Australian craftsman Hayden Cox has been on the cutting edge of surfboard design and construction for quite a while, having begun his shaping career at age 15 at a local shaping bay in Mona Vale in New South Whales. He has since grown his label, Hayden Shapes, to be one of the most in-demand board brands in all of Oz, crafting boards for Craig Anderson and Creed Mctaggart, among others.

In addition to designing and shaping, Hayden has a mad scientist side to him, evidenced by his creation of FutureFlex, a new method of surfboard construction where the center stringer in replaced by carbon wrapping on the rails of the boards. The curve of the carbon around the edges of the board creates the strength formerly provided by the wooden stringer, while also creating a much more lively flex pattern when riding. Cox has patented the technology, which is now being used by dozens of shapers worldwide, and Channel Islands and Lost, two of the biggest in the U.S.

Hayden and his lovely lady have recently relocated to the States, Venice Beach, California, to be exact, to be closer to the American surf industry mecca in Southern California. Here is his latest board model, the Shred-Sled with Creed at the helm, along with a news piece done by Seven News in Australia on the man himself.