Surf Long

Surf Long

Surf Break Criteria: Research Before You Go

Experienced surfers have dozens of great surf breaks to choose from even if they live on the New England coast, but each of us has to decide which break to call our own on any given day. Or, if you are just starting out as a surfer, you will want to choose one break as your wave of choice and continue going there until you’ve expended all you could from it. All surfers must decide where to paddle out, so here’s a list of criteria to help you make the most informed decision.

People

With the popularity of surfing growing all over the world, there are always surf breaks that are a bit more notorious for localism, which is never a good arena for a beginner. Surfers can be mean and possessive of their waves, so you’ll want to find a break where the people are nice. If you’re a people person, try to head somewhere friendly, where you won’t get your head lopped off if you get into a bang up out in the water. Or, if you’re kind of a loner and you can hold your own in the water, then it’s okay to hit the edgier spots where people kind of grimace at you. In most cases, though, it’s always nice to be around people who are friendly and can even strike up conversation with you even though you are complete strangers.

Wave Quality and Consistency

The quality of the wave depends heavily on the wind and swell conditions, so check your local surf or weather report for the latest update. There are many conditions that make a pleasant surfing experience, but you can get a good snapshot of what’s going on in your area simply by looking at swell height and wind direction from a local website. Or, you can always just head on down to the beach and check for wave quality visually. Relative to wave quality, though, is the actual consistency of the sets. Sets are simply a grouping of waves that break within a period of time. You want to paddle out where sets come through at least every 15 minutes. That way, everyone out there can get a wave or two and not have to fight over the same one. Every surfer is in the water for the same reason: to have a mellow, relaxed time with little possibility of drowning. Share the waves when they’re good, but still get out there when they’re not so good.

Water Quality

The sky can be perfectly blue and the temperature warm, but if the water is not clean, you’re certainly not going to want to paddle out. Die-hard surfers might paddle out in crappy conditions, but if there was an oil spill or sewage drain, then even they will resist getting in the water.  Surfers want to be able to get their heads wet without stinking—or worse, getting sick from contaminated water. Bays generally tend to have better wave conditions but more polluted water. You have to decide which is more important to you. Check your local website for water quality conditions in your area, especially after it rains.

A few other things to look for in a surf break are freshwater showers, functioning bathrooms, and safety. If you tend to surf before or after work and don’t have time to run home to change, you should absolutely find a break with a shower and bathroom. It’s also advisable to choose a break that has a lifeguard or is close to water rescue. Also consider surfing at a break that doesn’t have rocks jutting out from the water at low tide, or with notorious rip currents that can suck you out to sea. Ask friends who surf where they like to go. As you continue surfing, you will generate a longer list and discover more secret spots.

About the Author

Robb Bailey works for South Coast Surf Shops, San Diego’s premiere surfboard distributor and surf apparel dealer for more than 30 years. He has been inducted as a lifetime honorary member of his college surf club, the Cal Poly Surfer’s Association, and has traveled the world surfing for the past 11 years. Find out more about Robb at SouthCoast.com

Quiksilver Fresh Surf Black Youth Long Sleeve Thermal Shirt $26 You young dude can put a new twist on sick surfer style with this Fresh Surf long sleeve thermal shirt by Quiksilver!

Surf Fanatics Wave Logo Long Sleeve T-Shirt - Ash $23.95 The ocean represents a lot of things to you, freedom, adventure, a shot at glory, but most importantly, it's a place where you can just be yourself on your board. Give a nod of respect to the deep blue sea and the people who try to conquer it with this Wave Logo tee featuring the Surf Fanatics' name and logo. Combined with your sun-bleached hair and tanned skin, this tee will make it obvious to everyone that salt water practically runs through your veins.

Surf Fanatics Wave Logo Long Sleeve T-Shirt - White $23.95 The ocean represents a lot of things to you, freedom, adventure, a shot at glory, but most importantly, it's a place where you can just be yourself on your board. Give a nod of respect to the deep blue sea and the people who try to conquer it with this Wave Logo tee featuring the Surf Fanatics' name and logo. Combined with your sun-bleached hair and tanned skin, this tee will make it obvious to everyone that salt water practically runs through your veins.

Roxy Surf's Up Juniors 4-Way Boardshort - Sundance Yellow $42 Rise with the sun and hit your fave beach spot in fab summery style with the Surf's Up boardshorts from Roxy. They feature engineered stripes, a fold-over waistband and 4-way stretch construction for the perfect fit, look and feel all summer long.

