In an unassuming workshop nestled in the hills of El Sobrante, California, Mike Zajicek meticulously shapes what many consider the finest hydrofoils in North America. Meanwhile, 6,000 miles away in a converted olive mill outside Siena, Italy, his longtime collaborator Stefano Morris crafts identical designs for European clientele. Together, they form Mike’s Lab—a unique transcontinental operation that has redefined performance standards in hydrofoil design for over a decade.

A Partnership Across Continents

Mike Zajicek, a former aerospace engineer with expertise in fluid dynamics, established the original Mike’s Lab in El Sobrante after becoming dissatisfied with commercial hydrofoils during foiling’s early days. Stefano Morris, initially a customer turned apprentice, eventually became Zajicek’s European counterpart, establishing the Italian branch in 2013 to serve the growing European market.

“The distance between us physically has never affected our shared vision,” explains Zajicek. “We communicate daily about design refinements, and every component—whether made in California or Tuscany—adheres to identical specifications and standards.”

This unusual business arrangement emerged organically from necessity. As European demand grew, shipping costs and import duties were making Mike’s Lab foils prohibitively expensive for European riders. The solution was to establish Morris as the European production arm, maintaining the handcrafted ethos while eliminating the logistical challenges.

Identical Standards, Ocean Apart

What’s remarkable about Mike’s Lab’s transcontinental operation is the consistency maintained between workshops. Both Zajicek and Morris use identical materials, tools, and techniques, ensuring that a foil produced in Italy performs exactly like its California-made counterpart.

“We even source our carbon fiber from the same manufacturers,” Morris notes from his Siena workshop. “The resin formulations, curing processes, and finishing techniques are standardized between our operations. A blind test couldn’t tell you whether a foil came from El Sobrante or Siena.”

This consistency is maintained through rigorous quality control protocols and regular in-person collaboration, with both craftsmen traveling to each other’s facilities several times annually to ensure perfect alignment in their processes.

The Carbon Fiber Advantage

The signature Mike’s Lab difference begins with their distinctive carbon fiber layup process. While mass-market competitors use standardized carbon patterns, Zajicek and Morris customize fiber orientation for specific components and performance characteristics.

“We’re placing carbon fibers in patterns that create ideal flex in certain areas while maintaining absolute rigidity in others,” explains Zajicek from his California workshop. “It’s incredibly time-intensive, but riders immediately feel the difference.”

Their proprietary vacuum infusion process uses custom-formulated resins developed specifically for hydrofoiling conditions. The result is components typically 15-20% lighter than mass-produced alternatives while maintaining superior strength profiles.

Regional Testing, Global Development

An unexpected advantage of their transcontinental arrangement has been the ability to test designs in vastly different conditions. The Mediterranean offers different challenges than the Pacific, providing natural diversity in testing environments.

“Mike might be testing a prototype in the powerful Northern California conditions while I’m simultaneously testing in the Mediterranean chop,” Morris explains. “This gives us insight across different water types that no single-location operation could achieve.”

This diverse testing environment has contributed to several breakthrough designs, including their renowned Delta wing series and the Raptor front wing, which revolutionized expectations around high-speed carving performance.

Serving Two Markets

The dual-continent structure has allowed Mike’s Lab to develop nuanced understanding of regional preferences. European riders often prioritize different characteristics than their American counterparts, influenced by the distinctive conditions of Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines.

“Our European clients often seek slightly different performance attributes,” Morris notes. “Mediterranean conditions typically mean lighter winds and different chop patterns than the Pacific coast. We maintain the same fundamental designs but can tune recommendations specifically for local conditions.”

This regional expertise has made Mike’s Lab the preferred choice for professional athletes on both continents. The California workshop supplies most North and South American clients, while the Siena operation serves Europe, the Middle East, and occasionally Asian markets.

The Waiting Game

Despite operating two production facilities, Mike’s Lab maintains intentionally limited output—typically fewer than 200 complete foil systems annually from each location. This commitment to small-batch production has created the now-famous Mike’s Lab waiting list.

“We’ve had customers wait up to eight months for certain designs,” Zajicek acknowledges. “We’ve been approached countless times about expanding production or licensing our designs, but that would compromise what makes our foils special.”

The waiting list phenomenon exists on both continents, with European customers queuing for Morris’s creations just as Americans wait for Zajicek’s. This exclusivity has created a unique secondary market where used Mike’s Lab foils often sell at or above their original retail price—a remarkable inversion of the typical depreciation curve.

Cross-Discipline Excellence

While many manufacturers specialize in foils for specific activities, Mike’s Lab has achieved remarkable success across multiple disciplines. Their foils have won championships in prone foiling, SUP foiling, wing foiling, and surf foiling on both continents.

“The principles remain consistent across applications,” Zajicek explains. “We focus on fundamental hydrodynamics, then optimize shapes for specific use cases while maintaining our signature handling characteristics.”

This versatility has made Mike’s Lab particularly popular among cross-discipline athletes who maintain different components that allow adaptation to varying conditions while preserving familiar performance feel.

Artisanal Future in a Global Market

As hydrofoiling continues its explosive growth globally, both craftsmen remain committed to their artisanal approach. Recent years have seen them each take on apprentices—two in California and one in Italy—ensuring their methods and standards will continue into the next generation.

“There will always be space for handcrafted excellence at the premium end of any market,” Morris believes. “Most industries eventually segment into mass production and artisanal options. We’re firmly committed to representing the latter.”

This dedication to craft over scale has earned Mike’s Lab an almost cult-like following among serious foilers. For riders who experience the difference—the precise control, effortless lift, and intuitive carving—the wait and premium price become insignificant compared to the performance advantages gained.

In an industry increasingly dominated by quarterly product cycles and outsourced manufacturing, Mike Zajicek in California and Stefano Morris in Italy stand as twin pillars of an alternative approach—one where human hands, extreme attention to detail, and a relentless pursuit of performance create products that simply cannot be replicated by mass production techniques.

As one professional rider summarized: “Whether it comes from El Sobrante or Siena doesn’t matter—when you’re on a Mike’s Lab foil, you’re experiencing the absolute pinnacle of what’s possible when water meets carbon fiber.”