Larry Bertlemann: The Visionary Behind Surfing's Radical Transformation

[@SonnyListon-xz5oj]

Bertlemann and Buttons, couldn't take your eyes off them! Thanks, Cheers!

[@KyleCorea-x3m]

Partied with Bk. I miss him . Peace my braddah.

[@Thairieskaterat]

I'm 62, been skateboarding since clay wheels and the Black Knight. Larry Bertleman was my first major influence in skateboarding. Him and Jerry Lopez.🛹🏄‍♂️ 🤘😘💨💨➡️🇹🇭

[@adloutdoors]

Hahaha, Im the same age and the black knight with clay wheels was so deadly if you hit even a small pebble but we still shredded no matter how beat up we got!

[@H20Spy]

"There's not a style, it's just necessity" - Brilliant. The Rubber man blew my and everyone elses mind back in the day.

[@TheArts19]

Epic. Best Bertlemann surfing edit ever. Our Father of all surfing and skateboarding. Thank you.

[@AndrewLaidlaw-w5i]

Excellent.. LB Buttons & Mark Liddell , I watched them over & over then skated & surfed in the late seventies. Great to watch this.❤

[@kenproctor6517]

his staying on rail with power and fast rail to rail surfing and pushing hard on v bottom shapes led the way to future rippers - to many to list here

[@JasonDaniel12]

Wonderful beautiful inspiring Bert turns for life

[@paulcombes3782]

Arguably the benchmark of the times . So far ahead of the surfing curve its ridiculous . He and his Hawaiian contemporaries were pushing the envelope all the time . Much respect , and thank you so much for the footage , our youngsters should be shown this . EPIC .

[@karb5987]

Whoever did this thank you, it's a great edit !!!!!!

[@djsarahconnor9716]

Spectacular footage. What an inspiration, what flow, such beauty. Thank you so much for this upload.

[@bradrielly7031]

He was absolutely killing it on that t&c twin fin. And that drop he took in the 85 pipe masters was sick! Bertleman was way ahead of his time!

[@garypalmer5441]

Cool to watch great music for the period good job

[@jeffreymerson8425]

I remember Larry well! …annnd VINTAGE skating footage of Larry AT “Uluwatu” drain canal in Hawaii Kai !!! Been there, skated AND BMX’d it many times when I lived the next valley over in Hahaione valley. Living iin the 70’s and 80’s in east Oahu was a formative and magical time for surf, skate, and bmx!

[@Sol_Weird]

That Name! I didnt think he was even real! Thanks for the great historical edit!

[@stevenchew2963]

Epic edit! Rad footage I've never seen before. Style technique maestro.🤙🏽⚡Great work RSS!

[@edwardippoliti626]

The Larry Bertleman bottom turn , something you don't forget !!

[@BertoBoyd]

When I watch your videos I always have a single thought: Why the hell did I not ever invest in a video camera when I was younger? Or even a camera? My dad was even a professional photographer and he never taught me shit. It’s literally my one regret in life. Glad someone like you was thinking! Your videos are super important man. Appreciate ya!

[@factchecker6674]

Same here with so many things, feel like only a fortunate few have parents and grand parents who encourage their kids to pursue their interests.

[@MrRobinski]

"The ocean is like a dream, you can do anything with it and it can do anything with you" I love these words Those single fin boards are so catchy and hard to ride for that type of surfing, but those TC twinnies at thruster at the end look so good. That late drop at pipe is still one of the best I've seen.

[@mattgurin6168]

Larry was my roommate for a period of time. Learn so much from him just talking about the body dynamic in surf. Legend is an understatement

[@fernandomaron87]

One of the realest to ever wax on a board. Surfing Royalty. All my ultimate respect to this legend.

[@808defense3]

Larry was born and raised in Papakolea on Oahu, a true Hawaiian, his mom would be soooo proud if she could see this...

[@dwainphillips]

He influenced modern skateboarding in a huge way. It set in motion a revolution in style.

