With the whole Covid-19 thing, many surfers across the UK and abroad have been landlocked, forced into our rooms like children and deprived of the one thing that keeps us sane, marijuan… wait no, waves! For many, surfing is an incredibly peaceful and almost meditative activity that can shape how we live our days, spend our holidays and even forge our careers! It’s safe to say that the experience of surfing is incredible by itself, but there are particular products, items and services that can make surfing even more special and enjoyable.
So, in an attempt to appease the salty seadog in your life, I’ve picked out 10 different gifts for surfers, that I think will make their next session something to remember!
1. Reef Bottle Opening Sandals
Ever been caught out on the sand after a day out in the surf, with an ice cold ( for advertising purposes,) juice, but been stuck without a bottle opener or indeed adequate footwear? No, me neither. But if you did end up in this hypothetical situation, Reef has got your back, by inventing what is quite possibly the most stupid, daft and utterly brilliant product you could think of… Bottle opening sandals!
I first saw these advertised in a segment of an old issue of Carve magazine, under a picture of Mick Fanning, who is an ASP world champion pro surfer, and also the mastermind behind these fantastic sandals. So I suppose you’re wondering what the features of these shoes are, or maybe not, but I’m gonna tell you anyway!
The sandals come with…
- A water friendly synthetic strap.
- Compression moulded airbag under foot.
- Rubber exterior material and rubber soles
- A flat bottom
- A range of colours, but mostly in the darker end of the spectrum
- Arch support
- A Reef logo on the heels
- A toe mounted Tazer!
…That last one wasn’t true, but I wish it was. Mick, if you’re reading this, shoot me a message I’ve got an idea for you!
These shoes retail for £32.95 on Surfdome.com, and between £21.13 – £103.50 on Amazon.co.uk, very reasonable prices for the build quality and for what they are! (Don’t worry, I wont be making any money off these links), so pick up a pair and indulge in the satisfying productiveness of having your shoe as your personal bartender… As long as you don’t step in any dog shit on your travels to and from the beach!
2. A Portable Safe
Every surfer on the planet has had the same issue confront them… What to do with your phone, keys and wallet when you’ve wetsuited up! Now, everyone has their own secret spots, that I won’t go into detail about, but the whole experience of surfing has a constant dark cloud overhead, when you spend your time in the water worrying if some evil youth has robbed your phone, keys and money you’ve saved for the ice cream man!
While searching Amazon the other day, I came across a small portable safe, built with the intention of keeping all of your valuables secure while on the beach! Why I never thought to do this in the past is beyond me, but maybe I’m just a bit thick…
The safe that I’ve linked is Amazon’s choice, but it has a stupidly long name… Ahem, ” The Anti-Theft Portable Beach Chair Safe and Travel Vault – for Stowing a Wallet, Cell Phone, Sunglasses, Camera, Keys, ID Cards, Driver’s License, Credit Cards, Passport, Cash, Jewelry and/or Medication.” But for simplicity’s sake, I’m just going to just call it the Beach safe!
This variation of the beach safe is pretty damn simple, it comes in white, it is made from ‘heavy duty materials,’ and is indoor and outdoor safe. It has a heavy duty steel cable to secure the safe to a chair, roof-rack, fence and pretty much whatever else you can think of attaching it to! It retails for £15.99, which in my opinion is very cheap for something you’d be willing to leave your most prized possessions in.
Upon closer inspection, the majority of the reviews are incredibly positive, and describe how solid the safe feels and how it is perfect for keeping a few phones, keys and your wallet inside! If I was to get one however, I would get a small dry-bag to protect all of the valuables from water and sand that could potentially get in! If you want to go the extra mile however, you can get a mini GPS tracker for £29.99, and leave it in the safe as an extra precaution!
Of course, you don’t have to go for this option! Just have a look around online for a mini portable safe, there are plenty of other designs and products for you to choose from! In my opinion, this is one of the best gifts for surfers, beach-goers, swimmers, or pretty much everyone who can’t carry all of their items on hand, because of the weight that is lifted off your shoulders, knowing all your crap is safe!
