“Style is everything to me,” says Mason Ho in a laidback tone that echoes with island time and stoke. The funnest guy in surfing is all about style, from the way he rides treacherous conditions with reckless abandon to his use of Jimi Hendrix riffs in his rock-dodging edits. Whether it’s in hulking Waimea Bay or dreamy summertime Ala Moana Bowls, Mason Ho appreciates aesthetics and knows when to throw in a hand-jive or a head-flick for dramatic effect. 

Underpinned by Hawaiian influences and honed by a wave-count bigger than Warren Buffet’s bank account, Mason choreographs his rides like an improvised dance. It’s style on the fly, where you feel the moment and let your body respond to the vibe. 

What does style in surfing mean to you?

Style is what represents you in surfing and on the wave. You don’t really get to talk to everyone [in the lineup] but maybe everyone will watch you ride and they could kind of judge you based on that. They might not even know you but say, “I know that guy,” based on style. It’s also you representing yourself. It’s how you feel. Between Uncle Derek, my father, and a lot of my other uncles, like Gerry Lopez, I feel like I grew up around the style masters. Style is everything to me.

Who were your style influences in surfing?

How much time do you have? I got so many. My father and my Uncle Derek. I grew up watching them and it’s in my blood. They have a really special and cool style and always have looked a little different from everyone else. I am loyal to them, to the blood.

I take pride in trying to copy some of my friends. I can kind of chameleon out with whoever. Like ...