Surf Talk Guru

Hawaii’s North Shore at Waimea Bay is legendary for its massive waves and premier surfing. As the Eddie Aikau surf meet was getting underway this week, surfers were ecstatic to find record-breaking swells at the historic location. Literally thousands of surfers from around the world picked up their surf gear and headed for Waimea.

With waves reaching up to 50 feet, Oahu provided an ideal locale for the annual competition this year. Greg Long, a native of San Clemente, rode off with first place honors after scoring a perfect 100 on a 25 foot wave. Nine-time world champion Kelly Slater finished in second, ten points behind Long.

Christmas is just around the corner and when it comes to finding unique gifts for unique surfers, it can be a long search. If you are willing to spend a little more money, here are some items that would be much appreciated by every surfer I know.

1.) Electric Heat Vest $200–The latest product for cold weather surfers is the PS+ Cypher Heat Vest System by Quiksilver. It’s a battery-operated vest you wear under your wetsuit. This is something every surfer would love to have for the winter, but not something most people would splurge on for themselves, so it would make a great gift!

2.) New Wetsuit $250-$400–Another thing surfers sometimes put off buying for themselves is a new wetsuit. Be sure to ask about their preferred brand, size, and thickness so they won’t have to exchange it.

3.) Custom-Made Surfboard $550+–The object of every surfer’s desire is the customized surfboard. A local shaper makes a board according to specifications laid out by the customer. The board will be shaped for optimum performance and utility according to the surfer’s size, ability level, and surfing conditions.

Early December has brought with it an Arctic Blast of freezing weather. Not only icy temperatures, but a below zero wind chill factor as well. If you’re sick of shortening your session, ask Santa for the PS+ Cypher Heat Vest, the Electric Heat Vest by Quiksilver. The vest is made with a 95% Polypropylene 5% spandex blend, Polypropylene being a heat retentive material with wicking properties to help add warmth.

It heats up with FAR infra-red heat technology, has high and low heat settings, and is easily operated under any wetsuit. The rechargeable battery provides hours of heat, but you can also get extra batteries for a longer session or if you forget to recharge. Car and wall battery chargers are included, so you’ll never be stuck without a place to recharge.

If you’d like your child to become a pro tour regular or even just a local ripper, there are a few guidelines to follow to make sure you’re introducing the steps at the right ages. Get them started gradually, having them become confident in the ocean, and things should go smoothly.

From birth to age 2, have the child take showers with you. Believe it or not, water splashing on the face and head, and in eyes and nose can be a huge deterrent to future water activities if the child isn’t used to it. Shower spray will get them used to it. Take them to parent/child aquatic classes and have them get used to movement in the water, holding their breath, blowing bubbles, etc.

When the child is 2-4 years old, continue swimming lessons. Get them wetsuits and have them splash around in the surf, under adult supervision, of course, and wearing a PFD for extra safety. Wetsuits are great for beach activities because they keep the child warm whether they’re wading in the surf or digging in the sand. Having them get used to putting on and taking off wetsuits at an early age will prevent them from hating that aspect later on. Also at this age, have the child lay atop your surfboard while you hold it in the shallows. Have them practice the paddling motion on the board.

At 5-7 years of age, continue swimming lessons and introduce related sports such as skateboarding, snowboarding, and boogie boarding. Begin teaching them how to surf only if you yourself are an experienced surfer. If you’re not, pay for regular lessons through a local surf shop. Children should be on softop surfboards. Have them practice jumping to standing on their board onshore then push them into whitewater waves and practice standing and riding on the moving board.

As the child grows to 8-10 years old, he or she will have more strength and stamina, be able to carry their own board, and will have more patience and focus for all the practice they’ll need to improve. The learning curve for surfing might be the largest of any sport, so make sure you have a lot of patience for your child!

Beginning surfers can choose whether or not they want to pay extra for gloves with their surf rental package. Should you pay extra and try out the gloves or are they unnecessary? There are pros and cons to surfing gloves.

Surfing gloves keep your hands warmer, which is nice if you’re just starting out, or if it’s cold out and you aren’t used to numb hands. Another pro is that you can paddle easier and faster, which is good when you’re just starting out. Better paddling means catching more waves. Although, a con when it comes to paddling is that wet gloves are heavy, especially thicker ones, and your arms get tired sooner. Another con is that they can make it difficult to maneuver your board, like when you’re standing up or holding on to your board during duck dives or turtle rolls. Most experienced surfers don’t use gloves. They feel they surf better without them. Weigh these options and decide if gloves are for you. It doesn’t hurt to try them.