3. Hire a Surf Photographer
I think any surfer will agree, it’s the most annoying thing when you get the ‘best wave you’ve ever got in your life,’ but nobody was there to see you do it! Not only that, but you’ve only got your memory to relive that experience! Setting up your phone, or a big expensive camera on the sand isn’t really best practice, and you’ll be seen as the biggest Kook on the beach… So why not solve these issues by hiring a photographer to film or photograph your next surf session?
Event photography in the UK generally costs an average of between £150 to £300 , so not the cheapest of gifts for surfers, but you could use this opportunity to get some good pictures of you and your beloved surfer, in and out of the water to stick in the scrap book, photo album or Insta profile!
After spending way too long looking for surf photographers around the UK, I’ve come to the impression that the majority of photographers do mostly wedding ceremonies and portraits, but I reached out to a couple around the UK who would be willing to photograph a surf session.
(Note, there are many more photographers that may be willing to take up a surf photography gig, but these are the ones i have personally spoken to, and would put my trust in! just search for ‘photographers near me’ and contact them directly if they are too far out from your local spot, I’m sure they’d be happy to help!)
When I think of photographers that I’d trust to take some fantastic surfing images, two realy spring to mind!
Tommy Hatwell, has worked with the freewave surf academy in Bude, photographing surfers and yoga and creating marketing photos for them! He said ideally, if you were local to the beach, or visiting, it would make it ‘easy peasy,’ and seems like he would be very happy to photograph your next surf trip down in and around Bude. He seems like a dead nice guy, to speak to him yourself, click the link to his website and use the ‘contact Tommy’ button to… well… contact Tommy!
To see some more of his fantastic work, head to thinkpeoplethinkstory.com to see what does in Uganda to help the people feel more confident and less fearful, teaching integrity, courage and kindness. Up to 50% of the profits of the products on the website go straight back to their projects in Uganda, so make sure you give it a look!
Kerry Duncan is a photographer based in West Yorkshire, and when I spoke to her she made it clear that surf photography is something she could definitely do! For local shoots in West Yorkshire she would charge £50 per hour with all images copyright free on a USB. If she came further afield, she would have to charge more for travel costs and extras. She seems very friendly, and a quick read of her customer reviews that she is a very talented, professional photographer who will definitely make your next session something to remember. To speak to Kerry yourself, head to her website and click the ‘contact me’ section, obviously. Or I suppose you could try smoke signals or something, but that’s really out of fashion nowadays.
4. A (proper) Skateboard
I know the horrors of being a land locked surfer. There’s nothing worse than looking on magicseaweed and seeing that your favourite surfing spot is absolutely pumping, but you’re stuck in your room staring at your phone screen wishing you were there! One of the biggest problems of being a landlocked surfer is that you can’t practice the sport, so when you finally get back to the seaside come summer, you look like a complete novice!
Luckily, some smart kids in the 1940’s decided that waiting for waves was boring, and that strapping a set of wheels to a plank of wood was not only dangerous, but exiting, and made for a great surfing substitute! We can take a page from their book nowadays buy buying a skateboard, or at least some variations of it.
Now you may be thinkng, Josh, are you seriously struggling for ideas that much that you’re using the old ” OoH Try SkatEBoArdInG InsTead!” Well, yes… But there’s more to it than that. Unlike the kids of the early to mid 20th century, we have way more wheeled apparatus’ to break our necks on! Let me go over some of the best…
Carver Skateboard
The carver skateboard is quite a new addition to the world of skating, the idea is to mix surfing with skateboarding and try and replicate the feeling of pumping and carving on a shorter board, while staying bone dry… well, unless you like to skate in the rain. The carver style of board is perfect for training on land for people who ride a short board, just like the longboard is perfect for people who surf longer boards!
