SHORT BIO

QUICK FACTS

SHORT INTERVIEW

Axon Kiteboarding enters its third year continuing the vision to manufacture products with quality and soul. Meyer, founder of Axon, has been involved in every aspect of the kiteboarding industry for more than 10 years. He began as a team rider ultimately achieving a world ranking as high as #7. As a member of product development teams for almost a decade, Meyer has led design and testing for iconic industry products like the Naish Torch.

As a brand spokesperson, he has visited more than 30 countries having the opportunity to not only ride in different conditions, but work and partner with retailers, importers, and opinion leaders to help shape his vision for product design and function. A resident of both Hawaii and Hood River in the early days, Meyer went from playing guitar for a free meal at local bars, to passionately pursuing his goal of developing the highest quality kiteboards on the market.

He curently lives in the Dominican Republic with his wife and two little grommets.

Age..................................................................................35

Hometown..............................Colorado Springs, CO (USA)

Current Home....................Cabarete, Dominican Republic

Favorite Kite Spot..................Maui, Hood River, Dom. Rep.

Current Board.................................Rhythm 136, 5'11" Sonic

Three years strong. What have you learned in the last year?

Feeling really excited to get the third year of products out there. I think that the last year has taught me that good ideas and executing good ideas are two totally different things. In the world of product development, it is easy to get caught up in crazy new ideas and forget about the simple things that make a product work. A good example is something like changing a footpad and strap system to something that looks more technical and advanced. But if the end result is that the product doesn't work as well as its predecessor, you have missed the mark. The last year has made me focus on what actually mak3s a product great and stick to those concepts to drive R&D.

Any new directions for year three?

No not really, actually. I think that we are still learning about who we are as a brand and I feel that the original idea of who we wanted to be is just as relevent as it ever was. We have always had the goal of wanting the product to speak for itself, and we still believe that is the only way to go. The fact that we have had some boards finish very high in some independent board tests just goes to show that there is no need to switch gears and go a different direction than we are. As I mentioned before, I think knowing what riders like and sticking to it is always a great direction to go.

Has traveling in the last year influenced the products that are being made by Axon?

Absolutely. I spent some serious time this last year on the road and was able to ride everything from dream-like to average conditions. I think that it is very important for a product designer to spend as much time as possible in as many conditions as they can. It not only helps to understand your own designs better, but also helps you figure out why some things work in one place, and not in another.

Which boards are you riding now?

For freeriding, i am usually on a Rhythm 136. The board is just so easy to ride and does everything well. In the surf, i have really been liking the 5'11" Sonic. Super quick and responsive.

In just a few words, tell us what is different about the Axon boards compared to other brands.

Attention to detail is the biggest one that comes to mind. You can have the best design ever, but if one small thing is off, the overall experience is ruined. We tried to make every part as perfect as possible so that the footpads and footstraps are just as fine tuned as the board constructions. One small piece that isn’t right can ruin a product, so Axon tries to make sure that the small yet important things are taken care of. I think the graphics are pretty original as well. We try to tell a bit of a story not only in how the products look, but also with the soul of the brand.