One of the keys to maintaining any strong relationship is lifestyle compatibility. You don’t necessarily have to be able to finish each other’s sentences, but you must be on the same page. Knowing that, even before we released our new Surfline Sessions technology in 2019, we were already looking for ideal matches. Enter the Surfline Compatible Partner Program, where we join forces with software and hardware developers that meet our standard of quality, then use their services and devices to maximize the impact of Surfline Sessions.
“We launched Sessions with one partner, Dawn Patrol, a surf-tracking Apple Watch app, then we partnered with Rip Curl to track sessions with their watch,” explains Surfline Product Manager, David “D-Flip” DeFilippo. “Garmin is an awesome brand with a big product line, and they’ve been in the GPS tracking game for a long time. They’re launching a new fēnix watch this summer, and in accompaniment with that we’ll be launching our partnership with them.”
Jarrod Bell beta-testing Surfline Sessions/Garmin compatibility at HB south side, early July. All photos: Jeremiah Klein
“There were two main reasons why we went into surf,” explains Garmin Product Manager, Jon Hosler. “An obvious one is that surfing is such a rugged, intense activity. And mechanically, we make a very robust, tough watch that can withstand that type of intense environment. And two, we had lots of customers that wanted this.”
Garmin dispatched Software Quality and Team Lead, Jeff Johnson, to head up the project with D-Flip. Jeff spent the next few months getting a crash course on surfer behavior. “We’re based in Kansas, so the closest thing we have to surfing is one of those wire things [cable park],” Jeff laughs. “But one cool thing about the Surfline guys is they live it. And Surfline is already in a techie industry, so working with them is like a direct lineage, from their concepts to our products. It’s just boom-boom-boom.”
On July 8, Garmin is introducing two watches that promise to be ideal for surfing — Instinct Solar – Surf Edition and fēnix 6 solar editions. “You don’t want to have to think about gear, so we’ve tried to design these in a way that are as behind-the-scenes as possible,” Jon explains. “You just focus on surfing, and then we’ll help you relive that experience afterwards. On the other side of that, our battery life is second to none. And since we have solar on our watches, and surfers are out in the sun all the time, I think people will naturally learn that Garmin is a great offering for surf.”
In the meantime, Jeff recalls one revelatory experience, which only serves to remind him of the kind of tribe Garmin’s doing this all for.
“I was trying to work with some surfers in Hawaii, and one of ‘em was like, ‘Listen, I get up in the morning and if the waves are good, I’m out the door. If I forget the tech, sorry.’ He was a really nice guy, super chill, but when the waves were on, forget it! He was a ghost. You could leave him 20 messages and you wouldn’t be able to reach him…
“I wasn’t mad at him. I was jealous that I couldn’t live the same kind of life.”
More Surfline Compatible Partners will be announced throughout the year.
Recent Comments