad as JJ and Nintzel when discussing Obrien these days.

Right on Cliff, that is what I like to see. I should have an R5 today or tomorrow I will post mad pics.

I was thinking in my head that the chevron base designs couldn't be all that bad too. I have yet to ride a board with the design, but if more and more boards are adopting the feature, including the pro boards than it has to be good.

Andy, I'll be looking forward to your full and in depth experience of the R5 (even though i think i would have more interest in the local... but aren't they designed fairly similar except for shape?) but it has got to be one mad review to begin shake my conversion to the current leader in flex, slingshot ;)... i'm interested nonetheless.

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quote:

... and I do try all the competitions board for the most part every year,...

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if i remember correctly you said you hadn't tried a slingshot before? or if you can say...

(Message edited by wakerider111 on February 27, 2008)

Cliff,

What do you mean, "as bad as", it's not a bad thing.

Thanks to your annual pilgrimage to Pateros, you were exposed to the goodness that is O'Brien and now you can't stop spreading the love

first board i ever got up on was some old @ss obrien that's now collecting dust in the garage.

i like the look of all the new O'Brien stuff, just never ridden any of it. I haven't seen to many shops that carry it either.

andy why dont you send me a set up to demo?? haha

Jeremy, I have tied a Slingshot, a guy in my wake crew loves his. I lasted about 6 hits at the wake till I spun the binding around, got in the boat, Fixed it. Hit the wake 3 more time and it spun again. I hung it up after that before I busted up a knee or somehthing.
I will have a Local too, very soon, first I am getting the R5, just the way shipping from Thailand is working out.

Hey that sure doesnt look like a slingshot in your profile pic, maybe and old parks?!?

My first board was an obrien 1997 evil twin (still got it) That was one sharp board. Carry it too long and it would leave a near perminant crease in your palm

Seems not too many carry it around here either. Marine Products carries some, but pretty much only the boards (M.P. rep told me last year, "We don't really carry them 'cause the bindings aren't any good") (sorry for the random quote, i think MP is just on my nerves a bit since the boat show. they really got some kind of pride factor going on i think) Hope they change thier mind on the new obrien bindings. I would like to see them and put them on in the store (especially to see if the footbeds beat LF's in coosh) before i move to the middle of no where by lake Powell where suppliers are small and few.

Cliff,

I've been riding a Valhalla for the last two or three years, and I'm just ready for a little bit of a change. I chose the Coda because the pop should be a little different, and it should be a little more responsive on the water. (my expert diagnosis from eyeballing the shapes on the land and looking at spec sheets)

ya i gota change the profile pic and details. (F.y.i. the board is a 2004 byerly, which i still think is the best beginner board out there. the flow-through rail is great for helping new peeps hold their edge and learn to edge)

I am waiting till april or so to get my slingshot setup. Just had our first baby (girl, 8ld 9oz) a month ago, graduating this year, moving this year, etc. basically i got a bit of a financial crunch and it is dang COLD right now so there is no point getting one now. HOWEVER, i do have the slingshot D2 bindings already. I traded a board for them with some cash on the side to make up for the board's worth. SO i am half way there to my slingshot setup!!!

I also splurged got that BG eco life vest on BBB yesterday to replace my crappy ripped sterns vest. jeff mckee rides that vest... heheheh (silly reason to buy, but not the only reason)

Sounds like you had an unlucky break with the issue on the slingshot bindings and didn't even get to REALLY experience the board (seems the bindings scared a lot of customers away from the beginning, but slingshot still did and is doing well despite). I heard that some of the first bindings were put together wrong and that the plastic used was cracking under the foot(this i saw), but all those were replaced/ warrantied and changed mid 2007.}

(Message edited by wakerider111 on February 27, 2008)

I thougt we were talking about O'brien boards how did we start talking about Slingshots?

The last Obrien setup I was on was the Evil Twin, with rubber high wraps...I was displeased.

I had to use my friends setup about a week ago and he has 07' Obrien Argons and I did not like them one bit...but that had been after riding closed toe for a few years so maybe it was just that, but I just felt no support, no heel hold...although the footbed was nice

is the 08' stuff that much better?

