Kelly Slater likes to experiment. Photo: YouTube//Screenshot
When Kelly Slater gets in the water, all eyes are on him. Surfing is an interesting thing, because we all share the same court. It’s not uncommon to share a lineup with some of the world’s best surfers if you happen to be surfing at some of the more well-known waves — especially if you’re in Hawaii — but still, when Kelly Slater paddles out, people are watching. Especially when he’s riding something a little more strange than normal.
Slater’s always been a guy who likes to experiment. Hell, in my view, he’s responsible for popularizing surfboards that worked for almost no one. Remember those? The slivers of heavily rockered foam that were everywhere in the ’90s? God, those were the worst. But not under Kelly’s feet. Just under the majority of the surfers who bought them, me included. In this clip, Slater is testing a few new whips that are both likely Tomo shapes. And of course Kelly makes them look good.
