About us

Our Story

We're a family of six from the Bluff in Durban, South Africa — Rudy Snr, Tash, their two kids Rudy Jnr and Heidi, along with Rudy Jnr’s partner Luana and Heidi’s husband Justy. Surfing has always been a part of our lives, and we've each built our own path around it.

 

Rudy Palmboom Snr

Rudy's Instant Ding Repair Kit was created in 2005 by Rudy Snr, a local surfing legend at Cave Rock, Durban. Even at age 66, you'll still find him getting barrelled out front of Ansteys Beach Backpackers. After years of fixing boards for fellow surfers at the backpackers, he developed his instant repair solution that literally gets you back in the water in minutes. Today, Rudy Snr distributes the ding kits across South Africa.

 

Rudy Palmboom Jnr

Rudy Jnr spent years competing on the WQS and exploring different surf crafts. Whether he's surfing, coaching, or helping others fix their dings, he's happiest near the ocean. Having used the family ding kit on countless boards, he knows how reliable it is.

Now based in the Basque Country, Spain, Rudy Jnr and his partner Luana are sharing our trusted ding repair kit with surf communities across Europe. Luana plays a huge role in keeping things running smoothly — from working with suppliers and surf shops to building relationships with our growing community.

 

Heidi & Heidi's Café

Heidi's fun, laid-back vibe is at the heart of everything she does — and it's a big part of why her café, tucked inside the backpackers, has become a favourite with surfers and travellers alike. She's an incredible surfer too, carrying on the family tradition, and plays a huge part of the backpackers' success today. Many guests discover our ding repair kit over coffee and surf stories at her café. Heidi’s husband Justy is a big part of the family too — you’ll usually find him around the café or the beach when he’s not chasing waves of his own.

 

Tash & Rudy Snr - Ansteys Beach Backpackers

Tash and Rudy Snr have been running this laid-back, family hostel for nearly 30 years — and they've both poured their hearts into it from day one. Tash is like a big warm hug; she puts love into everything she does and keeps the family and businesses flowing. Rudy has always had a passion for fixing things, and the backpackers became the perfect testing ground for the ding kit — with travelling surfers from all over putting it to the test on their boards.

 

From Our Family to Yours

We're here to make repairing your board a quick, easy, and hassle-free task — so you can spend more time in the water and less time worrying about dings.