Surf Videos
Peeking Inside Zen Del Rio’s Shaping Room
Torrance surfboard shaper Zen Del Rio talks quality, personalization and what makes his craft so special.
Deep Reporting
Valerie Duprat Makes Waves in Surfboard Shaping
When she’s not sequencing DNA or suiting up for a surfing session, Valerie Duprat is building surfboards in her backyard. The mostly self-taught shaper has been handcrafting surfboards for seven years and has shaped 160 boards to date. Duprat’s customers come from all over Southern California, but she has had Read more…
Deep Reporting
Surf Companies Sell Sustainability
Mark Sarinana leans over an elevated piece of recycled foam, tracing the outline of what will soon become his newest custom surfboard. Bright fluorescent lights reflect off the surrounding white walls of Sarinana’s shed in Carlsbad, California, where he shapes sustainable surfboards for his small business, Surfboards from Mars. “I always Read more…
Deep Reporting
The Impact of Machine-Made Surfboards
Scott Clausen is a student at USC who shapes boards in his spare time. He believes that machine-shaped boards are changing surf culture and are less desirable than a custom-shaped board. Even though machine-made and manufactured boards have become popular, hand-crafted boards will always have an important place in surfing and Read more…