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Surf Accessories |
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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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Buyers Guide and Overview |
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 As the saying goes, surfing sells. From surf goggles to "surf exercise beach towels", there is no shortage of surfing junk to help you buy into the dream. Here, though, we have sorted the wheat from the chaff to bring you five of the best surfing accessories that even the occasional surfer shouldn't be without. |
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| These are items that will help you get the most out your surfing, whatever your skill level - a car rack and board bag for travel, a guide to help you find the waves, a repair kit so a little ding won't beach you for the day, and a helmet for safety. |
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| Board Racks |
 Whether you are hiring a car on an exotic surf trip, or simply heading to your closest break, you will need surfboard racks. Soft racks have the advantage over hard racks in that they are removable and economical, will fit virtually any vehicle and can be packed away to take abroad. We recommend you always buy double soft racks - they are not that much more expensive than single racks and you will probably come to need that extra capacity.
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| Board Bags |
 Before strapping up your surfboard, make sure it is packed away in a board bag. There are a variety of board bag sizes to match the shape of your plank, from longboard to shortboard. To ensure best protection, the bag should be an exact fit. For travel overseas, get a bag with 10mm padding. Always remember to remove the fins (where possible) when packing you board away. For short trips to your local surf spot and for safe storage at home, use a board sock.
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| Board Repair Kits |
 If you do knock your board, knowing how to repair it is a handy skill to have. A quick repair will ensure you're back in the water as soon as possible (and not missing the session of the year) and will save you money in the long run (board shapers can charge up to £20 per ding!). The repair kits are easy to use and have full instructions. For minor dings, use a UV cure resin, such as Solarez UV-cure, which consists of a single tube. Apply the gel onto the ding and watch it harden within seconds when exposed to the sun's UV rays. For travel abroad, Ding All repair kits are the best on the market.
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| Surf Guides |
 You won't get much surf unless you know where you are going. And for that you will need a good surf travel guide. The World Stormrider Guide is a must-have for any travelling surfer.
Also available are the Stormrider Guide to Europe: The Continent and, due out in Spring 2007, Atlantic Islands, which has a more detailed guide to UK surf spots.
For travel closer to home, the Footprint guide Surf UK covers about 300 beaches from Land's End to John O'Groats. The guide is pocket size and convenient to carry around. Check out www.wannasurf.com which has lots of info on local surf spots around the world posted by surfers themselves.
When travelling locally, always make sure to check the latest swell and weather forecast. The best sites are A1 surf www.a1surf.com and magic seaweed www.magicseaweed.com.
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| Helmets |
 It's not just our boards that need protecting. Helmets, ubiquitous on ski slopes, are now appearing in the surfer's line-up.
The most common surfing injuries are knocks to the head or body caused by being hit with your own or another surfer's board or fins, or hitting the ocean floor, rocks or reef.
A helmet will give you that extra bit of confidence, and could save your life.
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| Gripping Tips |
Before you jump in, remember to wax your board. There are many different types of wax out there and they all do exactly the same thing. The wax is applied to the deck of the board for grip.
Wax you board in a circular fashion to ensure equal distribution. Make sure you buy the right grade of wax for the water temperature.
After a surfing session all the nice wax you applied has been smoothed and the board has become slippery again. Instead of applying a new layer, revitalise your old wax with a quick comb with a surf wax comb. Remove the old layers of wax entirely once in a while, and apply a fresh layer.
As an alternative to wax, there are a variety of deck grips on the market, from full deck grips covering the entire board to a kick tail pad. Kick tail pads are useful as they will teach you to position you back foot correctly. |
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