Here’s an article I found on my new favorite website, www.theinertia.com . Founded by Zach Weisberg, former online editor of Surfermag.com, The Inertia has views from all sides & all corners of the globe. A thinking surfer’s site, if you will. The article discusses Zach’s experience with Alaia’s & also the advent of Epoxy Alaia’s designed by Tom Wegener, but built by Global Surf Industries, the makers of Southpoint, NSP, 7S and others. Many are calling BS on Wegener for doing this and calling him a sell-out, but you decide after reading the article. Read some of the comments below as well, ther are some little nuggets for thought. Feel free to share your thoughts here in a comment or on the Letters Page also. Thanks!-Tom K
Seems like no matter what anyone does, especially in the internet age, someone’s gonna call BS on it. To me the whole surfing industry is a sell out. Someone is selling either himself (the pro surfers) or a product for financial gain. And that’s not necessarily bad either. It’s just the way it is.
It seems Tom W. feels he has something to offer and if people like it and it sells, more power to him. Tom Morey basically did the same thing with the bodyboard when he sold out to Kransco or whoever bought him out, but I never heard anything about him being a sellout. I can only respect Tom Wegener, he’s just out to make a living for himself and hoping people will have fun from what he has to offer.
Very good example, Derek! I’m definitely one to follow the “If it’s fun, do it!” credo myself! I enjoy riding old, heavy, handmade logs as much as I like riding space-age technology. Variety is the spice of life! Thanks for your reply!
I agree with Derek. Anyone who calls someone a “sellout” in our society has a little jealousy that they didn’t think of the idea and a little animosity that they’re not making a living via surfing. Selling out isn’t necessarily a negative, it’s like calling a farmer a sellout for trading his crops for money which allows him to survive.
Mucho respect to Wegener for being the master of his own destiny and making a living and being successful while keeping surfing at the center of his life. That’s something every committed surfer strives for in my opinion. Thanks for sharing the link Tom…
How about he uses AUSSIES to make them instead of THAI ladyboys???/ Look at UNITED STATES OF AMERICA right now if you think selling out is the way togo. Every corporation has sold out everything and have left very little crops(jobs) for us famers to trade.
Thailand supporter I know a few local shapers that could tell you something about crops…
Derek there is no reason to call spongers sellouts because they cant get any lower….
Prices are sellout prices, but hey, a man’s gotta make a hustle. That video of the “tuna” at T-Tree was sweet. It made me want to ride one for sure. I would like to order up some of those perfect slow peeling rights as well.