Craig Anderson has been a busy man. He did a strike mission to Samoa with some boogieboarders for last minute Cluster clips. He just designed and released a new sunglass frame with Electric called the Txoko. He’s joined the Huf footwear team. Dropped his Cluster part. And then went snowboarding for the first time in Wyoming with Travis Rice. The dude is on to it. We hit him up real quick in between traveling back to Australia for more premieres of Cluster and some well-deserved rest and family time.

What Youth: Snowboarding for the first time, how’d that go? 

Craig Anderson: It was amazing. Such a cool experience, away from my normal days of surfing and traveling. Just to see gigantic mountain ranges full of white fluffy snow was incredible.

You go hard or bunny slope? Wyoming probably has no bunny slope, huh?

I was thrown in the deep from the beginning. Straight to the top of what looked death defying to me, but the guys I was with didn’t even raise an eyebrow to it. I mainly stuck to the cat track first run but took a couple lines down some big (probably not very big) rolling hills of snow. Such a thrill though.

Tripped me out thinking what snowboarders at the top of their game do. Put everything into perspective real quick. Those fuckers are way crazy.

Where’d you guys go?

I piggybacked a Quiksilver snow trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Hungout with Travis Rice, Brian Fox, Candide Thovex, Torah Bright, Koa Rothman and the Brain Farm dudes. We rode snow mobiles around, shot guns, went to hot springs in the snow all sorts of cool shit I never thought I would do.

Eat shit at all?

Fell over a bunch. On the last run we went through this little tree passage and I didn’t know how to shave speed on a narrow path, was going too fast had a full brain explosion and dove into the side and almost got cleaned up by a tree. Was lucky to walk way from the day in tact even though I still can’t move today.

So we just got our eyes on your new Electric sunnies. What vibe did you have in mind in coming out with your own shades?

Well I wanted a premium look and feel. Using the best materials, hand cut acetate, forged metal arms. But still a comfortable, wearable shape with a little “zazzz” to them, hence the etching on the metal arms.

Was the crew at Electric open to trying new things with this shade? 

They were for sure, it was like I was the designer and I didn’t really know what I was doing. But I told them what I was into shape, fit, style, color and that’s what popped out. They did their thing, I did mine.

What’s “Txoko” all about? 

Pronounced “Zoko.” Somehow a “T” and an “X” = “Z” in my brain. I don’t know, I just liked the way those letters looked together. I saw it in Spain and at cool Basque restaurant.

You nailed some last minute hammers for Cluster doing a bit of strike missioning to some heavy waves. What were you after?

Didn’t really have a goal in mind. I wanted combos and mega ramps but I just went with the flow. I travelled with some boogieboarder friends who are super onto weather maps — which is so inspiring in the fact they will drive hours on hours to charge ledges and hit any size air bowl.

How the vibe in Samoa?

The last session I had out at this 6-foot freight training right was gnarly. I was sitting there with 5 other guys. One guy even paddled over with some mini chocolate bars for me and shit. It was sick.

How do you feel about Cluster now that it’s out? 

I have a full sense of happiness and joy — but not through what I have accomplished in the film necessarily, as there was still things I wanted to get, but in reflecting on how fun the travel was and scoring good waves with the boys and that its a job for me at 26 years old. I’m really grateful.

What you been up to this month? 

I’m heading home now after a week in California that saw me lose my wallet on the first night and my soul the next five. Jackson Hole a few days for something different.

Now home for a little down time, collect my thoughts, hangout with my family, appreciated this sweet fucking job I got and then keep on the road and film.

My finger nails are still black from the fingernail polish you gave away at the Cluster premiere, you got a fresh coat going?

I do, fuck it. I like seeing people’s reactions.

Check out Craig in his Huf welcome to the team video: