Dustin Devlin / Crooked

Interview by Glenn Sakamoto

Dustin Devlin is a surfer/designer based in Maine and the founder of Crooked Wetsuits. Crooked addresses the specific demands of year-round cold water surfing by creating better designed suits that are reasonably priced. We spoke with Dustin to learn more. 

Tell us a bit about your childhood...

I grew up on Cape Cod and honestly never knew you could surf there. It wasn't until college when I started a kitchen job at the Beachcomber in Wellfleet, MA (located at Cahoon Hollow Beach on the National Seashore) that I realized how good surfing could be here. It can also be really bad... 

What led you to the ocean and surfing?

I've never been able to describe my attraction to surfing without sounding like an absolute loser, so I'm going to pass on that one. 

With so many wetsuit brands on the market, what inspired you to start a wetsuit company?

It's true, there are a lot of wetsuits on the market, but there aren't many that are connecting well with the people I surf with. We had a hunch that the people who were designing cold water wetsuits weren't actually surfing in cold water that often. The market was flooded with suits that were really expensive that fell apart in a couple years of heavy use. The only alternative was to buy suits that were cheaper, but fell apart even faster. Our idea was to make a better designed, quality cold water wetsuit that's reasonably priced. So far, it seems to be working.

“We had a hunch that the people who were designing cold water wetsuits weren’t actually surfing in cold water that often. The market was flooded with suits that were really expensive that fell apart in a couple years of heavy use.”

What are some of the design/production challenges?

Yamamoto Neoprene is not manufactured in the U.S., therefore you have to work with overseas manufacturers. That's a drag, but it's the reality of the business.

Tell us the meaning behind your brand name. How do you pronounce it?

Krook - KI. It means "sick dude!" in Bostonian.

What has been the reaction by surfers and retailers to Crooked wetsuits?

We've been getting nothing but positive feedback from the surf community here in New England - and also some good things to some folks who have tried them in California, Europe and the Great Lakes. People really like the fit and stretch of the Yamamoto neoprene we use. The thing we hear over and over is "it's SO WARM". People are wearing our hooded 4/3 right through the winter here which is unheard of. 

What do you see for the future of your brand and your product lineup?

We're really concentrating on making suits for women. For too long they've been ignored by the major surf brands - especially as it comes to cold water surfing. We're releasing our Women's hooded 4/3 this season and will be working with our ambassadors and pilot customers to perfect the fit. Women's 5/4's will be coming out next season.

What is the New England surf scene like?

Surfers in New England are a hearty, dedicated bunch. They're stoked no matter what, always getting hyped for the swell that's just around the corner. Every spot in New England is makeable in a day trip so if it's blown out at your local break you're never far from where it is working. There's a handful of good surfers around here, but everyone else is a little kooky and that's how we like it.

Surfers in New England are a hearty, dedicated bunch. They're stoked no matter what, always getting hyped for the swell that's just around the corner.

What is your current favorite board(s)? Favorite place to surf?

I live in Maine now which gets some consistently good waves. Any New England surfer has to have a full quiver because our conditions change so drastically. Most of the time I ride my 7'2 Wegener single fin. It's cruisy and fast. Recently I've been messing around with a 5'9 Woodin fish that's been a blast in some bigger, mushier stormy waves. The old standby is my 9'4 Almond log. Always fun. 

Who/what inspires you and why?

Jonathan Wayne Freeman. Style icon. Man of the people.

Where can you find the best food to eat in your area?

Dunkin Donuts.

What’s next for Dustin Devlin and Crooked Wetsuits?

One of these days Dustin plans to get barreled. Crooked, on the other hand, plans to be a beloved surf brand representing kooks and soul surfers in parking lot hangs from Boston to Bolsa Chica.

To learn more about Dustin and Crooked Wetsuits, find them at crookedsurf.com or follow them on Instagram here.