Where the Road Meets the FLATED® Team

There’s something about a road trip north that I’m excited for every year. This one started in Colorado, headed for Missoula, home to our FLATED® warehouse. But like most good drives the real story unfolded during the in-between moments.

A stop in Helmville, MT turned into one of those days you don’t plan but don’t forget either. I was out poking around for sheds and ended up finding a solid whitetail antler and then, not ten minutes later, stumbled across a full beaver skeleton. Equal parts wild and fascinating. A reminder that time outside always gives you more than what you’re looking for!

After a couple days in Helmville, I rolled into Missoula. If you’ve never been to our shop there, it’s hard to explain without seeing it firsthand. It’s not just a warehouse, it’s a reflection of the people in it. Ryan (our CEO) is based there, and our guys Pat and Weston carry out the hands on work. Everything there is about customer service, from how products are handled to how quickly and carefully orders go out the door.

And then there’s Joe, holding down customer service in a way that actually feels like service. He is so good at what he does, just real help from someone who cares about getting it right. You can feel that mindset across the whole team. It’s a group that takes pride in what they’re building, and more importantly, how they’re taking care of the people who trust in FLATED®. Plus, the dogs. There are always dogs! Which somehow makes everything better.

From Missoula, it was back on the road toward Colorado but not without a couple key stops. I caught the Pipeline wave on the Lochsa right as it was coming into shape. One of those roadside sessions where you’re just grateful you showed up at the right time. Quick surf, cold water, moving on.

Then down to Boise. They’ve just rolled out Phase 2 of their river wave, and it’s the real deal. I hit it at a perfect level, and it delivered. Clean, glassy, powerful, and consistent in a way that makes you want to stay in the water and Boise way longer than you planned. It’s the kind of feature that changes a place, and Boise’s lucky to have it.

By the time I made it back to Colorado, it felt like I’d packed a lot into a such a short trip. A little over 2,000 miles round trip filled with awesome people, water, and a few unexpected finds along the way.

Trips like this are a good reminder of what FLATED® is really about. It’s not just the gear, it’s the people behind it, the places it takes you, and the way it all connects somewhere out there on the road.