I want to know about obrien flex line...naturally in comparison to slingshot and the Lf press too for that matter, sorry if i got carried away in that respect

FLEX FOREVER!!! and blessed be O'brien for bringing' it on

and the new boots interest me too (like everyone else)

Obrien has made the biggest step/ improvement in binding history if you ask me.
most companies change a part of the binding, the base plate, the straps, the footbed, etc. But obrien is changing everything from the outer most layer and the base plate, all the way to the interior. No matter what company anyone chooses to stoke over another (slingshot included) they should give huge props to obrien

hear hear

Obrien has had some good innovation over the years. The swindle was one of the first boards to have molded fins. I still ride the old system bindings because of the great support. Unfortunately the board shops in the area don't carry Obrien so it is hard to check out their gear. You can look at stuff on the internet but it is always better to have it in your hands.
I am sure Cliff will convert me back to Obrien from my cwb.

The delta base works! I been riding the Vice since it came out in the fall of 2005 (Vision for 3 seasons before that) & tested a Vice with the new base design last May and it was noticeably faster.

Can't wait to see their new bindings although I love my Xenon's.

for me, I've never been in interested in obrien type of stuff from a superficial design point of view. none of their graphics or boot designs are as enticing as some of the simple ronix configs (fox example). I've only rode a limited selection of the obrien boards, so I can't make much of a judgment there, I know plenty of people that ride their stuff, but it hasn't managed to grab my attention really. (this is just my own personal opinion )

O'brien sponsored our wake school last year with a bunch of different boards and bindings. I have to say that their products are as good as any of the other brands out there. I really liked the bindings (very comfortable and supportive) and their boards were great. I rode the Player 143. It worked perfectly for me.
As a company, O'brien seems comfortable following the other companies, but they do it well. They sell skis and tubes and cater to more than just boarders.
That said, I can't wait to try on the new closed toes. They look dope.


(Message edited by lives2wake on February 27, 2008)

yes, they do look amazing, and that reminds me. Andy, when you get the R5, will you be able to tell us more about the bindings, or what? I might just buy some now since jjakober said they are the same as the ones on www.beyondwatersports.com , they just look a little different

(Message edited by cwb_fooguitarlz on February 27, 2008)

I think if obrien did spend a small amount of money on marketing they would see a little more profit because they might be able to persuade people like me that obrien is way beyond wal mart. the thing is is that obrien and wal mart go hand in hand in my mind, even though they do look impressive, any attempt in new technology will appear to be a cheap gimmick, its subliminal. people like andy do say quite a bit for the company's progression though, without people talkin about them on here I would still connect O.B. as a plastic round tip small continous rocker board, flat on the bottom with one giant plastic fin on either side. its not fair but its true.

Obrien is WAY beyond walmart, and they have come a LONG way from a plastic round tip small continuous rocker board, flat on the bottom with one giant plastic fin on either side.

Why do you need advertisement? As soon as you try it you will see that they are of top quality and can compete with any company in the business

i think they've stepped up their line big time in the last year or 2. i havent ridden anything new but just from hearing andy and some others talk ab their products i'm really curious as to what all their hype is about.

walmart? maybe 5 years ago but not now. i think we could potentially see them take off much like CWB has in the last few years...the best type of advertising is word of mouth...

and here we all are talking about them...

I live in San Antonio, which is a pretty big city and I couldn't find a natural anywhere in town. I love the natural (on my 4th one) and would have never had the chance to ride one unless some random guy at TSR let me try his out a few years ago.

When i get the occasion that someone (usually a parent who knows almost nothing and wants to surprise their kid) asks me what company of board to buy i almost never forget to tell them about Obrien. And tell them that "if they are looking for great quality at a great price, than thats the direction to go..." i usually recommended hype and LF too as "popular/ top of the line" if they preferred that direction.

but i think the last time i had a face to face conversation like that was the last time i worked at Powell in 2005... my opinions have changed a bit since then, but not for Obrien. not far from Wal-mart in price? Yes! Not far from Walmart in quality? Far from it! I agree! As easy to find as walmart? uhhh... well that could be worked on, and maybe it is as we speak.

Nintzel must be out riding his R5....hahaha in Minnesota.

