Hobie Surf Shop :: Mother’s Day Picks!!!

We LoVE Moms!!!!

 

If your mom took you to the beach with all the gear, and then some, you better HooK HeR Up for Mothers Day!!! We wanted to make showering your mom with love easy for you, so we went around to our stores and created some easy to follow photo gift guides! Here are a few of our top picks from our shops… don’t forget, we WRAP too!!!! If you can’t make it into our brick and mortar locations, you can always shop us online at www.hobiesurfshop.com! Enjoy and Happy Mother’s Day!!!!!

 

Every kind of bracelet you can think of, from friendship, to stackable, to a build your own…

 

Crochet TOMS… when you give your mom the gift of Toms, you also give a pair of shoes to a person in need through Toms “One For One” program.

 

Your mom rips!!!! Why not get her a new stick?? A Hobie Surfboards “Slug Fish” would look lovely at brunch with a bow on it!

 

Galileo Jewelry, made right here in Laguna Beach by hand, using gemstones that will remind your mom of the beach every time she looks at it.

 

 

Nothing beats a good stripe or a nautical inspired look! Anchors and navy blue are always a winning style.

 

We carry all types of “one of a kind” jewelry pieces that came from Mother nature herself…

 

Maxi dresses, long necklaces, and summery beach hats, with a little sign that says “You are loved”!

 

Driftwood hearts or a rustic turquoise and leather neclace…. so so so beautiful!

 

 

Frames, candles, lanterns, perfumes, mugs that say I Love You Mom, cards and tiny treasure keepers too! <3

 

 

Ok, if you really can’t find something you think your mom would like… go with flowers, and nice sweet card, a heart that says “Love” and a Hobie Surf Shop gift card!!

 

-Tracey Engelking

Hobie Surf :: Let the Summer Water and South Swells BEGIN!!

…Oh summer water…. glassy, greenish blue, glorious, warm, all enveloping, salty, delicious summer water. And, you too, early summer South Swells, with your long lines, pick and choose corners, head high, speedy, down the line, shining like a diamond waves*. I can’t get enough of you. You could come and stay year round and I would never burn out on your allure. Is there anyone who doesn’t love you? Is there anyone who doesn’t immediately want to call in sick to work when they see your pending arrival on the surf report…?

Donavon Frankenreiter…. glassy summery love.

This is a magic time of year. May, much like September, has all the textures, sounds, and feels of summertime with none of the crowds, long lines, lack of parking, clogged up freeways, and even more clogged up surf breaks. You know, as year round residents of the Southern California, we all have a teeny “nnnoooooooooooooooo…. wwhhhhhyyyyyyy….. how are there SO many of you, where did you all come from, and how did you all coordinate to show up at exactly the same time on exactly the same date???” mentality when it comes to our beaches and the summer crowds… (ok, I’m probably exaggerating, there are at least 4 less O’s in most locals cry of No ;) ) But, right now, today, with this beautiful pre-July 88 degree day on tap, and this sizable swell in the water. This is a fine day to live at the beach. A day like today makes me remember my favorite saying about real estate prices in Costal OC.. “It’s not that the prices are high for what you get, it’s that they are not high enough for what you get.”

 

So here it is. This is our time. Before the June gloom takes over the mornings and before the train starts to drop off the visitors, this is our time. The first South Swells of summer are lighting up the coast! Parking is ample, the freeways are free, the water is warm, the surf is glorious… and it’s all ours for a few more weeks! So get down here, you local. Gt your feet in the sand, get your board in the water, get your bronze on. Bring your bbq, some wood for the bonfire, spray yourself down in Coppertone… Your beaches are waiting for you! Happy May So Cal, it’s our time… see you in the water and on the sand!

-Tracey Engelking

*Waves Explained from our friends at Magic Seaweed :: 

Waves.

In a perfect world a wave looks very simple. The height of a wave is the total distance from it’s peak to it’s trough. The period is the time, in seconds, that it takes for a first then second wave to pass the same point. In other words the time in seconds between successive peaks or troughs. Interestingly for us as surfers this number is consistently related to both a swells speed and the depth of water in which it can start to react with the seabed. This makes it something of a magic number for determining how a swell will transform itself into surf at your beach (something we’ll continue to cover in detail) and at least as important as the height of the swell.
The direction is exactly as it sounds – the direction in which the swell is heading. This is typically expressed in compass points (North, East, South, SW) or degrees (180, 270) and, while there’s no absolute convention surf forecasters tend to talk about the direction the swell is coming from. So a south swell is one that is heading from the south to the north, it could also be described as having a direction of 180 degrees.

