Kia ora, hello!
I'm Danny
Salt Gypsy began as my personal blog back in 2012, when I was working as a surf guide in the Maldives. Between guiding surf trips and chasing long-period swells across the Pacific and Indian Oceans, I needed surfwear that didn’t exist: gear that stayed put in punchy surf, protected my skin, and reflected my own style.
Fun fact: I quit my job at Billabong New Zealand as a sales rep and booked myself a one-way ticket to be a snorkel guide at a surf resort in the Maldives two years earlier!
Roadtesting the first surf leggings
It was simple
I needed a product that wasn't available for core oceanwomen at the time. During a visa run to Bali, I had two pairs of custom surf leggings made to my own design.
The moment I paddled out in them, I knew I’d hit on something game-changing.
- They stayed put — no slipping sideways, no pulling down mid-session.
- They gave me UPF sun protection in the harsh tropical lineup.
- They offered modesty while working and surfing in a Muslim nation.
- They allowed me to focus on what mattered most: my wave count.
What started as a simple solution for myself quickly became a bigger story. I began blogging about how transformative it felt to surf in leggings - and other women began to notice.
From blog to brand
That personal blog grew into Salt Gypsy: a women’s surfwear brand dedicated to everyday oceanwomen. From those first surf leggings, we’ve expanded into a full surfwear range: rashguards, surfsuits, bikini tops & bottoms, surfboards - all designed with function, performance, and style in mind.
More than just gear, Salt Gypsy has become a way for women to hold their own in lineups traditionally dominated by men. It’s about reclaiming space, feeling confident, and surfing better.
2012 ~ Where it all began on the Nautilus One
2017 // Opened a shop in Byron Bay, Sea Bones
2019 // Adjusting to motherhood
who we are today
Fast-forward 10+ years, two businesses, and one grom later, Salt Gypsy has grown into a female surfer-owned company committed to:
- Responsible & Fair Manufacturing: working with trusted makers in Australia and China.
- Sustainability: from using ECONYL® regenerated nylon to launching our Circularity
- Initiative (Pre-Loved, Resell, Recycle, Donate).
- Community: championing oceanwomen everywhere, from Byron Bay to the Pacific and beyond.
- Our Values: Creative Collaboration. Play. Service. Passion.
We are proud to be an independent, women-led business designing surfwear that transcends trends and seasons. Every design is tested in real waves, built to last, and made to support women who live and love the ocean.
Salt Gypsy started with two pairs of surf leggings and a belief that women deserve surfwear designed for them.
Today, we’re still chasing that same vision:
An Ocean For All.
