Bruce’s Career
Bruce Jones Surfboards was established in 1973 as the shortboard revolution was coming into full swing. Before that Bruce had already begun a career and reputation shaping in through mid-60s at Hobie Surfboards after having worked for Clark Foam gluing and planing stringers. His early influences and mentors include Ralph Parker, Terry Martin, Gordon "Gordie" Duane & Phil Edwards.
In addition to Hobie, Bruce worked for prominent California labels such as Gordie Surfboards, Dick Brewer, Plastic Fantastic, Russell and Vardeman (to name a few) before launching his own brand in Sunset Beach, CA, a short drive up the coast from Huntington Beach Pier.
Bruce's stylistic choices reflect the modern qualities and influences of his early training: simple curves and forms guided by function, performance & a refined sense of wave-riding. His most notable designs include the Jackie Baxter Model made in the late 60s for Vardeman Surfboards, his early and mid-70s single fin guns with hand-drawn logos by Jericho Poppler and his original design, the Modern Longboard, first conceived in the late 70s and refined into the 20th & 21st century for use by renowned surfers including the late Rell Sunn. Bruce Jones Surfboards continue to find space in the lineup and are handshaped by Brock Jones. Contact us for custom orders or board inquiries!
Bruce and the Outdoors
In addition to surfing, Bruce was an avid backpacker and sailor who loved the California wilderness. Bruce’s parents introduced him and his three brothers to camping at a young age. Coastal camping at Pismo Beach or amongst the meadows of the Western Sierra Nevada were common family vacations. Clamming at Pismo, fly fishing in the Kern tributaries or sailing in small, local regattas were common activities that have defined four generations of Jones family
Bruce spent his young-adult life between the California coast, the mountains and the desert; his favorite places being those outside of the urban sprawl. As a young man he crossed the Sierra Nevada from East to West several times and would often recall traversing Kearsarge & Forrester Passes before dropping into the Kern River moraine to climb back out via Rattlesnake Creek and Farewell Gap finally arriving at Mineral King.
Bruce balanced his later years between shaping, his surf shop, his sailboat “Sheila” (named after his wife) and camping with his family in the California mountains and deserts.
The Bruce Jones Longboard Team
In the early/mid 90s, Bruce put together a group of Long Beach and north Orange County longboarders to represent his brand in the number of longboard events that spanned the California coast at the time. First to join this young grouping were Jody Lemmon, Matt Steuck and Cody Simpkins whom Bruce took to all the stops of the final season of the PLA. They each took their respective age groups that season and represented some of California’s finest longboarding.
Soon after Dodger Kremel and Cody Faircloth joined the team followed by Greg Irvin, Dave Roberts, John Husak, Cyrus Sutton and Bruce’s son, Brock. This was a tight-knit, rambunctious group that would pull up at the beach in Bruce’s Volvo station wagon (roof rack armed to the teeth with logs) and take over the lineup. The board’s built and the surfing done with Bruce Jones in those years (from 1994-2002/3) represented some of California’s finest and left a lasting impression on the longboard scene.