Hobie Shop :: Ten Questions for Shevon Franz

From time to time we like to give you an inside look at a member of our team here at Hobie Surf Shop!! This week we profile Shevon Franz. She is a lifeguard with Orange County Lifeguards and she is a manager of the San Clemente Hobie Surf Shop.

Shevon Franz

HOBIE : Give us a little background, where are you from, where did you go to school, ect…? 

Shevon : I was born in Laguna Beach at South Coast Hospital. I grew up in Dana Point and San Clemente. From K-4th grade I went to school in San Clemente, then my family moved back to Dana Point and I finished through High School there. I went to Saddleback College for a bit.

I had a job in a DR’s office year round when I was 16, but when I became a lifeguard, I let that go. So working only in the summer as a guard gave me all winter to be a beach bum at SanO…. literally. I would be surfing all day, and then I’d be scrounging for change to fill my gas tank so I could go back the next day… haha! I did apply to Hobie twice back then, but they didn’t hire me!!

 

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HOBIE : OK, so we didn’t hire you right away.. when did you start working for Hobie, and what was your first job with us? 

Shevon : I started in 2002 in Laguna Beach, Courtney hired me. I worked in the boards -surf and skate- I was, at the time, the only girl at the company who could put together a skateboard…. I was the Tom Boy.

HOBIE : What is your first Hobie memory? 

Shevon : Walking into the Original Hobie Shop on Coast Highway in Dana Point and buying my first pair of Flojos sandals. They were white and had a criss cross strap. I think they were on sale. They were in a bucket in the middle of all these surfboards. I remember they had this really small women’s section…. like three bikini styles, three tee’s and some Flojos.

Baby Shevon… always in a bikini! <3

HOBIE : You are one of, if not our best bikini salesperson, what makes gravitate to our bikini customer, and what makes you SO successful at helping them find the perfect look?

Shevon : I love the bikini customer! I want to make them feel sexy on the beach at every age. I want to help them find a suit that makes them feel confident. Swim, for some women, doesn’t do that. With swim, it’s intimidating, some women have a fear of it, and they shouldn’t. It really makes me happy to see someone leave, and I know they are fulfilled.

HOBIE : What is your #1 tip for girls when they come in to look for a new bikini?

Shevon : Find a style that makes YOU feel confident to walk on the beach… it’s not about the latest trends, it’s about what makes you feel like you look sexy.

HOBIE : What is your biggest bikini “Don’t”? 

Shevon : Having too much fabric in the back. If it’s hanging or covers too much, it makes you look bigger. The more fabric, the bigger the bum looks, trust me. (ED Note: Ok, I know ladies, I did not believe her either. I believed that the best way to cover my… um.. not so small behind was to swath it in as much coverage as possible, and I was WRONG! Shiv is right, it was only making me look bigger, so give a bitsy bottom a try, you will probably LoVE it!!)

Ready!!!! She will not let you drown!!

 

HOBIE : You are a lifeguard with Orange County Lifeguards. How long have you been a guard and what makes you keep going back even with your busy schedule? 

Shevon : I became a guard in 2001 and started with the Orange County Junior Guards program, but I had to wait three seasons until I could take the responsibility for the 45 kids at the beach. I did Junior Guards for six summers and now I’m a tower guard at County and Private beaches.

I stay because it’s a very fulfilling job and I love the people I work with…. and… you’re at the beach! Who could complain about that?

HOBIE : Your sister, Tara, also works for Hobie, what is it like to work for the same company? 

Shevon : We have a rule that we don’t talk work – unless it’s something really traumatic and she needs advise. We’ve kept things separate.

 

The Franz Family!

HOBIE : What do you love about working for Hobie? 

Shevon : The family aspect of our company and the lifestyle. I grew up with Hobie, and I always wanted to work for them. Always.

HOBIE : If you had your life to live over again, and you could change one thing, what would it be?

Shevon : I would travel more!

