Sticky Bumps

What Sticky Bumps does

Sticky Bumps is the consumer-facing surf wax brand of Wax Research, Inc., a privately held California corporation founded in 1971 in Encinitas, CA and currently operating a zero-waste manufacturing facility in Vista, CA. The company produces handcrafted surfboard waxes using proprietary formulations that were the first in the industry to incorporate calcite as a traction additive. Its product portfolio spans five core wax lines differentiated by grip rating (Original Formula at 1X through Punt at 10X) and seven temperature-specific formulas ranging from Hawaiian (80F+) to Cold (60F-), with specialized variants for foam-deck soft-top boards and stand-up paddleboards. Supporting categories include branded scented candles, car air fresheners, apparel, stickers, and wax tools/removers.

Underlying technology centers on paraffin-based wax blended with mineral waxes, calcium carbonate, and natural tackifiers including terpene resins, manufactured through a steam-based melting and mixing process that reuses or recycles every material. The company holds registered trademarks on the Sticky Bumps name, double-bar logo, and parent brand Wax Research. Sticky Bumps operates as the sister brand to Wend Waxworks (snow and bike waxes) within the Wax Research portfolio.

The business model is direct-to-consumer e-commerce exclusively through stickybumps.com, with global shipping from the Vista factory and a stated production capacity exceeding 18,000 bars per day. Revenue is generated through one-time purchases of individual wax bars, custom 6-packs, bulk half-cases (48 bars) and full cases (84 bars), plus candles, apparel, and accessories priced from $3 to $65. Customers are recreational surfers, competitive/advanced surfers, wake surfers, skimboarders, and SUP users served globally with no third-party retail or distribution partnerships disclosed.

Name

Sticky Bumps

Legal name

Wax Research, Inc.

Website

https://stickybumps.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sticky Bumps, founded in 1971 and operated by Wax Research, Inc., manufactures proprietary surfboard waxes (calcite-based, temperature-specific, grip-tiered) plus candles, air fresheners, and apparel, selling direct-to-consumer worldwide from its Vista, CA zero-waste factory.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Surf Wax and Surf Accessories

NAICS

Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)

akta.pro primary industry

Dry Cleaning & Laundry Additives (Dryer Sheets, Anti-static, Ironing Aids) (CRADAKAE)

Keywords

• Surf wax
• Surfboard traction
• Surf accessories
• Wax combs
• Surfboard care

Headquarters

HQ city

Vista

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Surf Wax Sales: Primary revenue from direct sales of surf wax bars and bulk cases. Products include Original Formula, Tour Series, Super Sticky, Punt, and Soft Top waxes in various temperature-specific formulas. Sold in individual bars, 6-packs, 48-bar half-cases, and 84-bar full cases.
2. Candles & Air Fresheners: Secondary revenue stream from surf wax-scented candles (5oz tin, 7oz glass, 10oz glass/mug) and hanging car air fresheners. Uses same iconic scents as surf wax products including Blueberry, Coconut, Pina Colada, and Tropical Fruit.
3. Accessories & Apparel: Revenue from wax accessories (combs, storage boxes, wax cases, wax remover) and branded apparel (t-shirts, hoodies, trucker hats) and stickers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Sticky Bumps manufactures and sells handcrafted surf waxes in multiple performance tiers (Original, Tour Series, Super Sticky, Punt) and temperature-specific formulas, along with complementary accessories including soft top/SUP wax, basecoat wax, Bright Bars colored wax, wax combs and storage, plant-based wax remover, scented candles, air fresheners, branded apparel, and stickers. All products are made in the USA at the company's zero-waste Vista, CA factory using proprietary calcite-based formulations.

Product overview

Sticky Bumps is a surf wax company founded in 1971 in Encinitas, CA, now operating from a zero-waste factory in Vista, CA. The product portfolio centers on handcrafted surf waxes with varying grip levels (Original Formula 1X, Tour Series 3X, Super Sticky 5X, Punt 10X) for different surfing styles and water temperatures. Supporting products include specialty waxes for soft top/SUP boards, Bright Bars colored waxes for creative expression, wax tools and storage solutions, plant-based wax remover, scented candles and air fresheners using iconic surf wax fragrances, and branded apparel and stickers. All products are biodegradable, non-toxic, and made in the USA.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wend Waxworks: Sister brand under Wax Research producing high-performance waxes for snow and cycling applications alongside Sticky Bumps surf waxes.

