We held a board demo with SSJ in Shonan last weekend. It rained on Saturday, but it was also offshore… something we never get here in California. Definitely the best waves of the trip that morning. Despite the rain, we had a great showing, and people seemed to be having a great time. Patchy rode every board we brought, so it was great to get his input on a bunch of models he hasn’t tried before. We were stoked and humbled to find out how far some people drove to join us on a rainy, chest-high day of surf. Chad Cress hauled his water-housing across the Pacific to snap some photos.
Permalink to Japan 2013 // Board Demo
Japan 2013 // Board Demo
Permalink to Japan Tour 2013 // People + Places
Japan Tour 2013 // People + Places
Chad and I just returned from a 10-day trip to Japan to meet up with Tomo, and all our friends in Japan. Patchy flew up from Australia to hang with us for a few days, then meet up with the TCSS team for the Greenroom Festival (going on this weekend). All in all, we had a spectacular trip, we were able to spend time with so many friends (both old and new), visited a bunch of shops in Tokyo, Sayama measured and made Patchy a new fullsuit all in one day, we ate tons of good food, got haircuts from Karu, and even lucked out and got some waves for the board demo. Here is a short “people and places” photo essay to from our trip, courtesy of Chad Cress. More photos to come…
Permalink to Griffin NK // Peak Hounding
Griffin NK // Peak Hounding
Griffin, peak hounding recently in Newport… riding his favorite, the 5’0 Secret Menu Quad. Glad to know Griffin is getting lots of shaping done while we’re in Japan. Photo: Tom Green
Permalink to Root Beer // Surf Thump
Root Beer // Surf Thump
Custom 9’8 Surf Thump with a Root Beer tint for Luke. Mahogany D-fin by Gully. Guaranteed to melt your wax if you leave it in the sun too long.
Permalink to Thomas H. Green // Photographer
Thomas H. Green // Photographer
Tom Green has been contributing photos to Almond for quite some time. He and Cam go way back. Tom is a regular boardwalk commuter, who always seems to have the inside track on up-to-date surf conditions, and latest the NBA rumors. Chad caught Tom in his element, post-surf, last week. If you see him posted up on the beach, be sure to give him a neighborly wave.
Permalink to Adam Thomson // Sano Special
Adam Thomson // Sano Special
Our buddy Adam from Krochet Kids International came by to pick up his new army green opaque 9’7 Sano Special. Near perfect color-match to his VW bus. Adam was wise and got his Summer surfboard ordered early, to beat the rush. Now he just needs to get to the beach early to find a parking spot… water is warming up. Summer surf days ahead. Photos: Oden
Permalink to Dave Allee // Stringerless Flex Nose
Dave Allee // Stringerless Flex Nose
New stringerless-nose Sano Special for Japan trip 2013. Triple Stringer tail, flex nose… anxious to get this thing in the water in Shonan. We’ll be holding a board demo with SSJ on Saturday May 11th… stay tuned for more details. Photo: Oden
Permalink to Simon Patchett // Noosa
Simon Patchett // Noosa
Simon Patchett, back-handed Noosa point breaks on his 5’2 Secret Menu Quad. The guy on the SUP was headed for greener pastures further south. Stoked to see you in Japan next week, Amigo! Photos: Andy Gough
Permalink to New Log // Cyrus Sutton
New Log // Cyrus Sutton
We just did a new extra-loggy noserider for Cyrus’ upcoming Mexico trip. Griffin and Cyrus chatted board design a few weeks ago, to come up with something for Mexican point breaks. Made some refinements to the rocker, the rail line and added some overall volume to make this a glide-machine and a proper noserider. Anxious for Cy to get this guy in some suitable surf. Photos: Cress
Permalink to 7’4 Joy // Japan Trip 2013
7’4 Joy // Japan Trip 2013
Chad, showing off a new 7’4 Joy model. Peck-inspired stringer setup. The Joy has continued to be a favorite for all-around surf needs. In somewhat unrelated news, Chad and Dave are headed to Japan next week, and we’re meeting Patchy there for a surf with Tomo and friends.
Permalink to Used Log Rhythm // Gully
Used Log Rhythm // Gully
Gully got a new Lumberjack, so he’s selling his 9’1 Log Rhythm. Perfect for a lighter-weight surfer. As always, Gully does some of the nicest fin work on his personal boards, where he has some extra creative freedom. Available at the Almond shop.
Permalink to Griffin NK // 6’0 Kookumber
Griffin NK // 6’0 Kookumber
Griffin showing off a new 6’0 Kookumber. I’ve been more and more stoked on getting back on a Kookumber, recently. I haven’t had one in a few years… about time to return to an old favorite. Photo: Oden
Permalink to Aaron Cervantes // Jetty Dodging
Aaron Cervantes // Jetty Dodging
Aaron Cervantes, affectionately known as King Rat, finding his line on a green, peaky section… showing very little concern about the fast-approaching pile of rocks. 5’6 Quadkumber model, in Newport. Photo: Cress
Permalink to Dave Allee // Cam Oden
Dave Allee // Cam Oden
A few more shots from Friday… Surf Thump and Lumberjack, respectively. Photos: Thomas Green
Permalink to 7’4 Triple Stringer Joy
7’4 Triple Stringer Joy
Blue tint joy that’s headed to France. Now that we’re done with this order, we can start building new boards for our shop… stock up before Summer. Send your requests of what you’d like to see in the racks to info@almondsurfboards.com. We have a few new ideas in the works, that we’re anxious to share with you.
