Swell Company

A big wave conversation with Patagonia's surf ambassadors

Big wave surfing is not a solo sport. It might look like it — one person, one wave, a whole lot of ocean. But behind every drop is a community that makes it possible. The fellow surfers in the lineup. The ones on the Jet Ski. The friend who looked you in the eye and said go. Paige Alms, Greg Long, Ian Walsh, and Kohl Christensen know this better than most. Between them, they've ridden some of the heaviest waves on the planet — Jaws, Mavericks, Cortes Bank, the outer reefs of O'ahu — and they'll all tell you the same thing: You don't do this alone. What connects them, beyond the waves, is community. A tight, deep, no-one-gets-left-behind kind of bond that exists because it has to. Patagonia knows it, too. They spent six years developing the PSI Vest — a personal inflation vest built specifically for big wave surfers, hand in hand with the people who'd actually wear it. They didn't just make a product, they made a commitment. One that wasn’t built in the boardroom, but in the water. One that says the surf community is worth protecting, the coastline is worth preserving, and this way of life is worth showing up for. We sat down with the surfers to talk about fear, trust, and what makes the big wave world worth it. 

The Flow Trip: What does the big wave community mean to you personally, and how has it shaped who you are both in and out of the water?

Greg Long: The big wave community has shaped nearly every chapter of my life. For the better part of my existence, the pursuit of big waves wasn't simply something I did, it became the lens through which I experienced the world. It influenced where I traveled, the people I met, the lessons I learned, and ultimately, the person I became. Some of the greatest friendships of my life were forged sitting in the lineup. 

In the midst of chasing big waves, the ride itself is naturally the objective we focus on. But over time, I think you realize the greatest gift has always been the community surrounding them. The waves are fleeting. It’s the friendships, mentorships, shared values, and a sense of belonging that endure. I think that's true no matter what path someone chooses in life. It's the community you build around that pursuit that ultimately gives it depth and meaning. Looking back, I don't think the greatest reward of dedicating my life to big waves has been the waves themselves. It's been becoming part of a community that has continually challenged me to grow and reminded me that life's richest experiences are rarely those we achieve alone.

Greg Long | Photo by Arenui Frapwell 

FT: What does it say about Patagonia's commitment to the surf community that they worked directly with big wave surfers to develop something like the PSI Vest?

Paige Alms: Their commitment goes without saying it, but I don’t know any other brand that has spent the amount of time and finances to make a product that doesn’t make them money, solely for the purpose of keeping surfers safe and families whole. I’m incredibly grateful to the Patagonia team, family, and everyone involved in making this product and it has been an incredible experience to be involved in it.

Kohl Christensen: Fletcher Chouinard loves big waves and I've had the opportunity to work with him and build some of the best surfboards in the world. His commitment to our safety is what drove the development of the PSI Vest at Patagonia. It's not only saved lives but has helped push the sport to new levels. Nobody surfs Jaws without an inflation vest for a reason — it’s that gnarly, and its existence has reshaped what's possible in the sport.  

Kohl Christensen | Photo by Arenui Frapwell 

GL: To me, the PSI Vest represents something much bigger than a piece of equipment. It reflects Patagonia's willingness to invest in solving a problem not because it was commercially attractive, but because they believed it was the right thing to do. There are very few companies willing to dedicate years of research, development, testing, and collaboration to create a product for such a small community, where the return on investment is measured less in sales than in human impact.

Ian Walsh: It says they're serious about how much they care about surfers. The vest was developed in the water, at Jaws, at Mavericks, at the outer reefs, all over the world, in real testing conditions, with real consequences. Being a part of the process, from the early iterations, and seeing how they work with the development of these products, and how much time and energy goes into each detail with them is incredibly inspiring. The level of attention to detail, collaboration with athletes, the field testing, to what they can enhance and modify, to make it better, and more reliable, and more performance-orientating. A lot of brands can build something, and they find athletes to put it on. Patagonia does it the other way around. They build it with the athletes and get it to the highest level it can possibly be.

FT: Fear is obviously a constant companion in big wave surfing. How has your relationship with fear evolved over the course of your career, and is there a specific moment that changed the way you think about it?

IW: It's something so relevant in big wave surfing and surfing in general. Early in my career, it was more almost like ignorant bliss — you're just flying through, learning to adapt, and not really having a comprehensive understanding of it. That eventually moves to fear trying to be something that you're working to overcome. And as I've evolved and grown as a person, I see it completely differently now. I feel like fear is information. I don't respond at the highest level of my performance without it. I think I need that fear. To be exposed to it, understand it, and start peeling back the layers of how to utilize it, rather than just working to try to overcome it, is far more valuable, and has been, for me, throughout the majority of my career. 

