SURF-A-PALOOZA: July 11-25

Manoa's code = core! (c)Servais

GOOD THINGS COME IN THREES: Tri-fins, the Triple Crown of Surfing, the Dahm triplets. Rip Curl has now added to the list by applying a technology trifecta to create its new boardshort, the Code:STL.

The Code:STL is the end result of Rip Curl's new technologies that laser-cut the fabric, electro-weld the seams and assemble the pieces around a mold. The result, according to Rip Curl's Adam Sharp, is the best boardshort ever made.

"The new technologies make for a more durable, stronger and comfortable boardshort," explains Sharp, who spoke with Surf-A-Palooza after a highly successful ASR Europe show. "A more precise, cleaner cut facilitates the welding, which in conjunction with the molds create an extremely accurate fit, and a durability that cannot be matched. The needle and thread days are over."

No scrotum scratches.

And Rip Curl is putting their money where their mouth is. Sharp said that Rip Curl has put a lifetime guarantee on the electro-welded seams.

When asked about the electro-welding technology, Sharp understandably preferred to keep a tight lip about anything that might give the ultra competitive marketplace any clues. He simply referred to the lifetime guarantee, an industry first, which, according to Sharp, says enough about the technology.

Some random calls to the core surf shop market confirmed a suspicion we had. When it comes to boardshorts, comfort is king. "For the guy who spends lots of time in his trunks, rashes are an issue," explained Doug Jopes, sales manager at Encinitas Surfboards. "We hear it all day long, customers demand comfort. I think the really core surfers will dig a trunk that has no thread."

Look for the Code:STL in core surf shops near you around December of 2003.

ALL KILLER, NO FILLER DEP'T: Please take a few moments to check out the second issue of the new surfing site allaboutsurf.com which features a lot of soul, a feew typos (what are those?), and no commercials. This edition goes from Baja to Bells, so check it out and enjoy.

HIP HOPE: DJ star Andy Caldwell announced an Op-branded world tour, with stops at selected venues in cities across the United States, Mexico, Canada, Australia, Europe, and Asia.

• Butting Heads
• Open Wide
• ASP's Al Hunt Retiring