HOBIE : Thanks Shiv!! I’ll make sure we send all our bikini loving ladies to you for help this season! 

Shevon : Do it!! haha!

 

-Tracey Engelking

Hobie Shop :: Blogger Vacation : Top Ten Favorite Blog Posts Part 2

No Big Deal… I’ll be Here While You Read This!!

AhhhHhhhOoooOooooOoooo…. SPRING BREAK!!!! Yes, as you are reading this, I am traversing my way around one of the Seven Wonders of The World… a glorious, magnificent, wondrous, massive hole in the ground known as THE GRAND CANYON. I feel very Clark Griswold. Anyway… on Tuesday we shared five of our ten favorite blog posts. So today, even though I’m busy touching the Earth, through the magic of the internets, I bring you, in no particular order,  the other five! Enjoy and your all invited to my place when I get back for fondu and a slideshow of my trip… just kidding, there won’t be any fondu…. and since my place is realllllly small, you’ll have to come in shifts…. actually, maybe when you come over, you could bring the fondu?? …Enjoy!!!

Sixth ::  Hobie Alter’s 79th Birthday, Surfboard Auction, and Trip Through Hobie History in a SlideShow!!!  

Seventh :: Mickey Munoz on Buzzy Trent and Commitment.

Eighth :: Photo Essay of Our Dory Team. 

Ninth ::  Cure For Salt Water Dry Lips…. Laugh if you will, I swear it works! 

Tenth :: Mark Johnson recreates Hobie Alters First Board.

And, because it makes me laugh every time I watch it… Bucky Barry sweeper skateboards the parking lot for International Surfing Day. Enjoy, and I’ll see you on Tuesday!!!

-Tracey Engelking

Hobie Shop :: BoardShort Week Day Five!! : Employee Picks!

Hobie Surf Shop’s BoardShort Week!!

Everyone knows our Hobie Team has mad style! Click HERE and see just a handful of the past looks they have worn in photo shoots. Almost everything they wear in them, they pick out themselves… they literally make me look like I am a fantastic photo stylist! So, obviously, being the last day of boardshort week, we had to have our Hobie guys (or at least 13 out of the 21 who work on the floors of the shops) show us their favorite new looks in boardies! All the looks can be shopped either online at www.hobiesurfshop.com in the BoardShorts Collection section OR if you don’t see the ones you love in our online shop, every pair below are available in our brick and mortar retail locations.

 

Our Teams Favorite Boardshorts!!

 

**** Click on any photo below to start a slideshow! Enjoy!! ****

Brennen : Billabong “Spinner”

Bucky : Hobie by Hurley “Mai Tai”

Jackson : Billabong “Habits”

Paul : Hurley “Block Party Wrap”

Hunter : BRXTN “Plank”

Connor : Insight “Satan’s Taco”

Jaq : Billabong “Iconic”

Trevor : AMBSN “Kings”

Zach : Lost “Seaworthy”

Cameron : Patagonia “Minimalist Wavefarer”

Cameron : Hurley “Phantom Fuse”

Kirk : Hurley “Quad Phantom”

Kris : Katin “Kylon”

Hobie Shop :: BoardShort Week Day Four! : Our Favorite Boardshort Pictures

Hobie Surf Shop’s BoardShort Week!!

We LoVE a Photo essay, so to celebrate Boardshort Week, we bring you our Ten Favorite Boardshort Icons of All Time…. or at least the ones we could think of!  Actually, truth be told, we had a hard time remembering any really earth shaking moments in boardshort history, barring the famous shot of Mr Noll in his prison stripes. So if you remember any great ones we missed, let us know!! Enjoy!!!!

Occy.

Greg “Da Bull” Noll

David Hasselhoff

Larry Bertlemann

Elvis

Endless Summer

Kelly Slater

Hobie Alter

Gerry Lopez

The Joker and Batman…. I had to, seriously, the boardies match their alter egos.

-Tracey Engelking

Hobie Shop :: BoardShort Week Day Three!! : Five BoardShort Trends for 2013

Hobie Surf Shop’s BoardShort Week!!

Out with the old and in with the NEW!!! Today we cover all things trend!! New fabrics, new lengths, new prints.. it’s all about what is next!! You owe it to yourself to try at least one new trend this year to make your style fresh and on point… check out our top five.

