Matt Rohrer shares some of the highlights of his conversations with Bay Area surfer Jimmy Holt, focal point of one of the few surfing photos to ever appear in National Geographic Magazine. Selected photos: Jim Shaw

...in the age of the programmable hand. San Diego's Josh Hall explains why he has chosen to tread the well-worn path of hand-shaping, in conversation with Andy Smith. Photos: Garrett Highhouse, T. Colla, Ryan Tatar

Surfboards come in all shapes and sizes, but none quite so unusual as the Meyerhoffer Peanut. Is this revolutionary design born of genius or madness? Chris Stevens finds out. [Photos 1, 3 & 8 by Chris Stevens; 4 & 7 by Nick Allen]

Mark Sankey and Alexa Poppe discover Autumn's aquatic gifts in a late September road trip spanning France and Spain. Words: Mark Sankey. Photos and Design: Alexa Poppe

From cliff-top vantage points to harbour hop-offs, beach-side hammocks to unglamorous car parks, Mat Arney raids his photo archive to document a different perspective in surfing

This isn't a shameless plug. This is an encounter with a British company doing something special with surfboards. While the industry is focused on the multi-buck movers and shakers parading their eco-wares, let's not forget our homegrown talent. Words: Howard Swanwick Photos: John Morgan and Jamie Bott