Cardboard, Styrofoam noodles and duct tape, a surfer’s tried and true way to protect their favorite surf board for traveling. Sweating while wrapping the board is just the beginning and thankfully, there’s a better way for this arduous task.
I met a young San Diego man with Surf Travel Solutions demonstrating his newly created surf board protection item. So simple, why use duct tape and cut up foam when this device can be the ultimate board protector. Knowing surf tourism is big business; I had the owner explain his invention. Pt. Loma resident Jared Koett designed sustainable surfboard packaging as a quick and easy way to safely transport a surfboard. The reusable pieces are adjustable for different board sizes, made with polyethylene foam and ABS plastic which snap into place within minutes. Once slipped into the board bag, they stay in place throughout the long plane rides and multiple baggage handlers making sure the board arrives undamaged.
Koett said when he worked at a surf camp, he continuously saw surfers unwrap their boards with the traditional jerry-rigged method of packing only to find their boards with dents and the noses and tails broken. He commented that airlines may not have the same appreciation for a personal board as the owner does. And who knows how much luggage had been stacked on a board, let alone how many times the board was thrown like a javelin. People spend lots of money on iPad and iPhone protectors; why not spend $80 to protect your personal board investment. I showed some old surfer dudes this new innovative way of traveling with a surfboard and they unanimously responded, what, no torn foam or duct tape? Some think it’s about time something like this has come down the pipeline. Koett is working on a new version using less expensive molded pulp, a material much like an egg carton that can be returned to the soil after it wears out. It has possibilities beyond surf boards. Surf traveling may never be the same, especially for baby boomers taking to the waves with an easier and more protected way for boards.
For more information contactSurftravelsolutions@gmail.com
And after an exhilarating day of surfing which brings on a powerful hunger, Taco Surf Mexican Cuisine in Pacific Beach can fill the need. Owner Cindy McLarty told me she makes her food from scratch and uses the best ingredients. No wonder the casual restaurant is rated as one of the best in the entire USA, especially for the popular California burrito with carne asada and hash browns. There are as many burrito combinations as surf boards hanging all around the patio style tables. I diverged and dove into the new Adobada burrito. It’s a sweet and spicy flavorful variation from the traditional Adobada in Mexico and cooked with pork, fresh pineapple, spices and wrapped in a fresh hot tortilla. Next time I will try the chile relleno burrito with added fluffy rice and lots of cheese, a different take on a classic dish.
Catching a wave is new and improved in San Diego.
Taco Surf Mexican Cuisine
4657 Mission Blvd, San Diego 92109
858.272.3877
