Coming Full Circle: BIRCH Brings Hamboards Manufacturing Back to Southern California

A Partnership Rooted in California Craftsmanship

There's something special about coming full circle in business, and that's exactly what's happening here at BIRCH. Today, I'm excited to announce that we're partnering with Don Sandusky and Hamboards to manufacture their iconic 74” Classic longboards right here in Southern California – bringing these legendary boards back to their roots.

The Story Behind the Partnership

Some of you might remember that years ago, through my previous company Koastal, I manufactured Logger decks for Hamboards. When that business closed and production moved overseas, I thought that chapter had ended. But life has a way of bringing things back around when the timing is right.

Now, with BIRCH established and our commitment to birch board construction, Don and I saw an opportunity to not just revive that relationship, but to do something even better – to bring Hamboards manufacturing back home to California, where it belongs.

Why Birch? Why Now?

At BIRCH, we've built our reputation on the superior strength, flex characteristics, and sustainability of birch as a longboard material. When Don and I started talking about this partnership, we both realized that birch construction was the perfect way to honor Hamboards' while delivering the premium quality riders expect.

The Hamboards Classic – that iconic 74-inch carving machine – deserves to be built with the same attention to detail and craftsmanship that made it legendary in the first place. Manufacturing these boards here in Southern California, with birch material, and featuring Don's patented HST (Hamboards Surf Trainer) truck system, we're creating something truly authentic.

More Than Just Manufacturing

This partnership isn't just about making boards – it's about keeping a California skateboarding legacy alive. Don's focus has shifted to building his new SUPSKATE brand, and he trusted BIRCH to be the steward of Hamboards manufacturing in the United States. That's not a responsibility I take lightly.

Every board we produce will feature:

• Premium birch construction from our proven manufacturing process

• Don's patented HST trucks – the heart of the Hamboards riding experience

• Both of our signatures, showing this is a true collaboration

• A unique serial number marking it as authentically crafted in California

• The quality control and attention to detail BIRCH is known for

A True Partnership

What makes this arrangement work is that we're approaching it as genuine partners. We're already successfully working together through Shopify Collective with Lucid Grip products, so we know we collaborate well. This extends that relationship in a meaningful way.

We'll be offering these boards through both the Hamboards website and our BIRCH site, giving customers multiple ways to get their hands on these California-crafted classics. Whether you've been riding Hamboards for years or you're discovering them for the first time, you're getting authentic heritage combined with modern manufacturing quality.

Looking Ahead

We're starting with the 74” Classic model, with birch material already on order and samples coming soon across five colorways. This is about honoring where Hamboards came from while building something sustainable for the future.

For me personally, this feels right. Bringing Hamboards manufacturing back to Southern California, back to someone who understands the brand's heritage, back to premium domestic craftsmanship – it's the kind of full-circle moment that reminds you why you got into this business in the first place.

Stay tuned for more updates as we get closer to launch. This is just the beginning of bringing authentic California longboard manufacturing back home.

Derek Horn
BIRCH Longboards
Southern California