4GF Surf Mats Now In Mitch's ...

We've had an up-and-down experience with placing 4GF Surf mats in shops over the years.

Mostly down.

We can't afford to wholesale them at anywhere near the price-point outlets need to make a profit retailing them at our on-line price. (Which is another way of saying: Our online price is pretty much wholesale.) The other problem, especially in the past, is that the beach-going public isn't up to speed on how to use and take care of high end mats. So there was a high return rate on top of the lousy money situation.

We've sold mats to about a dozen shops over the years, at a wholesale price that didn't make either of us happy. We made very little per mat, and the shop didn't make much either. Only a few shops have reordered. We get wholesale inquiries every month or so. I give them the breakdown, and they usually decide it isn't a good transaction...for either of us.

Mitch's Surf Shop is kind of a special place, given it's long history as a hard core surf outlet in a hard core surf town...San Diego . Starting out as a blank and glass shop in 1967, over the decades, it has grown along with the local surf culture. It's gotten to the point where, in 2014, they won a "Best Of" award from San Diego City Beat. Which, if you ever wandered into Mitch's prior to 1980, is actually mind boggling. True, Mitch's was "the best" back then, if you were shaping and glassing your own boards!

When 4GF started in 1984, Mitch's was the only shop we sold mats to, and it was a zero mark-up kind of deal. Mitch just wanted to do it because he liked our mats. With mat surfing starting to become a bigger sub-sub-sub-culture these days, Micah up in the Solana Beach shop thought it was time to give it another try. We worked out a wholesale price, and just shipped a batch to them on Monday.

So, starting today, if you're in San Diego area and want to buy a 4GF surf mat, or just check one out, head over to one of Mitch's two convenient locations.

Mitch’s La Jolla

631 Pearl Street

La Jolla CA USA 92037

(858) 459-5933

Monday – Saturday 10:00am to 7:00pm 

Sunday 10:00am to 5:00pm

 

Mitch’s Solana Beach

363 North Highway 101

Solana Beach CA USA 92075

(858) 481-1354

Monday – Saturday 10:15am to 6:00pm 

Sunday Closed
 

 

Sure There's Rights and Lefts, But Do They Come In Cherry Coke ???

What mat rider doesn't enjoy cracking peaks without pesky crowds? And who doesn't enjoy a Slurpee now and again?

Well, play your cards right, and you can have both. Just book a flight out to Nantucket, wait for late February, slip into a 15 mil suit, and have at it!

Waves so cold, they're made of slushy ice...

Thisiscolossal.com reports:

Earlier this week photographer Jonathan Nimerfroh was walking along the coast of Nantucket when he noticed something odd about the waves crashing on shore. The high temperature was 19°F (-7.2°C) and while the waves weren’t completely frozen, they were thick with pieces of ice, much like the consistency of a Slurpee, or an slushy, or an ICEE, or whatever. It’s amazing to see how the ice changes the form and color of the waves, making them seem almost solid. You can see a few more shots over on Stay Wild Magazine. You can follow more of Nimerfroh’s photography on Instagram.


Leave it to Ian from Ireland to forward us these links...he thinks Nantucket in February is a tropical paradise!

From Ian ...

 

Hi Paul,

 

I don't mind if you post some of my photos of the spots on the West coast of Ireland. Most of the roads here have no names and the spots are numerous, very tide-dependent, only turn-on during the depths of winter, or with weird combinations of swell-tide-wind that one really needs to put the time in to find. For those willing to do the yards arguably deserve to be rewarded - most won't though. Winter waves in Ireland are abundant and, relative to Australia (I can't comment on the States), empty.

Cheers,

 

Ian Jermyn

http://organicdevolution.com/

Steiny, Sans Rain ...

With the California drought well into its 3rd year, Steiny's favorite sandbar is showing less-that-stellar shape/power during west swells.

Looks like he's solved the problem!

Forida, North and South ...

Paul,

I give you my first wave on a 4thgear flyer Classic ! It was a small cold day in North Florida, but FUN!

Aloha, Patrick

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Paul,

My friend got these pics today in knee high waves. Vespa rules!

Jeff

From Colin ...

Hey Paul, hope all is well.

I had a go-out during the big west swell that peaked on Feb 9th.  The swell was around 12' at 14sec, straight west.  My plan was to sit at middles, but because of the sets hitting the top, the regular take off spot was basically a giant rip.  I sat way on the outside, and was able to take a set wave all the way past the staircase. 

I have no shots of myself from that day, but here is a cell-phone shot I took of the conditions after I got out.

The wave was probably 6' on the take off.  The winds had been shifting all morning, so there was a bit of a bump on the face, which was fun to deal with.

 

The most technical part of the wave was navigating through the middle, which was turned into a turbid river due to the rip.  Luckily, the wave I was on was a set, so everyone sitting on the inside was caught in the white water, and I didn't have to navigate through the circus. The wave lined up perfectly and ran for what seemed like forever.

 

This is how the waves shaped up as they hit the very inside.  As you can see, they lined up and ran all the way through. 

 

 

At the end of the wave I had to walk up the beach about 50 yards to the parking lot stairs, and walk up and around. 

 

I wasn't sure how far the wave was, so looked it up on google maps...650 yards! The longest wave of my life.

 

Loving the Lotus.

 

Colin

From Patrick ...

Got it! Once again, thanks for my 4GF !

Patrick

From Antonio ...

Hello Paul and thank you for getting the mats in the mail so quickly, they arrived yesterday and I can't wait to try them.

 

Friday waves will be small and I will have a go on the Lotus to get a feel for it as you recomended as Saturday and Sunday it's supposed to pick up again.

