Instinct

Instinct was launched in Durban, South Africa. In the summer of 1979, Shaun was competing internationally on the world tour and, with the help of investors, Instinct was born. “I thought about my favourite part of the surfing experience; deep inside the tube, my mind was clear, in a state of perfect flow, aligning my manoeuvres to my own inner rhythm, and that mindstate was Instinct.” The brand quickly gained traction and relocated to California in 1982. Instinct became a staple brand in an evolving surf industry and was the number 3 brand in the US behind heavyweights Quiksilver and Gotcha, owned by Shaun’s cousin, the late Michael Tomson.