In today’s show laminator Nainoa Speier shares how his personal journey to discover his family’s origins connected him to a network of SoCal surf icons, how teenaged vandalizing informed his future resin works, and why overseas surfboard manufacturing erodes the bedrock of surf culture. Enjoy! 

Kauai waterman Terry Chung joins us to talk about his recent trip to foil Nazare with Laird, raising well-adjusted children on Kauai, his journey through board building, the evolution of the surf foil, and how to sustain big wave wipeouts at the age of 65. Enjoy!

Denver native and rock crawling enthusiast, Jeff McCallum joins us to detail the exact qualitative difference between domestic and imported surfboards, explain how the evolution of surfboard design can be seen in a Skip Frye rail, reveal the hypocrisy of “sustainability”, and illustrate how foil distinguishes master shapers from everyone else. Enjoy!

The fourth generation San Diegan writer & editor joins us to discuss failing to “de-Barney-fy” longboarding, his private correspondence with Miki Dora, his ongoing love affair with Cuba, and how a life of avowed poverty yielded an endlessly rich lifestyle. Enjoy!

Devon Howard returns to reflect on having a cool mom, inadvertently becoming a surfboard designer, the consequence of spraying his wife in the face, the dangers on the other side of success, and what Ancient Greece has taught him about style. Enjoy!

In today’s show Captain Liz Clark details the childhood experience that empowered her to solo sail the Pacific for a decade, the most terrifying moment at sea, the dietary shift that disappeared her chronic illness, and what remote civilizations taught her about humanity. Enjoy!

The land artist and Outstanding In The Field founder joins to explain why being caught inside is the pinnacle of surfing, how his mother’s language of math is encoded in his artwork, dance as ultimate therapy, and how the difference between failure and success is an illusion of perspective. Enjoy!

Craftsman Josh Martin joins us to discuss inventing the Shark Board, why people morph into looking like their dog, how ancient materials may be the future of board building, constructing a camper out of surfboard material, and making a living as an Instagram Influencer. Enjoy!

Jersey native Sam Hammer joins us to discuss how losing in contests led to a pro surf career, how seeds of relationships can birth enduring paychecks, how cold water has been his gateway to longevity, and the power of under-exertion. Enjoy!

The Australian Surfing Hall of Famer joins us to discuss how riding a wooden fence picket led to a surfboard revolution, how cosmic design rights all injustice, why you’re riding the wrong fins, and the creative growth that is unlocked by killing the ego. Enjoy!

Mr. Sunset opens up about the anxieties of wartime during the Vietnam draft, eating a tablecloth (literally) to earn the license for Quiksilver, the value of ignorance, earning and losing a small fortune, conquering a 30 year substance addiction, and positioning himself to surf into 100 years of age. Enjoy!

Maui laminator Nic Timpone joins us to discuss the weight and privilege of continuing a five decade legacy of board building, how incremental improvements in sustainable materials net meaningful change, the fallacy of Instagram virality, and why he’ll be ditching his board henceforth. Enjoy!

Professional surfer, author, ecofeminist, mother, Lauren Hill joins us to discuss how a commitment to curiosity has resulted in an unlikely surf career, an even less likely life as a farmer, and the cosmic premonition that inspired her to move across the world in a quest to stay centered. Enjoy! (Originally aired September 2020)

Pro surfer turned shaper, Shane Stoneman discusses the immeasurable influence environment plays in one’s work and well-being, the restorative virtues of painting, music as a conduit to connect with his children, and how to mitigate the physical trauma of shaping surfboards. Enjoy!

Patrick Trefz joins us to discuss how primary cooking lessons from his mother and a missive of exploration from his father led to 30+ years of travel, a tenure at Surfer Magazine, analysis of his friends through documentary, and the idea that food might leave the most indelible imprint of a culture. It’s all chronicled in his latest book, Ode To Travel and in today’s conversation. Enjoy!

In our final installment, AJW reminds us why it’s often preferable to not have a plan, how fasting for 10 days led to him catching the wave of his life at Peahi, solo travel led him to a nude hot spring in the mountains of Japan, and how accepting a job in a sketchy situation evolved into a flourishing relationships. Enjoy!

Adam Warden shares the early lesson from his father that gave him the tools to travel the world, how simply showing up nurtures opportunity, the benefit of being willing to take a punch, why irrepressibly moxie trumps talent, and the value of not knowing. Part one of two! Enjoy!

Retired Marine Combat Photographer Clint Runyon shares how he discovered surfing while stationed on Camp Pendleton (Trestles adjacent), how an economic crunch led him to shaping, building out a surfboard “factory” on deployment, and details the journey to discover the true value of a surfboard. Enjoy!

In today’s episode Superwolf explains his journey from South Beach Miami’s disco scene, to Southern California’s surfboard factories, how Wavestorm legally plagiarized his resin colorwork, and reveals his alternate life as an underground LA DJ. Enjoy!

Hank Warner returns to share the moment that inspired him to become a father, detail the dwindling profit margin of surfboards, recount the greatest surfing he’s ever witnessed, and explain why he’s opts to never retire. Enjoy!

San Diego native, apprentice to board building pioneers worldwide, Godfather to pro surfers, 57 years of shaping, 30,000 boards deep, Hank Warner shares tales from a life immersed in foam dust, brethren, and the sea. Part 1 of 2. Enjoy!

Chris Ruddy recounts his teenaged voyage from Hawaii to San Diego, the gift of access and opportunity given to him by Joe Roper, regifting it to Marcio Zouvi, how corporate manufacturing has replaced pioneering board builders, and how moving inland solves an economic puzzle and unlocks a tenfold opportunity. Enjoy!

Matt Parker is partnered with Coco Ho on a new surfboard label, XOCoco, reimagining surfboard design for the female athlete. We're giving away an XOCoco Halcyon model on March 1st. Today Parker explains the project, the board, and why you should reconsider what you know about board design. Enjoy!

Iconic Queensland shaper Dick Van Straalen shares his origin story and details how living with dyslexia has informed his surfing and surfboard building. He discusses helpful treatment strategies and explains how his acute mindset has empowered him to pioneer material usage and design theory for the past 60 years. Enjoy!

Laminations San Diego sander Alex Banyay details the inner workings of the most revered surfboard factories, quantifies the human costs of outsourced manufacturing, explains why preserving history requires hiring surfer-labor, and reveals which shaper is responsible for the greatest innovations in modern surfing. Enjoy!