Check out the recent article posted on the Outside Magazine blog site located at http://outside-blog.away.com/ The article is titled “A Chafed Odyssey: For a Good Cause”.
Scott and Mike’s journey will soon begin and we’re glad to see that they are getting some good support from companies as well as the media. May they have great weather and perfect waves.
To The Ichiban Matuse Crew,
My girlfriend and I had the pleasure of meeting you in February 2008. We were encouraged by Matuse and Rich Pavel to check on your wetsuit wizardry. Sneaking a peek at your wetsuit wizards at work was insightful and rewarding. In fact I walked out of the building with a new Matuse wetsuit. Most rewarding however, was the positive overall feeling that we felt while visiting your company headquarters. It is clear that the individuals representing your company are aquatically gifted and environmentally grounded.
Thank you,
Dylan Jones
P.S. Good News: My Matuse is still in one piece. See attached Photos Blacks 2-25-08 from Surfline. Plus a photo from 07. Too bad I didn’t have my Philo, I may have been able to place myself deeper in the tube!!!
Recently Matuse received an email from Scott informing us of his upcoming journey in May, 2008. We were excited to hear about his efforts to promote the idea of lessening the impact we as surfers have on the environment while also raising money for cancer research. We were happy to donate two of our wetsuits to Scott and Mike so that their surfing gear would have the best representation of functional and more environmentally friendly surf products. They will be hitting some cold water and the thought of them paddling around in 5mm and 6mm wetsuits after biking hundreds of miles just didn’t sound very appealing to us. So we outfitted them both with our Hoplite 4/3/2 full suits. These suits will definitely keep them warm but allow them ultimate freedom to focus on their surfing in the cold waters of northern and central California. We wish Scott and Mike a safe journey and we hope our product will make their experience that much better. Following is a description from their website:
Scott and Mike are avid surfers and cyclists, and are embarking on a wonderful journey and opportunity this May. As surfers, we are increasingly conscious of the environmental impact all surfers have as we drive up and down the coast looking for surf. As a result of this awareness, we are spending two weeks this May bicycling and surfing our way down the coast of California to surf in an environmentally friendly way. Through the journey, we hope to bring attention to others regarding the many environmental issues that face our coast. We will be self-sufficient on our trip, meaning we will carry all of our gear and tow our boards behind our bikes using a Quiver Kaddy.
We are also using this opportunity to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Please think about contributing.
Thanks to our many sponsors who are helping us on this journey. Please support them by visiting their websites and buying their eco-friendly products.
We are excited about our upcoming adventure and hope that we can take you. E-mail us at [email protected], especially if you do not have myspace. We want to keep you informed of what we are doing. Visit our myspace page at www.myspace.com/bikeandsurfcalifornia or visit our other website at www.bikeandsurfcalifornia.com.
Words: Chris Del Moro
The only way I could justify flying into a full blown blizzard, being surrounded by the Hollywood ’scene’, plus bone-chilling temperatures, was to remind myself that the waves at home were flat. The Sliding Liberia crew brought me along to represent our film at the Alpinist film festival in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and X-Dance film festival in Salt Lake City, Utah. After I arrived in Utah, I met up with childhood friend and film director Nicholia Lidow. We hit the streets of Utah, posting our films flyer on every light post and electrical box possible. After evading the cops all morning, we began the 6-hour drive through Idaho into Wyoming. Under normal circumstances, a six-hour drive is do-able, but this journey found us in our rented Chevy Impala headed straight into a late night snowstorm, with no chains or 4WD.
After six hours of white knuckle driving, we met up with good friend Dan Malloy and soon after the festivities began. The Alpinist crew treated us to a day of skiing and a wonderful night of movie watching. We were blown away by the sold out 1,000 person amphitheater and the genuine stoke for surf films in a mountain town. Turns out they liked the project so much the town awarded us with best overall picture. Thanks Jackson Hole.
X-dance/Sundance was a radical experience. Salt Lake City is an absolute madhouse during the Sundance film festival! During our stay our path’s crossed with Al Gore, Robert Redford, U2, the Bra Boys, Paris Hilton and many more of the Hollywood elite. Overall our stay in the snow was fruitful, Sliding Liberia won best emerging filmmakers from X-dance and we celebrated with some serious bowling and pints of 4% lager. For more shows check www.slidingliberia.com
From a recent email received from Patrick Ruddy of Surfing Mag.
Matuse Family,
I recently spent a few weeks on the North Shore with the Jones family and Flynn Novak. The boys have a house looking right over Rocky Point. It was rad to be able to stand in the back yard and see world class surf.
The first half of the trip the waves were small, but this allowed us to shoot some different angles and get some life style shots. Staying with the Joneses in general is awesome. They have such a positive out look on life and they’re always stoked!
On this trip we had a solid North West swell. Seeing everyone in the house charging 10 foot Pipe really gives you another level of respect for who these people are and how much surfing means to them. Over all it was an incredible experience and one not to be forgotten. Special thanks to the Jones family and everyone who made this trip possible.
