Photo: Jamie O’Brien//YouTube
As a surfer, finding the right shaper can be game changing. Sure, if you’re good enough, you can make basically anything rip, from an off-the-rack pop-out to a wooden door, but there’s nothing quite like riding a board that’s been tailored to your exact needs. What’s more, if you’re truly lucky, a talented shaper might even know what you need better than you do.
Jamie O’Brien is someone who knows the deep relationship between surfer and shaper better than most. He’s been paired up with Tokoro surfboards for decades, so it’s safe to say they know what he likes. JOB’s most recent vlog started off with the North Shore mainstay heading over to pick up a new quiver for the year, in his trademark bold color palette. “We’ve been doing this for over 20 years, so I trust my equipment,” he explained. “It is the best equipment in the world, and yeah, hopefully we get these boards in some big, beautiful barrels.”
However, a new quiver would be nothing without some waves to try them out on. As such, O’Brien suited up and headed out to Waimea bay for a heavy water session – his first visit to the wave since 2016.
