"I think the moment I really got excited and thought that we had something is when I went surfing at Pleasure Point..."
Once upon a time, there was a mighty surf industry. It was an oligarchy ruled over by a handful of enterprising men with names like Wooly and Bob who made what surfers wanted. Cool tees emblazoned with Stones, beer bottle opening sandals, co-branded energy drinks and it enriched CEOs and brand reps from California to Florida to Australia’s golden coast.
Alas, nothing lasts forever and, like the Ottoman Empire, it grew weak then collapsed.
Out of its ashes rose a metaphorical Turkish Republic featuring a whole new vibe. Boys and girls with dreams of their own reaching a new surf consumer, one that grew out of the Covid pandemic with care not for Stones nor foot beer.
But let us now meet Davon Larson and Paul Huang, two young Turks from Santa Cruz with what today’s surfer craves.
Protective bucket hats.
The two appeared on the famous entrepreneurial program Shark Tank, recently, pitching their Surf Skull.
“I think the moment I really got excited and thought that we had something, realized we had something, is when I went surfing at Pleasure Point,” Larson told the local news station.
Spending time on this business really required me to dive deep into how the surf business works, and really just try to understand and talk to people about how the helmets can best serve them.” Huang added.
The Surf Skull will retail for $129 and feature a “slip layer,” like a bike helmet, as well as protective foam.
No word at time of writing if any of the “sharks” decided to invest.
Fingers crossed.