Astral, manufacturer of award-winning PFDs and footwear, is excited to announce that they have signed pro surfer Garrett McNamara as a strategic advisor to the brand. McNamara will provide product testing, assist in product development, and will advise in marketing to saltwater users, including surfers, as Astral expands into that market.
“Garrett came into my focus when I lived (and surfed almost daily) in Indonesia from 2010-2013,” says Astral Founder & CEO Philip Curry. “I realized that in the world of surfing, it was the big wave crowd that felt most similar to the family of whitewater athletes from where I came, and Astral was built.”
McNamara is an international big wave surfer, perhaps best known for pioneering the world’s biggest wave in Nazaré, Portugal. He is the 8-times Guinness World Record holder for the largest wave ever surfed, he has pushed the limits of surfing by riding waves created by calving glaciers in Alaska, and he is the only non-Portuguese person to receive the Vasco de Gama Medal of Honor from the Portuguese Navy for his contributions to Portugal. Apart from his achievements on the water, McNamara also pursues environmental activism by facilitating youth workshops that inspire the next generation of leaders to be more conscious of their impact, as well as by challenging brands to develop and implement more eco-friendly solutions.
“From my first call with Garrett, it was clear that we are on the same wavelength and headed the same way,” adds Curry. “We are here to protect water and facilitate people’s deep connection with nature through the best gear. I am sure that working with Garrett, we are going to craft some really unique and necessary solutions for the saltwater community.”
“I want to work with brands I can grow with and become family,” says McNamara. “Astral has a passion and a connection with water. They are all about nature—being in nature and making as little of an environmental impact as possible. We have the same values of sustainability, spreading positive and inspiring messages, and making a difference.” In aligning with Astral, McNamara sees a valuable ally in his mission to protect oceans. “It takes a community. Together we can achieve more. Together we can bring even more awareness and attention to the issues that need us, to the voiceless.”
For more information on Astral please visit www.astraldesigns.com or contact Dan Arnett at dan@darbycommunications.com
About Astral
Since 2002, Astral has been on a mission to protect the maximum amount of soil and water and create products that elevate your experience in Nature. Astral is strategically operated from Seattle, Portland, Asheville, and Saigon.
