Yup. The Astrodeck Nathan camo pad that cemented Kolohe Andino's stance during his first heat win at the 2011 Nike 6.0 Trestles Pro.

Kolohe Andino came by Astrodeck this morning with his pops, Dino, and bought some of our traction pads.

Yeah, you read that right. Bought.

Hey, our products - traction pads, sandals and t-shirts - are in high demand and sometimes we just run out. It’s like we have to hide and put away a secret stash somewhere in case of emergency and just so we have enough to distribute to our own team riders. So it’s no surprise to us when other pro surfers (and those aspiring to be) swing by and ask if they can buy some directly from our warehouse.

Because, you know, if you’re gonna surf in a highly anticipated contest, you know your odds at winning are always gonna be better with some Astrodeck traction pads on your board.

(Astrodeck Team Rider Shane Beschen)

It was a pleasant surprise yesterday when Shane Beschen came by the Astrodeck office with his little grom, Noah.

Shane and brother Gavin have been long-time Astrodeck team riders. Their loyalty, support and belief in knowing that we produce the best traction pads has now transcended to the new generation - their own offspring of mini-rippers.

Noah is 10-years-old and is going the way of his dad and uncle. In other words, the kid rips in the water and apparently he’s no hack with a skateboard either. Greyson’s had a few sessions with him at the local skatepark and both “sons of” had a pretty good time landing a few.

(Noah Beschen with the Astrodeck Black & Green Crossroads traction pad.)

Check out the 113 Shane Beschen Traction Pad. Not only do we have this in solid back, but there’s also a camo version as well.

113 Shane Beschen Black

113 Shane Beschen Camo

And it wouldn’t be nice of us if we didn’t include and produce some pads by Shane’s little brother, Gavin, right? So here they are. Another one of our more popular models. Solid and sick.

148 Gavin Beschen Black

148 Gavin Beschen Camo

We’re really stoked here at Astrodeck that we actually have a relationship and rapport with all of our team riders. In fact, we consider them friends first and foremost. How many companies can claim that their riders come to their offices to just hang out and get caught up and shoot the breeze? Not a whole lot.

As is often the case, we’ll get weekly visitors. You’ll never know who will pop up. We’ll have Reef Macintosh come over and get some sandals for his size 13 feet. Or Nathan will drop by with best buddies Mr. Buzz and Bruce Irons, or maybe Shane Beschen might bring his little groms and chat skate with Greyson. It’s like a constant who’s who of popular surf culture at Astrodeck.

In fact, Danny Fuller just swung by yesterday. He picked up some of our sandals; his favorites are the MG1 and the ML3, as well as some of his traction pads, the 405 Danny Fuller pads, both in black and white and black and green. He talked some art with Herbie and also told the A-deck crew about SUP guys doing tow-ins at Puerto Escondido. Haha, what a trip that is!

Danny likes the MG1 Sandal.

He also picked up some ML3s.

The 405 Danny Fuller Pad in Black & White

The 405 Danny Fuller Pad in Green & Black

Anyway, it was great seeing Danny - one of the nicest guys ever, and one of our favorite surfers of all time.

Danny Fuller gettin' some.

Christian & Greyson Fletcher in Japan with a buddy.

Just as we were going to write up a piece on the Japanese promo tour that Christian and Greyson recently got back from, the devastating and horrific earthquake and tsunami that took place in that nation blindsided the country and shocked the rest of us in the world. And though we didn’t feel it appropriate (at this time) to post up the photos from their trip, we do want to take this opportunity to express our deepest sorrow and condolences to this nation of people we consider friends.

The Japanese are in our thoughts and prayers, and we here at Astrodeck won’t pretend to know of the many struggles and trials they will go through in order to get their lives back in order. Many will question, “Why?!?” along this harrowing time, but we truly hope that they know we extend our friendship with gratitude, solace, and support.

With love,

Team Astrodeck

John John Florence: In the air and on the land. (All photos by Herbie Fletcher)

Date of Birth: 10/18/92

Hometown: Sunset Beach/Hawaii

Current City: Sunset Beach/Hawaii

Favorite Pop Tart: Strawberry with frosting.

Guilty Pleasure: NA

I use Astrodeck traction pads because: I cant surf without it.

Crank it up (favorite tunes): Black Sabbath

I wouldn’t be caught dead: Rollerblading

I’ve yet to master: Fishing

The first time I stood up on a wave: Rockies

Grub (favorite food): Pasta

10 years ago I was: A grommet.

10 years from now I want to: Still be surfing.

I can’t live without: The ocean.

Ideal conditions: NW swell at Pipe with SE winds or NW swell at V-land with light W winds.

Beliefs: Eat alot of food and everything will be good, ahahahaha.

Strangest thing in my life: Wahiwa at night time.

What I would change about this world: Some of the people.

Are you easily impressed: Yes

Parting words: K, talk to you later.

(Photo: The artist as a grom; John John Florence checking out the surf at Backdoor.)

To say that Astrodeck has had an association with John John since he was a wee bitty grom would be a gross understatement.

Not only as a surfer, but also as a friend; there’s always been a tight bond between the Fletchers and the Florences.

(Photo: Herbie in the Land of the Towheaded Munchkins. L to R: Ford Archbold, John John Florence, Herbie Fletcher, Greyson Fletcher, Ivan Florence, Nathan Florence.)

(Photo: John John, Greyson, Ford, Ivan and Nathan enjoying some shaved ice.)

(Photo: Ivan, Nathan, Greyson and John John on one of Herbie's boards.)

