No more neon neoprene! Photo: The Inertia
Sharon Eisler and her son, Drake, pull off the I-5 freeway at Cristianitos Road in San Clemente in their dark grey Mercedes Sprinter van and scour the street for a parking spot. Sharon swoops in as another Sprinter leaves – it’s late morning on a Tuesday, so parking isn’t as hectic as on the weekends, she says. Drake hops out and shoves his wetsuit into a backpack before putting two brand new …Lost shortboards under each arm, both just over five feet, as the two begin walking down to the famous surf break.
Sharon looks at her son. “I’m still pissed about it,” she says as she shakes her head.
“I know, mom,” says Drake.
Unlike past wetsuits he’s been floated for free from his sponsor, one of the big three surf brands, Drake’s newest suit is noticeably different – no bright orange or yellow to speak of. In fact, it’s all black.
Several weeks ago, the principal neon ink maker that supplies virtually every neoprene manufacturer in the world – a company based in China – shut down operations, effectively making it impossible for any wetsuit maker to get its hands on brightly-colored neoprene.
“A lot of our customers haven’t even noticed,” said an executive of one of these major wetsuit brands based in California who asked to remain anonymous. “But I am getting earfuls from parents who were hoping to get their kid a fluorescent yellow wetsuit so they could get noticed down at Lowers this summer and either attract a sponsor or, if they already have one, get shots to send to mags or whatever.”
As I reach the sand at Lower Trestles with Sharon and Drake Eisler, all the trappings of a typical summer weekday are there: a light south wind feathering the surf, a decent south swell providing highly-rippable A-frames, and plenty of groms catching up with each other as they changed into wetsuits. The only thing amiss was the lack of blind-you-if-you-look-too-long neoprene.
For their part, the groms that were pulling all black wetsuits over their shoulders didn’t appear any worse for the wear, but that’s all the parents that were spectating could talk about.
“Total bull,” says Dean Soros, whose son Evan got second place at NSSA Nationals earlier this year. “The neon is who Evan is, it gives him confidence. How will he get noticed now? I hope the factory that went under feels good about themselves, putting the kibosh on a kid’s dream of being a pro surfer like that.”
On Thursday, a group of 20 parents of young surfers who frequent Lowers signed an open letter addressed to the White House asking the president to intervene. When I asked some of the parents who signed the letter how they envision the chief executive of the country getting involved they offered no clear plan.
Still, frustration down in San Clemente has reached a boiling point. As Sharon and Drake Eisler and I walked back up the trail after a few hours, she was distraught.
“How the hell is Drake gonna win NSSA Nationals next summer if this shit doesn’t get fixed, huh? Tell me,” says Sharon.
Editor’s Note: Johnny Utah is an “Eff-Bee-Eye” agent and an expert in works of satire. More of his investigative reporting can be found here.
