If you’re in the San Diego area tomorrow, May 2nd, head down to Mission Bay to check out StayClassy.org’s Elemental Experience Music & Art Festival.

The lineup is pretty insane, including killer performances by: 

Matisyahu (8:20 – 9:45 PM)
Bassnectar (6:50 – 7:50 PM)
Pinback (5:20 – 6:20 PM)
Mason Jennings (4:00 – 4:50 PM)
Dirty Sweet (2:45 – 3:30 PM)
Pete & J (1:45 – 2:30 PM)
Jay Nash (12:45 – 1:30 PM)
The Kneehighs (12:00 – 12:30 PM)
DJ Scooter (7:50 – 8:20 PM)
DJ Craig Smooth (6:20 – 6:50 PM)
DJ Ayla (4:50 – 5:20 PM)
… and more in between all acts.

To top it all off, this is a fundraiser for San Diego Youth Services; (SDYS) and Stay Classy Foundation have partnered to bring a much-needed shelter to homeless 18-24 year-olds in San Diego.

I’m going… what better way to spend your Saturday than to see some killer music by the beach in America’s Finest City?

Nixon’s launch into the personal audio category began just a few days ago with the introduction of three custom designed, custom built headphone models; The Master Blaster (an over-ear studio quality headphone), The Nomadic (an on-ear travel headphone) and The Wire (an in-ear headphone). Built from the ground up after two years of research and design, the inaugural line of custom headphones run between $40-$200.

The Master Blaster, available in three colorways, is a lightweight and durable piece that boasts DJ quality sound and is topped of with leather details for the ultimate in listening comfort. The Nomadic, a compact and collapsible model, is made with stainless steel, durable nylon and custom molded foam. This perfect travel companion comes in seven color options and is also available for use with your cell phone. Designed with a minimalist point of view, ergonomic fit and soft touch application, the small dog with a big bark of the bunch is The Wire. The Wire delivers robust sound in a comfortable little package and is available in eight color choices and with two-way cell phone compatibility.

South Coast Surf Shops has all Nixon Headphones stock available in stores and online. But hurry, the much-anticipated release of Nixon’s Headphones & Audio gear is sure to sell out fast!

Depending on where you live in the country, holiday order deadlines are approaching fast. Check your calendar!

• Friday, December 19th is last day for 2-day UPS shipping.
• Monday, December 22nd is last day for Next-Day UPS shipping.

Check our UPS shipping calculator on the shopping cart page to see estimated delivery dates for your area!

It’s easy…

1. Add items to your shopping cart
2. Click “Checkout” in the top-right corner of your screen
3. While viewing the items in your cart, look for the “Shipping” button as pictured here.
4. Type in your zip code and estimated UPS delivery dates will be shown with prices (shown below).

Packing your surfboard travel bag is an art. I’m not really sure how airlines manage to ding boards the way they do, but I’m pretty sure the ground crew gets pay raises for jamming blunt objects into surfer’s boardbags. Getting on the plane with the unknown of whether or not you’ll open your travel bag to freshly dinged boards is an unavoidable thought process for every traveling surfer.

Add in the ridiculous baggage fees airlines are imposing these days, along with the tanking American dollar that declines in value as it’s sitting in your wallet, and you’re arriving to your favorite surf destination with a sour taste in your mouth… And you’re not even out of the airport yet!

Not a good way to start a surf trip. The last thing you wanna do is spend time fixing dings in your board when you know you could have packed your boardbag better.

Reference the opening scene of Ace Ventura: Pet Detective for a visual of the way your boards will probably get treated once you check them in. (general idea)

Have no fear, South Coast has your back. Now view how we can all pack our surfboards for maximum protection against Ace and his co-workers:

Patagonia R2

South Coast Surf Shops just got our very first Patagonia Wetsuit delivery, and all the shop employees are super stoked on it. The boxes were full of Patagonia R2 front-zip fullsuits, and everybody wanted to see the new “green” technology that Patagonia infused into their brand new wetsuit line.

As our own Rose McGinley-kase highlighted in our last newsletter, Patagonia is making eco-friendly wetsuits with a purpose. They’re thinner, warmer, naturally safer than traditionally manufactured wetsuits (according to Patagonia’s wetsuit features page). This makes the R2 a little better for the environment–and the end user–after all is said and done.

