Thursday, December 31, 2015

The New Tech On Surfboard Fins: S-Wings

When it comes to surfboard fins, surfers look for the best layout, size, and shape, to catch the waves at a particular thrust, speed, lift, or drop. Fins are therefore important for surfers if they want to hone their technique and style, and get more drive, pivot, and holding power and control. So what happens when a new company is transforming the look and feel of fins for surfers to help them get even more from their board?

Located in the Southwest of France, the company S-Wings is seeking to answer that question and change the way we look and work with surfboard fins. Inspired by the diversity of fin biology in fish, S-Wings (also known as biomimetic fins) is the product of 18 months of work of design by Xabi Lafitte and Philippe Lopez. These revolutionary fins try to mimic biological looks and traits in order to provide great maneuverability, speed and acceleration, cruising, and control. With different flex ratios and sizes for single, twin, quad and five-fin setups, S-Wings provides an improved range in motion and speed than traditional surfboard fins, giving surfers more control and feel while surfing. 

Widespread distribution of the S-Wings does not start until Spring 2016, but many elite and novice surfers from Australia, California, and Europe have gotten a hold of them to provide trial feedback. Until the spring, you can get a hold of quality surfboard fins by brands like FCS, Futures, Rainbow and Wingnut, and learn about some of the best fins and setups on the market, by contact us.
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Thursday, December 24, 2015

Why Buy a Longboard?

When it comes to looking at various surfboards, some people might glaze over the longboard as too long for doing fun tricks or maneuvering on bigger waves. But there are a few good reasons to keep a long board in your collection. 

1. Great for introducing new surfers. Longboards are a great to have when you want people new to surfing to experience it. Even older people who are worried about agility can grow to become comfortable on a longboard, due to their slower turns. And for younger people who might be afraid taking on bigger waves, longboards allow for them to practice and get used to the feeling on even small 1 foot waves. Overall, they are a great way to teach an old dog new tricks, or get anyone comfortable with riding a board.

2. Surf more conditions: Shorter boards usually require waves at least 3ft high or more to really allow for nice rides. With a longboard however, you can catch even smaller waves, which expands your ability to surf no matter the conditions. For beginners, a longboard is a great way to learn about the different types of waves and sizes, especially since you can catch more waves and get in the experience on any type of day.

3. They're great for injured or recovering surfers: If you've injured your shoulder or back, it's challenging to get back on a short board which can exacerbate your injury. In contrast, a longboard will allow you to enjoy waves, letting you surf without needing too much movement that can make your injury worse. Longboarding therefore can be more relaxing, while allowing you to build your strength even through an injury.

While a longboard might not allow you to do as many tricks, go through barrels, or compete against shortboarders sharing the beach, but longboarding is definitely a way to relax and enjoy the surf with ease. To find your next new or used longboard, contact us.
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Thursday, December 17, 2015

Help Your Surfboard Last Longer

Surfing is a thrilling pastime and unlike skiing or snowboarding where you pay a premium to access the mountain, you don't have to pay a fee to have access to the ocean. However, even though the ocean is free for all, it doesn't mean surfing is cheap.

Unfortunately, surfboards can be a pretty significant financial investment. Not to mention all the other equipment and accessories you purchase as you move forward with the sport. We do our best to provide surf equipment and apparel at the best prices possible, but we also wanted to share a few great tips we read about in The Inertia article, "3 Tips to Make Your Surfboard Last Longer," by Adam Fischer, who said,
"Fix your dings ASAP. Dings will let in the highly corrosive saltwater and will eventually eat away at the foam inside the board if the are not attended to. EPS/epoxy boards are especially bad, since they suck up water like a sponge."
In addition to Fischer's advice to get your dings repaired right away at the local surf shop, he also stressed the importance of always bagging your board so that it is not damaged when it is out of the water. His final important tip was to be very careful with your surfboard never standing it up anywhere that it could be knocked over.

Of course, sometimes, no matter how careful you are, accidents still happen. If you have to replace any of your equipment due to normal wear and tear or a heartbreaking accident, please contact us. We'll have you back on the waves in no time!
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Thursday, December 10, 2015

Invest in a Surfboard Bag and Take it Everywhere Your Surfboard Goes

Although people have been storing their surfboard in a variety of ways for a long time, this does not mean that any one method is necessarily better than the other, as long as a surfboard is not getting damaged. However, if you want to guarantee that your surfboard gets to enjoy an incredibly long lifespan, you should think about getting a surfboard bag, which you can take wherever your surfboard goes.

Routine Trips to the Beach
One of the most common situations in which you can use your surfboard bag is when you go on regular trips to the beach. As soon as you get out of the ocean and start heading to the car, you can clean the surfboard off, dry it, and then put it in the bag before you start driving away to ensure it is protected before you leave.

Moving to a New Home
When you are moving from one place to another, whether it is a short-distance or long-distance move, a surfboard bag can prove to be valuable in keeping your surfboard safe from damage. It is crucial to give a little bit of cushion to your surfboard to prevent any damage from minor collisions that may happen during the move.

Going on Road Trips
Road trips are another adventure that deserves the use of a surfboard bag. When you consider how much you generally put into your car when you head out on a road trip, you do not want your surfboard to be hitting your other possessions and getting marked up or even severely damaged. With a surfboard bag, you can prevent most damage from happening, but being careful will prevent it from being at risk of damage entirely.

Please contact us if you would like to learn more about our selection of surfboard bags.
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