MEDIA
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WATCH: SHOP CHRONICLES - HARBOSince opening the shop back in 1959, Rich Harbour and the Harbour Surfboards team have shaped more than 32,000 surfboards. 60 years later, the iconic enterprise remains a pillar in the Seal Beach surf community, still pushing the boundaries of board design. Take a closer look into the history of Harbour Surfboards in the latest episode of "Shop Chronicles."
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WATCH: WANDERING OAXACA - ELIHailing from the North Shore of Oahu, Eli Olson is the epitome of a rounded surfer. His drive to progress in the water transfers over to his passion for martial arts, and he took some time to train in a Oaxacan gym while we visited the town. SHOP OUR NEW COLLECTION HERESUBSCRIBE FOR THE LATEST GEAR & HAPPENINGS HERE
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WATCH: WANDERING OAXACA - TIMMTimmy Reyes has been surfing, traveling, and shooting photos most of his life, making the southern voyage down to Puerto Escondido almost every year for the last two decades. This trip was a first for him to explore and take photos in the city of Oaxaca.Shop our new Summer CollectionSubscribe to O'Neill for the latest gear and happenings
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WATCH: WANDERING OAXACA - LEVILevi Prairie is an artist, musician, and surfer that emits his own approach and style into every creative avenue of practice. Watch as he finds refuge in a local Oaxacan music store and picks up a melodica to keep the tunes going throughout the trip. Shop our new Summer Collection: http://bit.ly/oneill-new-arrivals Subscribe to O'Neill for the latest gear and happenings: http://bit.ly/oneill-sign-up
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TEAM O'NEILL: WANDERING OAXACAWe flew into the city of Oaxaca and rented a Suburban. Timmy Reyes, Levi Prairie and Eli Olson all piled in after strapping boards to the roof and loading duffel bags into the back. The plan was to caravan around Central Mexico from the city to the sand and everywhere in between. We froze our asses off in the mountains of San Jose Del Pacifico and burned up on the shores of Puerto, chasing waves along the coast. Each surfer made sense of the territory in a completely different way and found inspiration in separate creative outlets. Hit play and watch Team O'Neill as they wander through Oaxaca. Shop our new Summer Collection: http://bit.ly/oneill-new-arrivalsSubscribe to O'Neill for the latest gear and happenings: http://bit.ly/oneill-sign-up
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HYPERFREAK HYDRO BOARDSHORT: BA CONVERSATION WITH LORIN ELY-MCGREGOR SENIOR BOARDSHORT DESIGNER The O'Neill brand is built on innovation. Since the early days, we've strived to create and develop products that enhance the surfing experience. Jack O'Neill's simple goal to surf longer lead him to the invention of the wetsuit. That same pioneering spirit is still alive and well, serving as direct inspiration for the all-new Hyperfreak Hydro featuring the "No Tie Fly." This patent-pending design is unique and warranted a full explanation straight from the source. We caught up with Senior Boardshort Designer Lorin Ely-McGregor, the man behind the "No-Tie-Fly," and had a few questions to ask… Where did the inspiration for the new Hyperfreak Hydro come from? The challenge brought to me was to come up with something innovative because the O'Neill brand has always stood for that. There's a heritage in innovation. Some things work and some things don't, but we're always pushing to see what we can get away with. For this particular product, it was about making the best boardshort possible from a functional standpoint. Generally, we are trying to make something that doesn't affect movement, doesn't rash, doesn't cling, and doesn't fall apart. The standard over the years has always been a drawcord as far as closures go. So we don't have to accept the fate of the drawcord? Exactly! (Laughs) They work okay but can come undone when you're in the water. I went down this rabbit-hole of trying to find a totally different closure. The goal was to create a new standard that's better than the drawcord. So I started researching other products with different straps and stuff, shoes and bags or whatever. I just started sketching different things and ultimately came to an early rendition of the "No-Tie-Fly." From there, we started making prototypes. When you had the drawing, was the hook and loop design the original idea? Yeah, right when we were designing a vendor actually showed us the hook and loop material. I think that was in the back of my head already. I know hook and loop isn't anything new, but it hasn't been used like this before with a boardshort. Fight