So, Where You Heading? 

Some folks suggest that the surf industry peaked in the early 2000s.

I believe that’s incorrect.

Yeah, five-ish brands run out of Orange County — most of them doing the same exact thing — had the decimal point leap a few digits to the right in their bottom lines, but are we to accept the idea that a small cohort of companies in the business of staining fabric and selling it to consumers constitutes the entire “surf industry?”

Right now, there are more businesses and individuals making money off surfing than ever before. Perhaps clothing — or even professional surfing in general — is not the most effective way to inspire the movement of a dollar from one hand to the next.

Maybe selling soft tops is. Or, surf travel.

Let’s dive into how (and more importantly, where) surfers spend most of their hard-earned.