[@hiroshihiga1181]

I saw Bertlemann at Ehukai Beach in the early 70s. He surfed fast, smooth and almost preprogrammed. He surfed like he was on a roller coaster. Mind boggling, jaw dropping.

[@bricemenaugh4828]

Man this is good...

[@gabrielfimbres3245]

He was one of my favorite surfers and I was a kid and still this to this day. As he has passed on so grateful that he was able to teach my daughter. How to serve my daughter surprised me when I found out she went to Hawai with her mother and I was separated from my mother and she got the opportunity to get to meet him. And has opportunity as well to be taught how to surf

[@ninetiesheathen]

History lesson right there!!🔥

[@lalaboards]

Another amazing Zinger Tony !!!!!! Just followed you on instagram .

[@johnnapier1892]

LOVE the drum jam sequence. Perfect soundtrack for his ripping. I think he smokes his Free Ride peers in this video. Thanks for posting!

[@eastab]

Legend

[@simoncossettini9680]

Great video. Wow Larrys commitment on the cut back is huge the whole heel side board rail is submerged except for 5cm of tip most of the time and given the float and looseness of the boards its miracle and then he just hammers the foam instant 180 and sets up again he is carrying so much speed. The last bit when he starts on the thruster he looks a little more stable in control.

[@wilburkookmeyer024]

The Bertman .....Epic Afro!!

[@Daniel-ns7bv]

awesome

[@sergioleon7771]

Thanks for this images of Lb rinding Tc twins...hard to find.. ALOHA

[@jimmyalvarez8262]

Larry 🥇Big influencer🤙🏾

[@randyvaughn4046]

Larry bertalman , Richard cram, mark Richard’s, buttons, occy, Ronny burns, Joey buran, shaun Thompson shaped my carving future. This was paradise 80s and 90s. So grateful I was drowning in this time in surf culture. Saved my life.

[@radgnarsurfsk8]

Switch pipe tube ride! Says it all!

[@Socalfisher85]

I was a fan of his in the '80's. We were skateboarders, too.

[@captainahab3355]

Old boy has a wicked switch stance.

[@MrSemperfidelis66]

Bertlemann is The MAN, he the reason I still have my G& S Fiberflex from the 1980's, and try for hard cutbacks always..lol.

[@charlo8664]

I also had a G&S Fiberflex. Great board. Great time to be young. From Hobie Clay Wheel Skateboarding to Urethane wheels. Awesome time.

[@charlo8664]

I just realized. You were in the Marines? Your age is sixty six? Me too.

[@Joe-pc1ju]

im 65 born in 59 seen plenty all of thee above still surfing avidly i surf for the LOVE OF SURFING STILL STOKED.

[@greglucero8714]

"Application of power"

[@sleathfighter]

5:20 THAT'S so RAD!!!

[@tinfoilhatplumber485]

Epic...

[@bigjoe6885]

Bertleman was awesome to watch on film. Bert Slides, Liddle, Buttons, Dane ? Faughetaboutit !

[@coldseamonster]

Greatness 🫡.

[@matthewglessner1285]

One of the greatest surfers 1970's - 80's

[@808defense3]

Bertlemann would be proud, as he should be...

[@garychavez8794]

Lb. Was the man back in the day. Aloha

[@yvanpedron5255]

à 5:20.... Hallucinant drop.

[@iblong9505]

I now realize that LB literally invented the hard bottom turn - a mandatory staple of contemporary surfing, and not just tailslides. On a single or twinny, no less!.

[@fowlerperry8063]

That was great,I remember seeing the young guns coming out on shorter and shorter boards, before that the old school guys all had long boards,logs compared to the new ones.

[@RossmorMcLeod]

Yo we got on the stingahs . Late 70s bro with the fro. and flow

[@808defense3]

Switch stance at 10:06.. Mahalozzzz to you at Real Surf Stories!!!