shorts and stuff use it so there is a similarity to those. In the 80s, Jimmy-Z kinda had something similar but this is much more modern and high-tech. And there's no stitching? As far as the Hydro goes, it's all welded and there's no stitching. We wanted it to be really comfortable. A bulky, knotted drawcord is just weird to lay on. It can get clogged with wax and things too. So with this, it was about making it really low-profile and secure when you lay on your board. I've been using it and it works great. I think people will think it's weird at first, maybe a little awkward. But then you put it on and it feels really good. Visually, are you worried people won't like the aesthetic? Maybe, I think it's a natural reaction because it isn't what we're used to. I think people will be weirded out but curious at first. They'll probably try to tug and the strap and tear it or something. Which is okay. It's not the norm. But once people actually use it and realize that it's really comfortable and works, they'll wonder why it isn't the norm. And that's cool. So with a normal boardshort, when you're out in the water for a while, there is a certain amount of give that happens naturally from drag and moving around. Does that still happen with the Hydro? I didn't notice any. Maybe there is a bit but it's not substantial. Every time I've surfed in it the waistband stays locked in and doesn't budge. With that being said, if you buy it big I'm sure there will be some movement. Yeah, that's true. You can't really cinch with this closure system. Well, with drawcords, you can't really cinch that much. There's only a bit of play. That's still true with the No-Tie-Fly. What's cool conceptually, is that the closure works with the surfer for the first time. Like the downward pressure when you're laying on the board actually helps keep the closure locked. And with a drawcord, it seems like the opposite. But this lays flat so you aren't mixing wax in and pulling the thing apart. Yeah, that pressure actually seals it more. That's true. And we use a really high-grade hook and loop. It's three times as strong as normal velcro. If you zoom in on the closure, the teeth are gnarly and create a sturdy grip. So let's talk about the waistband. This thing is pretty tech as well and probably different from what people are used to. This trunk is much more than just the "No Tie Fly." The waistband construction itself is a 3-ply bonded material. On the inner part of the waistband is polypropylene which is a moisture-wicking material that pulls moisture outward off the body. The second layer is mesh and the third is the normal boardshort material. What's happening is the waistband pulls moisture off the body and goes outward, helping the short dry faster. It took a lot of work and testing to get the waistband right. Not too stiff and not too thin, but still really modern and lo-pro. It went through many versions to find the right combination of fabric construction. It's hard to do with the welding because it tends to stiffen things up. It gets almost too sharp sometimes but I think it came out cool. What's the deal with the bottom panels? The lower part that's actually draping over the legs is extremely thin. Yeah, so the idea was to have a fully laser-cut hem. We designed it with a slight scallop at the side leg for ergonomic and performance reasons. The laser-cut hem actually burns the edges of the material so it doesn't fray. It's a clean cut and there is no stitching or folded over fabric at all. Those things restrict flexibility so we made sure to do away with it. The whole silhouette is completely open to maximize the fullest range of motion. There's no restriction of movement. Are you worried that the short is too thin? Do people have to trip out about it sticking to the side of their legs when it gets wet? The fabric is very thin and tightly weaved, but does have a tendency to stick. That's why we only used 170% stretch in the upper paneling. There is a higher density panel in the lower parts of the body so it doesn't get hung up in the high wear areas. High wear areas like the inside legs where you're sitting on your board have thicker, high-density fabrication to prevent clinging and help with durability. We use ultrasonic welding, which means it butts the fabric together and welds on the outside. It's completely flush on the inside. There's no edge. So there's no rash. Gotcha. So it's just a layover but it's smooth. That goes for the inseam as well. Normally you would have a stitch line but we actually constructed the short with no inseam. So normally when straddling your board, a rash can form at the seam line and irritate the skin. We did away with that completely. There's no rash. So can you talk about the look and graphics? Why did you choose this