Building the Revolution, an “International Community of Surf Shop Supporters”, came together with MANERA’s Sales and Marketing Manager, Austin Benke, to talk all things wetsuits and supporting local shops. Watch the podcast below to learn more!
“To protect and maintain this friendly ecosystem, Manera has stayed true to the local shop model for our sales approach. Selling direct or going through corporate outlets would eliminate part of what the brand cherishes. The knowledge of true practitioners is invaluable, and that is why each MANERA product is only sold through a specialty shop or website. That way, everybody can get the best expertise and advice from someone who is in the water every day.” – Building the Revolution
Ever wondered about the inner workings of the Surf Industry? Curious about the perspectives of surf shop owners, buyers, and brand executives? Interested in the creative visions of shapers as they envision the future of surfing? Then check out Building the Revolution! “Each episode, we egage with different personalities from the surf industry to provide you with the freshest insights. Join us as we explore the dynamic world of surfing from various angles.”
Local shops are the keystone of our sports. Tight-knit communities frequently blossom and prosper around them: local events, comps, test days, local rippers first sponsor, happy and well-advised customers…
Picture the tropical smell of wax, endless rows of gleaming boards, hangers overflowing with new wetsuits, these are welcome sensations upon entering a shop and chatting with the hipster salesman about the newest gear available. It is all an experience, not solely a transaction. Don’t you want kids in 20 years’ time to walk in and experience these shops the way we all did?
Our sports are fragile ecosystems, and skipping over local shops in the name of profit and margin is a short-term game. This is why we don’t sell direct, and 100% of our products are sold through retailers.
More than a sales strategy, it is a commitment to our culture. SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SHOP.
Maui local, Braiden Maither, raises $5,000 for Lahaina residents, gets thoroughly tubed, and speaks on his unique health condition.
“after filming the above edit Scobey Hotel, he broke his leg doing an air reverse at his ‘local shitty beachbreak’.”
“ “It was rough,” he tells me. “I’ve had a bunch of other injuries before, just ligament tears and stuff like that, butgetting healthcare here is crazy. I rolled into the hospital at first, and they told me I was fine. I was like, “There’s no way, I’m in so much pain.” Then the ortho calls me and they’re like, “Yeah, you need surgery right now.” It was a rough two months in bed, I couldn’t move at all.”
Braiden has actually spent a significant portion of his surfing life battling physical ailments, as he was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis at 19 years old.
Despite having a name which sounds like a Dr. Seuss villain, ankylosing spondylitis is actually a sort of arthritis located in the spine, which can sometimes cause the vertebrae to fuse, leading to immense pain.
“I had all these kind of weird symptoms right off the bat. My knee blew up and I couldn’t walk forfive months and my shoulder stopped working and all this stuff startedhappening. I was going in and out of doctors for literally six months trying to figure out what itwas, and then they finally diagnosed me. I was out of the water for a year and a half dealing with that. Then, I’ve had recurring injuries, I think partially because itwas always hard to get back to a hundred percent. I still deal with it.” “
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“ “I’ve actually used psilocybin, just little microdoses, to keep my mind clear — because I definitely get gnarly anxiety here and there and depression with injuries. I’ve really noticed that stuffhelps. It’s just a restart on the system a little bit, like a refresher.”
The undertones of this psychedelic dabbling are present in the above claymation scenes, which Braiden says he crafted during his most recent stint out of the water. As we’ve heard from many others, it was more difficult than expected.
“I’ve always been drawn to all the Volcom stuff, and then Dane put out that Andrew Doheny part a little bit ago, and theywere playing with the claymation. I’ve always wanted to play with it and see. It’s a lot tougher than I thought,” he laughs.
“In total, I put in maybe 15 plus hours over time. At the start, it was like four hours of just complete learning and not doing anything, then another four hours to properly get it kind of framed up of how I wanted it, and then probably another four hours of doing it correctly.” “
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“ Last Friday, he premiered the film in the ballroom of the Royal Lahaina Resort — one of the only hotels in Maui who is housing strictly residents who have been displaced by the Lahaina fires.
“150 plus people came out, and we raised almost five grand,” he says, proudly. “I grew up here, so I know a lot of people that got displaced and lost stuff. I know a lot of people aren’t seeing the money from alot of these things, so I’ve just been divvying it up and sending it to families that I know.” “
You can continue to donate on GoFundMe, the fundraising page recommended by Braiden.
We always refused to make bulky, hard helmets because they are very uncomfortable to wear in the wind and horrible to surf with. They could even be dangerous as they make the impact in the water even harder for your neck.
The S-FOAM helmet uses an innovative material that allowed us to create a soft, fitted helmet that is very comfortable to ride with. The S-Foam helmet is applicable for any water sports discipline- your newest safety companion doing the things you love.
Key Features:
“Smart” Foam
Perfect fit
CE certified
“Smart” Foam
S-FOAM (Smart Foam) is made of a non-Newtonian fluid that is soft and flexible at normal state, but instantly becomes stiff when subject to an impact. This means you have a perfectly fitted, comfortable helmet when riding, but it will protect you when needed.
The Perfect Fit
Our innovation here relies on the 3D construction. The helmet is molded into one piece, instead of just trying to assemble a flat pattern into 3D (think standard rugby soft helmets full of bumps and stitchings). The S-FOAM HELMET leaves no area unprotected and perfectly fits your head, creating a helmet-free feeling while riding.
MANERA is a proud sponsor of the Central Coast BoardRiders Club. We are always here to support the local surf communities, and are grateful to get the opportunity to be apart of this growing boardriders movement!
We headed up to Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo to watch the annual US BoardRiders Morro Bay at The Rock comp go down. It was a great day full of high level surf from clubs all over CA, as well as good energy from the local surf community. We were stoked to see the Central Coast BoardRiders Club take the win at their home break, Morro Rock.
