Dane Reynolds is on the hot seat as Sterling Spencer and Cousin Ryan break down Dane Reynolds, Kelly Slater, Jack Johnson, the modern surf industry, WSL surf culture, pro surfing, surf history, Shakas, sandals, flip-flops, and what happened to the culture of surfing. Is Dane Reynolds responsible for changing what was “cool” in surfing? Did the surf industry abandon its Hawaiian roots? And is Kelly Slater officially surfing like Kelly Slater again? This episode of the Pinch My Salt surf podcast dives deep into surf culture, professional surfing, surf industry trends, Kelly Slater surfing at Lowers, Dane Reynolds still shredding, Rob Machado, Reef, Hawaiian surf culture, modern surf brands, Gen Z surfers, women’s surfing, Erin Brooks, Gabriela Bryan, surfing style, surf progression, WSL competition, Lower Trestles, river surfing, surf etiquette, surf wipeouts, and the difference between old-school surfing and today’s surf scene. Sterling and Ryan also get into Jack Johnson, the “100th Monkey” theory, the origins of skateboarding and surf-skate culture, Jack Johnson’s dad possibly building one of the earliest skateboards, Cousin Ryan’s trip to Ireland, surfing Lahinch, Irish surf culture, giant waves near the Cliffs of Moher, turning 40, surf travel, stem cell treatment, brain injury recovery, spirituality, modern gurus, social media, Tim Tebow and the Life Surge controversy, and plenty of completely unnecessary Pinch My Salt observations along the way. The big question: Did surfing lose part of its identity when surfers stopped wanting to look like surfers? Sterling tells the story of a time when Dane Reynolds was one of the biggest cultural influences in surfing—and how Dane’s dislike of Shakas, sandals and traditional surfer style may have helped push an entire generation toward a different image. That leads to a bigger conversation about Rob Machado, Reef, California surf culture, Hawaiian surf culture, surf fashion, professional surfers starting brands, and why the surf industry may have lost touch with the people who simply love surfing. PLUS: 🏄 Kelly Slater surfing Lowers and looking locked in again 🤙 Dane Reynolds vs. the Shaka 🩴 The death—and return—of sandals and surf culture 🌊 Why old-school surf culture felt different 🔥 The progression of women’s professional surfing 🏄♀️ Erin Brooks and the new generation of female surfers 🎸 Jack Johnson and the 100th Monkey theory 🛹 Who actually invented the skateboard? If you grew up watching Kelly Slater, Dane Reynolds, Rob Machado, Shane Dorian, Laird Hamilton, Jack Johnson, Gabriel Medina, Griffin Colapinto or the golden era of surf videos and surf magazines—or you follow the WSL, professional surfing, surf podcasts, surf news and modern surf culture—this episode is for you. Drop a comment: Are sandals and Shakas essential to surf culture—or is Dane Reynolds right? SUBSCRIBE to Pinch My Salt for weekly surf stories, surf news, surfing commentary, surf industry conversations, professional surfer stories, comedy, interviews and the weirdest corners of surf culture. #DaneReynolds #KellySlater #Surfing #SurfPodcast #SurfCulture #PinchMySalt #WSL #JackJohnson #RobMachado #ProSurfing #SurfNews #SterlingSpencer KEYWORDS: Dane Reynolds, Dane Reynolds surfing, Kelly Slater, Kelly Slater surfing, Kelly Slater Lowers, Jack Johnson, Jack Johnson surfing, Rob Machado, Sterling Spencer, Cousin Ryan, Pinch My Salt, Pinch My Salt podcast, surf podcast, surfing podcast, surf culture, surf industry, surf industry news, surf news, pro surfing, professional surfing, WSL, World Surf League, Lower Trestles, Lowers surfing, surf contest, surf history, old school surfing, Hawaiian surf culture, California surf culture, surf lifestyle, surf brands, surf fashion, surf videos, viral surfing, surf clips, surfing commentary, surf comedy, women’s surfing, women’s professional surfing, Erin Brooks, Gabriela Bryan, Gen Z surfers, surfing style, surfing progression, surf etiquette, river surfing, Ireland surfing, Lahinch surfing, Cliffs of Moher surfing, big wave surfing, Shane Dorian, Laird Hamilton, Gabriel Medina, Griffin Colapinto, Reef surf, Shaka, surf Shaka, sandals and Shakas, flip flops surfing, skateboard history, surf skate, stem cells, surfing podcast 2026 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices