In The Lamlight : Soulcraft Boarding

Sep 27, 2017Gabe Acosta

We had the pleasure of speaking with Jeff Wahlers, owner of Soulcraft Boarding.

Not only does Soulcraft enjoy one of the most competitive wakesurf teams in the sport, they have also been at the forefront of innovation and performance for quite some time. We decided to pick Jeff’s brain, and share our conversation with you.

What separates Soulcraft from the rest of the wakesurf industry?

“I believe it’s our experience in the industry. I’ve been working in surfboard manufacturing since I was 20 years old for the top surfboard companies - that’s a background of 20+ years. Between my guys and I, we have around 100 years of combined experience. When I came into it, the industry was fairly new and people were generally riding mass produced pop-outs. We started introducing real surfboard materials, progressive rail lines, rockers, and high performance concepts. The difference is truly being able to feel a real board compared to a compression molded, almost plastic, board."

What do your customers love about Soulcraft? What brings in that first-time customer and keeps them coming back?

“Much of what we do spreads through word of mouth. But we do have great reputation, and when people choose us they know they are going to get the highest performing board out there. We also have the biggest team in the wakesurf industry. Seeing our riders on the podiums and their competitive results is a testament to our craft, and it gets people excited to have a board of their own. Beyond the performance aspect, our customers can really make boards their own. Not only will they be be riding the same models that our team riders are winning competitions with, but with the help of BoardLams, they can also add their custom designs.”

We’re stoked to play a part in creating a personalized experience for your customers. What BoardLams products have you been using over the years?

“We’ve enjoyed using the rice paper over the years as a way for customers to choose different fades and variations of colors that they want. What’s really nice is that we can have all these different variations without having to run huge screen printed quantities. The FiberLams are really good because of how easy they are to work with- they just lay out, we cut them into place, and the colors are insane!"

"Seeing our riders on the podiums and their competitive results is a testament to our craft, and it gets people excited to have a board of their own."

You’ve witnessed how far the wakesurf industry has come in a short period of time. Where do you see the future of the sport?

"I’m excited about the future. Luckily I see the future going more towards our market instead of the China pop-out boards, because we’re starting to educate people that there is a better product out there. The difference between high performance boards that move, twist and spring with you, and the mass produced boards of the past, is night and day. So I definitely see the market shifting towards what we’re doing, especially because of the fact that we can customize and make one of a kind boards."

What do you enjoy most about what you do?

"I think what I enjoy most is the customer feedback. When I get an email from a customer saying that this is the best board they’ve ever had, or just the enjoyment of giving people a board that they love. Stoking people out and making their dreams come true on a board is the best feeling."

The wakesurf industry has come in a short period of time. Where do you see it going in the future?

I'm excited about the future. Luckily I see the future going more towards our market instead of the China pop-out boards, because we’re starting to educate people that there is a better product out there. The difference between high performance boards that move, twist and spring with you, and the mass produced boards of the past is night and day. So I definitely see the market shifting towards what we’re doing, especially because of the fact that we can customize and make one of a kind boards."