Evo vs Tactics 

In a snow-and-skate showdown, who takes home the gold? If you’re in the market for new gear to hit the slopes or streets in, you’ve probably come across the popular online retailers Tactics and Evo. Both are known for their ski and skate gear, but which will give you the best bang for your buck (and service afterward)?

Lets take a look at and compare Tactics and Evo, breaking down pricing, product selection, customer service, and more, so that you can make your next purchase with confidence. 

Your Favorite Shops in a Nutshell

Tactics is Best for:

• Riders who want a dedicated snowboard and skate shop with professionals who are equally as passionate
• Curated gear without the hassle of scrolling and shopping
• Best in class customer service + fast shipping

Evo is Best for: 

• Enthusiasts who love choices and want an extensive gear collection to browse
• Those who want to support a company that takes community engagement seriously
• People who enjoy engaging with a family of brands – evo offers gear, guided experiences, and hotel stay.

Tactics Overview

Tactics is your favorite local boardshop – but online and with more inventory. They started as a brick-and-mortar snow and skate shop in Oregon, and have evolved over the last 25 years to include a premier online presence and five physical locations (including one in Japan!). 

I first found Tactics on a trip back to Bend, Oregon, where I’d lived during a resurgence of longboard popularity in the early 2010s. Their selection was quite impressive, like a true specialty shop. I felt like I’d walked into a curated capsule of snow and skate gear. While I was there, I learned that they had an online store with an even more impressive collection. 

Tactics has been online since 1999, since long before some of their customers were born. Their mission has stayed focused on snow and skate, and they have honed their craft. They have dedicated teams for snow sports and skateboarding, which I love, because you know you’re getting gear and/or advice from someone who actually knows what they’re talking about. Rather than diversifying and doing a bit of everything, they have dug into their niche and really shine as an expert-driven specialty shop.

Strengths:

• Local shop customer service with big retailer inventory
• Brick-and-mortar locations if you live in the PNW or Japan
• Curated gear means no sifting through sub-par options
• Excellent customer service and product recommendations

Weaknesses:

• Fewer options than large retailers like Evo
• Gear is limited to snow and skate with less lifestyle gear (but that isn’t always a bad thing)

Evo Overview

evo is just a few years younger than Tactics, hitting the internet in 2001 following roadside and ebay sales out of Whistler, BC. Also growing out of the PNW, evo has established themselves as a well-versed outdoor retailer. They cater to a much wider audience, offering gear for snow sports, skating, biking, wakeboarding, and surfing. 

Since their launch, the company has continued to expand, and now offers 8 brick-and-mortar locations offering more than just great gear. Some of their locations are the base for evoTrip adventures, their guided adventure service and others are home to evo Hotels, places for likeminded visitors to stay and connect. 

The thing that has always impressed me most about evo is their drive for connection. It’s not exactly commonplace for gear stores to offer expeditions (unless you’re REI) or build hotels in the name of bringing people together. Diversifying a company’s offerings can make it challenging to stick to its roots, but evo has stayed true to quality gear and good service.

Strengths:

• Midsize retailer offers a comfortable blend of good inventory and specialization
• Provides experiences in addition to gear purchases and rentals
• Wide range of gear for multiple activities available

Weaknesses:

• May lack the personalized shopping experience available with specialized shops like Tactics
• Popular products are more likely to sell out quickly
• Shipping tends to be a bit slower during peak seasons

Product Selection

When it comes to product selection between evo and Tactics, it’s not exactly apples to apples. They both carry snowboards, gear, clothing, shoes, and accessories, but that’s where the similarities end. Evo has an expansive, almost overwhelming number of options, while Tactics offers a smaller, more curated product list. 

A prime example are snowboards. Tactics and evo carry a variety of brands and boards, from entry level to pro-worthy. On their website, Tactics offers 210 different boards, and evo has 755. Talk about decision fatigue! I am someone who appreciates options, but at some point, too much of a good thing is, well, just too much. 

Tactics’ lineup is gear solely related to boarding – both skate and snow. You won’t find skis or surfing gear here. They have boards, clothes, and accessories that scream quality. If you’re looking for snowboards and bindings at Tactics, you’ll find more carefully curated models, which are great for riders looking for expert guidance and feedback. Despite being online, the experience is much more personal than shopping at a large multi-faceted retailer. These guys know their stuff, and it shows. Snowboard boots are the same. You’ll see more individual rider-to-boot matching, rather than simple sizing.