Cracks me up how many people bad mouth the big "W". That is until there's a sale on WII's or giant flat screens. I doubt there's a single intelligent shopper out there that would pass up the savings on goods if given the choice. If I were in marketing related to consumer goods I'd begging Walmart to carry my line. My employer, ( Pepsi Cola) kisses their behind's to stay in good graces with them. In summary, if Obrien is Walmart's water sports brand of choice, the others had better be watching their market share real close in the next few years.

haha...Cliff hit the spot. All the weekend boaters that still wear the Orange PFD's will be buying their stuff from walmart or Dick's.

just for the record...Dick's carries Connelly and CWB

What is with the name "R5" anyway? any history or meaning behind it. I was about to put a stretch on it and joke and say that it was in retrospect and respect of the Roam (R for roam), celebrating its 5th year out, but then i realized that it has only been 4 years since hype released it.

Also the little notch in the tips and tail of the Local kinda grabs my attention. i wonder if it will make a little bit of a rooster tail when laying back on its tail on smooth water.

lets see some pics when you get it andy

(Message edited by wakerider111 on February 29, 2008)

Nice Jeff.

I will be rolling to FL for a few weeks once all my gear shows up. I got a few players in the mail yesterday, super hot new graphics. I will have and R5 today or Monday. I will be getting a Local in about 3 weeks, probably when I am in FL.

hey man, I'm in Indy, and not going anywhere soon so I feel ya.

I have hit up plenty of warm weather this winter, gotta stay in shape for the season.

The Obrien website definatly needs an overhaul...
March already and still no 08 product??
http://www.obrien.com

Cool out Tyler, the new site will be up and running soon, within a few weeks, and it looks awesome!

I agree with Jeff on the advertisement, and that has been my thought since we picked up the O'Brien line 3 yrs ago.
It's a great product with a fair price, but no hyp. I've never been able to get anyone at O'Brien to send me pics of the product to put on our web site.

Lyon,

Email me, I will fix that for you.

I tend to like Obrien because of how they dont just work with wakeboards. They make the best kneeboards, tubes, skis, and just about any other water related item and all of it is quality and backed by unbelievable customer service!

hey andy, sorry this is a little late but anyway. i did get ahold of obrien. i had already put in a order when i posted that last time. I just got some of my order in yesterday. Im very impressed with the prices. I just opened this week and i already have the attention of the hyperlite dealer on the other side of town. A friend of mine mentioned that he had to drop his prices cause people were already comin to me.

When exactly is the website gonna be up?

one of the boards that came in was a player that a guy in my crew ordered. he used it the other day and has been in love ever since. he likes it alot better than his byerly that he had before. With that bein said. I am extremely excited about the coda that im gonna order.

If i have any questions would it be a big deal if i contacted you about how some of the boards preform? every time i try to get ahold of my rep it takes about 2-3 days to get him. i guess i just have bad timein.

Nick,

Glad you like the gear bro! You know I think its the best stuff on earth. Make sure you get some of our Flex boards, insane! Feel free to contact me any time about anything wake related. I can totally let you know what I think of any O'brien boards and how they ride, I have tried everything we make.

ANDY~
Is there a difference in the R5 and the Local besides the shape of the rails??? I was thinking the r5 was continuous and the local 3 stage of some kind, but a quick look at the review shows they are both progressive 3 stage apparently

Jeremy,

I just spoke with the board designer and he confirmed that both the R5 and Local are Progressive rocker boards. Not 3 stage progressive! It seems the specs on the wakeworld board guide are not correct

I don't know if there is such a thing as 3 stage progressive?

Later,
jjakober

I haven't read all the post so sorry if this has been mentioned. But I think (from what i have been told) Obrien is an industry leader outside of the US. I hear they're big in Australia.

thanks J Jakober for the info

Riley,
i guess the fact that Daniel Watkins rides for them would have an influence there? but as for idustry hold in other countries... beets me

I was talking with Josh Sanders about it and he was saying they are like number 1 in Australia, he could be biased though.

in answer to riley's post, yes, obrien is HUGE outside the U.S.

The are also big in Japan, at least they use to be.

If O'brien stepped up marketing then everyone would know just how good SOB is, and I don't think the people are ready for that.

So true! That kid is sick on a wakeboard!