Dane Reynolds Is Still One Of The Most Explosive Surfers On The Planet

“Dane’s looking all sparky and young again,” says Chapter 11 filmmaker, Hunter Martinez. “In the last few months, he’s just been more… driven. Even his kickouts are looking aggressive.” 

Any Dane Reynolds footage, even in 2025, is torn apart by the global surf populace like they’ve been starved for weeks. We are hyenas on a carcass, even now. But the thought of a rejuvenated, aggressive, and oddly motivated version of the self-confessed cynic is enough to have even the hardest souls weak in the knees. 

It’s been a while since we’ve seen Dane in the form that shoved him, reluctantly and awkwardly, onto the stage at the Surfer Poll Awards. Business ventures and family have kept him distracted for the past few years, essentially since the filming for Glad You Scored wrapped and left surfing to languish in the rearview. But according to Hunter, Dane’s back.

“It’s exciting for me,” says Hunter. “That Vans film was the last time we got proper waves. Since then it’s just been some dormant times with work and businesses. Dane’s got multiple endeavours, so those have kind of taken over. But lately he’s been buckling down. He’s even doing dawn patrols. The other day he hit me up at 6am, and I was like, ‘What the fuck? You didn’t even tell me we’d be cracking it today.’ Even if there’s a morsel of hope for waves at the moment, Dane is getting after it.” 

So, why is Dane Reynolds, now 40, suddenly back in the furnace? 

“Maybe he’s been watching Craig do cool shit,” offers Hunter. “I think he’s thinking, “I’m not on the back end yet. I want to perform. I can still put the time in, and put my head down.’” 

Proof exists, and it’s flashing across your screen. Chapter 11’s latest offering, 83 S Palm Street — a 17-and-a-half minute, full team edit, named after the Ch11 store’s new address — shows that Dane, both as a taste maker and a surfer, is still responsible for some of the most watchable surf videos to be flung into the digital ether. 

In their four years of existence, Chapter 11 has uploaded 104 videos to their YouTube channel, striking an impressive balance between feeding the machine with cannon fodder — necessary to keep the beast nourished in the attention economy — and crafting more long-form, engaged storytelling. A finely tuned content machine.

Ahem.

Is “content” a dirty word? It feels like it should be. An insidious nod to vlogging or something that cheapens the whole affair. But, alas, that’s what we call it now, so call it we shall.

If 83 S Palm Street is content, it’s definitely the meaningful kind. It feels, though the phrase seems a little too neat, like a love letter to the Ventura Dane has built.

According to Hunter, we can expect more long-form, considered storytelling from Chapter 11 in the future. It’s the direction they’ve been trying to nudge towards for a while now.

“It’s something we talk about a lot — the direction of Chapter 11,” says Hunter. “Like, how are we going to grow the look of Chapter 11 and push it towards more quality than quantity? Dane and I both feel that a lot of YouTube videos, things that come out weekly, are often a little brainless. I watch them all, but sometimes you’re just clicking it and watching it, and then immediately after, you’re like, ‘What did I just watch? Am I even going to remember that?’

“I think there’s a fine line of staying consistent, but not so consistent that you’re just putting out shit that people don’t even retain. In 2026, we want to go for more quality, editorial-based storytelling. Obviously, surf edits are sick, but it’s so much fun to mic someone up.” 

It’s a heavy lift, making something memorable, especially in a world marinated in brain rot and TikTok outrage. But Hunter seems undeterred, set on making something that’ll lodge itself in your brain, sighting the Japan section in Dear Suburbia as his holy text.

“I want to make something where you’re just like, oh, let’s fucking go. Something that’s etched in people’s memory.”

Seems there’s plenty on the horizon. When I spoke with Hunter today, he’d just returned from Ojai, where he’d been filming Dane on horseback — hopefully bareback, for some added texture — for an upcoming project. Meanwhile, Dane’s already stacked some solid footage for the upcoming Former part, a project Hunter’s equally tangled up in.

“It feels really cool getting the top guys from all over the world to put their best footage in your hands,” says Hunter. “But it’s also intimidating, and kind of weird. Sometimes I just have to remind myself, ‘Alright, this is fun. Let’s find the right music, let’s find the right art direction, and make something really sick.’”

“I look at someone like Dane, who’s made films people idolise and remember for life. I take that into account and try not to get too overwhelmed or second-guess myself. Just having a seat at the table, I’m really grateful for that.”