Publishers Note

March - April 2025

Lorenzo Diaz

With spring in full swing and everything coming back to life, it feels right to dedicate this issue to a man who had more than a few reinventions of his own—and helped shape the high-performance surfing we see today.

I’ll never forget when Mike Hynson called me about sixteen years ago, asking me to test one of his new boards. I figured he’d hand me one of his classic longboards, but instead, he pulled out a 5’5” shortboard—wide and flat. I laughed and told him, “I don’t think I can ride shortboards anymore,” after spending the last two decades longboarding at San-O. Mike just grinned and said, “Of course you can—it’s got plenty of volume!” If a legend like Hynson said I could do it, who was I to argue? From the first wave, I was hooked—it ended up being one of the best sessions of my life. I feel lucky to have spent time with Mike and his partner Carol. He was one of those rare, larger-than-life characters—rebellious, innovative, and always pushing boundaries.

Hope you enjoy this issue; also featuring artist Andy Davis, Duran Barr and his Surf Academy, freesurfer Kira Crage, and much more. I hope the articles resonate with you in a Rebel kind of way.

Until next issue, see you in the water!

Lorenzo