Surf Talk Guru

Part of the reason for Xcel wetsuits’ popularity is their 100% stretch status. When your suit is stretchier, your surfing performance and ease of use of the suit is better.

Many other wetsuits only have stretch panels in the shoulders, back, underarms, arms, crotch, and knee areas. Wetsuit manufacturers focus on these panels as the stretchy parts, and use standard not-as-stretchy neoprene for the rest of the suit. But Xcel puts the stretch in all areas of the suit, making easier to put on, take off, and surf in.

Big swell is common in winter and a big one is here for Boxing Day weekend! It’s supposed to be 16 feet at 16 seconds Saturday/Sunday. For those tow surfers out there, go big, but be careful!

Make sure all your equipment is working at optimum performance. Have a good Xcel wetsuit and PFD on in case something happens, and try to get some pictures!

You think it’s cold here . . .? Surfline had a humbling story on surfing the Jersey Shore. Walking through a foot of snow on the beach to surf 38 degree water for a short hour-long session. The surf looked pretty damn good. It better be for all that chillin’.

You have to wear gloves over there. We’re lucky to be able to choose to wear gloves or not. They can be heavy and kill your shoulders. We can wear a relatively lightweight 5/4 or a hooded 4/3. Over there right now, they’re having to wear a 6/5 to stay comfortable and maybe even a 1 mil rash guard. Hopefully they got their electric heat vests.

How do you tell a surfer you care? Get them a new top-of-the-line wetsuit to warm their heart! Most surfers would rather wait until after the holidays to purchase a spendier item like an Xcel wetsuit.

They could use it now during the winter swell, but would rather deal with being cold so they’ll have more money to buy you presents! To show your love and appreciation, get them what they want and will be able to use for a long time.

Ossies Summer Surf School Now Available for 2010!

This Christmas’ hot product for surfers has been Quiksilver’s PS+ CYPHER Heat Vest System. The promise of never having another shortened session due to cold for an affordable $200 has proven too attractive for consumers and every last one of the original 900 manufactured has been sold!

Well, I know of one XXL left on a shelf in Newport.

But other than that, if you want one of the next 600 to be made and sold in March, or possibly January, you have to get on a back order list and reserve your size! The price should remain thte same. The only extra charge to ensure your purchase is the cost to sign up on the list.

The PS+ Cypher Heat Vest System from Quiksilver is THE hot item this Christmas. There are none to be had in the world! The reason is that Quiksilver only made 900 when they came out in September. They sold slowly and steadily until the mad Christmas rush. Now they’re all sold out except for a few XXL’s at a few places around the country.

Quiksilver will manufacture another round of vests, but only 600 of them! They should be shipped to dealers in March or MAYBE January. The only way to guarantee you’ll get ahold of one this next time is to get on the back order list at your local dealer. It might cost a few dollars to get on the list, but it’s the only way to reserve a vest in your size.

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!