Surfers HQ Eat – Sleep – Surf
So you’ve decided you’re ready to start surfing. But are you sure you have got everything you need to get yourself started? Our surfing toolkit for beginners will hopefully make sure you have got yourself completely covered.
Nothing will get in your way of having an awesome day out!
What Do You Need In Your Surfing Toolkit To Start Surfing?
A Surfboard For Beginners
Ok technically speaking you could probably get away with any surfboard, but if you are just getting started, a beginner friendly surfboard seems wise.
Sure you can hire one, or get one second hand – both of which are cheaper options to having your own – but for those of you who want to seriously learn how to surf and keep improving, I would definitely recommend getting your own one.
And luckily for you, we have put together our own handy guide to beginner surfboards.
Surfboard Wax
You need a decent surf wax – especially if your surfboard is new and smooth – to help keep your grip on your board. When you’re brand new, or still learning, this is particularly important.
A good basecoat wax and an appropriate topcoat wax for the temperature of water you’re surfing in will both help get you balancing and riding those waves quicker!
If you are using a foamie or soft top surfboard you can usually get away with no wax, as they don’t have a smooth surface so give some natural grip to your feet anyway, but it is usually useful to have a bit of wax around, just in case you need it.
Read all about surfboard wax here.
A Good Wetsuit
A wetsuit isn’t always essential but it definitely helps. Getting in and out of the water will put your body through some pretty drastic temperature changes. Plus changing temperatures from morning to afternoon to evening is something to be aware of.
A good wetsuit will keep you insulated, it will keep your body at a more consistent and steady temperature which means you can spend more time having fun and focussing on your surfing.
We’ve got you covered with our guide to the best wetsuits for surfing.
A Surfboard Car Rack
If you are using your own board (like I think you should of course!) then you will need something to help transport your board.
Most cars wouldn’t be able to fit a proper sized surfboard in them anyway – and if they could it might not even be legal as it would obstruct the driver’s visibility too much.
Not only that but your board is more likely to take a few hits and end up with a few dings if it is in your car, and getting it home at the end of the day will not be fun as you’ll be finding sand in your upholstery for weeks.
So a good surfboard car rack is really handy for getting your surfboard from home to the beach and back home again.
A Surf Report Or A Surf Watch
There is nothing more disheartening than getting ready for a big day on the waves and finding that there are no decent waves. So being prepared and knowing how to look at the conditions is extremely helpful.
For that there are two extremely useful options to look at.
The first is of course learning to read surf reports. These will give you a good idea of the conditions on the day so you know what to expect when you get to the beach.
Click here to learn how to read a surf report.
And the other option is to get a good surf watch.
A lot of modern surf watches are pre-programmed with tide information for hundreds of popular surf spots around the world and let you add in your own as well, making them an excellent gauge of wave conditions before you head out – and so that you know when the best waves are likely to be.
Have a look at our guide to the best surf watches.
And there you have it. Those are they key things you should have in your beginners’ surfing toolkit to have a great day at the beach.