Roxy Surf Journey Juniors Rashguard - Black $42 You’ve come a long way since you first started surfing – even those lame guys who used to give you crap are now left in the dust! There’s nothing that can match the exhilarating feeling that washes over you as you catch a nice wave; and it doesn’t hurt when you see those same guys staring with their mouths open. You’re great at what you do – it’s as simple as that. Throw on this Surf Journey rashguard by Roxy the next time you hit the waves to give ‘em something to look at. Featuring “Roxy” screen printed across the front, ruching along the sides at the bottom, and a UPF protection of 50+, this comfy rashguard will draw all eyes on you as you conquer another gnarly wave.

Matix Stax White Long Sleeve T-shirt $24 Stax your surf style sky-high in this long sleeve graphic tee from Matix!

Rusty Corpo White Long Sleeve Rashguard $30 Get iconic Rusty style while protecting your bod in the surf with the Corpo long sleeve rashguard featuring flatloc stitching, a crew neckline and large branding across the chest!

Hurley One & Only Black 4-Way Stretch Long Sleeve Lycra Rashguard $35 Make this long sleeve rashguard from Hurley your One & Only pick when you hit the waves! It features 40+ UPF, 4-way stretch and antimicrobial technology for the ultimate in surf performance wear.

Surf $10 Surf

Hurley Twisted Long Sleeve Thermal T-Shirt - Combat Green $32 You've had a long day doing whatever it is you do for "work." You're tired and irritable. Pull on the Twisted thermal from Hurley, kick your feet up and watch the highlights from the latest surf event and you'll get your head straightened out. This long sleeve tee features warm waffle fabric and flourished branding with ornate detail offset on the front for a look and feel that'll get you back on the right track in no time.

Shorty Surf $19.9 Adepte de Long Board et de Surf? Ce shorty féminin exprimera votre féminité en même temps que votre passion!

Roxy Whole Hearted Juniors Long Sleeve Rashguard - Berry $33.95 Surf your little heart out, babe — but please make sure you protect that glowing skin. Roxy’s Whole Hearted long sleeve rashguard is just the ticket for having a wonderful day of cruisin’ the waves without damaging your luscious outer layers. It features a UPF protection of 50+ and a slimming snug fit. It also has Roxy branding printed on the chest and left sleeve for style that’ll blow your fellow surfer gals outa the water!

Roxy Whole Hearted Juniors Long Sleeve Rashguard - White $33.95 Surf your little heart out, babe — but please make sure you protect that glowing skin. Roxy’s Whole Hearted long sleeve rashguard is just the ticket for having a wonderful day of cruisin’ the waves without damaging your luscious outer layers. It features a UPF protection of 50+ and a slimming snug fit. It also has Roxy branding printed on the chest and left sleeve for style that’ll blow your fellow surfer gals outa the water!

O'Neill Domination Black Plaid Long Sleeve Flannel Button-Up Shirt $38.99 After a long summer perfecting your rodeo flips and alley-oops, you still may not Dominate the competition like Jordy Smith, but you can still conquer when it comes to sweet surf style! Part of Smith's signature collection, this comfy flannel button-up features two flap pockets with hidden snap closures, a yarn dyed plaid print and a silicone wash for the ultimate in softness.

HIC Poly Vibe Long Sleeve T-Shirt - Black $29 Give your surf gear some island flavor with this Poly Vibe tee from HIC. It features a Polynesian design on the chest and a larger design on the back, so you can jam out with your crew in some seriously cool style!

Hurley One & Only 4-Way Stretch Long Sleeve Rashguard - Cyan $35 You gotta show the ocean who’s boss without damaging your bod, bro. Make this rashguard from Hurley your One & Only pick when you hit the waves! It features 40+ UPF, 4-way stretch material and antimicrobial technology. Talk about the ultimate in surf performance wear.

Hurley One & Only 4-Way Stretch Long Sleeve Rashguard - Red $35 You gotta show the ocean who’s boss without damaging your bod, bro. Make this rashguard from Hurley your One & Only pick when you hit the waves! It features 40+ UPF, 4-way stretch material and antimicrobial technology. Talk about the ultimate in surf performance wear.

