Versatility In an Ever Changing World
Happy October everyone. I hope this blog finds you well, in what is almost the holiday season. Pumpkins now adorn the front porches of my neighbor’s houses, and I’ve traded in my beat up Rip Curl walk shorts for a pair of Quiksilver jeans. I like these jeans because they have Quiksilver’s “Cool-max” technology incorporated into the denim. This makes them super light and stretchy, while still tough and durable, as jeans should be. The pair that I am wearing is designed specifically for skateboarding. it’s a fantastic idea, right? I mean, some of these skate pros are just as much athletes as the guys playing field sports. Launching themselves down ledges and stair sets, sweating for hours on end just trying to nail that landing, and all while looking good for the videos. I know it sounds cliche, but I can remember the days when a pair of jeans was just denim, yarn, rivets, pockets and cuffs. In today’s day and age, these apparel companies need to stay on their toes, always looking for new ideas and ways to rethink and reinvent their products to keep up with trends.
As I walk around the shop, I see more and more surf products that span a plethora of different genres, trying to breathe new life into board shorts and rash guards that we have come to take for granted. Nike now weaves their patented fly-wire technology into board shorts, making them more lightweight and stretchy than ever. This technology was taken from their football gear! It makes total sense to do this, as both the football player and the surf pro are stretching and contorting muscles in ways that not many of us can. Utilizing the fly-wire to help take their performance to the next level is a great example of Nike taking one sports genre, and translating it into another.
It is ideas like this that drive the action sports industry. Constantly reinventing yourself is something that can never get old. Another example of this, is the Rusty wired rash guard.
The thought process behind this is simple. We just want some tunes while were out in the lineup, waiting for the next set! This idea also translates well to the Stand Up Paddle world. Lengthy trips on a SUP board can b the most fun in the world, if the conditions are right. This is why Rusty made a lightweight, SPF coated long sleeve rash guard that repels water, reflects the UV rays, AND has a waterproof pocket for your mp3 player or Iphone. Now you can paddle all day with your favorite recording artist to keep you company.
So in conclusion, I just want to say that I am constantly blown away by what the designers are doing behind some of our top surf lines. Taking a hardcore, deep jungle surf trip has never been easier thanks to companies like Dakine, Reef and Patagonia. SO feel free to shop the site and see what I am talking about. No longer is it commonplace to buy just a pair of board shorts. No, we in the surf world want you to have confidence in the technology of your purchase, and we want you to use it.