Permalink to Weekend + Waves // Griffin NK
Weekend + Waves // Griffin NK
We just finished and boxed-up a big order of surfboards for Surf System France… so we went for a celebratory surf on Friday morning. Here’s Griffin, excited to get some sunshine and waves, after weeks of hard work. This is the 5’0 Secret Menu Quad that he and Cam screen-printed the cloth for, a little bit ago. Tom Green joined the surf-party and snapped water photos.
Permalink to Aaron Cervantes // 5’6 Quadkumber
Aaron Cervantes // 5’6 Quadkumber
Aaron Cervantes found some waves on his 5’6 Quadkumber this week, in Newport. Aaron also managed to split a peak with a Sandpiper, checking over his shoulder to make sure the Sandpiper went left. Photos: Thomas Green
Permalink to Griffin Neumann-Kyle // Kookumber
Griffin Neumann-Kyle // Kookumber
Griffin showing off a new Kookumber for Surf System France. Triple stringer + 2-tone abstract. Photo: Oden
Permalink to Dane Flinn // Icon Blazer
Dane Flinn // Icon Blazer
Dane, telling fishing stories in his Icon Blazer. For being 14, he has a surprisingly good archive of fishing stories. Photos: Oden
Permalink to Andy Nieblas // San Onofre
Andy Nieblas // San Onofre
C. Cress and I surfed with Andy at Sano on Friday. Andy has been riding a prototype longboard that we cooked up, based on his feedback on his past Surf Thumps… it falls somewhere between a Surf Thump and a Lumberjack… not quite as much nose as a Lumberjack, but slightly more tail than a Surf Thump and a slightly higher rail line than either. Seems like he’s been extremely happy with it, after a few months of R&D. In unrelated news, JJ did a barrel-roll take-off that kind of spat him out fin-first, which he managed to spin around and ride out of. That has nothing to do with this photo, but it was memorable, and worth mentioning. Photo: Chad Cress
Permalink to Stringerless Secret Menu // Spring Green
Stringerless Secret Menu // Spring Green
5’4 Stringerless Secret Menu with glass-on plywood half-moon keels by Gully. Spring Green tint, to celebrate the changing of the seasons.
Permalink to Indoek // Kickstarter
Indoek // Kickstarter
This could be the best $5 you spend this Spring… Indoek is doing a Kickstarter campaign right now, and if you pledge $5, they’ll give you a free “drop in on Matt or Drew” post-card. When that moment arrives, don’t let $5 get in between you and the wave of the afternoon. Support Indoek, the most interesting surf blog that you can’t decide how to pronounce.
Permalink to Icon Blazer // Navy Blue
Icon Blazer // Navy Blue
Our take on the classic navy blazer, and a nod to a time where surf travel included a suit and tie as much as it did a board and trunks. Cotton French Terry with an enzyme wash makes this unstructured tailored blazer as comfortable as your favorite sweatshirt. Throw it over a tee or dress it up with our Craftsman Woven- either way the Edwards/Dora generation would be proud.
Permalink to Griffin NK // Mr. 3000
Griffin NK // Mr. 3000
Griffin is about to do hand-shape #3,000 of his career. His serial numbering started with #1001, so if you happen to run across #4000, you’ve stumbled upon hand-shape 3k by Mr. Griffin Neumann-Kyle. Coincidently, if you subtract 1,000 from the serial number on your Almond Surfboard, you can figure out, sequentially, which number board you are currently holding. Photos: Oden
Permalink to Almond x Shakastics // Skateboard
Almond x Shakastics // Skateboard
We partnered with our friend Yuta, of Shakastics Custom Planks, to do a new Almond Skateboard for 2013. Yuta has been an Almond-contributor, in the way of a few t-shirt graphics in the past, but this is our first time collaborating with him on a co-branded product. Smaller and more vintage-inspired than our previous Coffee-Break Commuter, this skateboard has kick in the tail of the solid hardwood deck, and narrower trucks for more lively hot-dogging. Handmade and hand screen-printed in Costa Mesa, California. Photos: Oden
Permalink to Kyle Lightner // Return + Birthday
Kyle Lightner // Return + Birthday
In case you haven’t heard, Kyle Lightner is back. Where he’s been is another matter, but the point is, he’s back and shooting again, and doing the things he was born to do. He’s been shooting with JJ Wessels quite a bit lately, which is great, because JJ is a class-act dude with a heart of gold. Today is also Kyle’s birthday, so do me a personal favor and send love to kylelightner@gmail.com. This is a portrait that Oden shot of Kyle at Uppers about 4 years ago, when we were shooting Nate riding a Sandia Fish.
Permalink to Simon Patchett // Surf Thump
Simon Patchett // Surf Thump
Patchy sent over some photos of his Easter Morning surf session in NSW, Australia. High tide, warm water, peaky left-hander.
Permalink to Sano Special // Summer Days Ahead
Sano Special // Summer Days Ahead
9’7 Sano Special, in preparation for Summer Days. Light grey semi-opaque, to help reflect the heat of the sun between sessions. This longboard model is the ultimate in glide, for the ultimate Southern California loggin’ spot.
Permalink to Jake Zylstra // Midlength Turn
Jake Zylstra // Midlength Turn
This is a photo Chad Cress shot of Jake a while back, while a few of us were surfing Newport. Jake is riding a midlength that Manny Caro shaped. Seeing more and more people surfing midlengths really well recently. Had to share this photo.
Permalink to 5’6 Sandia Fish // Como Se Dice?
5’6 Sandia Fish // Como Se Dice?
The name Sandia Fish came about years ago when a friend went on a surf trip to Costa Rica and all the locals were laughing at his fish, calling it a sandia (watermelon in spanish) because it was so round-shaped. They would have gotten a kick out of this one… because it’s melon-colored as well.