From PVC-free knee pads to chlorine-free marino wool lining, the Patagonia R2 embarks on a journey that most wetsuit manufacturers wouldn’t dare: finding functionality and overall sensibility in a final product that the general public can enjoy at a reasonable price.

After all, if it’s affordable AND green, people are way more likely to use it, right?

Patagonia R2

By Rosie McGinley-Kase

From surfing and skating to rock climbing and fly-fishing, Patagonia has the gear for it all. But what makes them so different from other companies is their eco-friendly status of course. Patagonia is a company truly striving for the good health of our planet and its natural habitats. They make eco friendly gear and fight for eco friendly causes, making them one of the most active companies out there.

“What does Patagonia have to do with surfing,” you ask? Our friends from the North are commandeering some eco-friendly products that are changing the way we think about what surfers use and buy, one product at a time.

Lucky for us, they are starting their surf division with Patagonia wetsuits. (Men’s Patagonia Wetsuits available at South Coast beginning November 5th 2008)

Patagonia uses organic wool in the lining of their wetsuits, just one of the many ways the outdoor company is expanding their message through their product line. To start off, their wetsuits are made from high quality Japanese neoprene . Then the suits are lined with a merino-wool mix, made with recycled polyester, which pushes water away from the body to help keep you warmer. Patagonia also uses PVC free knee pads. PVC is a plastic often used in wetsuits that is toxic to the environment.

Patagonia is one of the most environmentally conscious companies out there because they take into consideration how much waste there is in the world. Which is why they started a program called Common Threads Garment Recycling. People can donate any of their old worn out garments to Patagonia and they turn it around and recycle our old threads into brand new ones. The process is long but to sum it all up they chop up old clothes turn them into polyester through a long process and weave it into a brand new piece of clothing.

Patagonia is not only into recycling old threads, but they start out new clothing eco-friendly too, by using organic cotton. Organic cotton can be found in most of their clothing lines, as we as other earth friendly and organic materials, such as wool.

Not only does Patagonia give back to the environment through their clothing, they fight for environmental causes through the company making real life changes. One of the big campaigns Patagonia has going on right now is VTE (Vote for the Environment), which encourages consumers to get involved and vote. On the Patagonia website, they give important pieces of information about the upcoming election and links to further inform yourself.

Patagonia is also involved in several other programs such as Environmental Grants, where they give 10% of their pre-taxed profits or 1% of their sales, which ever is higher, to a grassroots environmental program. They also created 1% for the Planet, which is an alliance of business that want to help in the fight to save the earth, by donating 1% of sales profits as well.

The Patagonia website includes a feature called Leading the Examined Life, which gives us the consumers a idea of where products come from and how much it effects the environment. This page shows everything from the best to worst. Patagonia isn’t trying to hide anything.

Keep warm with the hottest new Quiksilver Wetsuits for FALL 2008
By Brianne Chavez

This season Quiksilver wetsuits has a lineup that covers the bases for surfers of all levels. Starting with their top of the line Cypher, and going through their mid range Ignite to the entry level Syncro, South Coast Surf Shops is highlighting the key features of this year’s Quiksilver wetsuits.

Replacing the Cell of last season, Quiksilver has introduced the Cypher. The Cypher wetsuit contains an HFT chest panel, flexmax, hyperstretch II, vapor stretch mesh chest and back, triple glued and blind stitch, cypher seal, hydroshield water barrier, and hydrowrap adjustable neck closure. You’re probably asking yourself what all of this means. Let me break it down for you. An HFT chest panel is a jersey like material that lies between your skin and the main skin of the suit. What it does is allow minimum water into the suit, keeping you warmer. It is comparable to the firewall in Oneill suits, just with a different name. Flexmax is a Quicksilver’s version of waterproof seams. All this means is that there is a liquid tape seal on one side of the seams to ensure that no water leaks through the seams.

Hyperstretch II is the type of neoprene used in the suit. It is extremely flexible and durable. Vapor stretch in the chest and back is placed over the Hyperstretch II neoprene to help hold in air and block out water, which will keep you warmer. The triple glued and blind stitch means that all seams are blind stitched half way through the neoprene, and then triple glued to help keep water out of the seams. The cypher seal is a cuff on the wrists and ankles of the suit that help keep the water out and allow the ankles and cuffs to last longer. The hydroshield water barrier is a layer of material between your back and the zipper, which doesn’t allow the cold water to hit your back. The hydrowrap adjustable neck closure explains itself. It’s adjustable so that you can loosen and tighten as you feel and keep water out. The Cypher is offered as a back zip, chest zip, or hooded chest zip.