**** All Styles of BoardShort for this Blog Post were chosen by Jaq Barry at Hobie Surf Shop in Dana Point ****

*Click on any highlighted words to shop the style on our website, otherwise, shop the look in our brick and mortar shops.*

Aloha Friday Prints on Boardshorts

Aloha Friday Shirt Prints on BoardShorts :: Nothing says I’m setting up for a day of leisure, Mai Tai’s, and partying quite like the Aloha Friday print shirt. Swaying palm trees, hula girls, bright tropical flowers… I get relaxed just looking at them. So, in a smart move by boardshort designers this year, they pulled the vacationing tourist prints off the shirts and moved them down to the trunks. We have styles in every length from 17″ – 21″. They easily can be worn as walkshorts with a button up or tee, and, lets be honest, isn’t that what guys want most, is an easy look that can be carried all day and night?? My personal favorites are the Vans “Era Classic’s”, they are the red with sailboats on them…

Styles Shown From Left to Right :: Vans “Era Stretch 21″, Billabong “Invert Stab”, Volcom “Mental Fun”, Vans “Era Stretch 18″, Vans “Era Classic”, Katin “Fiji”, The Critical Slide Society “Lopez”.

Hybrids

Hybrids ::  Granted, Hybrids have been around already, but I think it can still be considered a new trend. Guys are just now starting to catch on to the “water to boardwalk” short. Surf in them all day, rinse off and go out for the night with out ever having to move your car from your pristine parking place to go home and change. They all come in quick dry stretch fabrics. What sets them apart from regular boardshorts are the pockets and belt loops found on standard walkshorts. In other words, you can fake a responsible buttoned up life with out having to have one, yea you hybrid guy!  These work especially well if your girlfriend or wife throws shade at you for wearing your 8 year old tattered boardies to all of life’s functions. My favorites are the Hobie by Hurley “Dogpatch”….

Styles Shown From Left to Right :: Hurley “Phantom 60 2.0″ ,  Billabong “Crossfire” ,  Hobie  by Hurley “Dogpatch”.

Shortie Boardies

Shortie Boardies aka The Magnum PI Comeback ::  Obviously, this is by far my favorite trend…. the shortie boardie, or as I like to call it, “The Return of the Dr J  : The Man Knee Strikes Back”. Seriously, I know I’m a girl and all, and maybe there are things I just don’t see the male perspective on, but why in the world have you bros been wearing you boardshorts so long??!! How are you comfortable in boardies that cover the knee and get tangled up while you are surfing??? Anyway… all that will be changing as we are seeing a HUGE return of short, above the kneecap boardshorts… in other words, start applying some self tanner to those lilly white, haven’t seen the sun since 1983, thighs of yours and be ready to set your knees free for all the girlies to see! My favorites are the Billabong “Cogs 17″…..

Styles Shown From Left to Right :: Quiksilver “Kwock” , Insight “Broken Melody” , Billabong “Cogs 17″ 

Ultra Light Technical Fabrics

Technical  or Ultra Lightweight Fabrics :: This is another trend that we have seen from past years, but this year it looks like all the research in technical fabric, cuts, sun protection,and seams have come together to produce some of the sickest advancements in boardshorts yet. These styles come ultralight, heavy on the SPF, big on stretch, almost zero water absorption, quick drying, and no chafing. The best part is, the price points have dropped too! No longer are these the $175+ budget busters of two years ago. This years styles start at $49.50! My favorites are the Patagonai “Stretch Planing Board”….

Styles Shown From Left to Right :: Patagonia “Stretch Planing Board” , Hurley “Phantom’s” , O’Neill “John John” 

100% Cotton Boardshorts

100% Cotton BoardShorts ::  Sometimes it is time to leave the new behind and get back in touch with the old. 100% Cotton boardshorts are showing back up on the racks after being gone for a few decades plus. Guys, these ARE your surfing heritage. Instead of telling you myself, I’ll let Mr Pipeline, Gerry Lopez, tell you the story of the cotton boardshort :: Click Here To Read The Cotton Boardshort History. These are timeless and ultra comfortable. You will not be disappointed to own a pair or two. My favorites are The Critical Slide Society “Split the Peak”, I LoVE green boardshorts!!….

