Watch: Dane Reynolds // Not Today

Stu Nettle picture
Stu Nettle (stunet)
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Making no attempt to get with the times, Dane's latest clip is eight-minutes long, all of it surfing, no talking or lifestyle filler to justify another mid-stream ad break, nor appeals to subscribe.

For those who care about such things, here's Dane's accompanying blurb:

Sometimes I feel ridiculous driving around checking waves. Checking swell forecast. Checking wind. Checking tide. Rubbing elbows with groms trying to catch a wave to do a trick with someone standing on the beach with a camera to record it. 

Some day I’ll have to hang it up. Stop forcing my fossilized body to pump and thrash and relax into a more soulful manner of riding waves. Maybe buy an old van and burn some sage. Get resin tints and grow a pony tail and wrap it in a bun. Switch to craft beer. Hang up the thruster and glide in from out the back on a 7’6 single fin. I’ll put my arms in the air when I reach the crest of every gently peeling wave. 

But not today. The waves are shit and onshore. After I write this I’m going to clean the wax off my 5’9 square tail epoxy and call Matt to see what he’s doing. He probably won’t pick up. He’ll probably call me back in about 5 minutes and I’ll ask him if he’s seen the ocean and he’ll say no he had a few things he had to take care of but he was thinking about going look at the wood. I’ll say I was thinking the same. I’ve got a sore knee so I’ll roll on a foam thing for like 2 minutes before I get distracted. I’ll hop in my car and head south with a Howard Stern re-run playing from my radio at maximum volume. If it’s a stupid episode I’ll listen to Royal Dog Shit for the 1000th time.

 When I pull up Matt will be on his phone. When he gets off his phone he’ll say he’s seen a few. I’ll say yeah looks fun enough for a surf and after all, If it’s shitty we’ll come in. Then we’ll suit up, I’ll ask him how his bitcoin trading is going. He’ll say ‘awwww man not so hot’ and I’ll laugh at his misfortune. The waves will be average but I’ll be able to hit the lip a few times and maybe do an air reverse. Matt will pearl going straight at least once and i will yell “I can’t believe you are still riding that board!” I’ll be happy I surfed. The waves could be good soon and I’ve got a new 6’0 with glass ons that I’m excited to ride.

And for the record. If you ever see me on a set at Rincon throwing my arms in the air on a 7’6 single fin feel free to burn me…

Comments

H2O's picture
H2O's picture
H2O Tuesday, 2 Feb 2021 at 2:05pm

Watching Dane Reynolds surf is a joy.

Pops's picture
Pops's picture
Pops Tuesday, 2 Feb 2021 at 2:11pm

Dude's back knee is made of rubber I swear (~42s).

tango's picture
tango's picture
tango Tuesday, 2 Feb 2021 at 3:25pm

That soundtrack had 7'6" written all over it.

Sunnysideup's picture
Sunnysideup's picture
Sunnysideup Tuesday, 2 Feb 2021 at 3:33pm

heavy carcass looking weightless

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Tuesday, 2 Feb 2021 at 3:46pm

Ripping
A Beer n Pie man just like our Billy

icandig's picture
icandig's picture
icandig Tuesday, 2 Feb 2021 at 3:52pm

That first song- erk. Fingernails on a blackboard.

san Guine's picture
san Guine's picture
san Guine Tuesday, 2 Feb 2021 at 4:00pm

He should patent that back hand bottom turn, awesome to watch

theblacksheep's picture
theblacksheep's picture
theblacksheep Tuesday, 2 Feb 2021 at 4:25pm

I love Dane's riping but just wanted to punch that King's minstrel in the face after a minute of that first song

Optimist's picture
Optimist's picture
Optimist Tuesday, 2 Feb 2021 at 4:30pm

I was wondering what he was riding especially at the start. Sounds like it was a neckbeard spinetek epoxy or a variation...nice backhand...fast and slick.

stanfrance's picture
stanfrance's picture
stanfrance Wednesday, 3 Feb 2021 at 11:34am

I had one of those. Worst glass job I have ever experienced. Looked like a golf ball after a couple of surfs.

savanova's picture
savanova's picture
savanova Wednesday, 3 Feb 2021 at 1:57pm

CI great shapers shit glassers.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Wednesday, 3 Feb 2021 at 2:04pm

Lot of their shortboards even have a decal that says 'Ultralight Glassing' so people can't say they were unaware.

simba's picture
simba's picture
simba Wednesday, 3 Feb 2021 at 2:39pm

Bought a ci board years ago and it had the ultra light glassing sticker on it,after one surf the whole deck looked like it had been in a hail storm and was 3months old...could have pushed my finger thru it....avoid ultra light glassing unless your a light weight.

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Wednesday, 3 Feb 2021 at 2:30pm

I’ve gotten CIs from Bali which have refused to snap despite many opportunities to do so. In fact their glassing in general is pretty good . They hold up alright. Not sure about stock boards as these were custom with specified heavier glass.

OHV500's picture
OHV500's picture
OHV500 Tuesday, 2 Feb 2021 at 5:43pm

The drive he gets off his backhand bottom turn - Fukkkkkk

views from the cockpit's picture
views from the cockpit's picture
views from the ... Tuesday, 2 Feb 2021 at 7:35pm

I see Dane and I have a similar style in that he doesn't have his back foot on the rear tail pad during most of his turns.
Thats where the similarity ends!

Spuddups's picture
Spuddups's picture
Spuddups Friday, 5 Feb 2021 at 2:28pm

Yeah, I'm exactly like him except I can't do airs, hacks, blow out my fins, nose picks, reverses etc etc. Haha!

frog's picture
frog's picture
frog Tuesday, 2 Feb 2021 at 7:40pm

Dane makes wild surfing and airs look so much more fun than some highly rated pros.

ringmaster's picture
ringmaster's picture
ringmaster Tuesday, 2 Feb 2021 at 7:55pm

The bloke's a maniac!