The idea is to create momentum by moving your body and weight, also known as ‘pumping’, this is the most efficient way of gaining speed while surfing on a shorter board, so the on land practice will help to build up muscle memory for your next surf sesh!
For an in depth explanation on how to use a carver skateboard, watch the video linked here by Surfcompanions!
Longboard
The longboard is in my opinion, the best surfing alternative for beginners or people who surf larger boards. Speaking as someone who rides a 9’4 log, I find that using a longboard on flat land has helped me progress my surfing skills while being over 50 miles from the closest beach! The main reason for this is that you can really practice cross stepping and nose riding while on land, a skill that translates into the water, be it with quite a lot of practice… and wipeouts!
Longboards have many different style types, all with different uses and riding styles. For a full description of the different styles of longboard, visit the action board shop website and have a look at their longboard buyers guide if a longboard is something you may be interested in! (I recommend it.)
You can get a cheap longboard for around £60, and more expensive ones for upwards on £100. I had a cruiser style longboard that I bought from Decathlon for £75, and it lasted me for years! Well, it would’ve lasted longer if I didn’t decide to leave it behind my dad’s car… snap. Your best bet is to have a look on Amazon for cheap, semi decent longboards. Other than that, maybe pop in to your local skate shop and see if they have any for sale!
Indo board
If wheels don’t do it for you, then maybe the Indo board will! The Indo board is a wooden plank that you place over a cylinder, and use to practice your ballance with. This gift would be fantastic for someone who finds skateboarding too youthful, and wants a more professional way to train your balancing skills. It is also perfect for someone who doesn’t have much space to practice or lives somewhere where the weather is usually shite… like anywhere in England 90% of the year!
If you go to most surfshops, you will come across one of these strange contraptions hidden among the longboards and wetsuits. It is a favourite among surfers as it allows you to get better at balancing and feels somewhat similar to what you will experience while surfing! Another added advantage of using an Indo Board over a longboard or skateboard is that if you stack it and fall on your face, you are much less likely to get a nasty case of roadrash, and if you use the Indo board in your house, science shows that you are around 134% less likely to get hit by a car if you fall off! Amazing!
The big downside of the Indo board is the stupidly high price. For a glorified plank of wood and a Pringle’s tube, it will set you back around £142.70! I think I speak for everyone when I say, Fu*k that. The other problem is that the actual company doesn’t send to the UK, so you have to look on Amazon to get it. On Amazon, the Indo board costs £150, but includes free shipping. Still a hell of a lot, but I suppose you are buying the actual product, rather than a knockoff…
If you’re a bargain hunter, there are plenty of similar products that are quite a lot cheaper. One I would go for the Taleco Gear Balance Board. It costs £78.88 and includes free shipping in the UK. Much cheaper than the Indo board for pretty much the same product.
Another idea is to try and build one for yourself! It can’t be too difficult… (warning, you cannot hold me accountable for any injury acquired by using a home made Indo board, I’m just a idiot on the internet who likes to talk… a lot!)
Skateboard
A skateboard does exactly what it says on the tin. It’s a board that you skate on. Fantastic for flatland tricks and dropping in at your local skate park or bowl! Pretty much the cheapest, most bog-standard surfing substitute out there! You can get pretty cheap, crap ones at around £30, and decent ones for around £75. Your best bet is to have a look on Google maps for the nearest skate shop and head in, let them know that you’re buying it as a gift and the staff should point you to the perfect board to take home and gift to the surfer in your life, (assuming they don’t have one of these in their arsenal already…)
5. A MILO Action Communicator
With waves crashing and the general nose of the elements, communication while surfing can be a struggle. I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve lost my voice while trying to get the attention of the people I go surfing with. That’s why when I came across an advert on instagram for the MILO action communicator, I just thought, finally… a solution for an issue that plagues all surfers who like to go out in groups!
