Stab is paywalled, fine story if you have access. This story is shorter and well written. Shop Eat Surf

Baggies with open pockets. Giant, Lycra free rash guards that try to drown you. Wetsuits that might as well have been designed by straitjacket manufacturers. $40 tee-shirts with a single color screen print. Surfboard factories in China. The soul is dead. It won't be long till the industry dies with it.

Phoenix Surf. Made in America?

Let's hope.



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I was right.

Edited: 12/12/2024 at 06:05 AM by Cole

Around 60% of the world supply of wetsuits is through SHEICO Group. They seem happy to work with even small vendors; Steve Mara, owner of Ho Stevie! in San Diego traveled to Taiwan to visit Sheico, getting around like a local by motor scooter.

Different brands manage to sell different fits, different everything.

Patagonia seems to care, but they are a death sentence for the wallet.

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I was right.

Patagucci as my very devoted brother in law says.

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"One of the reasons why propaganda tries to get you to hate government is because it's the one existing institution in which people can participate to some extent and constrain tyrannical unaccountable power." Noam Chomsky.

I absolutely agree with him.

I was at a giant airshow not too long ago and didn't see a single surf brand tee shirt. There was a time when half of America was wearing everything from Quik to T&C. That ship has sailed. I wonder if it has something to do with the investment groups ditching the sponsored riders as soon as they take control? In essence, they are doing away with the main thing that made the company successful in the first place.



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I was right.

OC Register explains that everyone's been laid off. Some are interviewing with new licensees. Surf Expo is mentioned.

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wavewatcher - >ww - >wavewatcher, again

BTW, in the boardshort department, XCEL has a Garage sale, so I got a pair of Men's Drylock 18.5. Very good mostly-bonded construction with tape patches and a weird but effectve-looking waistband that ought to stick to the skin. Too cold to get wet. Still headquartered in Haleiwa

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wavewatcher - >ww - >wavewatcher, again