LIVING THE SOLLIFE WITH SCOTT CRUMP [18.10.2009]Industry

Scott Crump  spent more time in the bay than most pro surfers, and over time transitioned into setting up shop as a full time shaper. Having spent years on the US tour and placing in the top 30, Crump got fed up relying on boards from other shapers who didn't put him as a top priority, and so started making his own. Having started shaping in the early 90's, beginning in the Byrne factory in Woolongong, he's now owner and head shaper for SOLLIFE surfboards and has shaped for guys like Shane Powell, Sunny Garcia, Gabe Kling, Adam Repogle and Dean Randazzo.

Sollife surfboards has a key focus on performance surfboards and is currently working hard with the young surfers of globe to help the progression of the future of surfing. mesurf caught up with the ex-Californian who now resides up on the amazing beaches of Lennox Head to chat about what got him started, where the world of shaping is heading and what you should be riding this summer...


So mate, tell us a little about SOLLIFE boards and what the brand represents?
Well sollife is all about performance and quality. We pride ourselves on only using the best materials and craftsmen there is. So nothing goes out the door that is not A1. The name sollife came from a time when a lot of my friends were slipping into the evils of nightlife. I wanted none of it, sollife is a mix of Spanish and English meaning sun life. We are all about positive energy and progression.

And how did you go from ex-competitive surfer to full time shaper?
Well, I was living in Wollongong working at the Byrne shop. Phil wasn’t making my boards a priority for obvious reasons and I was at a point in my life I really wanted to learn something new. In the past whenever I got boards shaped I always used to be there and watch and have a lot of input. So it was a natural progression.

While competing did you have a lot of input into the boards you were riding?        
As I stated above, YES I really thought I knew what I wanted and what I wanted to change. Design was evolving so much then, I was picking up ideas everywhere I traveled, especially Australia!

Competing on tour would have given you some great contacts and access to the surfing world. What effect do you think that’s had on your shaping?
It definitely made me a lot more aware of design aspects of high performance boards. As I wanted only the best for myself. As my shaping progressed I am able to make exactly what I envision, and I'm really happy with the boards we make. It did however make me concentrate on the one aspect of surfboards. Now I am much more open to design and experimentation of alternative boards. Like fish boards of all types, and boards for big guys.

So do you currently use your team riders for feedback on your boards or are you out there working on it yourself?
I listen to my team riders and my customers a lot. With my experience I can tell what I like and don’t like. But with guys like Damien Chaudoy from reunion, he surfs incredible, and so futuristic. I have to listen to get him the boards he needs to progress his talents. Most of my team is young so it keeps me fresh and dialed in to the youth market. It also keeps me on top of it, as you have to grow their boards as they grow. But I also still make boards for older bigger guys like Sunny Garcia, Shane Powell…a lot of rippers in USA. I love shaping and working for sollife.


Image: team riders putting the gear to good use. Carrying the sol*life logo is all about quality, performance and living the sol*life.


Are there any shapers that you look up to or draw inspiration from with Sollife?
Well of course Phil Byrne has been a big influence and Ll Merrick for his constant evolution and variety. Now I am super aware of what everyone is doing both shaping wise and construction wise.

Aside from the fact Australia's all time, what made you pack up shop in Cali and move out to Lennox Head?
I made my first trip to Australia to compete in the comps in ’82. I loved the culture and the natural beauty of the place. I returned a zillion times later, did some shaping for the old kirra surf shop. Had a blast and it felt like home! Travelled around the world a bunch and finally got it organised. It was a gamble professionally as sollife was established and doing well in the USA, but I definitely don’t have any regrets. Since moving to Lennox and getting remarried to my awesome wife Tia…I couldn’t be happier!

Can you tell us a little about the difference in surf cultures between the here and Cali?
The great thing about Australian surf culture is that it is so wide spread. Everyone has someone in there family that surfs! And why wouldn’t you, the beaches are so white and clean as is the ocean. And the waves can be great, and its still poss to get epic waves with no one out during the week. I just did today at -----------(again the sectret spot).

In California, the people are nice but there is just too many. The water is pretty rank and the beaches are dirty. Everything seems really superficial business wise its great, cause you have a huge population base to draw from. And there are great music scenes and offcourse Vegas isn’t very far away. I used to be the billabong junior team coach up until I left. That was a good experience and I met some great people who I am still close to today. And it gave me access to some high-grade team riders to test my shapes!

With more and more shapers using the lighter and more responsive epoxies, carbon fibre rail set-ups etc, where do you think that’s leaving PU boards?
Well, we have come full circle here. We did every type of epoxy/eps construction around. But we ended up using stringerless PU blanks with 50mm carbon rail bands, and that combo seems to be the best in the parabolic construction. Most of the time guys try out epoxy carbon boards and like them, then don’t like them. Cause they don’t know what they are feeling, the carbon? The epoxy?? The different buoyancy plus the epoxy boards don’t hold up as well. So I am in the thought at  the moment that PU is king. You can get really good different feelings from different construction methods using PU. And it’s easy to repair, holds up well…

Are you experimenting with any different shapes or materials at the moment?
We are always experimenting, but things seem to come full circle. I have been getting into designing a range of boards that people can identify with no matter what kind of surfing they are into. They can find the model that suits them, and then we customize it for each rider.

PVC stringers vs wood stringers, can you tell us more about using PVC as a stringer material and what affect it has on the board and surfing? PVC stringers in EPS foam are cool. But they are very very twangy, they have a different feel that don’t think suits most surfers. They can feel great in wedgie beachies then super weird at the point the next day.


image: Fresh from the bay... "So I am in the thought at  the moment that PU is king." - Crump.


So if you had to choose one board, what’s your board of choice for the upcoming Aussie summer months from the SOLLIFE quiver?
I would choose three!!! A usfo 3 fin fish board for tiny crap. They fly! And get me out there when I need the exercise and the mental release. Then for most days a board from the hi-per range. So I can smash some lips and feel like a grom! Then when it’s up I would grab a board from the Indo series range…tube machines!!!

And what are you riding at the moment?
I just rode a beautiful 6’3” hi-per swallow out at ----- (secret spot) that went insane. I design all the boards for sollife on the aku software. It’s so good, I make subtle changes and they come out perfect! Jammo and Carmel that run the machine we use are masters…stoked!

Anything else you want to throw out there mate?
Yeah, good boards come from people who care. If you are after a great board that will hold up well, don’t go to a mass production factory and get a model of a pro who doesn’t surf anything like you…and the shapers name on the board is not the guy who shaped it! At sollife I shape every board. Its milled on the aku machine, glassed at the glass lab. Art by mkbn…fins by arcade. There is nothing better!!!


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