The idea is, you’d wear this little plastic ring on your arm and be able to talk to whoever you are surfing with, from wherever you are on the beach. It doesn’t use Wi-Fi or phone signal, it is fueled by magic. Well, that’s not quite true… It uses a private encrypted mesh network to keep you in touch with your fellow surfers! How this works? I haven’t the foggiest, but it is still cool nonetheless!
here is a quick overview of the MILO’s spec’s… DEFINATELY not nicked from their website.
The MILO comes in three colours, whote, red and black.
While currently only a project on Kikstarter, the MILO action communicator has 17,000 products pre ordered, and ready to be shipped out in early 2021! To get one of your own you’ve gotta head over to kickstarter and place a place a pledge, for one MILO it costs $169 an $9 for worldwide shipping. For a set of two MILO’s, you’re looking at $319. Pretty pricey, but cheaper than it will be when it comes out! If you back the product, you’re looking at a delivery in February 2021!
6. Book A Board Making Workshop
It is my belief that almost everyone who takes surfing seriously has considered getting a custom made board! There’s something about having an item that is tailored to you that makes the whole experience of surfing so much better. But why not take it one step further and create your own custom board, by booking a surfboard making workshop!
There are a handful of places around the UK that will happily take you in and teach you the basics of board shaping! So not only will you be provided with expert advice and a rare insight into the world of surfboard shaping, but you will come out with a custom made surfboard, built with your own two hands… (Bragging rights.)
Because I haven’t been to every single surfboard workshop…yet… I’ve taken a look online to see where abouts they’re located, and here are the links to their websites and the prices they charge for a course…
- jaxonsurfboardworkshops.co.uk (£750-£1150) Near Falmouth, Cornwall.
- open.surf (£54-£750) In St Agnes, Cornwall.
- arbosurfboards.com (£55 per foot + £375) In Newquay, Cornwall.
- driftwoodsurfboards.co.uk (£1200-£1365) In Newquay, Cornwall.
- farcabinetmakers.co.uk (£350-£1200) In Crail in Fife, Scotland.
- Dailybreadsurfboards (£950 ish… Negotiable when in contact.) In Oakhill, Somerset.
While there aren’t many of these in the UK, I think that having the rare experience of being able to build your own surfboard, and learn the process is well worth any distance you have to travel do it! Plus it’s another excuse to go to the beach, eh?
One of the all time best wooden surfboard shapers is James Otter. An expert surfboard shaper who builds custom boards out of wood! His workshop is based in Porthtowan, a small village in North West Cornwall, around a 30 minute drive from Newquay!
His company came from a love of surfing (obviously), a great disliking to waste and boards that aren’t built to last, and for working with his hands, a trade that is in many respects, fading away into the past! With so many people working online, in offices and on cramp desks, it is nice to disconnect, slow down and spend a few days in the workshop creating your own surf-able masterpiece! I would definately reccomend his workshop, I’ve spoken to him personally and he is a proper nice bloke with a lot of passion for the work he does! He charges around £2,350 for a course in his workshop.
If this price seems like a lot, he has a feature which lets you pay in more managable chunks… I mean, there are worse things to spend your life savings on, right?
7. A Surfing Watch
I think I speak for all of humanity when I say, time flies when you’re having fun. One of the (very) few downsides of surfing is the fact you could be out there for hours on end, but feel like you got in the water 10 minutes ago! This can be a bit of an issue if you have somewhere to be after your session. The other problem is that if you have an issue with time keeping, unlike me, (I swear…), then spending time in the water not knowing how long you have left can be quite anxiety inducing, and can ruin the peace and tranquility of your session.
A quick and easy way to solve this issue is to invest in a Surfing Watch!
Probably one of the most overlooked items in a surfers inventory, a simple waterproof watch can make a surfer’s life so much easier! If you are lucky enough to live by the coast and value your pre- work surf sesh, you will no longer have to worry about being late for work! Yes, I did indeed just describe the use of an average watch, but a surfing watch is that and so much more!
