Tom Carroll’s Backhand Ode To Bobby Martinez

If Tom Carroll and Bobby Martinez walked into a bar, I’d pull up two chairs for them, another for myself, and tell the bartender to put all orders on my tab. 

What would follow in this hypothetical scenario (where they hopefully don’t ignore me) would ideally be a lively back-and-forth on competition, board design, mistakes, redemption, boxing and meditation between two of surfing’s most original characters. 

Tom and Bobby. Two vibrant personalities and two eclectic backhands. What a treat it would be to see those two in their prime on tour, going blow for blow in roping rights or threading lefthand cones. 

Fortunately for us surf-centric folk, both men are still engaged in surfing. Tom seems to be enjoying bashing lips now more than ever, and Bobby’s latest signature model with his longstanding partner, Channel Islands, has been lighting up lineups across the planet. Not sure if a quad of below-average-length could hold up in quality surf? These clips here, here, and here might make you a believer. 

Though the two goofyfoots didn’t meet up in Onboard Store’s demo above, Tom puts Bobby’s CI through its backside paces.

“He has that creative edge that you get interested in because you’re not sure where he’s going to take that next turn,” Tom says of the How Surfers Get Paid star. “I’ve always loved that about Bobby.”