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Posted by: AMPhoto on 2010-09-24, 15:09:21
Hi, All of us have at one point been just getting into surfing and most of us make the same mistakes. That is buying a bunch of gear we really have no idea about and then wishing a 6 months or a year later that we hadnt spent all that money. First of all good surf gear is not cheap, it never is. Second of all go support your local surf shop if you have one. Occasionally you can find deals on wetsuits, but as far as boards go the cheap ones are junk and if your at all serious about surfing, will quickly realize you made a mistake. Companies like BIC make hollow plastic surfboards that come off an assembly line and take money from local shapers. So power to you if you can find a good wetsuit for a decent price because God knows they are expensive for the good ones, but take the time to learn what you need first. If you need a good 4/ 3 suit then yes you may be looking at $250-400, but if you only need a 2mm or 3/ 2 or a spring suite then you could be looking at a lot less than that. As for the board, most local shops will have used boards or be able to point you in the direction of one. And if you still cant find a deal then look on craigslist.com although if you dont know much about boards you risk buying one with a small ding that could be a disaster in the water. So to put it in a list: 1) If you havent already, take more than one or two lessons or go out with people who you know who can surf and have them show you the ropes a few times. Respect for the water and other surfers is clutch. 2) Try a different board or two, maybe one with a single fin and one with a tri fin setup. Try different lengths of longboards if you can to see what you feel comfortable on and what you might have to push yourself to surf on. Maybe throw a shortboard into the mix. 3) Once you have done this or if you dont have people who can take you out and who will let you try their boards, go to your local surf shop and just tell them where you are at with surfing, how you would like to progress and with their knowledge of the waves around you, they will be able to help you pick out a suitable board. Surfing is an investment and a cheap board isnt going to hold a candle to a good one. Do yourself a favor and invest in it if you think you are that serious, remember that used boards are out there, you dont need to spend $1100 on your first longboard or $600 on a shortboard. |