Matix Remington Lite Long Sleeve Button Down Hooded Shirt - Charcoal $54 It can get pretty chilly when you get out of the water after an exhausting session. In the future, maybe they’ll have a perfect shirt to slip in to. Not really a hoodie, because those are over done, but if they made a long sleeve button down shirt that had a hood too? Now that would be sick, bro! Well it’s your lucky day, because the future is now! Welcome to the upper echelon of post surf or skate session apparel. This long sleeve shirt features a hood with a drawstring, two front pockets and the ability to be worn buttoned or unbuttoned. Man, isn’t the future sweet?

O'Neill 24/7 Long Sleeve Hooded Rashguard - White $55.95 Have you ever been out for a run, playing beach volleyball, or working out at the gym when you hear about some monster barrel? Too bad you weren't ready to hit the water! With the new 24/7 series of rashguards, you can go straight from your run or workout to the surf and never miss a beat. The loose fit gives you all kinds of flexibility for how you use this hoodie/rashguard hybrid. All that and you still get the O'Neill style and U.P.F. sun protection you're used to getting from your rashguard.

Volcom Colorblock Long Sleeve Rashguard - Blue $33 A hardcore surfer like you needs some topnotch gear to tackle those gnarly waves. To keep up with your lifestyle, Volcom used the best modern-day technology to bring you the Colorblock Rashguard. Built with the same power and precision as their best-selling boardshorts, this rashguard is from Volcom’s trashguard line—the next level of performance surf gear. It features a screen print logo on the chest and back, branding on the right arm, flat lock stitching for comfort, 50+ UV protection, Volcom’s modulator technology and contrast color panels fading down the sides so you can hit the waves with style.

Volcom Colorblock Long Sleeve Rashguard - White $33 A hardcore surfer like you needs some topnotch gear to tackle those gnarly waves. To keep up with your lifestyle, Volcom used the best modern-day technology to bring you the Colorblock Rashguard. Built with the same power and precision as their best-selling boardshorts, this rashguard is from Volcom’s trashguard line—the next level of performance surf gear. It features a screen print logo on the chest and back, branding on the right arm, flat lock stitching for comfort, 50+ UV protection, Volcom’s modulator technology and contrast color panels fading down the sides so you can hit the waves with style.

Rusty Wired Jammer Long Sleeve Rashguard - White $64.5 For years you’ve been saying that your life needs a personal soundtrack — catching epic waves would somehow reach even higher levels of awesome with the right tunes blasting in your ears. You must have been on someone’s “Nice” list, because Rusty’s Wired Series Jammer rashguard is here to make all your dreams come true. In addition to being totally comfortable, this rashguard is equipped with internal water and salt-resistant headphones, and a specialized dry dock pouch that’s designed to sync music players to the headphones without ever exposing the player to water. Finally — your very own surf soundtrack. How does that sound? It’s way better than humming "The Final Countdown" under your breath as you ride onto shore. Do do do doooo, doot doot doot doooot.

Rusty Wired Jammer Long Sleeve Rashguard - Black $69.5 For years you’ve been saying that your life needs a personal soundtrack — catching epic waves would somehow reach even higher levels of awesome with the right tunes blasting in your ears. You must have been on someone’s “Nice” list, because Rusty’s Wired Series Jammer rashguard is here to make all your dreams come true. In addition to being totally comfortable, this rashguard is equipped with internal water and salt-resistant headphones, and a specialized dry dock pouch that’s designed to sync music players to the headphones without ever exposing the player to water. Finally — your very own surf soundtrack. How does that sound? It’s way better than humming "The Final Countdown" under your breath as you ride onto shore. Do do do doooo, doot doot doot doooot.

Quiksilver Waterman Pico Creek Long Sleeve Knit T-Shirt - Navy $55 Funny thing — when the weather gets colder, the chicks get more snuggly. The Pico Creek knit shirt from Quiksilver's Waterman Collection is soft and cozy enough to keep you warm, but thin enough so your girl can feel your sinewy arms through your shirt. Its classic stripes and triangle insert at the collar certainly don't hurt your appeal either. So go on and snuggle up, buddy — what else is there to do when it's too cold to surf?

O'Neill Cheshire Long Sleeve Button-Up Shirt - Blue $59.5 Your idea of a wake up call is when your phone alarm goes off at 5:30 in the morning for a dawn patrol session. Your favorite board meetings are the ones that take place sitting with your buddies in between sets. You wax your surfboard -- not your eyebrows! But let's face it broski, there are occasions when you need to clean up your look. With that being said, you don't want to conform to some clothing recommended by a men's magazine. This is why O'Neill designed the Cheshire long sleeve button-up shirt. Its clean styling gives you that professional look, but since it's O'Neill, you know you're still staying true to your surf culture.

