Hi, I am Josh Hall: blessed to have been born and raised in San Diego, California. I learned to surf in Pacific Beach, mainly at Felspar Street, when I was about 14 years old. That is also where, when I was 18, I was fortunate to have hooked up with surfer/shaper Skip Frye.
After ordering my first board, I quickly became close to both Skip and his wife, Donna, during the last few years of Harry’s Surf Shop, and that strong relationship still exists today. It was that same year when I began taking an interest in shaping. My daily routine would be: go to school, and then to the beach to surf, come in from surfing to watch Skip shape and then we would go get a session in after that. I was extremely lucky to have this type of relationship with Skip, not only as an influence in surfing, but also shaping.
I think I knew all along in my head and heart that shaping surfboards was ultimately what I wanted to do. It took me nine years, however, to come to that realization, and I spent most of those years obtaining a Spanish Literature degree, traveling, surfing and owning a wine import business.
Down the line speed and trim are what I grew up knowing, watching, and experiencing; so much of my influence in shaping is along those same lines. But I’m also fortunate to have grown up with other influences in surfing, particularly Joel Tudor. This helped round out my repertoire with some of the classic log shapes, eggs and single fin-style boards that I build. It was the yin and yang of Skip’s influence moving me away from the old shapes, but Joel’s style bringing me back. I guess I’m a true product of the Seedling motto, if it’s over head, ride a short board. Well said, Thomas!
My boards are truly, 100% hand-shaped, custom surfboards. The only machine I use is the Skil 100 power plane and my own two hands. Now I say truly 100% hand shaped because that is what they are, no shaping machines used and no ghost shapers. And if there was ever a point in my career as a shaper where either of those two elements came even close to entering into the Hall equation (highly doubtful) my clients would be the first to know. I want to have 10,000 hand shapes minimum under my belt before I even think about those options. There weren’t any machines back in the day.
I have over 30 models that I shape and surf all the time. I build boards such as my 5’9” twin fin and quad rocket fish, all sorts of mid -lengths, eggs, swallowtails, to nose riders to cross-country sliders. Having grown up with access to Skip’s personal quiver, riding many different board shapes and sizes was a normal and daily practice. I’m not chasing themes or board building trends to make a buck. I shape and design boards that I l like to ride and boards that work, because at the end of the day, that is all that should matter when you get a custom built board - one that makes you have fun and catch tons of waves.
I’m ready and waiting to build you a Josh Hall custom surfboard. I’d be stoked to get a board going for you very soon.
Thank you and cheers!
Slide the Glide,
Josh Hall
