FULL DISCLOSURE: I was asked to build a website* for Horny Toads Surf Wax by my friends Shaun and Kasie.
And the story goes like this...
One day Shaun saw me getting ready to paddle out and asked me if I wanted to try some new wax he was making at home in his kitchen.
"Sure thing."
"Let me know how it goes."
"Will do!"
After my session I saw Shaun and he asked me what I thought.
"Worst wax I have ever used. I rate it a 2 on a 1 to 10 scale."
"Thanks for your feedback."
"No problem!"
This actually happened. The bar of goo wrapped in plain wax paper would smear into a slimy mess just from the warmth of your hands. I had to apply it in the water just to get any on my freshly stripped board. Once out in the water I slipped all over the place, but luckily it was a fairly clean day of surf so I never took a rail to the jaw or anything like that. Any messier conditions and I may have landed on my ass or lost a few teeth or something. After all I'm no Pete Peterson...
But Shaun and Kasie continued to work hard on their formulae, and they soon got to the point where the wax was really pretty decent. They didn't add any colorants, so it had this kinda funky look of coagulated phlegm, but they did come up with some great scents including root beer, bubble gum, and pineapple. And the performance of the wax got better too, though it still needed to be kept really cold to get good bumps on a freshly stripped board without smearing. Eventually I finished the website which is here.
Fast forward to a few days ago and I see Shaun in the lot at Tourmaline with a big ass grin on his face.
"Dude, new forumula. You gotta try it!"
"Right on!"
The first thing I noticed was that the bar was bright white. This is something I had hoped they would do because I really like how clean white wax looks on a board. And I think it helps give you a better idea of how much you have applied compared to clear wax.
The second thing I noticed was that the bar was a lot thinner, like a little over 3/8" thick maybe. Shaun told me that the new additives added so much weight to the formula that he had to pour much smaller bars to keep the finished weight at 3 oz. like it says on the label.
The third thing I noticed was how incredibly easy it was to apply to a freshly scraped board with no basecoat. How it creates such even little bumps without smearing at all is a minor miracle in my mind. Not that I have tried every wax ever made, but I can say without a doubt that this new formula blows the big names out of the water when it comes to creating a perfect layer of pebble grain with just the right amount of tackiness, but without smearing or streaking even on a warm afternoon. And no basecoat required! Simply splendid!
And best of all, the fourth thing I noticed was how much I loved surfing on it! Shaun said it may take a month or so to get his next order of materials, and in the meantime I have told him that I may not surf again until he has more available - it's that good!
To think that friends of mine just revolutionized the surf wax industry right here in my own back yard brings a big smile to my face! So glad I could be a part of it!
See you in the water,
Vince
*I also happened to make the molds that they pour their wax in.
