Ten years ago Shane Dorian designed the inflatable vest for big-wave surfers after his near-drowning at Maverick’s. How many lives have vests saved since? While it’s impossible to know the exact numbers, the inflatable vest is one of the most important safety inventions in big-wave surfing and has helped take the paddle movement to previously impossible places. At the same time, vests are also making it safer for the next generation to get into big waves, allowing young chargers like South Africans Daniel Lock, Mark Taylor, and York Van Jaarsveldt to push themselves into the heavy-water realm. In “Young Guns” (get it?), we’re introduced to three of South Africa’s up-and-coming big-wave contingent. We imagine this crew will graduate from charging big surf in their backyard in Cape Town to waves like Jaws and Mavs very soon.
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