Swell Gift Ideas for Wave Riders
Ho! Ho! Ho! ‘Tis a jolly good time to wrap yourself into something nice and warm like a new titanium wet suit ($250), melt the old wax (50 cents) off your surfboard ($350) and get into the water (generally free). Get committed for 1995!
Rockin’ Fig says, “C’mon. It ain’t that hard. I do it every day north side of the Huntington Beach Pier. “
The Fig’s testosterone must be flowing. . . . Water temperatures have dipped into the mid-50s but he still hasn’t put on his booties. Brrrrr. The man’s crazed.
With only THREE SHOPPING DAYS left before Christmas, the Fig wanted to tell you about a few great stocking-stuffer, surf gifts in the under-$30 range for the dudes and dudettes on your Christmas list.
Wax: Your basic cheapo stuffer would be wax, the surfing kind to make you stick to your board.
At 50 to 75 cents a bar, the Fig’s on to something. I think I’ll pick up a few extras, wrap ‘em up pretty and send them in lieu of fruitcake.
Choice brand names include Miss Palmers (soft), Killer Bees Wax (soft), Sex Wax (no comment), and Sticky Bumps (soft). Generally, the colder the water, the softer the wax.
Comb: Moving up the chart would be a wax comb for about $1. Nothing better than a comb to clean off that old, dirty wax, plus they’re double-edged, with teeth on one side to put a nice texture to your board’s surface.
The ritual here is to use the sun to soften old wax, which is then scraped off with the comb’s straight edge.
Then, wax your board and hit it with that serrated edge to give it a nice, grippy texture.
Surfboard leash: If you’re a weekend warrior, a basic leash for $10 or so that connects the board to your ankle is sufficient.
But if you’re more into surfing, you want something with more features and strength that can withstand powerful waves .
Added features (up to $30) include a device that prevents the leash from tangling around your ankle, a fast Velcro release allowing you to switch quickly from board to board, and a handy key pocket.
Guards: Nose guards, or nose cones, that protect the sharp tip of your surfboard from rocks. It also protects you from the sharp tip.
For about $10, they’re really a good investment because if your nose hits you, it could save you a trip to the emergency room.
Ding Repair: Quick-Fix. It comes in a tube that surfers can carry with them or put in their backpacks. It’s about $12.
A mobile ding-repair factory in a tube . Dry your surfboard, apply the mixture, which hardens within five minutes in sunlight. You squeeze it out and boom! You can sand that ding and be back out in the water in 10 minutes.
Surf Videos: Figgy says lots of surfers like the vids because they get all amped for their surf sessions after popping ‘em into the VCR. An adrenaline pump equivalent to eating 12 glazed doughnuts. Current hot titles include, “Modern Legends in Hawaiian Surf,” “What’s Really Goin’ On,” “Adrenaline Surf Series III,” Taylor Steele’s “Momentum” series and his new vid, “Focus,” which features hot European surfing. Also, “Fluid Combustible,” which has some of the best Hawaiian footage in years. They’re about $20 to $30. Some surf shops also rent them much cheaper.
For those among us looking for something a little pricier, consider these:
Grip Surfaces: These attach to the top of your surfboard with adhesive. There are pros and cons to their usage. Surfers like them because they eliminate the heavy use of wax. However, the grip’s textured surface can rub your skin raw unless you wear a rash guard or wet suit. Popular brands include Astrodeck, Gorilla Grip, Trac-Top and Island Style.
For $20 to $30 apiece, we’re talking front foot grip, back foot grip, arch bars and tail risers. If you want the whole deck done, it’ll run about $65.
Shades: Figgy says these are among the hottest items this year for who’s hot and who’s not. Popular styles include Oakleys, Arnet (the new Catfish model in assorted colors), Vuarnet, Ravens (narrow wraparounds that are now available in steel), Dragon Opticals for a cool look and Black Flys. They run $50 to $100.
Out this year are Ray-Bans, beanies and Fig’s favorite, fur-lined Speedos. Still popular, however, are Australian sheepskin Ugg boots ($70-$100), and padded and reflective board bags ready for that mega trip to Costa Rica. Cost is $60 to $100 for a single-board bag and about $180 for double-board bags.
OK, Figgy, let’s suppose it’s dream gift time. What would you want under your Christmas tree?
How about a week in Hawaii? Hey, better yet, a week in Fiji , say at Tavarua?
Cool. But someone better have a well-lined wallet. You’re talking about $1,650, but that includes air fare, lodging and food for 10 days. Incidentals, however, are not part of the package.
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Contests: Congratulations to Kelly Slater of Florida for winning the Assn. of Surfing Professionals’ world title (and Pipeline Masters on Dec. 9) and Lisa Andersen, also of Florida, who captured the women’s crown. Andersen has been fighting a crippling back injury since autumn to wrestle the title away from Australia’s Pauline Menczer at Australia’s Diet Coke Classic, also earlier this month.
It’s a one-two punch for American surfers. Americans hold five of the top six slots on the world tour.
Slater has the championship, followed by Sunny Garcia of Hawaii in third; Shane Beschen of San Clemente, fourth; Rob Machado, Encinitas, fifth, and Jeff Booth of Laguna Beach, sixth. Australia’s Shane Powell grabbed the second spot.
Season’s Greetings: Fig and I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and hopefully Santa will bring us a big Christmas swell! And watch out for grommets--it’s vacation time again.
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