“I’m just gonna go say hi to the guys outside,” he tells me and filmographer JacuzziSurfer before jumping into the 56 degree water. He’s referring to 5 guys sitting way, way outside on guns. None of them has tried to surf a wave yet – it’s simply too sketchy.

Shenanigans as usual at the URT WOMP

You've heard the term 'followthrough' most likely. But our man Vincent Anthony Amendola, AKA @goodvibes_84, takes follow through to the next level. A master...

The Wave

Itacoa is hard to compare to any other wave. It’s one-part Dominical, one-part Waimea shorebreak, and one-part Baker Beach. The Itacoa Legends 2016 event was more like an epic family gathering than a competition. The “Fish Man”, who stars in his own bodysurfing TV series (and is credited with blowing up the sport in Rio) was just one of the crew...

The crew at Sole has created the very first bag designed exclusively with the bodysurfer in mind.

Featuring durable, waterproof, re-purposed billboard vinyl. This versatile backpack is great for swimmers and beachgoers as well. Strategically placed all-weather mesh panels allow you to easily shake out excess sand while letting moisture evaporate. There’s nothing else like it...

By: Tom Ekman •

If you’re gonna rock a Speedo, you gotta be ripped for the babes (or in the case of our handplane siren-sisters, the dudes). Luckily, bodysurfing is the ticket. Here’s why:...

By Tom Ekman •

“Are those handboards you’re using? Cool! Did you make those yourself?”

So goes a comment I heard regularly at the various breaks of W. Guerrero, Mex. over the last 6 weeks. Everywhere I go, I have to appreciate the fact that bodysurfers get respect. Any boardsurfer who sees you trimming along on a wave knows it’s all about soul (ahem…or, “Sole”).

It’s been an adjustment going from long, consistent reefs on O`ahu to thumping, desolate (and sharky) beachbreaks. But my first wave at La Barrita, I realized why the whomp! is so compelling.

6- to 8-foot faces, glassy and light blue, these waves were sucking so hard off the sandbar that as I looked over the shoulder paddling out, it looked like the water on the inside was 5 feet lower.   If that was a reef on O’ahu, you’d have to have a death wish to drop in.

But this was just sand, dammit! And my...

I'm Mark Garcia Aka OverboardDad, currently residing in South Orange County. Grew up in good ole Huntington Beach where I fell in love with the ocean and...

Wyatt Yee

In case you didn’t hear about it, SoleRider Wyatt Yee of Honolulu, HI, placed second in the Men’s Handboard Division of the Oahu Bodysurfing Championships. The contest...

Dylan Higgins, on a meaty one at Sandies, Oahu HI. Oahu Bodysurfing Championships

By: The Sole Collective • 

Dylan became part of the Sole Collective early in 2015.

Hi, my name is Dylan Higgins and I live in Honolulu, HI. It's cool living here because there's so much stuff you can do here outdoors, including tons of prime spots for bodysurfing and surfing. My favorite things to do are surfing and bodysurfing, but I also like hanging out with my friends and going hiking and seeing movies. My favorite local spot is definitely Point Panic, closely followed by Makapu'u. On Oahu, bodysurfers are viewed being cool dudes. You don't really catch any flak unless you drop in on the uncles. I'd really like to visit Porto Escondido one day but until then I guess I'll have to deal with surfing on the North Shore. Haha. Mark Cunningham is one of my biggest inspirations because not only is he an excellent bodysurfer, but he does a lot of stuff for the Oahu community, in particular being one of the heads of the "Defend Oahu Coalition". My goal in life is to go to college somewhere on the mainland or Europe and become a Marine Biologist or an archaeologist.

Dylan Higgins on his Pocket Rocket • Photo: Brian Yee, Waikiki Beach Walls

Lugnut enjoying the view

By: Anonymous •

So, ok back to my story. My buddy Lugnut, the Boomer beach dude, says “You wanna bodysurf? So lets go” and gets me to swim out on a not so small day (not at Boomers). The good news is that he didn’t make me wear a Speedo and he let me wear my wetsuit. Turns out HE doesn’t wear a Speedo and wears a wetsuit in the winter. Things are looking up! The bad news is...

Part One

By: Anonymous • 

“I suggest you quit surfing.” Not the words a surfer that’s spent the last 25 years in the water wants to hear from his doctor. So what to do now? The x-rays didn’t look good and the persistent pain in my neck and back had been telling me the same thing for years now, namely my days in the water could come to an end sooner rather than later. The chronic pain was due to sports and occupational injuries, and the consistent postures and muscle activities of surfing only made things worse. But I LOVE surfing!

 “Ok, doc, I’ll quit.” Though what I meant was that I would look for an alternative that would give me the same feeling of freedom, excitement and play that surfing gives. What to do? Keep in mind that this...

By Thomas Ekman, J.D., M.Ed. • 

I started surfing in 1987, but until last year, I had no idea that you could bodysurf down-the-line. In 2014, I was dating a pro-am surfer chick on O’ahu, and (to avoid embarrassing comparisons) I would paddle out with a water cam and shoot pix of her shredding. I bought a...

By The Sole Collective •

Things slowed down a bit in October, though the surf didn't!! Combined with awesomely warm water, south swells have been pumping through one after another!! Business wise though we haven't slowed down at all. We've solidified our partnership with Mabo Handplanes -our distributer in Japan, and picked up a distributor for the UK. Life is good.

On Sunday, October 11th, Sole Handplanes, Slyde Handboards, Seaplane Handplanes and OB Handplanes hosted the first and definately not the last ‘alternative’ surf craft demo even. Mother Nature smiled and treated us with waves approaching double overhead on the biggest sets. Ocean Beach has a thriving...

By: The Sole Collective •

This summer has been a busy one for all here at the Sole Collective. Not only have we begun a global push for brand recognition and representation, we have also been up to our ears in events and competitions! The following features are just a snapshot of our summer!

Antics & Chilly Water For the URT Womp on Coronado

URT URT! Is not only the bark of the Sea Lion, it’s also the moniker of local Coronado Island legends and chill clothing brand. On August 16 Coronado was the venue for the 5th Annual Urt Womp, a Body Surfing Competition. The waves...