Here are some photos of the last two swells. All photos were sent to me by friends as I had a lot of work and couldn't find the time to go surf, should have called in sick...

 

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2/13/2015 Crash Boat

I have surfed this spot a couple of times on the Fatty, never at this size as it takes a lot of swell to get it like the photo. It's one of the best mat waves on the island (minus the crowds). I bet the Lotus 7 would be excellent for this size: Unknown bodyboarder

 

 

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2/14/2015 Valentines day, spent it with wifey and daughter, no regrets as family is always first to me but man those barrels look fun. Great for Lotus again...Somewhere in the NE coast.

 

 

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Gas Chambers yesterday: Honestly, would have used my bodyboard on this one as the wave really jacks up... Maybe a mini mat? Anyway, had to work but should have called in sick.

 

No time machine to go back in time so looking forward for the next swell, they just keep coming back to back... Another unknown boogie man

 

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Quiver of new mats is ready: Vespa Rountail and Lotus 7

 

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Will keep you posted...

Antonio
Puerto Rico

More from Dirk and Aaron ...

From Capt. Tom ...

Hi Paul,

Here´s a pic from the Cape Peninsula - Witsand Strand. Had a few proper frigid slides there between wind- and kitesurfers, but was always thinking about the local gray suits. Unfortunately, all the other surf-spots were getting blown to bits or blown flat.

Spectacular views and great food & wine down there!

For next weekend I´m thinking of heading up to Morro Bay from Torrance, after looking at the swell forecast. What do you think?

Regards
Tom

From Jennene and Dave ...

This neat vid turned up on Offshore Theater earlier today...

From Scott ...

 

 

 

Paul,

 

I've been meaning to send this to you for more than a month. Correspondence from our good friends Chris and AJ — http://surfmatters.blogspot.com/2014/10/from-scott.html — who after three months in Japan moved on to Taiwan: 

 

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"Hi - we just did 2 very nice days at the beach on the east coast of Taiwan. Beautiful beach with nice waves ... A few surfers on Sunday and nearly empty on Monday. I got a few fun waves each day... Did a pretty good imitation of a skipping rock on the first day in bigger waves. Chris stayed out much longer (and further than I could past the break without fins). ... We parked by the waterfront cow pen."

AJ

 

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“Here are some updated pics on our time at the beach.  The pictures are from Donghe rivermouth on the eastern coast.  But really most of the east coast of the whole island is like this.  It is gorgeous.  Think Hawai'i with the steep jungle mountain backdrop.   One of the days was a holiday weekend and probably the most well known place around... maybe a dozen folks spread well apart, as you can see in one pic by the guy who behind me who was pretty excited about his ride So it was really low key and fun.    (we went a little more on the beach break area not the rivermouth ... there is always a poo concern ... sanitation really isn't so big here)

 

AJ was a little light on the thrust to get past the break without fins but she had some good rides.   But the water and temp were above 70 so it was nice in and out of the water. 

 

Wish you could have been with us and thanks again so much for making it possible." 

 

Chris

 

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Mystery Matter...

Pulled images from a local beach cam. 4 days ago.

Looks like fun !!!

From George L ...

 

From Dirk and Aaron ...

A few days ago, our own Mister Dirk talked "Mr. Rincon" himself, Aaron...

...into rambling up the coast for a quickee surf just before dark. Dirk's currently in dry dock with an injured left pinky, so he set up to shoot some video...

This is an interesting ride...



Aaron is riding a Lotus 7, which seems like a good choice for a swell with a little grunt. But this break, which is mostly sand inside a small headland, has a weird warble going through it, even when it's offshore and super clean. It's really hard to set an edge with a mat. Which, as I alluded to, makes the Lotus seem like a good choice. But this wave is also very flat between sections, so a wider mat is better suited to arc across the dead spots. No matter what model mat you ride, there's always a degree of compromise at this spot.

Aaron does a good job of staying with it as the wave weakens between sections. Also notice how the Lotus wants to pull into the building section at :31, for just a moment, before he straightens off as it closes out.

Another highlight of this clip is the textbook "paddling-out-turning-around-and-slipping-into-the-wave" tutorial displayed by Aaron.


Dirk's personal recollection:

It was stormy all day but the skies finally cleared. We got there late, only time for a few clips before sunset. I lost Aaron in the crowd when he paddled off to the top of the point. By the time I found him again, he was chasing the elusive connection from the outer point to the inner. No one actually made it that day, but on one wave he came the closest to it.

From Tyson ...

 

Hey Paul, 

 

Just a quick note to let you know how much I am enjoying my UDT mat! 

 

First outing was at Todos Santos.  Caught some really fun waves!  Now working on the techniques.  It is amazing what you can do on a mat!

 

Also, took both of my boys out on it at Rincon and they both really had a blast!

 

Thanks again and I'll keep you posted on things...

 

I am really enjoying this!

 

Best, 

 

Tyson

From Antonio ...

Hello Paul, hope you are doing fine.

Here are some photos of a fun session last Friday at La Selva, Puerto Rico. Was riding my fatty...

 

This is a lineup shot from the session...Uncrowded Perfection

 

Some waves had tiny ridable tubes

This is Frencho, my buddy who took the photos.

 

 

He is a kneelo and the one who got me into mat riding back when you only had the Standard, Fatty and XL... We started on kmart mats and after a few months I decided to order a fatty. In my second order I got my Standard, a UDT to ride tandem with my daughter and a Fatty for Frencho just to show how thankful I am for being introduced to mat surfing. That was a while back and he is still stoked (see photo), we always keep em in our cars with a pair of flippers and shorts.

How would a Vespa Roundtail handle compared to the fatty on the above waves? Looking for an excuse to order another mat...

Antonio