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Old     (saskrider)      Join Date: Apr 2009       05-16-2010, 8:52 PM Reply   
I heard that O'brien and Liquid Force are made at the same factory, and this year there bindings are pretty much the same, just have a different label sewn on? Is this true?
Old     (stang_killa_ss)      Join Date: Jan 2010       05-17-2010, 7:10 AM Reply   
i have actually noticed this. on the little tags/paperwork that comes with them either the LF had obrien written on it, or the obrien had LF written on it. on the warrantee card i think it was. i cant remember which.
so kinda validates what your saying.
Old     (luke_j)      Join Date: Jul 2008       05-17-2010, 7:13 AM Reply   
they are made in the same factory, and this years obrien boots are built on the "pro-plate" platform that liquid force came out with in 2006. The design and shaping of the boards, however, is completely separate.
Old     (tuneman)      Join Date: Mar 2002       05-17-2010, 7:28 AM Reply   
Well, if you really must know, there's a company called Kent Watersports. They're most noted as the maker of those lovely orange life jackets.

Kent Watersports is the parent company to O'Brien, Liquid Force, Free Motion, Obscura Wakeskates, HO, Hyperlite, Accurate, WakeKite, CWB, Connelly, Pro Line, and probably a few others that I don't know about.

However, they all operate independently. Kinda weird.
Old     (tuneman)      Join Date: Mar 2002       05-17-2010, 7:29 AM Reply   
Found their website: http://www.kentwatersports.com/
Old     (andy_nintzel)      Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Minnesnowda       05-17-2010, 8:29 AM Reply   
hell kent even owns shadowbox!
Old     (romes)      Join Date: Sep 2006       05-17-2010, 12:54 PM Reply   
its not wierd, its the same in all board sports. snowboarding, skate, surfing etc.

take for example Billabong they're the parent company for Element, Von Zipper, Kustom, Nixon, Xcel, Sector 9 and DaKine as well as a couple others. its really the only way for a lot of these brands to compete in the global market...
Old     (stang_killa_ss)      Join Date: Jan 2010       05-17-2010, 1:04 PM Reply   
FKING monopolys!
and i thought walmart was bad....
Old     (Luker)      Join Date: Feb 2010       05-17-2010, 1:14 PM Reply   
Does anyone else find it a bit scary from a business perspective that the largest wake companies in the world are all owned by a single parent? I've seen the cost sheets to the marina for most products from the big 3 (LF,CWB,Hype) and the mark-ups are very significant.... I wonder how truly "independently" Kent's subsidiaries operate from the parent company. Interesting... Thanks for the post Tuneman
Old     (jeff_mn)      Join Date: Jul 2009       05-17-2010, 2:26 PM Reply   
No I don't find it scary. I love the sport and pick a product that fits my style and my budget. They have boards from $100 to $700.
Old     (jason95gt)      Join Date: May 2006       05-17-2010, 2:31 PM Reply   
just Kent is the parent company to everything that Herb OBrien every started except Ronix. That is weird.
Old     (saskrider)      Join Date: Apr 2009       05-17-2010, 7:02 PM Reply   
So if you bought 2010 O'brien bindings they would be the same as the 2006 Liquid Force bindings with the 6" baseplate? I have 2006 Shane bindings right now so that seems like I would be buying the same thing?
Old     (bobenglish)      Join Date: Mar 2008       05-17-2010, 8:15 PM Reply   
Makes me feel good every time I ride my Sine.

Thanks Zach.

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