John Florence Knows This Sandbar Like The Dims Of His Pyzels

A little over a decade ago, a 19-year-old John Florence was gifted 50 G’s by Tony Hawk for stomping a buttery frontside stalefish — out spinning Chippa Wilson, Ryan Callinan, Matt Meola and Albee Layer — to win the Kustom Airstrike event. 

Today, John’s joints are not as spring-loaded as they once were. But in waves with serious juice, the founder of Florence is far more well-rounded, has a more fluid style and is more comfortable laying a full-rail gouge to the stringer in scary water than perhaps anyone. 

The above clip displays John’s playful side (alongside Ivan Florence, Barron Mamiya and a few other cameos) at the beachbreak in front of his childhood home (complete with indiscernible be-bop lyricism).

In How Surfers Get Paid, Nathan Florence told us when John tests boards, he ‘breaks down the most minute details, because he’s so in tune with what Pyzel makes. He knows exactly what’s wrong because he knows every detail of the board. They both know every board top down.”

Above, enjoy John testing his two small wave models, see if you can spot where he’s getting feedback, and listen to Jon Pyzel talk about the boards here.