The Future

Let me tell you, I consider myself to be a pretty skilled surfer. Ever since I was a toddler my pops had me in the water. I've caught my fair share of waves. As of late, I've been riding a 9'1" longboard. I've been meaning to change my style up and get a different shaped board for quite a while now. Through my research, I stumbled upon one of the sickest, most innovative surf technologies I've ever seen. Actually, it's quite simple.

Have any of you heard of the ancient Alaia surfboards that Hawaiians rode centuries ago? Unless you're deeply immersed in surf culture, you probably haven't. Alaia boards are made purely out of wood and are only about an inch thick. Yes, they're about as thick as your index finger. Not only that, but they have no fins!

How can you possibly ride them you may ask? To be honest, they are super sturdy and actually plane on the wave like a snowboard! I'm talkin' full 360 spins on water! They are descendants of the first surfboards ever ridden, with just a little more contour to them.

For years, only one man was licensed to sell Alaia boards, Tom Wegner. Many people attempt to shape their own, but they have always been a luxury to the average surfer. The other day I met a man by the name of Ron Dunn, from Oceanside, CA. In short, he has decided to mass produce Alaia boards all over the world. His enthusiasm for the product really struck me and got me excited. The name of his brand is Obeche Boards. This is because he uses obeche wood from South America to shape his Alaia boards.

What really impressed me was that he has made sure to stay green with his entire production process. Not only do his surfboards stay away from the harmful chemicals used by boards of today, but all his excess wood is sold to horse owners for bedding and avocado growers for mulch. This man loves what he's doing, and in 2010, I expect Alaia boards to be the next big thing in the extreme sports world.

Check out his link on our Locallife site to find his website and a great Spring Deal!

-Jack Ryan
for the Savings Guy

The Savings Guy is employed by Locallife.com and admittedly biased towards Locallife clients. However, the Savings Guy is always on the lookout and interested in any great deal in San Diego.