Styles Shown From Left to Right :: Hobie by Hurley “Shorecliff” , The Critical Slide Society “Split the Peak” , Hobie by Hurley “Mai Tai” 

-Tracey Engelking

Hobie Shop :: BoardShort Week Day Two!! : Watch and Learn!

Hobie Surf Shop’s BoardShort Week!!

For day Two of Boardshort Week we get visual…

Nothing makes it easier to get through a looooooonnnnggggggg day of office time quite like a little a mid day break spent watching surfing clips on Vimeo or You Tube. This being our week dedicated to Boardshorts, we compiled a pile of clips dedicated to surfing in trunks! Enjoy….

Quiksilver Scallop Boardshorts: Enjoy the Original::

When Quiksilver boardshorts arrived on the scene in 1969, they were the first to use two snaps and a Velcro closure to ensure they stayed on in the heaviest surf conditions. The first to utilize a yoked waist and scallop legs to maximize comfort and ease of movement. Today the tradition of creating functional radness is carried on with new fits, fabrics and designs.

Donavon Frankenreiter & Hobie Surfboards : The Perfect Match ::

Donavon and his signature easy style…

2013 Patagonia Boardshorts ::

Patagonia surf ambassadors Chris Malloy, Dan Ross, Kohl Christensen, Chris McDonald, Dan Malloy and Patagonia staff photographer Jeff Johnson put the latest season of board shorts through the paces in Indo.

Duke Kahanamoku Surfing 1939 :: 

This is some RARE footage of Duke surfing his paddle board at Waikiki Beach along with an outrigger flipping over and more surfing. Set to beautiful music.

Billabong “Life is Better in Boardshorts” ::

A short film from Billabong proving that life truly is better spent in boardshorts.

Coffin Ryder : A Shortstraw Short Film from The Critical Slide Society ::

About the coffin ride: In days of old when surfboards were heavy and difficult to turn, manoeuvre’s were invented to add flair to the ride. A surfer could actually fall from trying to turn on a wave, and if they were lucky enough to land on their back on the deck of their surfboard; they could quickly improvise and by putting their hands in a mock prayer pose, lay claim to a ‘legitimate’ manoeuvre. Some surfers even made the coffin ride functional allowing them to get seriously tubed in seriously small surf.

Enjoy the Adventure ; Kelly Slater’s Urban Jungle ::

Join Kelly Slater weaving his way through urban chaos and remote jungle in search of perfection on Bali and its neighboring islands. Featuring Kelly’s  signature Cypher Roam boardshort…Enjoy The Adventure.

RVCA presents Alex Knost – Bali X Costa Rica ::

Water warm enough for boardshorts everyday of the year….

A Hatteras Odyssey : A 1975 Roadtrip :: 

During spring break in 1975 Dave Bence, Frank Dorenkamp, Pat Fulks and I went on a surf trip to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina from Alexandria, VA. The surf was good but we keep going and drove to Florida to surf at Sebastian Inlet and New Smyrna Beach in Florida. Great trip! The Cape Hatteras lighthouse has been moved since then. Filmed with my 8mm camera. Music by Wishbone Ash: The King will Come & Blowin Free.

Enjoy the Freedom, Dane Reynolds’ Signature No Frills Boardshort ::

Dane Reynolds and Craig Anderson spent some time cutting loose south of the border in one of Mexico’s finest playgrounds. After a few waves, the boys settle in nicely with a few beers, tacos and visits from the locals. Muy bueno.

-Tracey Engelking

Hobie Shop :: BoardShort Week Day One!! : What’s Your Length??

Hobie Surf Shop’s BoardShort Week!!

All week this week we are going to celebrate all things BoardShort!! We’ll take you through finding the right length for you, trends to try out, our staff favorites, videos of the trunks at work in the surf, and more. Today we are bringing you a little inside scoop on lengths, a few of the styles in those length we carry, and what kind of guy lives in that length.

**** All Styles of BoardShort for this Blog Post were chosen by Jaq Barry at Hobie Surf Shop in Dana Point ****

*Click on any highlighted words to shop the style on our website, otherwise, shop the look in our brick and mortar shops.*

17″ & 18″ aka The Shortie Boardie

17″ & 18″ Lengths ::  These boardshorts are above the knee for sure! We love them!! Our “Shortie Boardie” guys are young, not afraid of style, and they may spend long hours waxing, combing and curling their mustache. You won’t be able to throw a stone at Coachella with out hitting a guy wearing this style boardshorts. They ride Alaias, Paipos, Asymmetricals, Hulls, they handplane and will try anything and everything new and different.

