[justified_image_grid preset=3 caption=off]Tommy O’Brien is an East Coast surfer who stands out among the crowd.

His raw power and sick style are two of his most notable attributes;

but I also really like how unaffected he is about all the hype, lies and spin that can sometimes swirl about in this industry of ours we call the surf industry and professional surfing.

I get so gosh dang tired of hearing about who switched sponsors and how so and so got robbed at the last contest, and who is partying way too hard, and what company is cool (this month), and which humans are worth our attention and which humans are old news and lame…..well Tommo just never ever seems to go to that ugly place of who’s who and what’s what in the industry…..you just don’t hear him talk much about it at all, unless he has something good to say.

Meanwhile, he carries on ripping the bag out of each new swell, and going out fishing in the waters off his beloved gulf coast.