[@douglasveragino9706]

🤙

[@mikel5582]

To me, the most beautiful turns in surfing are s-shaped (i.e. with curvature), not angular. I like to watch a continuous flow, not abrupt changes in direction. Larry Bertlemann could do that as well as anyone, and perhaps defined the style. Tom Curren also surfed with that type of fluidity. The modern trend of lip-smacking and airs seems boring to me.

[@keikibeachbungalows]

Just imagine if he got to surf 3 and 4 fin boards in his prime. Krazy good

[@joeblow1942]

Did Bertleman influence Buttons?

[@RealSurfStories]

Absolutely. Buttons lists Bertleman, Gerry, B.K. and Jock as early influences he saw surfing Waikiki.

[@joeblow1942]

@@RealSurfStories Thanks. Yeah, I was trying to remember who came first, Bertlemann or Buttons.

[@derektsuji9520]

It’s too bad that for whatever reasons he doesn’t surf anymore. It would’ve been cool if he could’ve kept surfing like some of his peers like Lopez, Hakman and others of his era.

[@joeblow1942]

@@derektsuji9520 Yeah, for sure. I remember watching surf movies of Bertlemann and Buttons and just being completely blown away! Their surfing then was so sooo far advanced and revolutionary. All these years later and I’m still blown away watching them!

[@808defense3]

Hawaiian!!!

[@808defense3]

Long before Mike Stewart and Cunningham, Bertlemann BODYSURFING AT 9:03... leaving his board behind to BODYSURF!!!

[@takeshiyamamoto7142]

Just a request - is it possible to have all footage formatted (letterboxed) rather than stretched horizontally. I think it would nice to view this footage without distortion.

[@808defense3]

ho brah! dats da alamoan bowl!

[@williamwilson9283]

One of the most iconic Kanaka surfer of all times, mahalo nui loa “Rubberman”.🤙🏽❤❤

[@ironphil62]

👍🍺🏄🏼

[@808defense3]

vland, sunset

[@barryshepard5792]

Ben put alot of good surfers on the map.

[@RealSurfStories]

He really did.

[@thestonedandstripped]

Never forget Christian Fletcher.

[@KyleCorea-x3m]

My braddah in Honolulu would get me blow from Larry .fo realzzz brah.

[@michaelpanagiotis7109]

Rubbah Man !

Imagine if he was riding good equipment back then instead of those stingers.

[@klateleadman]

Them stingers were bad ass. They had thin boxes that went way up from the tail, almost to the middle of the board you could put that fan anywhere in that box. It was like a skateboard back in the day.

[@pauldyer7077]

Ah....the good old days! Didn't realize how good we had it back then. It's a kooked out shitshow these days!

[@ezrhino100]

I am so tired of today's skaters not acknowledging the origin of skating, like it's some ancient form of activity. The Brazilians surf and skate. The Japanese surf and skate. When it comes to America it's like the plague. Chris miller surfs. Kosten surfs. Natas surfs. Yet there is this great divide. I grew up doing both and chose sides too like an American idiot.😅

[@JohnSmith-rk6jy]

I skated back in the day when I couldn't get to the surf or if the surf was no good. Not because I wanted to skate, but because surfing wasn't an option. So skating was my surfing.

[@crapisnice]

Yes the king of carving that went into "hot dogging" like in North shore movie when this surf was perverted as today surf however kelly Slater brought this style. The whole body acts as fins and extension of the surfboard and brings safety trough lowering the centre of gravity that helps to control dangerous situations, surf is pretty dangerous and still a Reckless thing with people without community awareness risking their lifes

[@SandDabs]

Thought I was clicking on a LMFAO video by looking at the thumbnail.

[@michaelfarar4232]

DOGTOWN AND ZBOYS WERE HEAVILY INFLUENCED BY BERTLEMAN AND BUTTONS

[@RealSurfStories]

As stated in the video

[@michaelfarar4232]

@RealSurfStories I was part of the Dogtown crew and I wrote before I watched.....

[@571Frederik]

wait what who?

[@mikehemens9359]

Bertlemann was doing surf airs 1st.

[@RealSurfStories]

The timeline is documented.