It鈥檚 one of those inventions that聽makes you wonder, 鈥淲hy didn鈥檛 I think of that?鈥
For years, surfers have awkwardly tiptoed through crowds and tight spaces with our surfboards held to our sides. We held our breath and spun around to avoid bumping into people, all the while chafing our armpits on unfortunately placed surf wax. Carry that board on your back in a regular bag and you risk falling over with all the top weight or smacking the back of your ankles with the fins.
鈥 answer to that problem is a backpack ($200) with wide, adjustable straps that wrap around the top and bottom of your surfboard. These allow you to comfortably and securely elevate the board a few feet from the ground so it doesn鈥檛 collide with your legs while you鈥檙e hiking, riding a bike, or pumping on a skateboard. Most important, it keeps your hands free to deal with whatever鈥檚 directly in front of you, whether you鈥檙e trekking into the Lost Coast or riding your cruiser to Pacific Beach.
You can carry up to three boards, ranging in length from 5.5 to 8 feet, stacked in the Koraloc. With 32 liters of waterproof storage space, it鈥檚 perfect for stashing your wetsuit, with room to spare for a towel and road snacks.