In the far corner of Ventura’s Chapter 11 shop, a handful of purple hoodies and a half dozen traction pads stood in stark contrast to most of the surrounding white and black merch. My sister, who knew all about Dane Reynolds and his business, didn’t know what to make of these items, which had just one bold word posted front and center for the world to see. “What is Rage?” she asked. “Is that a band?”
Funny enough, she wasn’t far off. Rage is a small but growing surf accessories brand founded in 2015 by Australian pro surfers Noa Deane, Beau Foster, Ellis Ericson, and Creed McTaggart and former Skeggs bassist Toby Cregan. Like the merch, their Rage films are bold and unapologetic. As director, Toby showcases characters who don’t take themselves too seriously but are seriously talented at surfing.
The newest iteration, Rage 5, dropped quietly on YouTube over the weekend, and recency bias aside, I’d say it’s their best one yet. The film features the founders plus team riders Wade Goodall, Shaun Manners, Jake Vincent, Jaleesa Vincent, Holly Wawn, Kai Hing and Benny Howard. With a crew like this, beers and barbeque are as common as boned-out straight airs and rifling overhead barrels.
Rage Team/YouTube
The filmed locations are as diverse as the cast: Fiji, Indonesia, Canada and various Australian outposts. And while everyone gets their shine in this film, Creed and Noa are the deserved frontrunners. Creed’s style and approach have changed drastically since his early 20s. He’s a walking ’90s revival, opting for longer, narrower boards and using every inch of his rail on searing, drawn-out cutbacks. Noa Deane, meanwhile, continues to veer into bone-crushing sections with the same fervor he’s shown for at least a decade. He has an uncanny knack for launching an air immediately after a barrel that few surfers can even attempt to replicate.
Related: The New Rage Film is Giving Early ’90s Vibes in the Best Way
There’s a four-wave sequence starting at 19:57 that encapsulates what Noa is all about. The first wave is a double-overhead Hollow Trees roll-in that looks great on camera but is probably terrifying in person. Despite his speed and flawless approach, he gets completely smoked. The next wave is a late frontside drop, captured in quality slo-mo. The third ride is a cheeky air reverse followed by a clean ollie over a bodyboarder. Finally, the fourth wave is a classic Noa straight air. Big. Tweaked. One-handed. Committed. Ready to Rage.
Rage Team/YouTube
But in a film loaded with big-name talent, the emotional tissue comes from Kai McKenzie, the man who lost his leg to a Great White Shark while surfing Port Macquarie last year. Here, we see the 23-year-old spinning and flying high with his peers before the incident. The fact that Kai is still hanging with his mates and getting in the water is a powerful message. The shark bit through his leg, his board and his Rage traction pad. But there is Kai, enjoying a backyard barbeque, playfully roughing up Noa before slapping a Rage sticker on his prosthetic leg. Heavy and light all at once.
Rage 5 can be a refreshing take on surf cinema, a tube-to-air tutorial, or a shot of pre-surf hype. Whatever your pleasure, it’s well worth your time.