The mid range suit that Quiksilver offers is the Ignite. The Ignite wetsuit comes in back zip with Hyperstretch-II, HFT chest panel, triple glued and blind stitching, hydrosheild water barrier, vaper stretch chest mesh, and freemax super stretch. You can get the Ignite either flatlocked stitched or liquid flex seal. Quiksilver takes it to the next level with their liquid flex seal by sealing both the interior and exterior of the seams with liquid tape. The Hyperstretch-II is in the arms of this suit to provide maximum flexibility. The body is made up of freemax super stretch. If you want to buy a quality suit, but aren’t looking to spend a ton of money, the Ignite is a great buy.

Quiksilver’s entry-level price suit is the Syncro. The Syncro wetsuit offers the basic essentials needed for staying warm in the water. It is consists of Hyperstretch-II neoprene, flatlock stitching or glued and blind stitching, a full-length zipper, an adjustable neck, and hyperweld kneepads. The Hyperstretch-II neoprene is also found in the arms and shoulders of this suit, while freemax super stretch is in the body. Flatlock stitching is when the stitching is all the way through the neoprene. The full-length zipper allows for easy access in and out of the suit. This suit is perfect for moderate water temperatures and beginners.

This season, the Roxy offering for women is the Roxy Syncro and the Roxy Cypher. Both have the same features as the men’s versions, but better suited to fit a woman’s body. The only thing the Roxy Cypher does not offer is the chest zip option for the ladies.

This season’s Quiksilver suits are sure to catch your eye. Whether you want to go with their high end Cypher, mid range Ignite, or entry level Syncro, you are certain to be pleased by your selection.

by Robb Bailey

I know we’ve all said it to ourselves while bobbing around with some buddies in cold, less than perfect conditions…

“We could make a million dollars if we invented a heated wetsuit!”

All our collective efforts were too slow. Rip Curl went ahead and made the impossible a reality with the core-heated H-Bomb wetsuit. Sorry guys–in the future, you’ll have to wain your fortunes on something other than toaster oven/neoprene fires in the garage.

After a few years of R&D, trial & error, and a little Tom & Jerry, the team over at Rip Curl has put together a pretty advanced system for heating your body’s core in the icy cold H2O. It’s functional, easy to use, and most of all, it’s hot. Really hot.

But the question remains: Will they make millions of dollars selling this wetsuit? Probably not. Not any time soon anyways… With a retail sticker of just under $1,000 (that’s one thousand, people), one might think they’re laughing all the way to the bank. Not exactly so. Although the price of the H-Bomb seems high compared to a brand new E-bomb wetsuit, almost all of the price difference between the two is invested in the heat technology. Neither South Coast nor Rip Curl are making more money on this suit than any other wetsuit, which leads us to believe that Rip Curl has made a huge initial investment in this technology.

Rip Curl is making very conservative moves with their waterproof toaster oven. They are rolling out a limited release of 100 H-Bomb wetsuits worldwide. Only 80 are being made available nationwide in the US, and South Coast Surf Shops is one of two SoCal retailers to carry the H-Bomb. It will not be made available for purchase online by anyone. Heck, the Rip Curl retail stores aren’t even carrying it… at least to start out with.

What does that mean for you and me? Hopefully Rip Curl has counted their ducks carefully and sells through every piece they made this go-round. Next time around, the technology will get better, the materials will hopefully get cheaper, and the cost of the suit will match what we can afford to pay a little better (Rip Curl corporate, take note).

South Coast Surf Shops will be one of the only retailers in SoCal to carry the H-Bomb wetsuit. Starting November 1st, put your tire-kicking shoes on and head on down to South Coast Windansea for a personal showcase by one of our lovely associates. The H-Bomb suits won’t be hanging on the rack–they’ll be stored safely in the back–so be sure to ask us for the H-Bomb skinny when ya walk in.

We’d be happy to show you all the features and get your questions answered!

That will be the run of the Rip Curl H-Bomb wetsuit until February of 2009. Don’t say we never do anything for you, folks. You heard it here first!

