Thursday, May 29, 2014

Hurley Presents the 10th Annual Switchfoot Bro-Am

Popular surf, skate and beach wear company Hurley is once again joining forces with rock band Switchfoot for the 10th annual Switchfoot Bro-Am; July 12th, 2014 in sunny Encinitas, California. Bro-Am is a free, all day event featuring a surfing competition, hysterical surf-jousting and plenty of awesome rock music right on Moonlight Beach. Financial donations secure spots for corporate surf teams and beach vendors sell food and merchandise throughout the festival, with all proceeds raised going to helping homeless and at-risk kids and teens in the San Diego area through the Switchfoot Bro-Am Foundation.


The day begins early with mind-blowing surf maneuvers performed by each of the four-person surf teams. Past competitors have included teams from Encinitas Firefighters, Surf Ride, Billabong, Macbeth, Switchfoot and of course, Hurley. Beach-goers can find themselves face to face with the guys from Switchfoot or hanging with surfing icons like Tom Curren, Timmy Curran or Dylan Graves.

Pro-surfer Rob Machado will also be there, shredding the line with his team from the Rob Machado Foundation and loaning out his boards for youth under the age of 16 to ride in the Rob Machado Bro Junior. Clothing donations secure spots for the kids and, while they are all winners, prizes are awarded to the boys and girls having the most fun on Machado’s boards.

Hurley will also make a presence promoting their water conservation and clean-water program, H2O; working to assure that clean drinking water is available to people all over the world. Hurley and Switchfoot ask that everyone bring a reusable water bottle or purchase one of the Hurley H2O stainless steel water bottles and fill up for free at the H2O water station.


Head on out to San Diego this July to catch a wave and the 10th annual Switchfoot Bro-Am presented by Hurley. But before you go, gear up with a visit to surfboards.com. Contact us for a great selection of Hurley boardshorts, rash guards, sunglasses, sandals and everything else you’ll need for a day at the beach and on the board.
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Thursday, May 22, 2014

An Introduction to the Surfboard Fin

If you're new to surfing, you may not be familiar with the many integral parts of your surfboard. In a previous blog we discussed rail choices, and now we'd like to take a moment to introduce you to the surfboard fin. 

Before the surfboard fin was added in the 1930's, the stability and maneuverability of a board were drastically lacking. Thankfully, Tom Blake revolutionized surfing by attaching a fin to his board which ended up giving the surfboard more control and direction.  


In today's world of surfing, you have multiple choices when it comes to your surfboard fin. Below we've compiled a list of important fin characteristics that can help you get a better understanding of how fin selection affects your surfing.  

The Base Of Your Fin  
The fin base is simply the part of the fin that touches the bottom of your surfboard. The length of the base determines two things. The first is how fast your board will ride across the surface of the water and the second is the turning arc of your board. When the fin base is longer the board will move faster and it will have a larger turn arc.  

The Depth Of Your Fin  
The depth of a surfboard fin, which is its length from base to tip, directly relates to the hold your surfboard has on waves. A Greater depth means you'll have more hold during turns which stops you from sliding. On the other hand, less depth equals less hold and that causes your board to break free more easily during turns.  
The Flex Of Your Fin  
When people talk about the flex of their surfboard fin, they are referring to the amount of give it has from left to right. If a fin has little flex, it is more responsive to your movements and travels faster. A fin that has lots of flex will be less responsive and slower, but more forgiving when you make a mistake.  

Fin Setup  
While there are quite a few variations in fin setup, three of the most common are the single, the twin, and the thruster(three fins). The single setup is mostly used on longboards and is best for beginners due to increased stability. Twin-fins offer heightened speed and maneuverability on smaller waves and are usually found on shortboards. A thruster setup combines control and movement, making it idea for a variety of boards and ocean conditions.  


If you're in the market for a surfboard or you're need of some new equipment, please contact us to view our large inventory of surfing gear.  
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Thursday, May 15, 2014

2014/2015 Big Wave Tour Quiksilver Chile Kickoff: Will Twiggy Remain King?

On April 15th, the much anticipated 2014/2015 Big Wave Tour waiting period finally kicked off. The first three events scheduled are the Quiksilver Ceremonial Chile, Billabong Pico Alto and Dungeons. They are set to take place in Chile, Peru and South Africa, respectively. The northern hemisphere section of the tour won’t be kicking off until October. It will include stops in Mexico, Spain and Hawaii. And the million dollar question already on everyone’s lips is, “Will Grant Twiggy Baker dominate the tour’s headlines once again?”


The soon-to-be 41-year old surfer’s name has been synonymous with big wave surfing since the late 1990s. So it seems entirely possible that he’ll be holding onto the championship title again this year. Especially when you factor in the mind-numbing performance he gave at the 2014 Body Glove Mavericks Invitational in January. Who could forget watching him and the others tackle those 40+ foot waves!

Of course if the talented South African does win, it will be just one more shining moment of glory to add to his already impressive career. It includes multiple championship titles, movie appearances, big wave awards and spreads in some of the world’s top periodicals. Oh and did we mention his rock bar and playmate fiance?

No word has been released yet on whether or not fans will be able to watch any of the 2014/2015 Big Wave Tour moments live online. So heading off to Chile’s Punta de Lobos, Peru’s Pico Alto and South Africa’s Dungeons may prove to be the best way to catch sight of Twiggy in action. Kind of makes you want to bust out the Roxy Twiggy Sunglasses, Quiksilver surf apparel and Billabong luggage doesn’t it? They are available through our online store year round.


Anyway, here’s wishing Twiggy and the rest of the big wave surfers the best of luck. To learn more about the Quiksilver surf gear and other items that we have in stock for an impromptu surf safari to the southern hemisphere, please contact us at (877) 346-4410.
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Thursday, May 8, 2014

5 Mistakes New Surfers are Known for Making

When you're a new surfer it's easy to get caught up in the thrill of the sport and forget about the importance of technique and safety. While it's only natural to make mistakes when learning a new skill, it's also crucial to become aware of those missteps. To help all the new surfers out there, we've put together a list of some of the most common mistakes made by beginners.


  • Not taking surf lessons is an oversight new surfers often make. A surf instructor will walk a beginner through the basic skills they'll need to become a successful surfer. Not only will they go over the correct techniques, but they'll also focus on important safety measures.

  • Selecting the wrong surfboard can make an individual's first foray into surfing much harder than it should be. As a beginning surfer, it's wise to pick a longer, wider, and thicker board due to its increased buoyancy. While shorter and thinner boards are great for performing those wild tricks pros are seen doing, they are not ideal for new surfers who are just learning how to stay afloat.

  • Picking a surf spot that is beyond their skill level is a mistake inexperienced surfers tend to make. While they may think the challenge will bolster their ability, the opposite is usually true. Not only are they risking their safety, but they are also impeding their learning process. It's best for a beginner to start with smaller waves, which provide them with a chance to fine tune the basic surfing skills they'll need to conquer tougher waves in the future.

  • Overlooking the physical demand surfing carries is a huge misstep new surfers are often guilty of. An individual's fitness level plays a large role in their ability to advance their surfing prowess. The more physically fit a surfer is, the greater amount of time they are able to spend practicing. A person's strength and agility also play a big part in their safety.

  • Hitting the waves alone is never a good idea, especially for a new surfer. Being unfamiliar with general safety precautions is one reason surfing with friends is best. On-top of that, the unpredictability of nature makes surfing without companions a dangerous affair. Bringing a few buddies along can also provide a beginner with the chance to learn from more experienced individuals.


If you're looking to purchase your first surfboard or you're in need of an upgrade, please contact us today to view our large inventory of surfing equipment.
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