Craig Anderson Joins Scandinavian Luggage Brand Db

A couple of months ago when we broke the news that Scandinavian luggage brand Db was debuting its first surf bags, and sporting a roster that included Jordy Smith, Sage Erickson, Noah Wegrich and others, we mentioned a rumor that “a free-surfing Aussie goofyfooter” was supposedly about to join the team. Today, that’s a rumor no more, as Craig Anderson is now on team Db for board bags, backpacks, and luggage.

I spoke with Craig over the phone about the move to Db, and the Kai Neville cut made to celebrate the occasion.

Stab: How has this year of downtime treated you? 
Craig Anderson: It has definitely been different, I’m used to checking weather maps consistently and chasing waves wherever they look best around the world. We’ve been very fortunate here in Australia, as life feels very normal compared to what I’ve seen on the news. It’s pretty hard to grasp what it’s like in most parts of the world. That comes with strict borders, making it nearly impossible to travel overseas. The last six months our interstate borders have been open so I’ve been getting my share of waves this past winter up and down the coast of NSW and a trip or two interstate. 

It has been really nice to spend time at home with family and friends and let the earth breathe. I’ve got a life over here and a fiancé that works in Newcastle. It’s not like the good old days where I’d just pack a bag of boards and be gone for six months, I’ve got a bit more responsibility. 

What’s this clip you have coming out with Db? 
Ah, I went through some drives for about a week and just picked and pulled a few bits and pieces that I don’t think anyone’s seen, and sent them to Kai [Neville]. I feel Kai does a great job of syncing up a surfer’s and brand’s content in an authentic way. And I’ve got a friend, Thom Pringle, who’s been doing cool stuff in the music world and he made a track for it. But yeah, pretty tricky not being able to travel and really sink my teeth into projects. But I’m making do, and I’m just stoked that I have these opportunities where brands are interested in what I’m doing and want to partner up. It’s only a minute but I hope it gets people excited to hit the road when the world gets back to it normal groove. 

How did you come about joining Db? 
It was all through Wes Schaftenaar, who I knew back when I was living in South Africa a long time ago. He supported me and he worked at Rip Curl for a while and supported my younger sister, and he reached out to me a while ago about working with Db. It’s been at least a year just communicating with Wes and the design team on what they’ve got going on with the brand and where they see it going. They asked me a lot of questions about what I thought of Db and just getting me involved in the process of developing the brand and the surf products. It’s definitely been more than just a couple of conversations and a sticker on the board, you know?

What drew you to the products? 
The minimalist look and feel of all the products, and the attention to detail. I feel most comfortable in the colour black and pretty much put on the same clothes everyday. Black hoodie, pants and black loafers. I think their products embody what I look for in luggage and to be honest, I’m sick of dragging around a bulky, sloppy board bag with no wheels.

In the past, I’ve had board bags that last one or two years and had others that last five or six, and I think these ones [The Bunker and Shelter] will last a long time because they’re well-made and Db’s done all the tests for the durability of the different fabrics. It helps that they can take what they’ve learned from making snowboard bags and backpacks for such a long time and apply it to surf.

What do you think about the crew at Db?
It seems like there’s no idea too big or too small for them, like they’re willing to put their heads down and get the work done to try and nail it on the head. Hopefully I can add something to the brand. At the end of the day, the relationship seems to feel right.