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Having the right gear may not get you surfing like Kelly Slater et al, but it will certainly help you to get the most out of your passion. BBC on-line reporter and cold water surfer Steven Shukor picks five must-have accessories. Click to view Top 5 Surf Accessories.
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Best Double Soft Rack (FCS) |
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 Robust, versatile and easy to fit, the FCS soft rack is perfect for lugging your boards around. It fits all cars, vans and 4x4s and can comfortably carry up to six boards. Best of all perhaps, the rack is light and slim and packs down very small, so is ideal for travelling - take it on the plane and pop it onto your hire car. |
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Surfboard racks are a must-have when heading to the waves and the FCS soft rack is the best of the bunch by some margin.
Not only will it keep your boards on the roof, ding-free and ready to ride, but you can unpack and set up the thing in a matter of moments.
"It takes about five minutes to rig up the FCS soft rack and it stays there for the rest of the holiday. Slipping boards on and off takes seconds."
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 Soft racks are not just more practical than permanent roof bars; they are also considerably cheaper. They can also be switched from one car to the next with no hassle.
"I go to Portugal every summer for three weeks surfing with the kids and hire a car when we get to the airport," says Paul Nuki, a surfer and journalist with The Sunday Times newspaper in London. Most soft racks are pretty similar and work in the same way: Nylon straps stretch across and around the roof of the vehical and are tightened with a pull to keep them in place. The boards sit on pads attached to the straps and are held in place with seperate nylon loops which are also simply tightened with a tug.
Besides being well-made and extremely robust, the FCS rack is much slimmer than other racks on the market, making it much easier to pack down, transport and store.
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Real tough |
 It features tough D-ring buckles for the straps, heavy duty 38mm webbing and square non-rolling pads. It will fit up to four longboards or six shortboards with ease.
“The best soft rack on the market,” writes Ma Simes Surf Hut. “Attaches in seconds through doors, locks onto roof by locking doors.” It packs away into a small case so you can take it on trips for use on your hire car."
FCS produce the soft rack in two versions - a single and a double. We recommend the double as it is not much more expensive, involves exactly the same amount of work setting up and allows you to carry twice the number of boards.
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| Top Tip |
 Point your boards forward with the tips curling down - it will save you a fortune in petrol! |
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| Price Range: £25/$49.95 - £33.99/$65.50 |
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