A FATHER, A SON, A REVOLUTION
Stuart and Ryan Campbell didn’t plan on disrupting the surfboard industry. They set out to build a better board, succeeded, solved a couple of inherent problems of stringerless eps/epoxy - and ended up changing everything.
CAN WE DO IT ANOTHER WAY
For decades the central timber stringer has remained unchanged providing a degree of strength and rigidity to the surfboard in a very low tech manner.
Stuart Campbell - shaper, lifelong surfer, engineer, looked at that low tech stringer with an idea. “Let’s get rid of it and use modern hi tech materials to create a more efficient replacement“
That idea became an obsession leading to years of development, international patents across six countries and a technology that Nick Carroll, industry sage, called on Surfline, “About as cool and effective a piece of surfboard engineering I’ve seen this century, let alone this year”
STUART CAMPBELL
INVENTOR - FOUNDER - SHAPER
Stuart Campbell has spent his life at the intersection of engineering & the ocean. A former professional surfer, lifelong shaper with a background in precision engineering. Along with his son, Ryan, Stuart founded Campbell Designed to increase a surfboards general performance characteristics utilising advanced composite construction.
The seed for Exo Flex came initially from the world of performance multi-hull sailboats and their construction methods. One being the use of carbon fibre in a particular arrangement to absorb and release energy. Stuart saw the potential of a reworked and modified form of this carbon fibre system to construct light and strong surfcraft. Now under the feet of some of the world’s best surfers, Exo Flex Technology is being hailed a major breakthrough.
RYAN CAMPBELL
CREATIVE DIRECTOR - CO-FOUNDER - DESIGNER
After a lengthy professional surfing career himself, riding his father’s shapes, Ryan had developed a keen eye and interest in surfboard design. This lead to the inevitable, a team up with Dad and Campbell Designed Surfboards was born soon followed by the introduction of Exo Flex.
Ryan’s role : Take a revolutionary idea, test vigorously in a wide variety of conditions, refine and build it into a successful business. File international patents across six countries. Foster partnerships / collaborations that brought Exo Flex to Album Surf in the US. Broadcast Exo Flex Technology globally.
Late April 2026 saw a significant step in the Exo Flex story when Ryan and Stuart hand delivered the first two hundred sets of springs to Album HQ in California.
The development journey
THE ORIGIN
Studying how multi hull yachts are built to absorb and release energy when dealing with the open ocean Stuart theorises on a similar method of dealing with the stresses that waves place on surfboards. What if we replaced the timber stringer with springs?
PROTOTYPING
The first Exo Flex prototypes are tested by Ryan and others. Immediate feedback is outstanding speed and performance, a different feeling. Definitely not pu/poly but also not standard eps/epoxy, not in the middle either it combined the best of both worlds. Development accelerates.
PATENTS GRANTED
Exo Flex granted patents across six countries- Australia, USA, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa & Vietnam. The IP moat is established. Ryan leads the international filing process.
VALIDATION
Thousands sold and ridden through Campbell Designed with Industry leaders, Competitive surfers and even the General Punter returning the same verdict - like nothing I’ve ever ridden.
GOOD DESIGN AWARD
Exo Flex Technology wins Gold at the 2025 Australian Good Design Awards. No surf brand had ever won Gold in the awards 65 year history. The technology is formally recognised as world class innovation.
2026 USA
A new chapter begins when Stuart and Ryan personally deliver 200 spring sets to Album Surf HQ in California and instruct on the installation procedure. Album team riders, Asher Pacey, Victor Bernardo, Brendan "Margo" Margieson and Clay Marzo now putting Exo Flex powered boards through their paces.
Why a spring changes everything
The old timber stringer had two jobs, impart strength and rigidity, our modern Exo Flex system does both more efficiently as well as a whole lot more.
The multi-layered carbon Exo Flex leaf springs are engineered to provide differing degrees of flex to different parts of the surfboard. This control of the flex characteristics along with extensive testing has lead to precise spring layup and positioning, resulting in quicker turns, more speed, better response and superior paddling in a board tailored to the individual.
Though Exo Flex was initially aimed squarely at advancing surfboard performance a welcome conclusion was born out by our extensive machine testing. Comparative tests were performed with traditional stringered pu/poly boards, other branded EPS/epoxies and various boards constructed in Exo Flex. Not only had Exo Flex increased performance it was more snap resistant, by at least 25% than all others tested.
THE STORY IS JUST STARTING
Exo Flex began as an idea in a shaping bay, in a small, wave rich town in Queensland Australia. It is now being built into surfboards by one of the USA’s most progressive, respected brands, ridden by some of the most influential surfers on the planet and protected by patents across six countries.
Stuart and Ryan Campbell’s vision for Exo Flex was never limited to just surfboards but any craft or ocean conditions. The spring system provides advanced performance for equipment as diverse as a Tow board for Jaws, a downwind paddleboard for Molokai, a wake board for behind a boat on a lake or river.
Every surfcraft deserves a spring
Find an Exo Flex board through ALBUM SURF or CAMPBELL DESIGNED — or get in touch today