By Jody Wood

Last month, Robin Prodanovich and I discussed his latest creation, the Prod Quad. This month, we take a look at another orginal Prodanovich design that is a great choice for the upcoming season. The Reality Check serves many purposes. It is a great transitional board for the entry level surfer who wants to step it up a notch, but also a fine choice for salty rippers as an alternative to their high performance shortboard. It is also not a bad idea for the aging surfer who could use a little more foam to keep your wave count high. Here, Robin goes into the details of the design and its functionality.

• How did the Reality Check design come about? The Reality Check design was born back in 2002. Surfers of all ability levels were struggling on their very low volume shortboards when wave conditions were poor and not having much fun. I saw a need for a shortboard with greater versatility.
• What separates it from a standard short board design? The RC is basically a standard shortboard that has been filled out. It has standard shortboard proportions based on nose, center and tail widths and is similar in thickness. The biggest difference in planlines between the two boards would be the proportionately wider nose on the RC. The RC bottom contour differs by using the tried and true flat-to-V bottom with attention to the overall rocker curve.
• How does it compare to an egg? The RC rides nothing like an egg. The RC is aimed at the surfer who wants to surf aggressively and really likes the shortboard feel and wants the board to work in a variety of conditions. I view the egg as a good entry level board whereas the RC is a much more high performance design.
• The Reality Check is available with a squash tail, a double-winged swallow tail, and recently I’ve seen a few diamond tails coming through the warehouse. How does the tail shape change the responsiveness or feeling of the board? The two most popular tail shapes on the RC are the traditional performance squash tail and the double wing swallow. The diamondtail is usually a custom order. The DWSW (double wing swallow tail) board will have a wider tail by about 1/4″ than the squash tail model and the two wings allow me to reduce the aft part of the planline to allow the surfer to maintain good control and still have plenty of forward body width for getting up on plane. The swallowtail shape adds a little extra hold when needed. When looking at the two designs side by side, the DWSW has more fullness and float with the wide point pushed back slightly as compared to the squashtail model.
• It’s one of South Coast’s best selling designs. Why do you think that is? The RC designs sell very well because they are extremely user friendly. A surfer can jump on an RC design and immediately get that great shortboard feel without having to work so hard, become tired and frustrated. The boards paddle well, catch waves well and have a shortboard performance feeling. They even duck dive well!
• What sizes is the Reality Check available in? I shape the RCs from about as short as you want to about 7’6″. The designs lend themselves to all different lengths.
• Talk about fin set-ups for the Reality Check. We’ve seen a ton of tri-fins over the years, but I’ve seen a few quads and five-fin designs come through lately. How do those fin variations affect the boards performance? The RC design originated as a tri-fin but more recently I’ve adapted them to be ridden as a quad fin as well. I personally ride quads exclusively and love the feeling of drive, maneuverability and not dragging a third fin around through every turn and I felt the RC was a good candidate to be a Q-5. A surfer can buy a Q-5 Reality Check as a tri-fin, spend a few more dollars to buy a set of FCS GX fins for the rear and practically have two boards for the price of one. How’s that for a bargain!
• Tell us about the stand bottom contour for the Reality Check. I keep the bottom contour on the RC design very simple; very flat rail-to-rail through the main body of the board to “V” off the tail to add curve to the rail line.
• Talk about the rail design and it’s role in the boards all around functionality. Shortboard rails do not vary much from shaper to shaper and from board to board for that matter. The most common configuration is round and neutral starting at the nose, staying fairly round and neutral with decreasing bottom radius through the mid part, to down hard and vertical with no or very little lower radius the last 12″-18″ of the tail. This rail description could apply to about 90% of all surfboards and it’s up to the shaper to know where the water needs to cling to the rails and where it needs to break free. This is my condensed version of rail technology!

Stop by South Coast Surf Shop in Ocean Beach or South Coast Windansea in Pacific Beach to view the full line of Reality Checks before you pick out your next board. Call South Coast Surf Shop at 619-223-4431 for more information on how to order a custom board.

Seasons Change and So Do You
By Brianne Chavez

Summer is coming to end and we are fast approaching wetsuit season. Finding that perfect suit may seem like a daunting task, with so many styles and brands to choose from. Here, at South Coast, we offer a variety of different brands, ensuring that you will find the best fit at a price you can afford. Oniell offers a wide range of suits that work for surfers at all levels. By highlighting the key features of each suit, I hope to give you a better understanding of them. So, when you go shopping for your new suit this season, you will already have an idea of what you want.