Understanding where that fear wall is and not letting it block you, but getting to the other side of it and letting it propel you forward. Understanding that this fear is going to help heighten my senses, make my response time faster, and make my decision-making sharper. I find fear is something that is necessary, and it's necessary to work with. There are surfers who have long-tenured careers in giant waves, and it’s not necessarily that they don't feel fear. They're the ones that learn to listen to it and use it and start to understand how to have that as a power rather than something that's holding them back. 

Ian Walsh | Photo by Red Bull Content Pool 

FT: The ocean is ultimately what makes all of this possible. How do you think about your responsibility to protect it, and what does it mean to have brands like Patagonia that put environmental stewardship at the center of their commitment to surf culture? 

KC: We can't always be laser-focused on one specific mission. As I age I've learned that we must look beyond the next big wave and become aware of the environmental issues that could prevent us from catching the next one. Human population and expansion threatens all beautiful places. We recently celebrated a big win in Chile on a point of land (Punta de Lobos); their flagship big wave was threatened by development. Patagonia helped raise the money to purchase the point and convert it into a park for all to enjoy. These types of wins are inspiring and the story needs to be shared so it can happen elsewhere.

FT: There's a deep tradition of mentorship in big wave surfing — someone who towed you into your first big wave or talked you through a heavy situation. Who played that role for you, and how do you pay that forward today?

GL: I've been fortunate to have many mentors throughout my big wave surfing journey, but the three who stand out most are Jon Walla, Mike Parsons, and Grant Washburn. Each, at a different stage in my career, went above and beyond to share their knowledge, experience, and wisdom, helping guide me into the next chapter of my journey. In an environment where the consequences can be significant, that kind of mentorship is invaluable. It's also a reminder that none of us arrive on our own but all of us stand on the shoulders of those who came before us.

Because of that, I've always tried to make myself available to those who are taking a thoughtful and responsible approach to entering the world of big wave surfing. Whether it's answering questions, offering guidance, sharing lessons learned through experience, or helping with big wave logistics and planning. Much of that desire to give back has also found its way into my work with Big Wave Risk Assessment Group (BWRAG). Through our training courses, I have the opportunity to help surfers develop a practical framework for risk management and decision-making before going in the water and being faced with a critical situation. Just as importantly, we teach the lifesaving skills needed to respond effectively when the worst-case scenario does occur.

Paige Alms at Jaws | Photo by Aaron Lynton 

FT: Everyone sees the massive wave, but nobody sees the years it took to get there. What does the journey into big wave surfing actually look like, and what kind of mentality does it take to keep pushing into bigger and bigger surf?

IW: The life of a big wave surfer is like an iceberg sticking out of the water. On the surface you see what you think is the whole iceberg, or a surfer’s career, best heat, or moment on the podium. But what you don’t see, for the iceberg and the surfer, is what’s underneath keeping it afloat, and the journey it took to be successful in the sport.

Sometimes it's years and years of preparation, commitment, obsession, and drive just for a chance to make it possible. Because there’s no guarantee you’re gonna be in position for that wave. It’s all just for a chance, an opportunity to catch a wave. Peeling back the layers of what it takes, there’s all the training and then there's this huge other logistical side to it: the water safety planning, the Jet Ski coordination, the equipment development, your fins, your leashes, your gear, swell forecasting, how to know where to be and when to be there. And a lot of that's all done by each surfer. 

Then there's the injury side. The injuries are gonna come, regardless. The sport beats your body up, and you have to manage it, recover, and come back stronger. Plus dealing with the ever-important mental side of what it takes to work through an injury, and understand the reality of that maybe coming back, far worse than what you just went through. That mentality takes a combination of obsession, drive, and patience. And I think you have to want badly enough to put in the years of work for moments that may only come a handful of times each season.   

FT: You worked directly with Patagonia to make sure the PSI Vest was designed to fit a woman's body. What did that collaboration mean to you, and how does that kind of inclusion reflect where women's big wave surfing is headed? 

PA: I think Patagonia has led the charge in a lot of different ways, and this is yet another example of that. The improvements on the new PSI vest and the impact suits are going to make a huge difference in fit and comfort for women. I can't wait to see everyone in the new gear.

Learn more about Patagonia's dedication to the big wave surf community and why it's all worth it here. 

Feature image by Tim Davis