Contrast that with evo, and you’ll walk away with a different experience. evo has a wide range of snowboards, with options for niche setups. But remember, you have 700+ boards to sift through, which gives you a lot of options, but also a lot of guesswork. For boots, evo has a wide selection of sizes and fits available, which is something I do like. I am that person who tries on a dozen pairs of shoes before making a purchase, so I can appreciate having a variety of boots to choose from. 

Moving into outerwear and apparel, evo leans more in the lifestyle direction, with everyday apparel and fashion-forward clothing. Tactics stays more in the lane of function and fit (but don’t discount the dope look of some of their jackets; they do have some beauties). 

If you’re going for sheer number of choices, evo is a good bet. If you’re looking for quality gear without the headache of scrolling and shopping, go with Tactics.

Winner: evo for most product options.

Pricing, Sales, and Rewards

For their everyday pricing, Tactics and evo are neck and neck. I compared pricing for some of the most popular snow gear for 2026, and found that their standard price was identical. They both offer rewards programs, giving you 1 point per $1 at evo or 10% back at Tactics. With evo, you get member pricing and rewards for some bookings with their adventure tours or hotels. At Tactics, you’ll see points added to your account within 3 days, so they’re ready to go for your next purchase. 

When it comes to sales, evo had more products on sale, but Tactics had the better sale prices. Because of the quantity of products they have, evo had a lot on sale as I browsed their site, and their markdown was typically 10-15%. When I did the same on Tactics website, I found that their sale prices were much lower, typically in the 30-50% range. 

Both companies offer a lowest price guarantee, so if you find something cheaper elsewhere, they’ll match it. Tactics stands out here though, because they price match all online competitors, including sales or other promos. evo price matches, but with restrictions on certain sites like Amazon and eBay. That was a bit of a turn-off, because we all know Amazon rules the roost of online selling, and it would be nice to give my business and money to a retailer that truly supports my hobbies. It puts people between a rock and a hard place, wanting to support great businesses, but have a hard time paying more to do so. 

Winner: Tactics for best sale prices. 

Shipping, Returns, and Warranty Support

Shipping policies were similar for evo and Tactics. Both have free shipping options for select products. The free shipping threshold for evo is $50, and $99 for Tactics. Shipping rates vary quite a bit since boards are usually considered oversized. If you’re looking to buy during the holidays, Tactics has a much higher likelihood of getting you your gear quickly. For orders placed on most major US holidays, Tactics ships orders out the next day, where evo remains more vague and explicitly posts that there may be greater delays during the holidays. 

Both companies offer return policies for new, unused goods. evo has a 366-day return policy, giving you an entire year plus a day to make returns. I love the long return period window, and a year is plenty of time to make a return. Tactics has a 60-day window to make returns in. You can return unwanted items to both evo and Tactics stores for free if you want to skip their return shipping fees.

If you need a product warrantied, both can assist you as a middleman in the process.

Winner: Tie. Shipping is great through Tactics. evo has a longer return window.

Customer Service and Community Engagement

Good customer service is a must when it comes to buying and setting up specialty gear like a snowboard. For me, the top spot quickly went to Tactics. Their customer service ranks among the best, and their people seem to care about their craft and their customers. On a somewhat sappy note, they have names and pictures for their snowboard and skate employees on their website, which I like. It gives us, as customers, a view of the human side of the business and makes it feel more intimate than a screen. I think it also speaks to the longevity of their employees. evo also has great customer service, but lacks a little of that human element. 

Community engagement is like the cherry on top of a good brand, and both of these shine in local involvement. evo prioritizes helping youth from marginalized communities through monetary donations and volunteering. Their website provides an in-depth breakdown of their work in community organizations, and you can see that they’re using their influence for good. evo employees get paid time off to volunteer with their organization of choice and partner with organizations to support youth activity. 

Tactics shares their skateboard love by breathing new life into old gear. They partner with BRING Recycling to create new goods and boards out of donated decks. Tactics provides support to local events and riders, focusing on inclusivity in the riding scene.

Winner: Tactics for top-notch customer service.

Evo vs Tactics: Who Should You Choose?

Asking who to choose is a bit like asking someone why they ride goofy or regular. We all ride the way we’re comfortable. If you like family feeling and good advice you get from a local shop with the benefits of an online inventory and great sales, Tactics is your boarding headquarters. If your scene involves more than boards, and you thrive on options, try on evo for size. So get in, get your gear, and get out on the slopes or street.