SolidWorks on the sand and surf of design

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Fun in the sun is a summer pastime with a whole host of familiar accompaniments: the bucket and sand shovel, paddleball, beach chairs and sunglasses, to name a few. Sure, those are fun, but we took a look around the Web to highlight some of the more unusual products that are looking to be part of your next trip to the local beach.

Building a better board takes a Scandinavian turn
For the uninitiated, surfboards may all look the same to the naked eye. But like any water-bound method of transportation, changing the dynamics of the board drastically affects speed, control and balance. Back in 2008 following several years of work, Swedish designer Thomas Meyerhoffer designed a fundamentally new surfboard shape that would best combine the steadiness of a longboard with the maneuverability of a shortboard by “taking away things you don’t need” from the traditional longboard design. You can view a video of Thomas discussing the design below, and looking at the comments section and the effusive praise the board is receiving there and in review videos like this one, Thomas seems to have hit the mark with a design many have dubbed “the peanut.”

 

 

Scuba diving meets the runway
Flippers (technically called swim fins) haven’t changed much since the early days of diving, with modern models looking much like their early 20th century counterparts aside from a materials change (and design offshoots like this monofin). But let’s be honest, walking around in flippers is a hassle, and evidently was not fashionable enough for one fashion designer, who decided to combine the utility of flippers with the gracefulness of a pair of high heels as part of a 2002 fashion show. A strange design, yes, but the shoes do function like traditional flippers and would guarantee a lot of conversation for the wearer as they make their way towards the water.

More (or less) conventional beach footwear
If high heeled flippers aren’t your shoe of choice while strolling the sand, this blog post from HimVishnoi highlights some flip flop designs that are a far cry from the everyday. New plastic compounds and molding processes have made it easier to create less conventional ways to keep feet free but secure. Crocs have been a worldwide hit since their 2002 debut, and these sandals speak to that same concept of squishy plastic comfort.

 

Are there any summer designs that have captured your imagination this year?

Matthew West

SolidWorks alumnus. I like plate reverb, Rat pedals, Thai curry, New Weird fiction, my kids, Vespas, Jazzmasters, my wife & Raiders of the Lost Ark. Not necessarily in that order.