Why Big Carl?
One of the most common questions I receive is “Where did the name ’Big Carl’ come from?” The short answer is, “Big Carl” has been my nickname for the last 10+ years. I’ll take the time below to tell the story of where the name came from and why it is significant to my brand.
In the year 2009 I was a chunky, surf-obsessed grom. My friends and I were eager to venture out of Huntington and surf every new spot we could. At that point none of us were old enough to have a drivers license, so we would have to be creative in order to get around. One of our favorite pastimes, and means of transportation, was taking the bus. It was a cheap, semi-reliable way of getting all around Orange County.
One summer day, my friends and I rallied together to take the bus down to trestles. The waves were pumping and we surfed all day. After a six hour session topped off with the brutal, sun-burnt hike up the trail, it was safe to say we were exhausted. At this point we had reached the mecca… the burger joint next to the bus stop. While my friends rushed in line to order, I scrounged through my wallet only to find $1.50 for the bus ride home. One of my best buds, who also happens to be quite the prankster, grinned as an idea that came to mind. He agreed to buy me three “Big Carl” double cheeseburgers with just one catch. If I ate all three burgers in one sitting, I wouldn’t have to pay him back. I laughed at the challenge and quickly accepted, downing all three Big Carl’s. I was quite content and fell asleep the whole bus ride home.
The next day at school my friend told everyone of the experience, provoking my peers to call me “Big Carl”. I took the name offensively, as I was a bit pudgy and overweight at the time. As one would expect, my middle school peers continued to use the name as it gained traction and got a rise out of me. For years I couldn’t escape the nickname and eventually came to embrace it. I even got a “Big Karl” license plate on the bumper of my ‘83 El Camino.
“For years I couldn’t escape the nickname and eventually came to embrace it.”
The meaning of Big Carl evolved into much more than a fat joke and became integrated in my board building approach. The mission of Big Carl Surfboards is to create the highest quality surf craft for waves of all shapes and sizes. It is about embracing what brings joy and happiness, regardless of others’ perceptions. I firmly believe the core of Surfing is having fun, and this is best achieved through having the right equipment for the conditions, as well as your style and skill level. Surfers should ride the boards that bring them the most enjoyment and not let external pressures influence what they ride. If downing Big Carls and surfing a tanker of a log is what brings you the most joy out of your oceanic experience, go for it. If you want to push yourself to progress on a high performance shortboard, that’s great too. Do whatever feels good, and ride whatever you have the most fun on. We at Big Carl Surfboards are here to support you having the most fun in your wave riding journey.
