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Design for the surfing subculture

By Rain Noe - October 4, 2010

in Object Culture

New Zealand company Surf Curve designs products by and for the specific subculture of surfers, as you can probably guess by their name.

We know surfing. We know the highs. We know the lows. We've scored perfection by hiking over to the next bay, stacked boards till the car roof dents, seen them bounced by baggage handlers, and slept in our boardbags to wake up to surf on our doorstep. We've been there and we've loved it and we've learned. And its made us want to make surf gear better. To discuss, develop, test, argue and design a better way. And to make stuff that makes sense and makes you think 'why didn't I think of that?

Yes, even people who surf all day have problems and design needs, like trying to keep their car trunks from getting wet and sandy. Hence Surf Curve's Changebag, a changing mat that bundles up, keeping your wetsuit sand-free and the car nice and dry."Our aim," says Surf Curve's mission statement, "is to minimise the [daily-life obstacles to surfing] that might hold you back, so we designed our gear around this, to increase your mobility finding waves and better protect your gear." To that end they've got a full line of products designed to make it easier for surfers to transport their gear around, which you can check out here. You also may want to check out the New Zealand Herald's article looking at Locus Research, the design consultancy behind some of Surf Curve's products.

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Carli Shipley

14 years ago

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I think this design is brilliant. Yes, you should always wash off your wetsuit after use, but usually next to, if not surrounded by, showers is a lot of sand. So, by standing on the ChangeBag you wouldn't get your wetsuit or your feet all sandy again. Also when the wetsuit dries and the sand falls off, it's nice for that to not happen in your back seat. I'm under the impression that this product is leak-proof and could hold your other items as well...

It seems like a product that I would use daily. Awesome company, need any surfing product design interns?
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jason

14 years ago

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first, you should always wash out your wetsuit after going in the ocean. so taking it off in the sand makes no difference, even if it is completely caked in sand after use, when its dry it all falls off.

second, the last thing sports that require several pieces of equipment need is another piece of gear. even if it is to carry your gear. If you are carrying stuff to the beach you are probably going to carry a towel and water,, sunblock, wax, leash etc. carrying all that stuff over the shoulder kinda would suck. I would rather have it be a backpack, but them your wet wetsuit would soak you back as you walk back to your car. So it needs to be watertight.

Just buy a drybag.

Product that are design to make very specific equipment easier to deal with seem to end up in the garage after a few uses and stay there until a garage sale.
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ASher

14 years ago

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usefull stuff for Spring break
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Rachel

14 years ago

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The Frostfire Moonbag is very similar. I notice they both say patent pending.
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georgia

14 years ago

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As a surfer with a sandpit in my car this looks like a winner to me...but hey! I'm sold on the guy's pecks.
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CreatetionInnovation

14 years ago

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Ive seen this before, but in the US. i think made by NRS a kayaking equipment company.
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Timothy Allan

14 years ago

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Nice article. Small editorial error, Simon's Company is called 'Curve Surf'. Thanks
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jared thompson

14 years ago

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this looks such a great little design.
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Shirt Tailor

14 years ago

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Having just done some surfing (badly!) in Andalusia I can say that whatever this costs it'll be money well spent... sand, skin and wetsuits don't mix comfortably!
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