Alex Brost, “Brostest with the mostest,” is perhaps one of the biggest ambassador to inland surfing in the Midwest, from surfing the Great Lakes to wake surfing the 10,000 lakes of Minnesota to shaping surf and paddle boards for fans throughout the nation. He is Midwest wake surfing, iSurf and iDol Surfboards. Holding hard to that surf style feeling, Alex is one of very few surfboard shapers who surfs on a consistent basis. Knowledge and research and self application, what better way to buy a board than from someone who knows what it needs to feel like.
Alex tells us that his shaping style is custom at its core. But, why custom? "Everybody is different," he says. We are all unique and beautiful snowflakes and your surfboard should reflect your ability and style. We build the boards based on body type and size, ability level, the boat itself along with what type of wake and how you want to progress."
Minnesota, land of the lakes, wake surfing has surpassed wakeboarding. “I see twice as many wake surfers than wakeboarders. It’s rare to see a wakeboarder or water-skier anymore. Wake surfing is available to a broader demographic, less prone to injury and it's the most social form of surfing. Anybody from anywhere can feel the push and the glide of surfing, yet not everyone has access to the ocean. Wake surfing brings surfing inland."
The purpose of iSurf was to start growing paddle boarding in Minnesota. From freshwater boards to wake surfboards to SUP boards." Alex Brost is on the front line in the Midwest for inland surfing. From Lake Superior to his Malibu boat or paddle boarding on Lake Minnetonka it all started back in 2007 when Alex admits that “my friends and I thought we had invented wake surfing behind a 91 Supra by stacking coolers and bodies in the corner. By 2008 we were making wooden skimboards and that’s when we started messing with foam. The defining moment was when we were taking insulation foam and sanding rockers out of it.”
Alex boosting on his custom iDol Surf board behind the Supra w/ Swell Surf System Photo: Matt Hibbing
2010 was one of the top moments for Alex when he launched iDol surfboards at the World Wake Surfing Championships in Minneapolis. In 2014, iSurf & iDol will be the official board sponsors of both the Minnesota Wake Surfing Championships and the annual 10K Lakes Open.
For 2014 Alex’s goal is to surf as much as possible, which he says, is "why I started iSurf in the first place.Now instead of spending all summer sanding surfboards, I source my proven shapes and focus on custom boards and getting in the water as much as possible.” So far he has done some ocean surfing in Bali followed by the Southern Surf Fest in Atlanta then some big boat surfing at the DFW Surf season opener in North Texas and a third place podium at the Arizona Wake Surf Open. Don’t miss Alex at ShredFest in Colorado, both the Minnesota events and of course World Wake Surf Championships on Lake Las Vegas.
I wish I could have your life someone said to Alex whose response, “Well, pretty much pretend like your homeless for the next five years. Do something you love and get really good at it.”
Check out more of Alex and his passion at www.idolsurf.com