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Memory Banks, presented by FCS and GoPro, is a new series where we talk to some of the faces of the surfboard shaping industry about why they got into the biz, what makes them tick and how they approach constructing a surfboard. For our third episode, we visit the home of shaper, surfer, business owner, Blake Peters of Panda Surfboards.
This episode is not only a fun look into the story and process of one of the most exciting shapers out there, but also an examination of how that shaper views their story, the components, friends, and experiences that made him who he is. Enjoy.
In this special episode, Blake not only examines his process, but looks at shaping and surfing in the context of his life, leaping from retrospection to future speculation. ‘There are some boards I sold years ago that I wish I never sold,’ is one of the first things he tells us. The first board he shaped, he sold, but some things you must hold onto. This determination to retain while evolving is a theme for Blake.
For example, in Australia, Blake surfed shortboards; built for high performance action and high energy waves. But upon relocating to the States, Blake found the ocean tamer, the waves requiring less intense equipment, and a more relaxed mindset among his surfing peers. In his shapes - particularly in his most popular shape, the Shitakee - Blake found the balance between the high-performance boards he knew and the relaxed, wacky, almost-80’s throwback styles of those whom he respected and learned from, such as friends Noah Collins and Ford Archbold, two people that we, too, hold in high esteem.
