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19 articles
The secondhand board market is booming, and some of the best shapes in America are sitting in garages gathering dust at a third of retail. Here's how to hunt them down, inspect them like a shaper, and know which boards are worth the drive.
Flying with a surfboard in 2026 can cost more than the board is worth — and the fee structures are messier than most travelers realize. We broke down the major US carriers, the workarounds, and whether any of it actually holds up.
Surfers have blamed saltwater for rusted fins, blown zippers, and crumbling hardware for decades — but the real story is more complicated. Turns out, some of the most damaging forces on your gear have nothing to do with the ocean itself. Here's what's actually breaking your stuff down, and how to stop it.
That mystery mush spreading across your deck in July? That's your cold-water wax slowly losing the plot. Understanding how water temperature actually dictates wax hardness — and matching your block to your local break — is one of the simplest performance upgrades most surfers never bother making.
Most surfers think twice about their wetsuit shedding microplastics, but almost nobody's talking about what their wax job is leaving behind in the water. Marine biologists are starting to connect the dots between paraffin residue and coastal ecosystem disruption — and the findings are hard to ignore. Here's what's actually happening beneath the surface, and whether the eco-wax alternatives on the market can genuinely help.
Most surfers treat board cleaning like a chore to rush through. But the wrong scraper, the wrong solvent, or even the wrong temperature can quietly destroy your fiberglass, epoxy, or foam over time. Here's how shapers and serious surfers actually do it right.
Most surfers spend serious money on boards, fins, and wax but treat their leash like an afterthought. Turns out that rubber cord between your ankle and your board is doing a lot more — or a lot less — than you think, depending on how you've got it set up.
That lumpy, gray mess on your deck isn't just ugly — it's quietly sabotaging your sessions. Here's the science behind wax degradation, the signs you've waited too long, and the step-by-step process that performance surfers swear by to bring a board back to life.
A board that looks like it's been through something usually has been. Experienced surfers know how to read the wear, stains, and pressure marks on a well-used stick — and what those signs say about the person who rode it. Here's why a weathered board is something to be proud of, not embarrassed by.
A growing wave of regional board shapers across the US is deliberately leaving their boards raw, textured, and anything but shiny — and the surfers riding them say it changes everything. From the physics of water friction to the tactile connection between rider and board, surface texture is becoming the sleeper variable that serious surfers are finally talking about. We went deep with a handful of independent craftsmen to find out why polish might actually be working against you.
Something's shifting in the lineup, and it's not just the swell direction. Competitive surfers and weekend warriors alike are swapping thick neoprene for sleek, high-tech performance fabrics — and the reasons go way deeper than aesthetics. Here's what's driving the rash guard renaissance and what it means for how you gear up on every coast.
Every time you paddle out or toss your wetsuit in the wash, thousands of synthetic fibers break free and flow straight into the coastal waters you surf. It's a problem the industry helped create — and only some brands are serious about fixing it. Here's what's actually happening beneath the surface.
A growing wave of American surfers is ditching the shop queue and learning to fix their own boards at home — and it's changing how they think about the craft entirely. From garage workshops to YouTube tutorials, the DIY ding repair scene is equal parts practical and deeply satisfying. Here's why getting your hands resin-sticky might be the best thing you do for your surfing life.
Most surfers spend hundreds on boards and wetsuits, then grab whatever wax brick is closest to the register. But the wrong wax for your water temperature can quietly kill your glide, your pop, and your whole session. Here's what's actually going on under your feet.
Most surfers obsess over board shape and wave conditions, but the fins underneath your deck are quietly making or breaking every turn you throw. Understanding foil, rake, base, and height isn't just for pros—it's the fastest shortcut to surfing better without buying a new board. Here's the framework that actually makes sense.
Most surfers are wearing the wrong wetsuit thickness — not because they don't care, but because the surf industry has made it weirdly confusing on purpose. From the freezing lineups of New England to the mild breaks of Southern California, here's what your suit should actually be doing for you.
Growing a surf shop beyond your zip code without turning it into a soulless retail box is one of the hardest balancing acts in the industry. We talked to five independent shop owners who figured it out — and they were surprisingly candid about the moments they almost didn't.
The ocean giveth and the ocean taketh away — especially when it comes to your skin and hair. We dug into the science behind saltwater, UV exposure, and cold-water surf sessions to separate feel-good myths from what's really happening to your body out there. Spoiler: it's more complicated than your post-session glow suggests.
Fast-fashion thinking has crept into surf culture — cheap wetsuits, mass-produced boards, and throwaway gear are quietly trashing the same waters we paddle out into every day. Here's a real talk guide to building a quiver you can feel good about, from vintage board hunting to brands that actually give a damn.