Aloha,
-Patrick Ruddy
A large theatre set amidst an old Catholic missionary building, now acting as a school for Santa Barbara children, was the stage for Sliding Liberia. The film, as part of the Santa Barbara Film festival, had a buzz around it and you could feel the electricity as you walked up the main stairs and through the large glass double doors. Jeans with t-shirts and blazers, flannels and even a few Hawaiian shirts let you know that the crowd was surf centric out in their casual best. Familiar faces greeted you as you approached the ticket counter. Chris Del Moro in a checkered blazer had a huge smile that somehow shined through the impressive beard he has recently grown. Dan Malloy shook hands and talked about his experience in making the movie.
The cast and crew stood on stage and talked shortly about the film. In the spirit of film festivals they explained that surfing documentaries are probably one of the most independent of all the genres. They all expressed a great appreciation for the experience of making the film and hoped that all who watched would feel some of what they felt out in Liberia. The film was a great mix of social commentary and surf footage of a perfect left any of us would be happy to experience.
Once the lights came on the roar of the crowd was proof of the success of the film. Great footage, excellent story telling and and awesome music score all equated to a hugely successful film. Everyone was talking and nodding their heads in agreement on how much they liked the film.
The post party at Sandbar was a huge success. Live music, drinks and beautiful people all made the party a lot fun. The informal setting allowed many people to talk with the surf stars and film makers of the movie. Intellectual discussions on social issues, surf board designs 
and cultural experiences encompassed only some of what was on the minds of this Sliding Liberia crowd. The idea that a film could stimulate thought and debate was proving true all night long. A raffle was held for the donated surf products and one lucky guy named Van walked away with a new Matuse 4:3:2 Hoplite fullsuit. The best $2 he’s ever spent. If you didn’t make this event keep your eyes peeled for the next one. You won’t want to miss it.
Date: Wednesday, Feb 6, 2008
Time: 9 am
Location: Del Mar Fairgrounds at Wyland Hall. 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar, Ca 92014. Just west of the I-5 freeway. exit at Via De La Valle.
So here’s your chance to come out and show your support for preserving one of California’s most pristine coastal resources. Don’t allow this project to set a precedent allowing developers to build on State Park land. Save Trestles by showing your support at the next Coastal Commission meeting. We need to show them how important this is by showing up in force. Take a half day off work and be present to make a difference. Lets hope they hear us.
Visit SurfShot.com to read more on this and get additional links. They also have additional renderings of how the area will be affected if the Toll road goes in.
Date: Saturday, Feb 2, 2008
Time: 7 pm
Location: Marjorie Luke Theatre, 721 E. Cota Street
Purchase: $9 at the Lobero Box Office, 33 E. Canon Perdido. 888-456-2376. You can also buy tickets at the theatre door unless sold out.(Theatre seats 800)
After Party: Sandbar, 514 State Street. 805-966-1388
Come to Santa Barbara and join Chris Del Moro and crew as the new film Sliding Liberia hits the big screen. The surf documentary was shot on 16mm film and features Matuse rider Chris Del Moro. The film documents the travel and surf adventures of a few riders as they explore Liberia in South Africa shortly after U.N. troops stabalized the region and stopped the fighting. Liberia has been involved in two recent civil wars which caused this region to be to dangerous to travel to. The most recent civil war occurred from 1999-2003. This adventurous crew explored the coastal region of Liberia to see what their Atlantic bearing coastline had to offer. Come see what they experienced in this exciting new surf documentary.
After the film join Chris and friends at the Sandbar on State Street in downtown Santa Barbara. There will be live music by Xocoyotzin & Band, Brewer & Chase, Todd Hannigan & The Heavy 29’s and Dub DJ Rashi (Tribe of Kings/SD). There will be a raffle with prizes donated by sponsors Matuse Inc., Honolua Surf Co., wetSand, Collectic, Bing, Patagonia, Etnies, Channel Islands and many more. So come out and have a great time. It’s a great excuse to book a hotel and make a weekend of it.
An email received from Todd Glaser back from a recent road trip.
Yeah Boys,
Just wanted to say thank you so much for the keeping me warm the other day. Bummy and I just got back from an adventure up to Central Cal to find some waves. The weather was frigid to say the least. There were frozen fields of grass and black ice on the roads. The Hoplite 4:3:2 wetsuit kept me warm the whole time I was swimming and shooting photos. I couldn’t have been more stoked! Attached is a barrel shot from one of the session. Yewwwwwww, until the next adventure!
Thanks,
Todd
Date: December 13, 2007
Time: Doors open at 9pm
Location: The O Lounge (Oahu, Hawaii)
Matuse is proud to sponsor a Heavywater & The Surfrider Foundation event in Hawaii called Keep It Blue (working to keep oceans clean). There will be live music by Sashamon, The Pricks & OPM. 20k in prizes & giveaways from top surf/skate brands. 100% of the proceeds from the door & raffle go to The Surfrider Foundation. Come out to have a good time and support a worthy cause. Who knows, you could win a free Matuse wetsuit top.