A Warm up Routine Before Surfing Witch’s Rock Surf Camp

Surfing Equipment and Gear

Posted by Annie Shay on Jul 4, 2013 in Learning Center | 0 comments

Surfing Equipment and Gear

There is a wide variety of surfing equipment to purchase and to be honest, it can be expensive. However, once you have bought your essential surfing gear, the surfboard and a wet suit, rest of the equipment is quite inexpensive. If you are a wave worshiper and surfing is going to be your passion for a relatively long time, then buying a high quality gear is worth the money. Remember there are numerous types of brands ranging from local surf shops to international companies with a variety of prices. This article is just an overview for beginners to help them get the essential stuff they will require for surfing.

Surfboards

A surfboard is a long platform used in surfing. Even though it is very light, it is strong enough to support a surfer riding the waves. Modern surfboards are developed from polyurethane or polystyrene foam with a coat of fiberglass, carbon fibers, epoxy resins, polyester and cloth. The new surfboards are light, fast and easily maneuverable. Every year, almost 400,000 surfboards are manufactured throughout the world. Surfboards have numerous sizes, shapes and designs but the most common types are shortboard, longboard, funboard, fish, gun and hybrid. Before you buy a surfboard, consider your weight, age and surfing style. For beginners, the longer the board, the better it performs. This is why many people buy longboards because they allow easy paddling, wave catching, and turnings. Other factors to consider are thickness and width. The thicker board enables easy paddling and gliding while a wider board is more merciful to novices and let them surf steadily.

Wetsuits

The water temperature will help you determine whether you need a wetsuit or not. Apart from tropical areas, in many regions of the world, the water is cold and a wetsuit is necessary if you wish to be comfortable during surfing. Today, you can find a wide range of wetsuits appropriate for your local conditions. They are made of neoprene, a flexible rubber which has insulating properties. A wetsuit must be snug but not tight. They vary in thickness, panels and designs. Wetsuits can be full or steamer. For summer the ideal thickness is 3/2 and 6/4 for winter.

Rash Vest, Leash, Boots, Gloves and Hood

A rash vest is worn under a wetsuit to protect the skin from irritation and rashes particularly in tropical areas. It is made up of soft neoprene and provides further insulation. Boots, hood and gloves may be useful in very cold regions like those in high Northern or low Southern areas. A leash is an ankle strap that attaches your ankle to the surfboard.

Surfboard Wax

Surfboard wax is applied on the top of surfboard to create traction. There are various kinds of surf wax with plenty of colors, fragrance and consistency. Wax should be applied in circular motions until small lumps are formed. After a layer or two, use a wax comb to coarsen up the old wax which produces a better grip. You will also need a surfboard wax removing solution to scrape off old wax build up.