Do you want to catch the perfect wave? Well, every serious surfer
needs the right equipment to ride the waves! Taking to the water
well-equipped can mean the difference between a great experience and a
bad one. To that end, it pays to get educated before you buy
surfing equipment.
Surfboards come in three basic varieties: the longboard, the
shortboard, and the medium length "funboard." Longboards provide
a slower, steadier ride on which you can hang ten and are best suited
to beginning and intermediate surfers. Shortboards are used
by more experienced surfers for surfing tricks. "Funboards" are
exactly what they sound like! If you are a surfer who wants to
ride the waves and have fun, this length board could be perfect for you!
You'll want to make sure you have the right accessories before you hit the
waves as well. Always make sure you use a leash to avoid causing a
"killer" board from getting away from you and injuring someone else in the
water or on shore. Know the water temperature before choosing your
surf wax, which gives extra grip on the top of the surfboard. And if
you are surfing in cold waters, you'll appreciate a hood, booties, and a
wetsuit. In warmer waters,
board shorts and rashguards are usually worn to provide adequate protection
from skin abrasion or rashes while paddling around on your surfboard.
To make your surfing experience a perfect 10, check out the wide variety
of surfboard and surfing equipment retailers listed on SurfShops.us.
Surf shops are most often found along the East (Atlantic Ocean) and West
(Pacific Ocean) coasts, but you can also shop online and find everything
you need to catch the perfect wave — from surfboards to
surfing accessories. If you are new to surfing, be sure to visit
our surfing lingo page
for a few common surfing expressions. In the USA, ocean surfing is
a popular sport in Hawaii, along the Atlantic coastline from New Jersey to
Florida, and along the Pacific coastline from Oregon to California.
For more specifics, and pointers on choosing a good surfing beach, visit
our where to surf page.
Some surfers like to catch a wave with their four-legged friends.
Others watch their dogs surf on their own. And if that's not
enough, there are surf dog competitions and surf-a-thons, complete
with dog surfing costume contests and prizes! See the
Lowes Surf Dog Competition blog for more information.
Visit this shop near the big wave surfing at Half Moon Bay, California. www.MavericksSurf.com
Surfing History and Museum
Surfing in North America dates back to the year 1885, when three princes
from the Hawaiian islands were attending Saint Matthew's Military School
in San Mateo, California. During their spare time, they constructed
surfboards from local redwood, and tested the waves near Santa Cruz.
Read more about the origins and development of this popular water sport on
our history of surfing
web page.