Solid Surf
Solid Surf is a San Diego-based private custom surfboard manufacturer founded in 2004, selling direct-to-consumer surfboards with proprietary sustainable BIOflex hemp/basalt construction to individual surfers across the U.S. via e-commerce, van tours, and select surf shops.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersSan Diego, California, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Solid Surf does
Solid Surfboards (DBA: Solid Surf) is a private, San Diego-based custom surfboard manufacturer founded in 2004, operating with a small team of 1-10 employees. The company designs and builds surfboards across four categories — Performance, Groveler, Retro/Midlength, and Longboards — and sells primarily direct-to-consumer through its e-commerce site, a San Diego retail location, and coast-to-coast van tours that bring inventory directly to buyers in California, Oregon, New York, and Hawaii. Select local surf shops serve as reseller partners. Customers are predominantly individual surfers who can either buy in-stock models ($850–$950) or commission custom builds through free consultations with the company's shaper.
The company's core technology is BIOflex, a proprietary construction that replaces traditional polyurethane/wood stringer layups using organic hemp fiber, volcanic basalt, and less toxic materials, yielding 95% AIR lightweight cores, claimed 2X more flexibility, and 100% recyclable foam and shaping remnants. The firm monetizes through one-time unit sales of both in-stock and bespoke boards; pricing is unit-based, with custom orders priced via quote after a shaper appointment. Revenue is supplemented by an affiliate program and content-driven marketing through a blog ("Tall Tales"), Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube surf films featuring team athletes such as Wolf Wertheimer (Surfline Top 5) and Mikey O'Shaughnessy. No outside funding, acquisitions, partnerships, patents, or formal certifications are disclosed in the source data, and the operating footprint remains U.S.-only.
Solid Surf firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Solid Surf
- Legal name
- Solid Surfboards
- Website
- https://solidsurfco.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Solid Surf is a San Diego-based private custom surfboard manufacturer founded in 2004, selling direct-to-consumer surfboards with proprietary sustainable BIOflex hemp/basalt construction to individual surfers across the U.S. via e-commerce, van tours, and select surf shops.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Solid Surf is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Diego, California
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Solid Surf business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Custom Surfboard Sales: The company sells custom surfboards built to order, allowing customers to design their boards with the shaper. They also maintain in-stock boards for immediate purchase.
- In-Stock Board Sales: Pre-made surfboards available for immediate purchase, including various models across performance, groveler, retro/midlength, and longboard categories.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Performance Models (e.g., Duck Sauce) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Groveler Models (e.g., the Shuttle) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Retro/Midlength Models (e.g., the Pescador) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Custom Board Orders |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Solid Surf product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Solid Surfboards designs, shapes, and sells custom and in-stock surfboards across Performance, Groveler, Retro/Midlength, and Longboard categories, built to order with their proprietary BIOflex HEMP sustainable construction using organic hemp, volcanic basalt, and 100% recyclable foam cores. Customers can book free design appointments with the shaper to specify dimensions, with finished boards either shipped or delivered via coast-to-coast van tours.
Product overview
Solid Surfboards is a San Diego-based custom surfboard manufacturer offering a portfolio of surfboard models across four distinct categories—Performance, Groveler, Retro+Midlength, and Longboards—alongside their proprietary BIOflex HEMP sustainable surfboard line. The company provides custom board design services, an online volume calculator tool, and operates van tours for direct customer engagement across the coast.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- BIOflex HEMP: Sustainable surfboard line made with organic hemp, volcanic basalt, less toxic materials, and 100% recyclable cores. Features 95% air lightweight cores, 2X more flexible construction, and 1000X less toxic materials compared to traditional surfboards.
Products and services
- Performance Surfboards
Quantifiable outcome
- 100% Recyclable surfboards with 95% AIR lightweight cores
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Solid Surf
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Solid Surf technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Solid Surf partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Solid Surf competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Surfline: Surfline is the leading surf forecasting, camera, and content platform that Solid Surf already leverages for team-rider exposure (Wolf Wertheimer Top 5 feature), making it an ecosystem partner rather than a competitor but directly comparable in the surf-community media space.
Direct peers
- Bing Surfboards: Bing Surfboards is a heritage US custom surfboard maker with deep roots in Southern California, producing hand-shaped boards across classic and modern categories — directly comparable to Solid Surf as a small-batch California custom shaper.
- Channel Islands Surfboards: Channel Islands is one of the most established US custom and stock surfboard manufacturers, competing with Solid Surf across Performance, Groveler, and Midlength model categories at similar premium price points.
- Rusty Surfboards: Rusty Surfboards designs and sells custom and stock performance surfboards through a shaper-led model with rider-driven marketing, directly comparable to Solid Surf's custom-shaper and team-rider positioning.
- JS Surfboards: JS Surfboards is an Australian premium surfboard brand with broad model coverage (performance, groveler, hybrid, longboard) and a strong direct-to-consumer and surf-shop channel mix, mirroring Solid Surf's breadth and go-to-market approach.
- Pyzel Surfboards: Pyzel Surfboards is a Hawaii-based custom performance surfboard brand with strong team-rider endorsement and a similar mix of stock and custom orders, competing head-to-head with Solid Surf in the high-performance segment.
- Lost Surfboards: Lost Surfboards is a leading performance surfboard brand offering custom and stock boards across similar categories (shortboards, grovelers, mid-lengths) at premium price points, directly overlapping with Solid Surf's product portfolio.
- Haydenshapes: Haydenshapes is an Australian premium surfboard brand built around proprietary eco-friendly construction technologies (bamboo, FutureFlex) and direct-to-consumer custom orders, making it one of the closest analogues to Solid Surf's sustainable, premium, custom-shaper model.
- Firewire Surfboards: Firewire is a premium custom surfboard manufacturer with a strong focus on sustainable construction (recycled foam, bio-resin, alternative materials), directly competing with Solid Surf's BIOflex HEMP line in the eco-friendly performance surfboard segment.
Broad incumbents
- Patagonia: Patagonia is a large outdoor and surf-adjacent brand with strong sustainability credentials and a broader product portfolio (apparel, wetsuits, surf accessories) that overlaps with Solid Surf's eco-conscious customer base and brand positioning.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Solid Surf social profiles
Digital presenceSolid Surf financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Solid Surf leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Solid Surf funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Solid Surf M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Solid Surf
What does Solid Surf do?
Solid Surfboards designs, shapes, and sells custom and in-stock surfboards across Performance, Groveler, Retro/Midlength, and Longboard categories, built to order with their proprietary BIOflex HEMP sustainable construction using organic hemp, volcanic basalt, and 100% recyclable foam cores. Customers can book free design appointments with the shaper to specify dimensions, with finished boards either shipped or delivered via coast-to-coast van tours.
Is Solid Surf a public or private company?
Solid Surf is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Solid Surf founded?
Solid Surf was founded in 2004. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Solid Surf based?
Solid Surf is headquartered in San Diego, California, United States, in the North America region.
How does Solid Surf make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Custom Surfboard Sales are the primary driver. The others are in-Stock Board Sales.
Who are Solid Surf's main competitors?
Surfline is listed as an others. Direct peers are Bing Surfboards, Channel Islands Surfboards, Rusty Surfboards, JS Surfboards, Pyzel Surfboards, Lost Surfboards, Haydenshapes and Firewire Surfboards. Patagonia is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Solid Surf have an API?
No public API is recorded for Solid Surf.