In my opinion, the Garmin Instinct Solar Surf is the best option for not only surfers, but for the outdoors in general! Obviously, it does it do all the normal ‘watchy’ functions… like ya’ know, tell the time, but it also has these features;
- A compass
- An altimeter
- GPS navigation
- Solar charging
- Heart rate and Blood oxygen levels
- Stress and sleep tracker
- Battery saving mode, up to 59 days of charge
- A Pedometer
- Wave tracking technology
- SOS feature
Safe to say, this is the Swiss army knife of watches!
More on the surfing features of this watch. The design team at Garmin reached out to surfers around the world to develop smart wave tracking technology, so that whenever you catch a wave, the watch automatically senses it and tracks each wave surfed, the maximum speed of each wave and the distance traveled on that wave. This will help to further the surfing ability of the user by being able to track their progression over time!
The heart rate monitor also works underwater, so you can track your heart rate while out in the surf! There is also a mobile app that connects to the watch, so that you can receive emails, texts and alerts when you are apart from your phone, but you can turn this feature off if you like to forget about work, emails, texts and news when you are surfing.
It isn’t cheap though, it usually retails at a whopping £399.99! You may think that it is a waste of money, do I agree? Not really. It is built to military standards, and is intended to survive in the harshest environments on earth. The cost is worth it for the fantastic build quality and unique features that it boasts. That being said, I reckon I could break one within a week of owning it, not because of any manufacturing fault or product failures, but just the fact that I tend to destroy everything I own!
As most of my mates and family would tell you, fashion isn’t really my forté, but I think this watch really does look good. It’s chunky and looks rugged and attractive, like me… And comes in 18 different colours and designs!
I think the price should go down though, as most new electronic gadgets do over time. Give it a few months and it may be worth checking Ebay for any going cheap second hand. That’s what I would do anyway…
I had a quick look on Amazon.co.uk, and it is selling for £381.00 with free shipping, better than the price that Garmin is asking for, but still not a cheap watch by any stretch of the imagination. There was only one left in stock
for a full comprehensive review on the Garmin Instinct Solar Surf, look at www.dcrainmaker.com, his revew goes into way more detail than this one does!
So, is the Garmin Instinct Solar Surf a good gift for surfers? In my opinion, yes! I understand if the price is too high, you wouldn’t catch me buying one of these full price, so have a look at some of these other surfing watches and find which one you think is the best option for you.
8. Book Some Advanced Surfing Lessons
This is a tricky one. Buying a seasoned surfer some surfing lessons is kinda like buying someone deodorant. You’re not saying they stink as such, you’re just saying that they could smell better! While they may immediately take offense to this, in the long run they will realize how terrible they smelled before, and surf much better in the future because of it! …Wait, I’ve confused myself…
You get what I mean, at the risk of offending your fried or partner, you could help them progress their surfing skills massively! Luckily, there are plenty of surf schools around the UK that offer advanced surfing courses for intermediate level surfers.
Here is a list of the surf schools that offer intermediate surfing lessons around the U.K. that I could see on Google maps!
I’m sure that if you look at other surf schools, especially ones that operate near popular surf spots, that I haven’t included on the list, and contact them directly via email, you’ll find more intermediate or private surf training places to check out, closer to your local spot!
If you often head to North Cornwall, I’d urge you to get in contact with the fantastic people at Breakers surf school! They offer one to one lessons and intermediate lessons in one of the most picturesque surfing locations in the whole of the UK. Plus, the surfing capital of Europe is a 25 minute drive up the road! I’ve hired boards from them many times, and I’ve seen them teach classes. Mega friendly locals that are very much devoted to the work they do in the water! All around great group of human beings!
9. Finsout FCS II Fin removal tool
(A quick disclaimer, this product is only combatible with the FCS II fin system!)
Time management isn’t something I’m great at. I often find myself wasting time doing the stupidest of things, such as mindlessly browsing the internet at 2am when I should be sleeping, or leaving it until 2 minutes before I leave the house when I decide that now would be the perfect time to have a dump.