John John was always that little blond kid who stuck out; running around on the North Shore, taking off on waves double his age, triple his size. Herbie saw the potential in John John early on, and was actually the first person to tow the little guy in at Phantoms. Aside from when his own kids (Christian and Nathan) were little, John John has been the youngest person Herb’s ever towed-in.

(Photo: John John at nine-years-old, ready for his tow-in session at Phantoms.)

(Photo: John John was ready to go when everyone else was just sitting around, wondering what to do. Photo by Herbie Fletcher/2003.)

(Photo: 1:11. John John has always been one of Herbie's favorite surfers to shoot and surf with on his follow cam. Here, Herbie is surfing behind John John to capture his every move on the wave. Check out where he's taken off, look at that trail of spray!)

(Photo: 2:11 of the sequence at Trestles.)

(Photo: 3:11)

(Photo: 4:11. What was your kid doing at this age?)

(Photo: 5:11)

(Photo: 6:11)

(Photo: 7:11)

(Photo: 8:11. And he recovers.)

And today? Well, he’s definitely coming into his own. And he hasn’t even tapped into full-grown manhood yet. John John recently won the Da Hui Backdoor Shoot-Out, taking down a lot of heavy contenders. Pretty sick, huh? He’s also constantly traveling; launching over lips or getting shacked on far-away waves you can only dream about. Add periodic snowboarding trips and some skateboarding routines into the mix, and you’ve got a pretty hectic but insanely fun, earned life right there.

(Photo: John John recently went on a trip to the Mentawai Islands with Herbie and Nathan Fletcher, Bruce Irons, Danny Fuller, Matt Archbold, and photographer Art Brewer. John John even scored a cover shot for one of the mags during this trip!)

Yup. Whether it was his past, his present, or what’s in store for him for the future, from our viewpoint, things look pretty solid for John John. And we’re stoked that Astrodeck and the Fletcher’s have been there from the early stages to see it all enfold…and we can’t wait to see what the future unveils.

(Photo: The grom as a man today. By the way, nice traction pad you've got there, John.)

Herbie Fletcher's "Wrecktangle" at the Waikiki Edition Hotel

Herbie will be in Oahu this week to promote his “Wrecktangle” board sculpture that’s being featured in the lobby of The Waikiki Edition.

Coming from the mastermind of Ian Schrager, The Waikiki Edition is a new type of hotel - kind of like an entity of its own - that’s being introduced by the Marriott International. In collaboration with interior designers George Yabu and Glenn Pushelberg and landscape designer Deborah Nevins, the Waikiki Edition resides as its own sanctuary on the sand; smack dab near the beaches and Marina shopping districts in a coastal urban sprawl. Truly, a visiting surfer’s paradise.

When you walk into the lobby, the first thing that captures your eye is the wall-to-wall “Wrecktangle” pieced together by Surfer/Artist Herbie Fletcher. Emphasizing the impact of just how powerful Hawaii’s Pipeline is, Herbie collected over 100 surfboards that have been ridden (and broken) at this notorious spot by some of the surfing world’s mighty elite: Kelly Slater, Bruce Irons, Mick Fanning, Joel Parkinson, Christian Fletcher, Nathan Fletcher, and the late Andy Irons to name just a few.

Many never think to realize the impact and sheer bravado it takes to ride waves such as the Banzai Pipeline, and for those visitors to the North Shore who are lucky enough to stay at The Waikiki Edition, the “Wrecktangle” will perhaps give them a small idea of how intense that ride was.

Hi, this is Herbie Fletcher, inventor of the EVA Tail Pad, Kick Tail, Arch Bar, and Multi-Gridlock tread design that I named Astrodeck in the late ’70s. I created and promoted my products in magazines and surf movies, including the Wave Warriors series presented by the Astroboys, which, at the time, was the film division of my parent company Astrodeck. The origins, history, vision, and inventions coming from myself and Astrodeck has been a 30+ year experience.

I’ve had the good fortune to work with the greatest surfers from all over the globe in perfecting the Astrodeck tail pads, and I’m stoked to be known and respected as the Godfather of Traction.

To know that some impostor has stolen - not only my brand name - but my history and all the artwork from my ads to promote his inferior line of traction, is not only insulting, but I can’t imagine that the international surf community and all the great Brazilian surfers would condone such a blatant case of misrepresentation and fraud.

We’ve had the heaviest team photo shoot in the history of surfing; right on the beach in front of the Pipeline House that I owned with Gerry Lopez. This young kook stealing my name would not have been allowed on the beach (had he been born), neither would have been his predecessor; the guy who originally stole my Astrodeck name.

Thanks to all of you who know and continue to support the real Astrodeck - the originator, not the imitator!

Herbie Fletcher

San Clemente, CA

Click on the photos to see enlarged images.

Herbie Fletcher created the Astroboys Wave Warriors Series. And what does the Brazilian imposter create? Nothing. He doesn't create. He steals.

Herbie actually surfs. This just looks like the guy has his foot pushed down on a board in a swimming pool.

Damn, even our old Astro Wax wasn't spared from their blatant plagiarism.

Lack of moral fiber and credibility.

Photos from the USMC Fox Company Graduation where Dibi Fletcher was a guest of honor and presented a plaque for the recognition of all her contributions and support through her non-profit organization Z-Ryder. She does what she can for these guys because they do everything for us. Hope you all had an epic 4th of July!

Dibi Fletcher & Z-Ryder recognized for their contributions to the USMC.

USMC Fox Company Graduation