Beginning with the entry-level wetsuits, we have the Hammer. This suit is great for beginners because it’s a great bargain. This season’s Hammer features Oneill’s exclusive high-stretch neoprene, Fluid Flex. Fluid Flex is a new category of high stretch neoprene that is extremely soft and lightweight. This suit is 100% Fluid Flex with Kevlar kneepads and TFX Torso Flex. The TFX Torso Flex is an element that places the stretchiest neoprene in the lower back panel to increase flexibility.

The Hammer also features the blackout zipper, flat lock stitching, strategically placed seam lines, and an unfinished neck to ensure comfort while surfing.

The Epic is the next step up in the Oneill line. The Epic features glued and blind stitching, which keeps out more water while providing the lightest, most flexible seam construction available. The Epic is made with Ultra Flex DS in the shoulders and legs. The Ultra Flex DS has a new outer jersey that is more resistant to snags. It is also very flexible and lightweight. Like the Hammer, this suit has a blackout zipper. The blackout zipper is an overlapping zipper that keeps out water. If you hold it up to the light you should not see light through the zipper, hence the name “blackout zipper”. To provide comfort, the Epic has no seem in the underarms and features a fully taped crotch area.

The next step up is the Heat. The Heat has fluid seam welds, meaning the seams are water proof. Oneill has put these seams in at the ankles and wrists to minimize water entry, making this suit 100% sealed. It also includes an external key pocket, a code red zipper, smooth skin in the front and back, and firewall in the front. The code red zipper is an overlapped zipper coated with urethane, which further reduces water entry. The firewall in the chest is polypro. What this does is disperses the water when it hits your chest, allowing your body to heat it up faster. The neck on the Heat is super seal. This kind of neck is adjustable and unfinished, so you don’t get a lot of chaffing. Oneill used their Fluid Flex neoprene in the rear, with no seams, to ensure ultimate comfort.

For colder climates, Oniell offers a Psycho series. The Psycho series includes the Psycho 1, the Psycho 2, and the Psycho Freak. All of these come with Oniell’s Zen Zip feature. The Zen Zip is basically a floating zipper to provide maximum flexibility when paddling. What Oneill has done is put an extra barrier between the zipper and your skin, allowing the zipper to move as you move. They also feature the D-Tox kneepad, which is a flexible kneepad, made for durability. All are made with minimal seams, an exterior key pocket, and fluid seam welds on the ankles and wrists. The Psycho 1 is made with 100% Ultraflex DS. The Psycho 2 is made with 100% Ultraflex XDS. Ultraflex XDS is the top of the line neoprene. It is the most flexible, insulating neoprene on the market. The Psycho Freak has XDS-Air Firewall in the torso and upper legs, and XDS-Air neoprene in the shoulders and lower legs. The XDS-Air has more holes in the neoprene to trap more air, thus providing more insulation. The Psycho 1 has exterior fluid seam welds, while the Psycho 2 and Psycho Freak have both interior and exterior fluid seam welds. The Psycho 1 and 2 come with smooth skin on the front and back, with firewall on the front and ultra flex on the back. If you’re looking for an insanely warm suit, Oneill has provided the Psycho series to keep you warm in those chilly environments.

All of the suits mentioned thus far feature a back zip. If you don’t like the back zip, Oneill offers one suit that is a chest zip. This suit is the Mutant. The Mutant comes with an interchangeable hood. To help ensure that water does not come in through the chest zip, they have overlapped neoprene under the chest zip to trap water and drain it out through a drainage hole. The Mutant has external fluid seam weld on the seams, ankles, and wrist. It is made with Ultraflex XDS, firewall on the chest, and smooth skin on the back. The Mutant also has Kevlar kneepads, a glideskin neck finish, and external key pocket. With the special feature of the chest zip, the Mutant is an ultra comfortable, durable suit.

Having covered all the men’s suit, let’s take a look at what’s out there for women and juniors. For women’s suits, there are the Dlux and Hailo. The Dlux has all the features of the Heat, but specialized for a woman’s body. For colder conditions, the features of the Psycho 1 are available in the Hailo. Available for juniors, there is the Epic, Mutant, and Reactor. The Reactor is a great suit for the price. It is flatlock stitched, made with Fluidflex neoprene, has a super seal neck, and strategic seamless paddle zones.