Where am I going with this again…?
Oh yeah! When you get to the beach for a day of surfing, you are usually limited to the amount of time you have in the water. Things like traffic, daylight and the next days activities can really effect the amount of time you have in the water! That’s why there is nothing worse than getting out of the water and fumbling about with your freezing cold, sandy, wet hands, trying to remove your fins so you can fit it in the stupidly small board bag you decided to buy because it was slightly cheaper!
Thankfully, some surfers in the land down under decided that life is too short to sit around, cutting yourself with the stupidly sharp surf fins while trying to remove them, and had the idea to create a product that fits around you fins and removes them for you, saving your time, and your fingers!
The removal tool is made from a strong, durable, fully recycled material and comes with a handy wrist strap to stop you accidentally launching your fin removal tool out of anger when you realize it doesn’t work with your particular fins!
Yes, like I said earlier, unfortunately this product is only compatible with FCS II surf fins, so you’ve got to purchase those aswell. Luckily, the FCS II fins are extremely well made and held in high regard with surfers all around the world! To browse their website for fins, click this link here. If you already have FCS II fins, youre laughing aren’t you!
The FCS II fin removal tool retails at different prices, depending on where you look. On Boardshop.co.uk, it costs £18.99. Zumajay.co.uk charge £15.99 and on Amazon… well, it isn’t on Amazon yet unfortunately. You can’t buy it from the official Finsout website unless you live in Australia, as they don’t ship internationally… Lazy bastards!
While I haven’t used this product myself, it has received a five star review on Google. Granted, there is only one review, but it is a patented design that you won’t see anywhere else, and if you have the correct fins, this tool could make your or your surfing companion’s next surf session that much more enjoyable!
Or you could just use your hands… like everyone else. Your call!
10. Gopro Hero 7 Black
Maybe booking a surf photographer for every session isn’t ideal, I can understand that. It would cost way too much money and would end up being a pain in the arse for not only you, but the poor photographer that you’ve got to drag to the beach to watch you wipe out again and again. While this may be rather entertaining for the first few times, eventually they are going to get bored and go photograph something else, like a bird mid flight or some hipster style coffee! One way to stop this issue from arising is to invest in a waterproof camera to stick on the nose of their surfboard!
A safe option for a decent waterproof camera is the Go-Pro. They are rugged, good and relitively cheap cameras (depending on which one you get), and can last you a long time… Unless you’re me, and decide to leave your Go-Pro on the beach, in a bag with your keys and wallet in, and let the tide sweep it away into the great blue yonder… not a good day.
A safe option to go for would be the Go-Pro hero 7 black! It has a fantastic image quality, revilutionary image stabilization (hypersmooth), long battery life, front display of important information and also a built in case, which protects the camera extremely well, making it completely waterproof up to 10M! They cost around £250 from the actual Go-Pro website, but on Amazon, you can get it for £217.50!
Like I said, this camera is tough as nails, and is absolutely perfect for filming your next surfing trip! And if looked after properly should last you for years on end, unlike mine… which is probably somewhere between the Celtic sea and the Atlantic ocean by now.
Conclusion
Getting gifts for surfers can be a pretty difficult experience. We all ride different boards, have different styes, surf different breaks and so on. But, one thing we all have in common is a shared love for the sea, it’s a place where time almost seems to disappear, and you are completely engulfed in a sense of being present… It’s very hipster like that. I’m sure you know that Christmas this year will very different than usual, but you can at least make summer 2021 extra special for the surfer in your life by grabbing them some fancy new surf gear, and making them more exited to get back out there and do what they love!
Have a great Christmas, I’m sure next year will be SWELL… I’m sorry for that.
If you enjoyed this post, why not check out one of my others? If you have a question about any part of this post, don’t hesitate to contact me. Juct click the “contact us” button on the home screen and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible! 😉
