Dakine
Dakine has made a name for itself on the world stage of boardsports by developing solid and efficient accessories on the North Shore of Maui, which are now a high-end choice among the surfing elite and all extreme sports enthusiasts in Hawaii, at the Gorges and all over the world.
Dakine was born in the late 70s on the North Shore of Maui which is home to legendary spots such as Jaws and Ho’okipa. Its founder, Rob Kaplan, is a surfer and tinkerer who was constantly developing effective solutions to face the solid conditions on this renowned North Shore. In particular, in 1979 he developed a leash ahead of his time, with ultra-resistant materials and stitching, which made his reputation among Hawaiian surfers and beyond.
The 80s are marked by the surge of Windsurfing where Dakine innovations were markers of how things are done in the sport. They first introduced the adjustable footstrap in 1980, followed by the waist harness, the seat harness in ’83 and later their thermo-molded harness which remains a benchmark today.
These innovations are accompanied by a development of their expertise in other disciplines where they join forces with the best riders to offer cutting-edge accessories.
By moving their headquarters to Hood River in Oregon, while keeping an important base in Hawaii, they are taking the entire planet by storm thanks to their proximity to snowboarding, skiing and mountain biking spots.
Dakine thus becomes a reference through all the practices that we are fond of at GONG with accessories whose quality is recognized by all, especially in luggage where the specifications have remained faithful to the first days: resisting the harshest conditions.