If you’re just getting started surfing, it can be hard to know what gear is going to help you, and what gear is going to make you look like a ‘kook’ (someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing surfing).
To help sort through the choices, find useful pieces of gear, and some helpful tips, we spoke with Jake Adee of Dawn Patrol, a surf school in Venice, California. Jake Adee and his brother, Lucas, offer lessons and rentals to new and inexperienced surfers. So, while they’re both expert riders themselves, they also know what helps new riders get better.
Here are some of the things they — and we — recommend to give you the best time learning to catch a few waves.
Great Surf Gear for Beginners
Surfboards
You can’t surf without a surfboard, and Jake Adee recommends this Storm Blade SSR ($350). This board is a soft-top “foamie,” a foam-topped surfboard that gives greater buoyancy (which makes it easier to catch waves) and won’t break your nose if a wave knocks it against your face.
“These are bigger, wider, and a lot more beginner-friendly, especially if you are having some difficulty getting up to your feet,” Adee explained.
And if price is your biggest concern, you can always go with the highly affordable Wavestorm ($236). “It’s everyone’s favorite board to hate but it’s great for beginners; it does the trick. You won’t do the performance turns, but it’s a good one to start with. It’s cheaper so you can start with it then move on.”
Check Storm Blade Price at GlobalCheck Wavestorm Price at Amazon
Board Care
Once you make the investment in a surfboard, whether it be a “foamie” or a fiberglass board, protect it and take care of it. That means not leaving boards out in the sun, which will degrade the color and quality of a board.
And when you move or store it, Adee recommended some protection in the way of a lightweight surf sock to cover your board, or a more robust board bag.
“Surf socks are usually fairly cheap and surfboard bags are in the $100 range. A surfboard bag is more protection, but a surf sock will work. I really like Dakine’s surfboard bags.”
Leash
Most companies’ leashes will work well to keep you and your board together, but we recommend looking for a few key features.
“You want the leash to be about the same length as the board, and you want a double swivel at the ankle,” said Adee. This will allow the leash to move however you move.