CJ Nelson is a surfer and designer whose career has been defined by reimagining what a surfboard can be. With decades in the water and thousands of hours in the design studio, he’s helped bring longboarding and alternative surfboard design into a new era—merging classic Californian style with modern performance. Beyond surfboards, CJ’s design influence extends across the culture—developing sunglasses, skateboards, apparel, shoes, and wetsuits that reflect his aesthetic and function-first mindset. As the creative director behind Thunderbolt Surfboards, Flying Diamonds Fin Co., and Surf Crime, CJ has not only designed boards but also shaped brands, designing logos and identities that have become instantly recognizable in the surf world. To him, surfboards are more than tools—they’re vehicles of freedom, style, and self-expression. Through every project, CJ continues to honor the craft while pushing the culture forward, securing his place as one of California’s most influential surfboard designers and cultural figures.