What is the war between surfers and bodyboarders? Why are surfers always making fun of those riding a sponge? Is bodyboarding so bad?

Bodyboarding is a good starter sport for young people or those learning how riding waves works. Bodyboarding is easier and takes less time to learn than surfing, but variations on the ride, like drop-knee and stand-up, will help make surfing easier in the future. Bodyboarding is also popular with those who have injuries and are not able to stand up and ride a surfboard like they used to.

You can see why there would be a bias against bodyboarding based on this description: it’s only for those who can’t surf. Surfers may feel superior to such people who “can’t stand up” on a board, but want to share the lineup. But what about those kick-ass bodyboarders, pros and Hawaiians who ride Pipe on a sponge? Nothing to laugh at there.

Bodyboarders have been known in Oregon to pull some pretty dickhead moves, like crashing surf contests, dropping in like crazy on everybody in their non-local surfspot, and generally egging on the rivalry. Since they’re definitely in the minority, maybe some bodyboarders enjoy being “different.” So the rivalry is continued from both sides.

If you’d like your child to become a pro tour regular or even just a local ripper, there are a few guidelines to follow to make sure you’re introducing the steps at the right ages. Get them started gradually, having them become confident in the ocean, and things should go smoothly.

From birth to age 2, have the child take showers with you. Believe it or not, water splashing on the face and head, and in eyes and nose can be a huge deterrent to future water activities if the child isn’t used to it. Shower spray will get them used to it. Take them to parent/child aquatic classes and have them get used to movement in the water, holding their breath, blowing bubbles, etc.

When the child is 2-4 years old, continue swimming lessons. Get them wetsuits and have them splash around in the surf, under adult supervision, of course, and wearing a PFD for extra safety. Wetsuits are great for beach activities because they keep the child warm whether they’re wading in the surf or digging in the sand. Having them get used to putting on and taking off wetsuits at an early age will prevent them from hating that aspect later on. Also at this age, have the child lay atop your surfboard while you hold it in the shallows. Have them practice the paddling motion on the board.

At 5-7 years of age, continue swimming lessons and introduce related sports such as skateboarding, snowboarding, and boogie boarding. Begin teaching them how to surf only if you yourself are an experienced surfer. If you’re not, pay for regular lessons through a local surf shop. Children should be on softop surfboards. Have them practice jumping to standing on their board onshore then push them into whitewater waves and practice standing and riding on the moving board.

As the child grows to 8-10 years old, he or she will have more strength and stamina, be able to carry their own board, and will have more patience and focus for all the practice they’ll need to improve. The learning curve for surfing might be the largest of any sport, so make sure you have a lot of patience for your child!

It’s no longer a secret that the surf spot of last resort in Newport is under the bridge. Winter swells that are too big to paddle surf will bring waist-high peelers into the bay. People who surf here are generally pretty desperate for waves and some easily forget the rules of engagement.

For one, people need to follow the surf order and take turns. Visitors or longboarders who take off on every possible wave are not appreciated. But most importantly, be careful! Overzealous surfers are bound to hurt someone in such tight quarters.

Most people would rather wait for better surf on the shore than surf under the bridge, but if you’ve got a wetsuit that hasn’t been wet in awhile, just remember to follow the rules!

Check out previous blog entries for gift ideas in all price ranges for your favorite surfer. Here are some ideas for stocking stuffers that will be sure to please any surfer this Christmas.

1.) Surf Shop Gift Card–Any Amount–Pick one up from your surfer’s favorite shop or have it sent direct. This will save you from having to choose something if you’re not sure of what to get.

2.) Surf Wax–$2–Available in different scents and colors, wax is a must for surfboards in all water temperatures. A variety of bars will allow your surfer to test out different brands. You could also include a wax comb and wax remover.

3.) Surfboard Leash–$18–Small enough to fit in a stocking, a leash is a life-saver out in the water, literally. Leashes need to be replaced, too, so this will be appreciated.

4.) Ding Repair Kit–$7–All surfers need to be able to repair their boards if they get nicked up. This kit is a must to carry in your car, board bag, or garage.

Xcel wetsuits and surfing accessories such as booties and gloves have been hot products this fall. Their fall line is made with ThermoBamboo, a bamboo fiber that acts as a heat-insulating barrier.

If you haven’t gotten a new wetsuit this year, it’s the perfect time to do it and Xcel is a good brand to get. They’re a little spendier than some other brands, but they are worth it and a lot of surf shops are having sales this holiday season, especially starting on Black Friday.