In the 20th century, surfing started in Australia and California. Surfboard, the leading equipment used for surfing, went through remarkable changes with time, starting from heavy wooden board to plywood, polyurethane and fiberglass boards. Later on, surfing got mainstream fame when it went live TV shows and movies as the favorite sport of hunky lifeguards.
The holding of the first international surfing championship in 1953 at Hawaii officially marked the birth of the surfing game. With these technological innovations and the mainstream popularity, the quality and control of the surfboard witnessed a significant increase, but so did its price. Surfboards and surfing can cause a deep dent in your pocket if you are not too careful about it.
As a beginner, you need to understand a few things before surfing. These include:
- Surfing is the most technical and complex sport. You not only need to handle the surfboard but also the waves, tides, and the wind. Therefore, learn thoroughly and hard before going to surf.
- Understand the surfboard. It’s all about volume, length, and width of the board.
- Choose a surfing spot as per your surf level.
- Learn surfing ethics and respect locals.
The necessary equipment required for surfing includes:
- Surfboard. It is the major equipment for surfing. There are different types of boards available as per your skill level.
- Fins. These are wheels of the surfboard that provide stability.
- Leash. It’s a rope that keeps you connected with the surfboard, and lets you not get eaten by a shark.
- Surf Wax or Traction Pad. These pads help you keep traction on the wet surface of the board.
- Wetsuit. There are different types of wetsuits that help you to stay for a long time in the cold water.
- There is some optional equipment including rash guard, surf earplugs, surfboard bag, boots, gloves, hoods, board shorts, surf poncho, sunscreen, waterproof surf camera, etc.
Besides the undeniable fun, surfing has other benefits. Some of the benefits are:
- It is a healthy activity. Some of the health benefits include cardiovascular exercise, relieves stress, tones, muscles, and improves flexibility.
- It provides an opportunity to meet likeminded people.
- The salty water of the sea can be useful for your skin.
- Being out in the sun, you get a lot of vitamin D for free.
Some of the most famous surfing spots around the world include Pipeline Oahu, Hawaii, Supertubes, Jeffery’s Bay, South Africa, Teahupo’o Tahiti, French Polynesia, Uluwatu and Kuta, Bali, Indonesia, P-Pass, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia, Maverick’s, and California.
Is surfing an expensive Sport?
Unlike many other sports and hobbies, surfing entails high startup costs. A beginner’s surfboard will typically cost from $400 to $1100. Web suit will cost from $150 to $400. The cost of other surfing equipment, including surfing lessons, may vary from $100 to $200. In a nutshell, a single surfing trip can cost you a substantial amount of money. So be ready for that.
If you are still looking for buying Surfing equipment, we recommend that you should start surfing buy either borrowing it from one of your friends or buy used equipment. However, using discounts, coupons, or offers can also help you buy or rent the equipment at considerably lower prices. Don’t forget to learn about CouponSurfer.com when you are planning to surf. These coupons from various companies will save you lots of money on this expensive activity, and you can relax and focus on the fun part of the sport.