thanks for the reminder
I just ordered enough birdwells (3) to last me the rest of my surfing life (another 20-30 years I guess) in case the same thing happens to them too. Only Katins, Birdwells and maybe Patagonias seem to last longer than your surfing career.
I think I read that Katin is/was being relaunched…post K2 which is ancient history. There is probably a website. I’d check in with them since this problem sounds like a general hardware issue and you probably aren’t the only one. If the current owners are serious about staying in business they’ll probably do something for you.
Those things happen. I was peripherally involved with a product the main contractor signed off on “lasting 1000 years”. For some reason they bought snaps that weren’t stainless steel and after a couple of years they were rusting to complete crap. I never knew the real story but it cost a bundle.
I still have my old Katins. Thinking back I don’t actually recall any of their “classics” having snaps at all. I always thought “real watermen” wore trunks with ties to allow for more freedom of movement…especially laterally when the stomach expands, if you get my drift…
Nels
Howzit Nels, If I remember right Katin had only a nylon string and maybe buttons( not sure) the Katins had a special way of tying them.Aloha,Kokua
Howzit Herb, Where I was working today I noticed a pair of yellow Katins sitting on a table putside so I checked them out. Np snaps just laces like the old days, was going to talk to the renter but forgot after they told me there were a few things that needed fixing. Will ask him where he got them and how old they are tomorrow when I go back to fix the BBQue.Aloha,Wildog
Cool Mike !
If memory serves me correctly…
The 70’s Nylons had both snaps at the fly and strings at the top.
The walking kord shorts were all snaps.
The contenders and kanvas baggies were all string,no snaps.
Herb
Katins and Birdwells were always special trunks to have and wear. true classics.
I would recommend checking out Patagonia’s boardshorts. they are made out of enviromentally friendly materials and are essentially guaranteed for life. and some of the styles you can recycle through the company’s Common Threads Recycling Program.
hat’s off to the Katins for everything they did for surfers and surfing.
Howzit osorojo, Since My nephews wife is in charge of what Patagonia puts on the market I always go to the offices when I visit. I will be there sometime in the next month and will check out their board shorts. The great thing about having a relative work there is they get a 60% discount so I have her buy what ever I see and like. Patagonia is probably the greenest surf related company there is. The offices are on a photovoltic system, they serve only healthy food in the cafeteria, and on top of that the boss gives them time off to surf when the waves are good. He will call and tell the office staff to drop what they are doing and go surf for a few hours, now that’s a good company to work for.Aloha,Kokua
He will call and tell the office staff to drop what they are doing and go surf for a few hours,
I HAVE to get a job there!
Howzit Herb, Today I talked with the people who had some Katins at one of the rental houses about the Katins I saw yesterday. They said you can still get customs made at the shop and you can have snaps that won’t rust or velcro. I don’t know if it’s Sato ( was that the head seamtress) but just ask to talk with the seamtress about customs not the trunks on the racks. The trunks I saw are over 4 years old and look almost new.Aloha, Wildog
I vaguely know Glenn, Sato’s son…I can ask…Others around know ,“Moe Betta”.A friend Dave Heady Knows Glenn, ,and stated that Glenn bought the company(Katin) back(for whatever reason)…I don’t know if that makes a difference,but it’s not some big corps toy anymore.
If Glenn still owes the Co. , he’ll make good on the rusto-snap-trunks.
Herb