[Fashion: Surf Shorts Pockets?]

Danny Essex of JumpBall Apparel

Danny Essex of JumpBall Apparel is interviewed by me, Rob at ReviewerTV, right before the San Diego Fashion Week 2023 Spring Showcase show, April 22, Hotel Republic, downtown.

I arrived to the show with plenty of time to get a good seat up front and as the crowd began filling in Danny and his lady sat down next to me. So I struck up a conversation with him and realized he was one of the designers in the show. Danny is in his early 50’s and from Miami. His clothing line, JumpBall, is colorful athletic wear. My sport is surfing so I told him a was always looking for good shorts that have pockets (LOTS of pockets) that don’t get holes torn in them by the cluster of keys I always carry.

In the interview I mis-called, or referred to, walking shorts as “surf trunks”. That’s a misnomer because surf trunk are boardshorts and are meant to wear while surfing, so you wear them mostly out in the water while on your board (hence the name “boardshorts”). Normal everyday walking around short pants shorts in beachwear are “walking shorts”. Right, surf fashion connoisseurs? Anyway, Danny seemed to what I meant and understood I was talking about dry-land shorts with pockets.

He was sympathetic and told me it’s something he could work on. I was glad to meet a designer I could talk to about the issue finally. As a San Diego native who wears shorts year-round it had been bothering me for a while, this deficit in walking shorts design. I told Danny I’d like Carhart durability mixed with Volcom style, and he nodded appreciatively. That’s my dream: tough cargo shorts that are actually cool looking and last!