When we started this brand, we were in a small factory in a canyon by the 5 Freeway in San Diego. As we grew, we hired more shapers to help keep up with the demand. We had to use more glass shops as well, and by the 1990s, Rusty Surfboards, along with the rest of the industry, was humming along. Quite nicely.

Well, nothing lasts forever and as the industry changed, so did the marketplace.

The loss of the U.S. Pro Tour, the loss of monthly surfing magazines, the loss of brand budgets and the rise of offshore surfboard manufacturers, turned the whole board industry upside down. It affected us too. Old management made the decisions they felt were best, and we saw our own brand diluted. Boards were being glassed in foreign factories, pop-outs were made in Asia. It was a race to the bottom.

We’re done with that. Period.

We’ve made some changes, and now, we’re running leaner and more stoked than ever. We’re back to a smaller footprint, still in our Miramar warehouse, and, as you may have seen with our press release a few months ago, ALL Rusty surfboards will be shaped and glassed here in the USA. Our licensees will build the boards in their territories based on our files.

We want to return to quality, to custom orders, and to working with shops and surfers nationwide to provide Rusty’s wealth of knowledge to everyone. So, thank you to those who’ve stuck it out with us, and thank you for all the support over 40 years of Rusty Surfboards.