Meet The Lurker, A FERAL x Stab Creation!

If you’ve paddled out at any of California’s storied right points, or more hush hush nooks and crannies between First Point Malibu and the locked gates at Hollister Ranch, chances are you’ve encountered a particular species of underground local, dragging a sunburned single fin behind him, all-black Japanese rubber and hood-up. 

Lurkers, we call ‘em here. 

They are a rare and unpretentiously stylish breed. Who comprises their under-the radar ranks, you ask? Tom Curren, Dave Parmenter, Michael Taras, Lewis Samuels, Brian Aresco, Josh Farberow, Barry McGee, Alex Kopps, Jimmy Gamboa, Dane Peterson, Travers Adler, and the man who stars in the film above, Trevor Gordon, wearing Stab’s gorgeous collaboration suit with our friends at FERAL: The Lurker. 

But it doesn’t end there, the NSSA kids and thruster enthusiasts have embraced the LURK, because, all black, sleek and Yamamoto Neoprene is something to be desired. And we’re quite fucking proud of this collaboration with a company, who we’ve called the sexiest suit on the market. Yeah, they’re hawt! Get in one. 

Noah “Waggy” Wegrich somewhere between Santa Cruz and San Francisco.

Photography

Teddy Miller

With the task of making the perfect Southern California single-suit, we looked to the lot lizards and their horrid hooded 4/3’s, worn for the winter season and then chopped at the knees for summer relief, as well as to the slick-skinned stylists, devotees to the Cult of Yamamoto. 

Of course, a hooded 4/3 is overkill in Southern California (or 50 percent of the year in Northern California), in our minds, and so we asked FERAL’s Alex and Buzz whether they’d make us a 3/2, with a hood, all from the finest Japanese Neoprene. Instead, they gave us a 3.5/2.5 mill suit. It’s warm enough to brave anywhere north of Point Conception to San Francisco, and thin enough that you’ll sacrifice neither mobility or warmth. They claim the suits are good for 54-64 F waters, but throw a pair of booties on and you’ll be just fine when the water drips into the very low 50s – depending on how husky of a (wo)man you are. 

The resulting suit just very well may be the most handsome slice of rubber we’ve ever slipped into, blacked out with minimal branding save for a quiet FERAL hit on the shoulder, and a nod to us on the sleeve, complete with a little spraycan dash on the sleeve by Tosh Clements.

For those who don’t know, FERAL is a boutique wetsuit co out of San Fransisco owned by two Ocean Beach staples named Alex and Buzz. They’re a no corpo-bullshit duo who design the suits, website, handle customer server, testing, shipping and directed and edited the above video.

Trevor Gordon, Lurking hard in the orange sorbet evening light.

Photography

Erin Feinblatt

For the tech nerds, here are the specs:

• Limited edition suit collaboration with our friends at FERAL.
  
• 100% Yamamoto Japanese rubber (99.7% water impermeable)
  
• Ultra smooth, low-water-absorption jersey
  
• Reduced panel, strategic seam design
  
• 3.5mm chest and back panels; 2.5mm lower legs, arms and shoulders
  
• Attached 1.5mm smooth skin hood w/drawstring & visor
  
• Critical seam taping
  
• Chest zip entry with concealed shoulder drawstring
  
• Reduced bulk PK waterproof zipper w/stainless steel pull
  
• Inner wrist and ankle seal silicone tape
  
• External thigh key pocket
  
• Lurker art on inner left wrist by @_toshy 
  
• Good for 54-64 degree F water *(temperature range dependent on personal burliness)
  

You want one? Head here!