“Only a surfer knows the feeling”

“Only a surfer knows the feeling” is a popular saying in surfing. Billabong (a clothing retailer based in Australia) trademarked the slogan with a first use in commerce from August 1984. The slogan is popular on Twitter and has been used to describe the sport (and not necessarily the Billabong brand).
     
   
Wikipedia: Billabong (clothing)
Billabong International Limited is a surf company, primarily a clothing retailer that also produces accessories, like watches and backpacks and skateboard and snowboard products under other brand-names. Founded in 1973 by Gordon and Rena Merchant, the company first traded on the Australian Securities Exchange on 11 August 2000. The name “billabong” is derived from the Wiradjuri word “bilabaŋ” that refers to a “creek that runs only during the rainy season”. As of September 2013, Von Zipper, and Element are two of the prominent brands that Billabong owns. Honolua Surf Company, Kustom, Palmers Surf, Xcel, Tigerlily, Sector 9 and RVCA are the company’s other brands.
   
Google News Archive
22 September 1985, Sunday Star-News (Wilmington, NC), “Surfing,” pg. 9A, col. 3:
“Billabong Australia, since 1973,” reads a T-shirt. It’s a brand of surf gear.
 
“Only a surfer knows the feeling,” reads another.
 
Google Groups: alt.drugs
Prozac (was: Re: Smile, dammit!)
T. Rev
1/7/91
(...)
“Only a surfer knows the feeling” - seen on a T-shirt.
 
Google News Archive
20 January 2002, Spartanburg (SC) Herald-Journal,  “Hidden talents of prime-time television actors revealed” by Jacqueline Cutler (TVData Features Syndicate), TV Week, pg. 7, col. 3:
She (actress A. J. Langer—ed.) learned to surf four years ago, after breaking up with a longtime boyfriend and meeting “seven of the most beautiful menI have ever seen” in Costa Rica. “There are times when nothing is better,” she says. “It’s better than sex. Only a surfer knows the feeling.”
 
OCLC WorldCat record
Only a surfer knows the feeling : the story of Billabong’s surfwear revolution
Publisher: [S.l.] : RollingYouth Press ; [S.l.] : Distributed by Billabong and RollingYouth Press, 2003.
Edition/Format:   Book : English
 
Google Books
The Surfing Handbook:
Mastering the Waves for Beginning and Amateur Surfers
By Ben Marcus
Minneapolis, MN: MBI Publishing Company
2010
Pg. 10:
You’ve read the slogans on a thousand bumper stickers:

“Only a surfer knows the feeling.”
“Surfing is better than sex.”
“Surfing is my addiction.”
“Work is for those who don’t surf.”
“If you don’t surf, don’t start. If you do surf, never stop.”
     
Surfer magazine
ONLY A SURFER KNOWS THE FEELING?
Posted on July 22, 2010
The way things are going, Kelly Slater’s Pro Surfer may prove otherwise.
   
Traveller (Australia)
Why I don’t “know” the feeling - but I should
The Backpacker Jun 12 2012 at 10:39 AM
(...)
I don’t get it. To me, it seems like a lot of work for little reward. There used to be a surf brand that had the slogan “Only a surfer knows the feeling” and I completely agree, because I have no idea what they’re on about.
     
Surfing magazine
February 2, 2015
There’s No Place Like Home
By Zander Morton
(...)
In Hawaii, the old adage “Only a surfer knows the feeling” couldn’t be truer.
 
(Trademark)
Word Mark ONLY A SURFER KNOWS THE FEELING
Goods and Services (CANCELLED) IC 025. US 022 039. G & S: clothing, namely, tops, T-shirts, shirts, blouses, jackets, pullovers, sweaters, coats, parkas, skivvys, namely, close-fitting garments with long sleeves and, in most cases, a turtle neck, similar to a jumper, but usually made of machine knitted cotton, singlets, vests, long pants and trousers, jeans, shorts, board shorts, dresses, skirts, overalls, swimwear, skiwear, tracksuits, tracksuit tops and tracksuit trousers, underwear, sleepwear, hosiery, leggings, tights, socks, stocking, scarves, belts, gloves; headgear, namely, hats, caps, beanies, peaks and visors; footwear, namely, boots, shoes, sandals and thongs; wetsuits, wetsuit vests, wetsuit boots, wetsuit gloves, wetsuit hoods, wetsuit shorts and wetsuit tops. FIRST USE: 19750000. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19840800
Mark Drawing Code (1) TYPED DRAWING
Serial Number 75303905
Filing Date June 5, 1997
Current Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1A
Published for Opposition October 13, 1998
Registration Number 2215912
Registration Date January 5, 1999
Owner (REGISTRANT) Gordon & Rena Merchant Pty Ltd. COMPANY AUSTRALIA 20 Kortum Drive Burleigh Heads Queensland 4220 AUSTRALIA
Assignment Recorded ASSIGNMENT RECORDED
Attorney of Record ROD S BERMAN
Type of Mark TRADEMARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Live/Dead Indicator DEAD
Cancellation Date October 8, 2005
 
(Trademark)
Word Mark ONLY A SURFER KNOWS THE FEELING
Goods and Services IC 025. US 022 039. G & S: CLOTHING, NAMELY, T-SHIRTS, JACKETS, BOARD SHORTS; AND HEADWEAR, NAMELY, HATS AND CAPS. FIRST USE: 19980000. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19980000
Standard Characters Claimed
Mark Drawing Code (4) STANDARD CHARACTER MARK
Serial Number 78664125
Filing Date July 5, 2005
Current Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1B
Published for Opposition March 21, 2006
Registration Number 3659382
Registration Date July 21, 2009
Owner (REGISTRANT) GSM (Operations) Pty Ltd COMPANY AUSTRALIA 1 Billabong Place Burleigh Heads AUSTRALIA 4220
Attorney of Record Michael J. MacDermott
Type of Mark TRADEMARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Live/Dead Indicator LIVE