kind of smokey, space-themed design? When we go through our process of building boardshorts, there are a ton of ideas. One of the themes for 2019 was to do a cosmic-inspired series of boardshorts. That theme was definitely something we wanted to bring in with the Hydro, thus the kind of smokey glow. Any other features we're forgetting? Our Hyperdry Plus is a premium water repellency treatment that helps the short dry really fast. It wicks water off the surface and enhances comfort. This is the top level of treatment. This reflective zipper is pretty interesting. What's the deal with that? So yeah, that's our welded zipper pocket. The zipper garage is built at this angle so it backs in and can be out of the way. Also when water drains from top to bottom, it doesn't pull or put pressure on anything. It just drains and flows off. The actual look of the zipper is completely holographic, so it has a weld and fits the futuristic theme of the whole design. What is the future of the "No-Tie-Fly?" Will we see it coming out in other colors or on other boardshort silhouettes? Yeah, so we are adding all new colorways for every season moving forward through the year. Some are plain and some are patterned. We are also looking to expand the closure to our other franchises so be on the lookout for those in the future. This is new technology so we want it to be on our most premium product, but maybe as time goes on it will tier down. Where do you picture the Hydro fitting in? What kind of customer does this appeal to? I think this is for the guy who appreciates performance.. It's for the surf guy that this stuff appeals to, along with people who are into working out or hiking. You can do anything sporty in this short. Play tennis or train or whatever. Most of it goes back to the heritage of the brand. It's inspired by Jack O'Neill and his pioneering spirit.
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WATCH: JORDY SMITH | BEYOND AFIn the lead up to the first WCT event, Jordy Smith scored during a recent strike mission somewhere "Beyond Africa." Watch Jordy tear into the sand bottom right point as he preps for Snapper.Video: @wezlew #ONeill #FirstNameInTheWater
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WELCOME TO TEAM O'NEILL: NOAHWe are proud to welcome Santa Cruz native, Noah Wegrich to Team O'Neill!His positive attitude is contagious and versatile style will be a great addition to the team. Welcome to the family Noah!
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A CONVERSATION WITH JORDY SMITJordy Smith's consistent and powerful approach to riding waves is quick to identify. He's been recognized as one of surfing's true talents from an early age, building up a mean track record of video parts and contest finishes throughout the years. With that being said, I wanted to know more about his life outside of the water. Here's a brief conversation with Jordy Smith… A CONVERSATION WITH JORDY SMITH So you grew up in Durban (South Africa). What years were you in high school? I graduated in '05, so the years would have been '02,'03,'04, and '05. What kind of music were kids listening to? Do you remember when you got into music? A Lot of rap I think… In South Africa, a lot of the people are pretty conservative. I was fortunate enough to travel and was exposed to different music on the road. But I was into Lil Wayne! (Laughs) Yeah, that was a rad era for him. The Carter One, Two, and Three are classics! Was that the first time you were conscious of music, just from school and being on the road? Well, in the early days my dad played a lot of INXS and Simple Minds. Just rock bands… Gun's and Roses, those kinds of eighties bands. All that was played in the car. Back then it was just tapes. Yeah, INXS rips! Were you stoked on that stuff? Oh yeah, I loved it! I still listen to all that stuff today. It holds up for sure. Super good. So what have you been into lately? A bit of everything really… just not death metal or stuff like that. And I feel like rap is in a shitty stage, to be honest. All the popular stuff is sounding the same. It's not even real music! Everyone is fuckin' rapping over shit beats. I don't know, I feel like the late nineties and early two-thousands were a good time for rap. Yeah! A lot of artists from that era had a stable blend of lyricism but the beats were still fun and danceable. Yeah, now it's just people rapping over the same thing. You can go to a Drake or Migos album and there might be one song that sounds different from the rest. Maybe Kendrick is the only new one, like on Damn where the songs range a bit. Did you like that record when it came out? Had you always been a fan? Always! His style reminds me of that early 2000's stuff I like. A good blend of styles. Like when 50 Cent or Eminem came out, or