Jarvis Boards
Jarvis Boards is a handcrafted stand up paddle board company founded by Tony Smith and based in Austin, TX. Owning a Jarvis Board means owning real American made craftsmanship and embracing the spirit of summer.
Jarvis Boards is on a mission to build the best wood paddle boards on and for the planet. Their designs use a wide range of materials, including sustainably harvested wood, reclaimed lumber, recycled foam, and even leather. The result is wood paddle boards that are lightweight, better for the environment, and extremely durable, thanks to the natural strength of wood.
The story behind Jarvis Boards is compelling. As stated by Tony in his bio:
“The story really begins decades ago during my childhood. While running around with my silly brothers and cousins, I tore apart, built, and rebuilt everything imaginable with my hands. It started small. Probably with Legos. Legos led to model cars, which led to model rockets, remote-controlled cars, black powder rifles, and on to real classic cars and beyond. You name it, odds are my brothers and I at some point have torn it apart and/or built it. Like any kid who loves building things with their hands, I went off to college and majored in finance…
After I graduating, I landed an “adult job” as a stock broker. One job led to another, which led to more money and more stuff but less time for adventure and building cool things. At some point, I realized a decade had gone by and that I was drifting in this fog and no longer creating anything. During this time, I stumbled on a how-to guide at a local bookstore with plans to build a wooden canoe. After impulsively buying the book, the next day I ordered a table saw from Amazon, bought some wood at the local hardware store, and set out to build my own wood canoe. A “million” hours later, to my surprise, the canoe not only floated but looked pretty amazing! Needless to say, I was hooked. Having gotten into standup paddle boarding and surfing a few years earlier, I set my sights on building a wood SUP, this time with no how-to guide from the local bookstore.”
It’s from this adventure that Jarvis Boards was born with the simple idea of building the best boards possible, living consciously, traveling adventurously, and inspiring others to do the same.
