APPAREL
Favorite Shorts: Oakley Hydrophobic Swimshorts
The water is not actually floating (it’s a photography trick) although it might as well be given that these shorts are about as hydrophic as a ski jacket. Inside of these shorts is an integrated and detachable compression base layer to hold your hammies together while you’re doing laps at Rincon.
Favorite Sandals: Ocean Minded Honuback
Their new lineup of sandals went way back to the designs that helped them rise to prominence. The HonuBack, one of their original sandals, is being reintroduced this spring. With two layers of OM foam footbeds, one for the white stone-looking grips and one for the actual midsole, they’ll keep your feet comfy while draining excess water out the sides.
One of the cool things about Ocean Minded is the sheer number of beach cleanups they do (about three per month with plans to increase that to even more this year).
ACCESSORIES
Nixon and Freestyle
Nixon and Freestyle are both offering new tide watches with silicone bands – a material that is a bit more comfortable than traditional metal bands. Freestyle added tide to the Mariner series. The round face, while not functionally different than its predecessor, adds a level of design. Nixon included a high definition screen to their new Supertide – cool but still not what we really want. According to reps at both companies, we’re very close to GPS and/or bluetooth tide/surf reports that integrate with the power of your phone.
GoPro Hero 3+ Black
Here’s an underdog hero story for you. GoPro used to be the company that made tiny point-and-shoot wrist mount cameras and operated out of a garage. Used to be. Back then they were relegated to trinket land (the part of Surf Expo where exhibitors sell cheap beach toys and t-shirts with kittens on them) and had to yell “GoPro” three times at passerbyers just to get enough attention to give away free stuff. Today, they are always front and center at shows but have never forgotten where they came from. Each day, a huge crowd gathered for GoPro giveaways, hailed by the chant “GoPro, GoPro, GoPro.” They used to have to yell just to give stuff away. Now everyone and their grandma wants a piece. Funny how times change.
