The Saltrock Surfwear Summer Sale

Just a quick plug that our Saltrock Surfwear Summer Sale is now on, both in our stores and online.

And just to show that we appreciate anyone who takes the time to read our meandering ramblings on this Blog we've created a special discount code that you can use on our online store to get an extra 10% off anything - even stuff that's already heavily discounted. Just enter '09SUM10' when prompted - or feel free to just browse and have a look at some of the new lines we've added.

Devon ice-creams and a peace and tranquility.

For fantastic low tide rockpooling, cool Devon ice-creams and a peace and tranquility that seems a hundred miles away from the pace of modern life, pack a Saltrock rucksack and head up the Bristol Channel to Lee Bay. Pull on your board shorts and trawl the rockpools at low tide for anemones, barnacles, crabs, starfish and prawns. Gather enough prawns for a lunchtime bar-b-que and spread out one of our soft large beach towels on a smooth sun warmed rock. Check out Devon wildlife trust’s page on what to find in a Devon rockpool Have a wildlife trail to see who can spot the most. Don’t forget to return anything in your bucket at the end of the hunt back to the place you found it.

Wander through the Lee village and imagine the eighteenth century smugglers scurrying down through the wood to pick up an illicit cargo of rum! Grab a fantastic value snorkel and flippers from any of our beach shops and take a swim around the rocks at low tide.

Take a drive down to Ilfracombe and do a spot of crabbing over the railings in the harbour or watch the boats come in at high tide. Time for a special day out? Book a boat trip on The Oldenburg to the Beautiful island of Lundy or up the coast to look for some seals and dolphins – don’t forget your Saltrock hoody as it can get nippy on the water! Walk around the town and spot the Victorian architecture or stop off in The Chocolate Emporium for some really naughty indulgence.



Our Kids love The Tunnels Beach whatever the weather. Take a restorative swim in the old Victorian swimming pool carved out of the rocks – so warm you don’t even need your wetsuit! Watch the kids explore the pools in safety - The Beaches have been rated the 3rd best beach for
rock pooling in the UK by BBC Wildlife Magazine. On a rainy day visit the café and play area – their curly fries are the best in the area!

If you worked up an appetite marching up and down the cliffs then there’s an abundance of Restaurants on offer. Have lunch in Damian Hurst’s Harbourside restaurant 11 The Quay or finish off a perfect day with a relaxing evening. Take a leisurely wander past the harbor and up Fore Street to stop off for a leisurely meal Spanish style at The Terrace Tapas and Wine Bar. Perfect!

Getting away from it all...

With the tourist upon us and Sunny days a plenty, we down at The Saltrock HQ know a local spot or two around the North Devon coast where there is always a little bit of peace and quiet away from the crowds.

CROW POINT
When the traffic is backed up, the car parks are full and there’s not a space to be had between one families oversized windbreak and the next one’s game of Frisbee there’s a place that we know we can get some space and piece and quiet.

Braunton Burrows is a unique experience and the first designated Unesco biosphere reserve. Even better think about the environment and park the car in Braunton’s village car park pop on a pair of board shorts and cycle down the Tarka Trail – not forgetting to stop off at Saltrock’s Factory Shop at Velator for a few bargain priced t-shirts to update your holiday wardrobe.

Follow the lane down past Velator quay and along the toll road crossing Braunton Marsh alongside the dykes and ditches filled with wildlife. Look out for rare sighting of a Little Owl or spot an Egret. Stop to feed the Swans and watch the Moorhens and Coots paddle alongside you and great Devon Ruby Red graze soulfully in the marshy fields.

Once you get to Crow point make it round the lighthouse and set off across the beach towards Airy Point. Make sure you pack your rucksack with a bottle of ginger beer and a sandwich or two, but don’t forget to take your rubbish home with you.

Spot Instow and the white sails of the sailing club in the distance and Westward Ho! around the corner. On a sunny day – with the crowds of Saunton in the distance you really could be anywhere in the world.

(www.countrysideinfo.co.uk/biospher_reserves/braunton)

Saltrock Spring/Summer 2009 clothing arriving

With our stocks of Autumn/Winter clothing selling quickly, there has been some space created in our warehouse - just in time for the first of our exciting new Spring/Summer 2009 lines to arrive. As well as some new takes on some of our classic Surf, Tok and VW graphics we have some more subtle, low key stories. Here's a sneak preview of some of the first arrivals;

Mens Basic Tee

Boys Back Print Tee

Mens Henley Stripe Tee

Ladies Tee

Remember to have a look at our online surf shop to see our full range as it becomes available.

Welcome to the Saltrock Surfwear Blogspot...

Welcome to the Saltrock Blogspot...

We decided to publish some info on Saltrock that you may find of interest. As well as details of new seasons products, new retail stores opening and events we wanted to provide people interested in our brand a window into the ethos of our company. We'll be hoping to keep you updated with what we've got going on and regularly be publishing the musings of some of our team here.

Anyway, to start off with, a brief history of the company - Saltrock Surfwear Ltd.

Saltrock begain it's life in a garage, on a budget of £500. The Thompson brothers reasons for starting was simple...
To stay invloved with the lifestyle they loved... and to make enough money so come the winters they could chase the next perfect wave.

The majority of materials were taken from local skips... Honest!

Can you just check the manual?
Er, What manual?

Stretching and glueing the silk to the frames to make the screens.

If a safe is made to withstand being blown up, I'm sure we can convert one into an oven to cure our Teeshirts...

“And we cooked a few
in the process”

Our pride and joy - one old bank safe - line with tinfoil on the inside, Polystyrene on the outside, heating elements and a thermostat reaching a top temperature of 170°C . It proved a very effective curting uint (although it could only cure two tees at a time).

Angus Thompson with the
Tinfoil Curing Safe

Are you sure we
screwed it in properly?

THE DEVELOPING BULB
This pience of equipment cost us our last penny! But it was necessary to develop artwork to screens.
Also pictured is the highly advanced blackout system otherwise known as a Salvation Army rug.

So if we develop every piece of artwork in exactly the same place on each screen and they all fit in exactly the same place on the print bed we can print the multiple colours... Right?

SO WHO'S GONNA TRY IT THEN?

The virgin print bed and screens

It works..Now how do we
Pay for more Tee Shirts?

The first Screen and print strike offs.

By 1991 the premises had improved and the machinery was better.
But it was a time when 24 Hour shifts and working weekends were common place. At this time the brothers were joined by a highly charged partner - Carl.

And Then there were Three Amegos!!