Whatever Happened To Driftline After Shark Tank?
The idea for the swimwear company Driftline was born — where else? — at the beach. One October in San Diego, college friends Wes Horbatuck and Greg Orfe were surfing when they came to the same realization about watersports apparel. During transitional seasons, full wetsuits are too hot, and board shorts are too cold — not to mention the fact that the mesh linings are uncomfortable and cause chafing.
The duo cooked up their own Goldilocks product, Drifties. The two-in-one boardshorts have a 0.5 mm neoprene liner — the same synthetic rubber found in wetsuits — connected to an outer shell. The result is a casual boardshort with a high-performance interior that will keep you just warm enough and won't cause discomfort.
Drifline officially launched in May 2019. "The reception was exciting," Horbatuck recalled to ONE37pm. "The moment people put on the trunks, you could see it in their eyes. The official hurdle was tough. We needed to make this a product for watermen, by watermen." When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Horbatuck and Orfe found themselves facing entirely new hurdles, and the pair had to rethink their marketing strategy. Still, the brand persisted, and soon, they dove into the "Shark Tank."
Drifline wiped out on Shark Tank
Wes Horbatuck and Greg Orfe appear on Season 13, Episode 23 of "Shark Tank," which aired in May 2022. "I'm not usually nervous, but they really put you under the lights," Horbatuck said in the same interview with ONE37pm. "They get these comfy chairs, and we are there for 2 hours. And they grill you for 8 minutes. So you really gotta know [your] stuff."
Horbatuck and Orfe enter the tank seeking $100,000 for 10% equity in Driftline, and they impress the panel of sharks with their enthusiastic pitch. "It seems really smart to me," says Lori Greiner. "It's really great quality." The Sharks also congratulate the co-founders for pursuing a utility patent for their neoprene-lined board shorts. Horbatuck and Orfe explain that the shorts retail for $89 and cost $25 to make, and that they've netted $125,000 in sales year-to-date. The issue, they continue, is that they can't keep up with demand.
Still, the Sharks have their reservations. Kevin O'Leary drops out because he doesn't think the brand is scalable. Grenier declines to make an offer as she thinks the market is too niche for her know-how, while Mark Cuban also steps aside. Horbatuck and Orfe ultimately field two final offers: $150,000 for 28% from Robert Herjavec, and $100,000 for 20% from Daymond John (who then immediately rescinds when Horbatuck and Orfe try to negotiate). Unwilling to give up that much equity in their business, Horbatuck and Orfe walk away without a deal.
Driftline felt the Shark Tank effect
"Shark Tank" fans were impressed by the Driftline founders' pitch. "I am a believer of this product," wrote redditor u/GeneticsGuy, who lamented the very real effects of swimsuit chafing. "I actually respect the guys for having a cap and holding to it." U/buckeyemichalak82 concurred, adding, "I am glad they turned Robert down. He was asking way too much. They will be fine. They just need to manage their cash carefully."
Driftline's pitch may have sunk, but the company was quickly buoyed by the "Shark Tank" effect. After the episode aired, new customers raced to the Driftline website. Luckily, the company had launched its 2022 Spring line three weeks before its "Shark Tank" premiere. "Within 24 hours, [we] sold out 80% of our inventory," Wes Horbatuck told ONE37pm, "which was supposed to last for the whole summer." Greg Orfe estimated that in the next two to five months, Driftline sold roughly 2,500 units.
Even without a "Shark Tank" investor, the uptick in sales allowed Driftline to squirrel away money and launch Eco Drifties in March 2023. The sustainable board shorts are made from post-consumer recycled materials and rely less on petrochemicals. "With some money in the bank, we can offer a product where our values are meeting our technology, and it's very cool," Horbatuck told San Diego Business Journal. Horbatuck and Orfe also delivered on their "Shark Tank" promise to secure a patent.
Driftline expanded beyond Drifties
Drifties are still Driftline's flagship product, and the two-in-one board shorts retail on the company's website starting at $89, while Eco Drifties are $110. On "Shark Tank," Wes Horbatuck and Greg Orfe teased the possibility of what scaling their company might look like, and Driftline has indeed expanded its aquatic offerings. The brand makes bucket hats and caps, and in May 2023, Driftline launched long-sleeved utility shirts that retail for $75.
The unisex shirts have hoods, a zipper pocket, and are UPF 50+ for beach and lakeside sun protection. "They are one of our most coveted and asked-about products," Horbatuck confirmed in the company's behind-the-scenes vlog, The Dive. "You guys wanted something that you could wear while you're wearing Drifties on the boat ... I wear this trail running all the time." Driftline also released a limited edition windbreaker with a mesh interior for Fall 2023.
In addition to Driftline's new apparel and frequent rotation of new colorways, the company is spreading the word via a number of partnerships with, as the co-founders put it to San Diego Business Journal, "a select group of watersport athletes, content creators and epic individuals." Collaborators include extreme sports collective Sickos, professional wakeboarder Jordan Reichl, and filmmaker Jason Lebsack.
What's next for Driftline?
Driftline is continuing to move beyond the world of apparel to other much-needed products in the watersports arena. The company partnered with local brand SPRITS, a deodorizer spray for swimwear, wetsuits, and gear. The plant-based formula is available for $11.95 exclusively on the Driftline website.
Still, swimwear is Driftline's bread and butter, and the company's inevitable next steps are to introduce womens swimwear options. Horbatuck learned that there are opportunities in particular for female watersports athletes, who have restrictions when it comes to the clothes they can wear in competition.
"I'm not delusional enough to think that I can design female clothing, but I am working with cool people who are giving great feedback," Horbatuck said in a BizTV interview. "[They] are suggesting things because professional wakeboarders and professional paddling ... cannot wear bikinis when they compete. So they have to wear shorts, and we fill that void."
The Driftline team has also received feedback asking for their swimwear in children's sizes. While the company hasn't launched any new lines as of the time of writing, Horbatuck did tease some secret offerings for Spring 2024.