We got with one of the main coaches Steve Denham after the club took the win:
“A solid 8+ double whammy by @braden.joness in the final 20’s division iced the win. Stoked on the whole team and club. Special thanks to our sponsors @maneraamerica, @woolyspb, @dornsbreakers, @cayucoscollective, @besteverpads, @805beer. The future is local, see you in Santa Cruz.”
At MANERA, we are a family. It is not some overused marketing cliché, but rather a fact of life.
Whether it’s out on the water or in this business, we don’t forget our family and friends. In the early days of MANERA, a small network of shops and salespeople in the community helped us grow to where we are today. They have our loyalty, and vice versa.
To protect and maintain this friendly ecosystem, we have stayed true to the local shop model for our sales approach. This includes both shopping, and supporting LOCAL.
Another huge congratulations to Central Coast Boardriders. Keep making MANERA proud!
Shop the suits to keep you warm all year long.
The MAGMA is made for cold and windy winter days. Its MAGMA+ fleece acts both as an insulator and heat generator, and dries 30% faster than a classic fleece.
Titus Santucci, Manera rider from Encinitas, recently qualified for the U.S Junior National Surf Team. Santucci is the first Filipino-American male to do so, and quickly headed off to Rio de Janeiro to compete in the Junior National Championship.
On his instagram, Santucci mentioned it has always been a goal of his to make the Junior National Team. “My dad would push me in the waves and so did my mom. It was cool to bring me in the surfing world and teach me everything I knew,” he said. (CBS8, 2023).
Santucci competing in Brazil
With 46 countries and 356 athletes competing at the championship, Santucci was proud to be amongst his eleven other teammates surfing in Brazil. The team has competing athletes ranging from U16 to U18, all who returned home with silver metals- a stepping stone from the previous year, where Team USA brought home bronze. (American Surf Magazine, 2023).
Santucci has been riding for Manera since early 2023. When reflecting on his Manera gear, he stated “These suits have been great at keeping me warm throughout my travels, always toasty!”
Congratulations, Titus! We can’t wait to see what you have in store.
American Surf Magazine sat down with MANERA surfer Pete Devries, a nine-time consecutive Canadian Men’s Champion and winner of 2009 Cold Water Classic from British Columbia. Pete, titled “the ultimate cold-water surfer”, took some time to get into the characteristics and benefits of the ALT wetsuit.
The Alt Range — ALT stands for Alternative — is a greener alternative to conventional wetsuits with performance in mind.
Each wetsuit is made from 100% natural YULEX rubber. Because natural rubber is a renewable resource, it ensures a reduced environmental impact as well as a long-term supply stability.
“If there’s anyone who knows wetsuits, and if there’s anyone who knows Manera’s wide range of wetsuits — including the Alt Range — it’s Pete.” (ASM)
A glimpse into the Q & A session:
ASM: “What are a few qualities of Manera’s wetsuits overall that stand out to you?”
Pete: “I think the biggest thing that stands out about Manera’s wetsuits is the durability. They are just so solid — and made to last.
I’ve never once had a seam open up or blow out in the 5 or so years I’ve been wearing Manera. The craftsmanship is great!”
ASM: “The wetsuit market today is crowded with products. What differentiates Manera’s wetsuits from other options?“
Pete: “With Manera, there is enough stretch, durability, and warmth. It’s really the perfect combination. If you want a suit that feels great and actually lasts I’d suggest you give Manera a try.
The thing I hear time and again is how with certain brands on the market they feel amazing when you first put it on, but after two months the suit is completely blown out and over stretched … then the seams start to go. Manera’s wetsuits just last.
I’ve talked to a bunch of people in the lineups around home that love them and are super happy to have given them a chance.”
ASM: “The Yulex Pure is natural plant based rubber that is a cleaner alternative to petroleum. Do you have any thoughts on this topic, knowing that you’re surfing in sustainable and green-product compared to other wetsuit companies?“
Pete: “I think anything we can do as individuals to impact the environment in a positive way is amazing.
It’s no secret traditional neoprene is not good for the environment, so anything we can do to get away from it is great.
I’m happy Manera takes pride in working to make products that are more environmentally sustainable. Hopefully one day the whole wetsuit market will be more sustainable.”
ASM: “Wetsuits have to be flexible to allow you to do what you want on a wave — as far as flexibility and performance are concerned, what are your thoughts about the suit?“
Pete: “I really feel like they are the perfect combination of flexibility, performance and durability. There is a fine line between each and I am really happy with the way they feel.
After an amazing season with five freestyle events worldwide, we are stoked for Swiss Manera & F-One team rider, Maxime. He finished off the ’23 competition season with two second places, and a final third on podium at the 2023 Qatar Airways GKA Freestyle Kite World Champions.
Maxime says,
“Feels good to stand on the box after missing it very slightly in the last couple of years! See you next year beloved kiteboarding!”
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Major Congratulations to Maxime! We can’t wait to see what next season brings.
Check Out Maximes’ Gear Favorites
HALO HARNESS – KITE
It all started from an analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of current harness technologies, regarding in particular the softshell (the classic flexible harness) and the hardshell (the rigid shell harness).
By separating the functions of “effort management” and “comfort”, we have created a harness that adapts perfectly to your body type and your movements, while offering unparalleled support.
Best of both worlds, the 4.3mm X10D allows unrestricted movements while keeping you warm during mid-season.
The X10D is the ultimate performance wetsuit. In addition to excellent thermal protection, the X10D fleece interior gives flexibility and lightness while providing great comfort. It is perfectly adapted to any discipline where you need maximum flex because of its ability to follow the body’s movements.