O'Neill 24/7 Tech Long Sleeve Rashguard - White/Smoke $41.95 Have you ever been out for a run, playing beach volleyball, or working out at the gym when you hear about some monster barrel? Too bad you weren't ready to hit the water! With the new 24/7 series of rashguards, you can go straight from your run or workout to the surf and never miss a beat. The loose fit gives you all kinds of flexibility for how you use this shirt. All that and you still get the O'Neill style and U.P.F. sun protection you're used to getting from your rashguard.

Roxy Arctic Seaspray Juniors Long Twill Jacket $69.99 You'll be ready to take on the harshest of winter weather in style with this long Arctic jacket by Roxy! It features faux buckle details and interior body fill for the perfect look to keep the cold out all season long!

Quiksilver Rock Steady White Long Sleeve Rashguard $32 Rock the waves in this long sleeve rashguard from Quiksilver featuring UVtech for the ultimate in sun protection!

DC Star White Long Sleeve T-shirt $24 Understated and classically cool, this Star long sleeve tee is the perfect way to brand yourself as a DC man!

Quiksilver Rock Steady Black Long Sleeve Rashguard $24.99 Rock the waves in this long sleeve rashguard from Quiksilver featuring UVtech for the ultimate in sun protection!

Tavik Long Bo Knit Beanie - Black/Gray $19 When you set your sights on something, you always succeed. Achieve a perfectly relaxed yet oh-so-cool look in the Long Bo beanie from Tavik. This extra-long beanie features yarn dyed stripes and a woven Tavik tag for a look that boasts you like to go that extra mile.

Tavik Long Bo Knit Beanie - Blue $19 When you set your sights on something, you always succeed. Achieve a perfectly relaxed yet oh-so-cool look in the Long Bo beanie from Tavik. This extra-long beanie features yarn dyed stripes and a woven Tavik tag for a look that boasts you like to go that extra mile.

Metal Mulisha Captive Long Beanie - Black $24 Escape the clutches of bland, insipid style by rocking this Captive long beanie from Metal Mulisha. With an extra-long body and classic printed MM skull graphics printed on the front, this beanie lets the purveyors of tacky, worn-out threads that the only way you’ll go back to ‘em is with both fists flying.

Rusty Wired Series Humpstead Plaid Long Sleeve Hooded Shirt - Blue $79.5 You are revered for the way you can ride a wave. They might never admit it, but some of your bros kind of consider you as their hero. Next time the tides are high, grab your board, your mp3 player and toss on this Humpstead shirt from Rusty and take them out for a showcase of your mad surf skills. This warm hooded button up shirt features a jersey hood, chest front pocket and woven brand clips tags. Oh wait – there’s more! It features built-in machine washable drawstring ear buds that are compatible with most music devices, so you can rock out to your favorite song while watching your crew try to replicate the way you rip the waves! Hey, every great hero has to have theme music.

KR3W Flag Black Long Sleeve Heathered Thermal $28 Pledge allegiance to KR3W and a lifetime of skating in the Flag long sleeve thermal! It features a distressed striped flag turned on its side with KR3W and LA branding.

Famous Sloppy White Long Sleeve Thermal $24.99 Clean up your look and stay warm for a long night riding in the Sloppy thermal from Famous featuring a dripping logo on comfy waffle fabric!

Famous Sloppy Black Long Sleeve Thermal $31 Clean up your look and stay warm for a long night riding in the Sloppy thermal from Famous featuring a dripping logo on comfy waffle fabric!

O'Neill Skins Day Away Juniors Long Sleeve Rashguard - White/Hot Coral $41.95 Keep your bod protected, girl — you only have one! Luckily, O’Neill has designed this Skins Day Away rashguard or else you might find yourself gettin’ pretty beat up after a surf sesh. This super-lightweight long sleeve guard features a quick-dry, 4-way stretch material that also contains a U.P.F. of 50+, providing you with ultimate protection against the elements, your board and sun fatigue. Plus, it’s got custom branding printed across the chest and matching bright stripe designs along the sides, so you’re destined to look pretty fly, too. Nothing says "I've got it covered" like this top, no way.