Ventura welcomed the launch of Patagonia’s Out the Back tour on Thursday, offering residents and visitors a two‑night series of free film screenings, athlete panels and community‑focused activities at the Patagonia headquarters.
Big‑wave surfers share stories and safety tips
The opening night featured a premier screening of the surf short STAB followed by Patagonia’s documentary The Inflation Point. After the film, a panel of world‑renowned big‑wave surfers—including Greg Long, Paige Alms, Ramón Navarro, Annie Reickert, Ian Walsh and Dave Rastovich—answered audience questions about ocean safety and the evolution of surf gear.
Hands‑on workshops and social gatherings
Beyond the screenings, the event offered a happy hour, live music, screen‑printing stations, wetsuit repair services and board‑swap opportunities. Mini “BWRAG” workshops taught participants basic surf‑board maintenance, while a raffle gave away a brand‑new FCD surfboard, a Regulator wetsuit and other prizes.
New PSI Vest 2.0 highlighted
Patagonia highlighted its latest PSI Vest 2.0, a slimmer, more mobile version of the safety vest first launched in 2017. A handout explained the vest’s decade‑long development and noted that the updated design includes smaller size options based on athlete feedback. The company also announced a redesign of its Regulator wetsuits, again reflecting input from the touring surfers.
Friday night lineup continues the momentum
Friday, September 18, continued the festivities with another happy hour and the premiere of the short film Sensing Home, featuring Dave Rastovich and Chris Miyashiro. The screening ran from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and guests were invited to enjoy Patagonia Provisions, including a selection of non‑alcoholic beers.
Coley Glascow of Glasgow Communication helped make attendees feel welcome, emphasizing the community‑first spirit of the tour.
Upcoming stops and additional events
Ventura residents can still catch a second showing of The Inflation Point with a live Q&A featuring legendary surfer Gerry Lopez at Patagonia’s Santa Monica location on Friday, October 9, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The Out the Back tour will travel to New Jersey and other communities later this fall, bringing the same blend of surf culture, safety education and local engagement to new audiences.
For more details on the Ventura and Santa Monica events, visit the official tour page at patagoniaouttheback.splashthat.com.
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