Dr. Dre, it was all booming and for me sounded so good. Hip-hop today is like rock 'n roll was in the eighties. Everyone is doing it. Now everybody's doing rap. Jordy displaying how to properly drop the wallet. Photo: Scotty Hammonds When you go on a road trip, what's getting played in the car? It depends on how early we wake up. If it's too early I like it silent, when the coffee hasn't kicked in. (Laughs) Just turn it all off. But I get what you mean about road music. It's like a bookmark in life. When you go on a trip with someone and hear a song a couple times, you can hear that same thing twenty years later and immediately remember where you were. The specific road or rental car or whatever. You know what I mean? Yeah totally. It triggers memories of a specific trip or person you were with. Yeah! And you remember this or that, like a specific yellow truck or whatever. Just a song can bring back that stuff. And you probably wouldn't have thought about it if the song wouldn't have come on. So you're notorious for having a pretty heavy shoe collection. Was this something you got into growing up? Yeah, it started from day one! In my neighborhood where I grew up, everything was about being as dialed as you could. I was young and we didn't have any money or anything, so it was hard. You would see a pair in the window and just stare. Like damn, now I'm fortunate enough to be able to afford a few pairs, but it's a blessing and a curse. (Laughs) That's pretty cool though, full circle in a way. Yeah! All my friends like shoes, it's just fun to get into. Right down to the materials, the souls, the construction of it, the story behind the scenes with ad campaigns and marketing. But lately, I've been fading in and out. Things have kind of blown up a bit. Shoes are getting so hyped before they sell. That kind of destroys it for me, as opposed to people just liking what they like. So you're saying the campaigns have overhyped the product in a sense? There is so much resale happening. Full markets, like people making a business out of it. People aren't copping them to wear. They just buy to make a buck. You're not the guy who leaves them in the box? I used to be like that, but a while ago I stopped and decided I was just going to buy to wear. If I still have them after I wear them out, then so be it. Wear them forever. Now there is slowly starting to be a change, with sneaker stores making you leave the box at the door or walk out in them. It kinda stops things from getting weird with resales. Yeah, it just boils down to how good the shoe is and how many people actually like it. Cuz' if not, you have a thousand people lining up and only thirty actually want to wear the shoe. The rest of them just want to make a buck, they don't really care about the sneakers. I loved that video of Mark Gonzales skating in Yeezys and just tearing them up. Exactly! At the end of the day, it's just a shoe that's made to be worn, walked in, fucking ran in, whatever. I think people have lost sight of that now, especially giving in to the five or ten grand resale prices. And it costs way less to make. You could buy a car for that much money! Have you dug some of the Vault reissues Vans has been doing? Jerry Lorenzo from Fear of God did one that I really liked. I think it's kind of turning into a staple now with different colors. His designs are great in general. There is something coming out at the end of September with Nike that looks cool too. Was there one pair of shoes that you wanted as a kid and have been able to buy now? Probably the Jordan 3's. The black and cement ones. I remember I had a pair when I was really young and I was skateboarding in them. They got really trashed and I just ended up throwing them away. Years later, I just wish I had kept them. But at ten or eleven years old a kid doesn't think like that. You're just thinking skateboarding or whatever. For the pure purpose of shoes. I bought them cuz' I liked them at the time, with the elephant print and everything. Skate them and throw them away. You're done. That time frame when you're a kid is fun. You just trash stuff and move on. And now as adults, we walk around with these pristine shoes and kind of lose sight of things. I always liked guys that wear Converse and just beat them into the ground. They look better. I remember being a kid and seeing The Strokes wear these old, torn Chucks. It just makes you feel good about having beat up shoes. (Laughs) Yeah, definitely!
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WATCH: JAKE KELLEY IN 'SIMULATWhether he's backdooring pits, laying down carves or lofting huge punts, Jake Kelley seems to have a knack for surfing with speed.Check out STIMULATION - a short film showcasing his homegrown talents.Follow Jake: @jake_KelleyVideo: @laynestratton