Would love to see more clips of him in pumping reef surf.

velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno Tuesday, 2 Feb 2021 at 7:58pm

soundtrack is brutal

Solitude's picture
Solitude's picture
Solitude Tuesday, 2 Feb 2021 at 8:54pm

Loved the little excerpt at the top. He’s interesting isn’t he? He must love home, his local beachies and I’d imagine lack of crowds and room to move.

As for the clip, pretty frantic stuff.

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Tuesday, 2 Feb 2021 at 9:10pm

is his clothing company Former still going?

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Wednesday, 3 Feb 2021 at 9:37am

Yep, still going, not former.

No idea about success or otherwise. Post-launch, amid all the indy start up fireworks, I saw a few of their shirts and duds around here. These days, nada.

Keen eyes will notice the Former logo on one of Dane's boards and a wetty too.

Andrew P's picture
Andrew P's picture
Andrew P Wednesday, 3 Feb 2021 at 9:24am

I don’t buy the apathy - he surfs way too good still that he must care a lot.

Does anyone else think he cares so much that he cares about looking like he doesn’t care?

How good are glass ins!

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Wednesday, 3 Feb 2021 at 9:45am

I don't think its apathy, I think it's a deep ambivalence.

and I believe it's genuine.

Andrew P's picture
Andrew P's picture
Andrew P Wednesday, 3 Feb 2021 at 6:26pm

Thanks FR that’s probably a better description. Geezus he rips

garry-weed's picture
garry-weed's picture
garry-weed Wednesday, 3 Feb 2021 at 12:18pm

Nico soundtrack.....Digging deep.I liked it.
Best fun surfer to watch ever.

FiveMill's picture
FiveMill's picture
FiveMill Wednesday, 3 Feb 2021 at 12:22pm

Who needs the tour! Awesome write up too.

frog's picture
frog's picture
frog Wednesday, 3 Feb 2021 at 12:52pm

Dane 6' and 79 kgs - he aint chubby except for those cheeks.

GODS QUAD's picture
GODS QUAD's picture
GODS QUAD Wednesday, 3 Feb 2021 at 1:42pm

Will never, ever, get tired of seeing that breakneck speed layback disembowelment. Ever.

bipola's picture
bipola's picture
bipola Wednesday, 3 Feb 2021 at 1:51pm

good music and waves

NDC's picture
NDC's picture
NDC Wednesday, 3 Feb 2021 at 2:01pm

Funny this came out so close to curren’s free scrubber - as I find them both very enigmatic characters in parallel but different ways if you can overlook my contradiction in terms. Both are dancing to different drums than most ‘pro’ surfers

- I love that Dane eschews the hipster/alternative craft movement and flys the flag for powerful and aggressive modern surfing - he does it so well - plenty of time later for Dane to high line on mid length single fins / the fun and performance factors are there in spades in this 8 mins of downtime - thks dane

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Wednesday, 3 Feb 2021 at 3:51pm

I echo the sentiments of above and would like to add it's great to see a clip at full speed.

batfink's picture
batfink's picture
batfink Wednesday, 3 Feb 2021 at 6:53pm

Probs still my favourite surfer to watch. Was that him kooking a couple of waves at the beginning? Made me feel much better about myself. Have been surfing a lot of bad banks with backwash zones (much of the east coast) and had thought at times I had just forgotten how to surf.

His bottom turns and top rips are off the charts.

OHBILLY's picture
OHBILLY's picture
OHBILLY Thursday, 4 Feb 2021 at 2:58pm

I love watching Dane surf, I have always hated how zoomed in it is.

gannysesh's picture
gannysesh's picture
gannysesh Tuesday, 9 Feb 2021 at 5:36pm

Me too. It's distracting. You either can't see the top or the bottom. Just zoom out!

t-diddy's picture
t-diddy's picture
t-diddy Friday, 5 Feb 2021 at 1:08am

brutal; so sic

jacksprat's picture
jacksprat's picture
jacksprat Friday, 5 Feb 2021 at 11:33am

By far the most likeable person involved in the surf industry. The clips are interesting and lack the pretentiousness of most others (compare to the new Curren video for instance). I feel if I met him, I'd probably like him. Fine surfing. Great feel. Mute the music.

Spuddups's picture
Spuddups's picture
Spuddups Friday, 5 Feb 2021 at 2:31pm

I hear what you're saying, although I didn't find the Curren clip particularly pretentious; more of a reflection of his unique personality.

san Guine's picture
san Guine's picture
san Guine Friday, 5 Feb 2021 at 2:54pm

Liked both Curren and Dane equally for different reasons.

Dane looked totally relaxed in the water and TC, well, he still has that style!

anthony.olsen's picture
anthony.olsen's picture
anthony.olsen Friday, 5 Feb 2021 at 4:46pm

I know he said he was pretty disparaging of mid-lengths in his insta post - but would still love to see him ride one.

ojackojacko's picture
ojackojacko's picture
ojackojacko Sunday, 7 Feb 2021 at 7:54pm

have a look at him on the stab electric acid board test. He rides a variety of shapes including mid-lengthys and 'struggles' (in Dane Reynolds terms) until he gets on a neckbeard

fad's picture
fad's picture
fad Saturday, 6 Feb 2021 at 12:10pm

Copying my signature dismount at 1:03. Thanks for showing the fails as well as the awesome bits. Keeping it real gives us all faith to keep frothing.

vbaaccess's picture
vbaaccess's picture
vbaaccess Friday, 26 Feb 2021 at 9:17pm

Speed, power, style and flow in one package. No wonder he still the best free surfer in the world. Always enjoy watching his surfing. I am a kneeboarder.