Growing up, I loved watching Shelter on repeat. The story and cultural relevance that film had for me set the tone for my love of surf films. In this episode of “Finders Keepers,” I set out to trace the lineage of the Campbell Brothers’ Bonzer design, the board that shaped eras and quietly pushed surfing forward.
We sat down with Chris Malloy to revisit Shelter, the film that burned the Green Bonzer into surf culture forever. Taylor Knox, the whole crew, and a moment in time when surfing felt raw, creative, and free. This is part surf history, part treasure hunt, part love letter to the boards and the people who keep the craft alive. The Green Bonzer has stories. We went looking for them.
Editor’s Note: In “Finders Keepers,” Tanner Gudauskas explores the history of unique surfboard designs that he finds second hand, or passed down. The series traces the board’s origins and evolution through interviews and archival footage. The series gives context to a particular design’s impact on surfing culture.
