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Cool vid. Seems like they would use a better rest for the saw to keep the board level when they cut it in half. Nice 80's porn soundtrack

Thanks for sharing the video Bcrider! Cool to see the boards pressed out as solids with the inner edge in. (then hand cut) I like to see quality companies in the split game. I guess one could go down to REi and buy the cheapest split out there, then walk to Mcdonalds and order off the dollar menu. But FUCK THAT! I want a quality board! That Unity looks dope!

Board look sick.

I think the cheapest board at REI is a pretty damn good board, solid, take you far, if you got the skills. It's amazing how you can lower cost when your the company that started all, made the sacrifice when companies 20 times as big didn't have the vision, balls, creativity, or passion to go after it. I always wonder why people don't talk as much shit on these companies for being so narrow minded and stuck in a mainstream, what's trendy box they have been. Funny that such a small unlikely company would be the first to go balls out and invest everything in what would later become one of the biggest trends in snowboarding. Didn't come easy or cheap either it's too bad companies like Unity/Jones/K2 didn't catch on till now then the burden of paving this road so all these new companies with big teams of mainstream riders who nothing about spitting can get a free ride and tons of underserved credit while the unspoken heroes get no credit it all but hold the burden and the financial sacrifice. Funny what you can do when you eliminate all the fluff overhead of these large companies with large teams and the stress of staying cool with the mainstream TWS. Like sponsor local avalanche centers and snow science projects, not to mention sponsor every dirt bag Splitfest out there (by the way aksltxlt who won the Jones board/Unity/Never Summer set up at the Tahoe fest, didn't see that in any of the stoke fest). Oh wait why would any of these huge splitboard companies give a shit about backcountry culture and supporting locals and the splitboard community. It's not about reaching out to the local split communities it's about appealling to the mainstream. It's not really about board quality, it's about hype and scenes. Or maybe they were wise and just new if they did throw a bunch of gear at your grassroots project you would probably just turn around and talk shit and be ungrateful.

By the way because of one company splitboarding is pretty dam affordable for all. A DIY splitty is a sick way to go. I bought my first DIY split for 350$ off a local legend and rode it for ten years. It never let me down. Solid, proven, simple. Don't blame the board, blame the rider.

Utah, In what way did I dis Voile? The cheapest split at REI is the Atomic Poacher (comes with everything even crampons) Voile has always hooked it up and I have had nothing but good experiences with them. As far as throwing the splitfest everyone I and my co-partythrowers talked to wanted to contribute. From the big Companys to the mom and pop shops at the lake, pretty much everyone helped sponser. I did get an email from Neversummer saying they wanted to gift a board for next year. I have also rocked a DIY board for years and believe style and skills are more rider than board.
Anyway isnt this thread about the sick boards from Unity!

The cheapest board at my REI is, so I could only assume, my bad. And it's a sick board but it's just a board and I could have probably got a different board from a different company at higher price and I would have loved it too. So I don't mean to drift the thread but someone already had. Seems like theres quite a few boards to choose from now so for me it goes beyond just the board. I try to look at the whole picture.

A split kit is $160 from Voile.

There is no more cost in producing a split board than in producing two skis with inserts, aka Voile, K2. Inserted skis cost no more than non insert skis, some are even less (Voile).

Boards and skiis are more or less at equillibrium price wise, therefore the cost of a split board should be marginally more than a standard board.

Prior AMF: US$726.96
Prior AMF Split: US$1246.96

$520 difference. If you take out $160 for the kit, allow 10% ($70) increase costs for drilling holes and assembly, there is still ~$250 in unaccounted for costs.

I'd think that as the market grows, the costs will drop, esp if someone like K2 or Rossi start building splits.

Does Voile sell the least expensive split?

You do realize that Prior and other companies have to pay a license fee to use the insert pattern right?

splitties are expensive, but so are good quality A/T set-ups...

I pissed and moaned about how expensive splits were and then we bought my wife a randonee rig a few years ago.

Skis $500 bones.
Bindings $300.
And the kicker, boots, $650.

I'm no math-wiz, but that seems very comparable (more) than a splittie. If you wanna go as cheap as possible, you gotta start squatin' to pee.

great vid, thats what I am paying $1100 for, some one to hand build me a snowboard.

as far as the whole oil = snowboards thing (which equals many products we take for granted) have a look at what Mervin manufacturing are doing with a lot of materials they use and recycle.

heres to rughtys prediction. lets hope he is like Nostradamus!

Split boards really can't be compared to skis as any ski will sell many more units. The R and D costs and tooling will be amortized at a lower rate for each ski sold.

Unity does make SICK snowboards, buy with confidence! Pete is the man!

...and factory splitboards are only getting more expensive, not cheaper...

Even tooling and fees don't account for the an additional $250, though in Prior's case, some of their skis are as expensive as their splitties.

BTW, anyone know when Voile's patent expires?

That'll be the ticket for lower costs and some innovations on Voile's original design.

Doesn't account for it in your mind. If you have a production split, it also requires a separate cassette among other things, with much, much less volume. Throw in Voile expenses and you got your price. Keep in mind skins are another $160, they are not included in the split kit.

The license fee costs a lot more than a few hundred dollars. This much I know.

When the patent runs out prices will drop. That is for sure.