Styles Shown From Left to Right Hanging From the Letters in Surf Shop :: The Critical Slide Society “Lopez”, Volcom “Mental Fun”, The Critical Slide Society “Split the Peak”, Insight “Satan’s Taco”, Vans “Era Stretch 18″, Ezekiel “Top Shelf Floral”, BRXTN “Beacon”, Ezekiel “Birdman”.

19″ & 20″ aka To The Knee Boardshorts

19″ & 20″ Lengths :: Looks in this length come right to the knee. This is your classic modern boardshort style, not too long, not too short… just right. The “To the Knee” boardshort guy is easy to please. Basically, this guy is marriage material, sturdy and traditional. Your mom loves this guy! He isn’t huge on style, and will most likely wear a pair of boardshorts for five or so years before he gets a new pair. He is wearing his boardies to the beach, in the water, to play basketball, to Church on Sunday.. he probably doesn’t own a pair of walkshorts. He rides high performance long and shortboards, fish, Beaters, and he’ll even boogie, he doesn’t care as long as he’s having a good time.

Styles Shown From Left to Right Hanging From the Letters in Surf Shop :: Patagonia “Minimalist Wavefarer”, Vans “Boats and Bros”, Hurley “Block Party Wrap”, RVCA “Forte Trunk”, Katin “Fiji”, Billabong “Muted”, Vans “Era Classic 19″, O’Neill “Jaques”.

21″ & 22″ aka The Tall Guy Boardshort

21″ & 22″ Lengths :: I always call this style “The Tall Guy Boardshort”. It’s long, and if you aren’t over 6′, it’s going to go down past your knee and could end up looking like a pair of “shants” (not short enough to be shorts, not long enough to be pants.) so trying them on first is a good idea. Our guy who wears this style, is not only the first to know if it’s raining out, but he has been asked to play Abe Lincoln on more than one occasion. He is a great surfer, and charges HUGE waves, because to him, they all look small.

Styles Shown From Left to Right Hanging From the Letters in Surf Shop :: Hobie by Hurley “Oceanside P60″, Billabong “Transverse”, O’Neill “Santa Cruz”, Billabong “Sweet Tooth”, Billabong “Ripple”, O’Neill “Jordy Freak”, Quiksilver “Rum Runner”, Volcom “38er”.

Volly aka Elastic Waist Boardshort

Volly aka Elastic Waist :: Our Volly boardshorts come in all kinds of lengths, from 18″- 22″, it’s not the length our guys are after in these boardies, it’s the elastic waist! And really, we have all gone so overboard at a $1 Taco Tuesday Night that we would be fools not to appreciate a good elastic waist. Our Volly gentleman is an Elder statesman of the surf. He beats you into the wave every time, because he has been surfing there since Nixon was in the White House. He will ride a single fin until he takes his last breath. He is rad, and you need to hang out with him more.

Styles Shown From Left to Right Hanging From the Letters in Surf Shop :: Hobie by Hurley “Hammond”, O’Neill “Trilla”, Quiksilver “Balance”, Quiksilver “Beachcomber”.

-Tracey Engelking

Hobie Shop :: Bikini Week Day Five!! : #HobieLovesMaaji Bikini Winners!!

Hobie Surf Shop Presents Bikini Week!!!!

All week this week we have been giving away Maaji Swimwear Bikini’s to some of our lucky Instagram followers! All our girls had to do to win was show us their favorite place to wear their bikini! We got TONS of great entries, so we wanted to show the winners and some of our favorites too…

Day One Winner Sammi! We LoVE her smile and her stoke for summer bikini time!!!!

Day Two Winner Stephanie!!! We Love her longboard style!!!

 

Day Three Winner, Dee!!!! We Love her eye for a great photo, and she made us wish it was summer year round too!! 

 

Here are a couple collages of our Honorable Mentions!! We had a great week this Bikini Week and we can’t thank all our Maaji Loving girls enough!!! xoxoxoxox!!! <3 <3

 

 

-Tracey Engelking