Products and services

• Original Formula Surf Wax The original and best-selling surf wax since 1971, trusted by pros and everyday surfers for easy application, long-lasting grip, and bump-building characteristics. Engineered with the first-ever traction additive (calcite), features signature blue tint and famous blueberry scent. Available across multiple temperature-specific formulas.
• Tour Series Surf Wax High-performance competition surf wax with 3X sticky rating and great bump-building character. A team favorite for its combination of grip and durability, designed for top competitors and barrel chasers.
• Super Sticky Surf Wax Maximum grip wax with 5X sticky rating. The ideal balance of maximum grip and adhesion for aerials, big waves, and aggressive surf moves.
• Punt Surf Wax The world's stickiest surf wax with a 10X grip rating. Specifically formulated for wake surfing, skimboarding, and aggressive surfing. Engineered for front foot use and specialty traction zones.
• Bright Bars Surf Wax All-new line of neon-colored surf waxes combining Sticky Bumps' legendary grip with vivid colors for bold creative expression. Versatile all-temp formula in six unique neon shades, available as individual bit bars and custom wax kits.
• Soft Top and SUP Wax Surf wax specially-formulated for soft top surfboards and SUP foam decks. Doesn't smear, applies easily, and grips well. Specifically engineered for the higher friction and heat generated when applying wax to foam-deck surfboards, with 2X grip rating.
• Basecoat Surf Wax Universal all-temp wax used as a first layer for proper wax build-up. Its harder formula is designed for building better bumps on a clean board as a base for temperature-specific surf waxes.
• Scented Candles Handpoured soy/Meadowfoam wax blend candles scented with Sticky Bumps' iconic surf wax scents. Available in 5oz tin and 7oz glass jars with 30-hour burn time. Scents include Original Blueberry, Hawaiian Coconut, Pina Colada, Tropical Fruit, Orange Mango, and Kiwi Fruit.
• Air Fresheners Hanging car air fresheners scented with classic Sticky Bumps surf wax scents. Available in Original Blueberry, Coconut, Banana, Kiwi, Orange Mango, Pina Colada, and Tropical Fruit.
• Wax Tools and Storage Wax combs, storage boxes, wax cases to keep wax pristine and surfboards in perfect condition. Includes Easy Grip Wax Comb with beveled edge for cleaning and toothed edge for texturing, Tech Mirror Wax Case for insulation, and Wax Box for storage.
• Wax Remover 100% plant and citrus-based surf wax remover for cleaning surfboards safely without damaging fiberglass. Available in 8oz bottles and 1-gallon bulk jugs.
• Apparel Sticky Bumps branded clothing including t-shirts, hoodies, and trucker hats. Features Original Logo designs and specialty items like the Gerry Lopez 50-Year tribute t-shirt. Priced $20-$65.
• Stickers Sticky Bumps logo stickers and Zombie Bob artwork stickers. Available in various sizes (5 inch and 7 inch) and colors (blue, pink, green, white outline).
• Custom 6-Packs Mix and match custom 6-packs allowing customers to combine different wax types and temperature formulas. Available in Original formula packs ($18) and High Performance packs ($19) including Super Sticky and Punt options.

Quantifiable outcome

• 18,000+ bars produced per day
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Sun Bum: Sun Bum is a surf-adjacent lifestyle brand (sun care, hair, lip) that has leveraged surf-culture branding into broader retail distribution — analogous to Sticky Bumps' potential expansion from surf wax into adjacent lifestyle categories.

Broad incumbents

• Billabong: Billabong is a global surf lifestyle brand with apparel, accessories, and boardshorts — a broad incumbent representative of the surf-brand category in which Sticky Bumps' apparel and lifestyle products compete.
• Dakine: Dakine is a broader action-sports accessories and apparel brand with deep surf heritage, comparable to Sticky Bumps' accessory and apparel category extensions from the core surf customer base.
• Vans: Vans is a major action-sports and surf-culture footwear and apparel brand, broadly representative of the lifestyle surf/skate category in which Sticky Bumps' apparel, hat, and lifestyle extensions operate.
• Quiksilver: Quiksilver is one of the largest global surf lifestyle brands with broad apparel, wetsuit, and accessories lines — comparable to Sticky Bumps as a surf-rooted consumer brand with apparel and accessory adjacencies.

Direct peers

• Matunas Organic Surf Wax: Matunas is an eco-positioned surf wax competitor emphasizing all-natural and biodegradable ingredients, directly comparable to Sticky Bumps on core surf traction product category while differentiating on sustainability positioning.
• Sex Wax: Sex Wax is one of the most recognized direct competitors in surfboard traction wax, founded in the same era as Sticky Bumps and serving the same recreational and professional surf market with parallel product tiers and temperature-specific formulas.
• Mrs. Palmer's Surf Wax: Mrs. Palmer's is a direct competitor in surf wax with similarly long heritage, offering temperature-specific formulas and natural ingredients targeting the same recreational surfer customer base as Sticky Bumps.
• FCS: FCS is a major surf accessories brand (fins, leashes, traction) with established surf-shop distribution globally — directly comparable to Sticky Bumps' wax accessories and broader surf hardware category.
• Grizzly Grip: Grizzly Grip produces surfboard traction pads and related grip products, competing in the board-traction category with overlapping pro-surfer endorsements and specialty surf-shop distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/stickybumpsoriginal
• Facebookfacebook.com/stickybumpswax
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sticky-bumps-surfwax

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sticky Bumps