Not long ago, I got a chance to visit the Leitner Designs headquarters in Corona, CA. My goal? To kit my 2021 Jeep Gladiator out for some off-the-beaten-path surf excursions for the upcoming fall/winter “Super El Nino” season.

While there, I got a chance to catch up with owner and founder, Bernhard Leitner—and when I handed Bernhard the latest print issue of SURFER and watched his eyes light up, I knew I was in the right place. As a certified surf junkie in the 70s and 80s, Bernhard worked at Newport Surf & Sport as a youngster and frequented all the best spots along the Orange County coastline way before they all became a zoo. Since then, he’s shifted his focus mostly to motorsports, but still holds the ocean dear to his heart and certainly still understands the lifestyle and culture of a surf rat—particularly the type of surf rat that likes to venture off the beaten path.…