Our goal at Hill Country Surf is to provide Austin and it's visitors with the absolute highest level of skilled instruction and guiding for Stand Up Paddling.

Our Business

Hill Country Surf is a locally owned company.  We live in Austin and care about the Austin community and donate 10% of our profits to local non-profits.

Who We Are

Matt, the founder and owner of Hill Country Surf has been an avid water enthusiast since a young age.   He became an open water scuba diver at age 13, an advanced diver at age 16 and currently is a master diver with Stress and Rescue certification.  Matt began surfing at age 12 on Galveston Island and now has over 20 years of ocean surfing experience.  At 18 years old Matt traveled to California to attend college and spend four years surfing the incredible waves and exploring the California and Baja coastline.  After graduation he worked at a youth camp in Ventura where he was in charge of the surf program.

Matt has traveled extensively throughout Central America surfing Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua.  He also lived on Maui, honing his surf skills on bigger waves.  Matt continues to travel to increase his stand up paddle skills and recently has traveled to California, Mexico, and Hawaii to paddle in the open ocean as well as in the surf.                

Stand up paddling began in 2005 for Matt on the Brazos river in Waco.  During a year long stint in Waco Matt had to try and find a way to have fun and stay in shape for surfing.  Using an old windsurfer board and a canoe paddle to cruise up and down the Brazos for fun and exercise quickly turned into a new passion.  Soon after Matt built a paddle out of a closet rod and some plywood (don't worry  we have nicer equipment now).  He's been paddling ever since.

 Matt lives in Austin Texas with his wife.  They enjoy a wide variety of outdoor pursuits in addition to the time spent Stand Up Paddling.

Matt is a registered EMT-B, certified lifeguard, trained in CPR, First-Aid, AED use, and swift water rescue.

Please give us a call so we can share this exciting sport with you!